Post by Aiden Reynolds on Apr 23, 2021 22:02:56 GMT -5
Moving On
Rebounds.
It was never a nice thing to have in your life, that first relationship after one that felt serious. There are usually two roads of thought: either you think of it as a bit of fun, a way to blow off some steam and regain confidence, or you jump into it headfirst and try and make that more serious than the previous one. A reaction born out of the fear of being alone.
But neither of those ways works and the rebound relationship is never a pleasant one. It doesn’t matter which side of it you are one, the rebounder or the reboundee.
In the end, someone will always get hurt and you both end up walking away and feeling like shit. The cycle continues for one of you and life goes on. But what happens if you let that relationship go too far, too fast, and too serious?
Well. That is the greatest pain of all.
Everything has an end. Everything has a tipping point. Everything happens for a reason….
The New Beginning
Early 2019
DIVISION Wrestling ended. As quickly as it began, it ended as quickly as Aiden had been shopped around and signed a contract. It was over. Unable to find a cable TV deal, the interest in the company faded. Dickie Watson had been the company's first and only World Champion. Aiden had gotten some much-needed exposure after the disaster that was his WWH tenure, even with a title from there on his resume. But now it was back to the drawing board. Back to looking for a permanent home as he navigated the independent circuit.
An appearance here, a match there, he traveled all around the US and to Canada with a day trip or two down to Mexico. Aiden was living the life of a traveling salesman, selling his skills and entertainment value to the highest bidder -- or simply whoever would pay him. In that respect, he was less of a mercenary...and more of a whore.
He had relocated to New York City completely, setting up a base near Wolfslair. As such, he was able to take in the local sights and sounds. The sprawling metropolis was much bigger and impressive than anything back home. As much as he loved Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, nothing was as impressive and awe-inspiring as the infamous New York City.
He sat outside a local cafe, a coffee sitting on the table as he looked through his phone. Conversations going on all around him, cars honking their horns, music coming from three different directions -- the city was alive and thriving. Aiden smiled and his thumbs moved fast along the keyboard on his phone screen before feeling something hit the side of his face, a piece of a chocolate donut. “Oi mate, what the f-”
“Well, you weren’t listening to me, dickhead.” Dickie Watson was visiting New York to see his sister. He’d called and said he couldn’t stand in front of another boutique again, so he was using his spare time instead to hang out with Aiden. But the Australian knew that wasn’t all of it either. He sat across the table, a half-eaten donut in front of him and a coffee next to that.
Aiden raised an eyebrow and tossed the choc-coated treat back at Dickie. “I was too.”
Dickie shook his head and folded his arms over his chest sitting back, pushing his feet out with the left foot over the right, showing off his vintage black and white Converse and strategically torn skinny jeans. “Oh yeah? Prove it. What was the last thing I said?” There was an awkward silence. Aiden blinked a few times, then narrowed his eyes at Dickie, who stayed stone-faced and silent.
“You’re annoyed with Finn for not comin’ with you to see Elena and that’s why you’re here gettin’ coffee with me. Also the coffee is flavourless and the best part about this is the fuckin’ donut.”
Dickie sneered and looked down at the donut. He cleared his throat and sat forward, tearing off another piece of it popping it into his mouth. “You got lucky…”
Aiden shook his head and let out a relieved breath. He finished up his message before pressing “send”. He smiled and sat back, grabbing his coffee and taking a sip. Dickie was right: it was flavorless. He turned his nose up for a second and held in a gag as he put the cup back down. Lifting his chin, he stretched and just took in the sights, sounds, and smells of it all. Dickie tilted his head and finished his coffee, before tossing the paper cup in the recycling bin.
Dickie wasn’t stupid. He nonchalantly looked up at the smog covered sky before shaking his own head and leaning forward. “So, who is she?”
“Who?”
Dickie cleared his throat and took another bite of his donut, pointing at Aiden's phone. “The person you’ve been messaging for the last twenty-five minutes while trying really hard to hide it.” Aiden blinked a few times, his hand sliding up to grab his phone and move it. Dickie couldn’t help but laugh. “Come on, Aiden. Spill it.”
He groaned and rolled his eyes. “All right. So, there’s this sheila…”
“Her name’s Sheila? How old is she? Like 60?”
“What? No, mate. ‘Sheila’, a female.” He shook his head, clicking that Dickie had no idea about Australian slang. He shuffled nervously and opened his phone before showing him a picture. Dickie raised an eyebrow and sat back nodding his head. “She and I got introduced and we hit it o-”
“Yeah, Flo is a nice girl.”
Aiden stopped mid-sentence and just stared at Dickie for a few seconds. It clicked, and it all became clear. Of course, Dickie would know her. Florence was a friend of Elena DeDraca. He couldn’t help but laugh and smile. “Anyway, me an’ Flo have been talkin’. We clicked and went on a date or two and I think it’s gettin real serious, real quick...” He trailed off, clearing his throat. He was nervous about it. Florence was the first woman Aiden had talked to in any meaningful way since Etsuko. His heart sank, thinking about her and the fact he never got to say goodbye.
Dickie finished his donut and looked at his phone, shooting a message off to Hannah. He smiled and stood up. “Getting out there is a good thing, mate. You have a place here, you’re training hard, forging friendships and setting down roots. Now, we both just need to find real fuckin’ jobs. HYBRID can suck my ass.” Dickie put his phone in his front pocket and picked up his leather jacket and threw it on, a dark red knitted cap sitting over the mop of dark brown hair that swept to the side. He muttered two words under his breath that made Aiden laugh.“Fuckin’ DIVISION.”
The closure had hit him hard. The first company he made a splash in, and a company that looked to him to lead it. The fact he was their champion filled him with pride, and as it closed, Dickie became angry. He tried to hide it, but Aiden had known him long enough now to figure out his moods. “We’ll get there, mate...but Hannah is gonna pull ya leash...get on back to her yeah?” Dickie gave a sigh and a nod as Aiden got to his feet and fist-bumped his friend. “I’ll see ya later, I gotta get to the gym.”
“Tell Alex my brother said Hi.”
Aiden just shook his head with a chuckle. He didn’t want to open that can of worms….
The Flip Flop
Clap clap clap clap.
No, not that type of clapping. Not hands. This isn’t that stupid Fitz and the Tantrums song. This is the sound that footwear makes as it hits a tiled floor. Aiden Reynolds yawns as he opens his fridge, pulling out a Sour Heads Bang, popping the top and chugging some before letting out a rather loud burp.
“Fucking charming…”
Aiden’s head snapped sideways, wearing a loose-fitting Brisbane Broncos rugby jersey and black shorts. He shook his head, looking around. The apartment is dark, and with the blinding light of the refrigerator, he couldn’t see anything.
“Mate, what the fuck are ya doing?”
There is a long sigh from The Molotov. “You told me to come around early, motivate you to do your promo. Said you’d been a little lazy...”
He drank the rest of his drink and put the can down with the rest of the recycling.
“I meant early like, midday…”
There was a pause, Dickie cleared his throat and broke the silence.
“It’s 11:45 in the mor-”
“Yeah yeah, Australian midday so like..early arvoish.”
There was a small annoyed grunt, the sound of lips smacking together and then a deep breath.
“It’s time to cut your damn promo. And what the fuck are you wearing?”
Aiden turns and opens the fridge, grabbing a drink for himself and one for Dickie. He walks around holding a can in each hand and looks down with a smirk.
“What? A footy jersey, my boardies and thongs.”
“Thongs?”
“Yeah….”
“I didn’t need to know about your underwear choices, Aiden.”
He tilted his head, one eyebrow up and one down before looking down at his footwear and placing the cans on the small coffee table in front of his couch.
“The fuck are ya talking about? My thongs, mate..these…”
He kicks the black rubber footwear off his feet picking one of them up and wagging it in front of the camera and Dickie’s face.
“Oh...FLIP FLOPS! Fuck sake, mate.”
“...Flip flop? I haven’t mentioned MYOJIN’s change in personality yet….”
Dickie tries to hold back a laugh, Aiden just stays serious, deadpanning Dickie.
“...oh wait, you were serious..no the...those are flip flops…”
Aiden looks at it and tosses it aside, shaking his head.
“Bloody Americans…they're infecting your vocabulary now...”
He moves back around and sits down clearing his throat and popping the top on his second energy drink while looking down. He takes a few breaths and seems to be concentrating, Dickie starts getting impatient; he grunts, clears his throat, and still, nothing. After a good forty-five seconds, Dickie can't stand it anymore.
“Aiden, Aiden mate, we’re rolling here.”
“Shhh.” Aiden raises a singular finger.
“What?”
“SHHHHHH!!!!”
“....Why?”
Aiden's head shot up, a steely-eyed look as his square jaw clenched. He turned his head slightly to the side, his hand coming up to his chin.
“I’m trying to get into character...”
“Into char-”
“Yes, into character. See, MYO and I, despite the fact we both have some of the best records in Project: Honor, despite the fact MYOJIN competed against you for the Grand Championship, had a shot at the tag titles and even though, I was in the match for the first ever shot at the Legacy Championship...well, we ain’t worthy enough to simply have a match for the sake of havin’ one. We’re both great wrestlers, but that doesn’t matter, Dickie. Nah, see for this to be a main event, a shot to be an actor had to be on the line….now, what’s my motivation?”
“Your motivation?” The question is dry, but just enough to hold back the utter confusion that is behind it.
Aiden throws his hands in the air and grabs his drink, slamming some of it down before looking back at Dickie.
“Yeah, like what am I tryin’ to accomplish in this scene? What is me character feelin’ and thinkin’?”
“Uh, the reasons why people should care about this match and why you think you can beat MYOJIN?”
“Ahhh, so my character needs to do a proper deconstruction of the human psyche as it pertains to feelings of inadequacy and the need to succeed in the face of adversity and one's own fears of loss?”
“...sure..”
Aiden nods and sits back.
“Too easy, mate. So, you and I walked right through those two SEX guys last time, eh? You’re back in the winners circle and we showed the world that as a team we’re un-fuckin-stoppable. And to be honest, I have been. Aside from me one little hiccup in the Legacy Match, I have been the most consistent star in Project: Honor and especially on Proving Ground…not to sound too arrogant or anythin’. But it’s true. I have beaten everyone put in front of me except for Elena, and while I want to work me way back up to maybe facin’ her in the future, I have to question what the fuck is goin’ on here. We lose the bloke in charge, only for Indy to get the job, vacate the title he has been holdin’ and makin’ great and then goes and books himself in a match with Mark Hunter…”
The Australian Wolf purses his lips to the side and shakes his head as he pushes back into his chair.
“Gettin’ him out of defendin’ his damn title, on a Pay-Per-View, no less.”
“What the shit is that?”
“To be clear on this, I’m not usually an arrogant asshole. Like, I can be cocky, I know I’m athletic, I know I’m talented, I know I’m good looking and have abs you can grate cheese on. But for the most part, I try and stay measured and humble. But, I should be facing Mark Hunter, or you should be facin’ him and gettin a rematch, Dickie. Hell, MYOJIN could be facin’ Mark Hunter for that title. But instead, you’re facing Bald Boi Tyler Bradford, you’re stuck in a damn interview with Asian Julius and I’m facin’ MYOJIN in the main event…
And hey, I like the idea of going one on one with MYO, don’t get it twisted. It’s a huge match. But that match could be for the vacant X-Factor title or, and follow me on this...MYOJIN versus Aiden Reynolds, winner gets a shot at the Grand Championship…”
Aiden looks up and nods slowly.
“Makes fuckin sense, eh?. But did that happen? Nah. Instead MYOJIN and I are facing off in a “Claim to Fame” Ironman Match. We’re supposed to care about some acting role? I can’t speak for MYOJIN; for all I know, MYO wants to go be in movies and show off that pretty face and hair. But me? I’m a professional wrestler. I get in that ring to be the best and to win championships and earn shots at championships. That’s what I do. That is what I’m going to care about.”
“I care that I am facin’ a talented human being who has been in the ring with Dickie and took him to the limit. I care that I’m facin’ someone who almost became one-half of the tag team champions.
“I care I’m facin’ someone who was able to run Colton Saint the fuck out of Project: Honor.”
“Now, I could be a complete dick and go after the fact MYOJIN has failed to win a championship in Project: Honor, but, that would be low hanging fruit. Also, it’s not like I succeeded when I had a shot at becoming the top champ in this company...and, to be honest, aside from Elena, Dickie and Legacy, the biggest two scalps left in this company are you and me, MYOJIN. That’s just a fact. See, while you took time off with your shoulder injury -- I’m glad it wasn’t that serious by the way, I mean your rehab...damn that was impressive, only four weeks insteada the usual four months...”
“Oh, give me a br-”
Aiden puts a finger up and shakes his head. Dickie grumbles and goes back to holding the phone.
“While you were out, I kept on doing what I do. But even with your time off, you still have the most wins in Project: Honor. 13 of them in fact. You’re the only person who has more wins than Dickie. And trust me on this, there’s no shame in not being able to beat Dickie for the Grand Championship. It took Mark Hunter being a cheating lil’ bitch to do that and losing to Legacy in a Tag Title Match isn’t something to be ashamed of either. Truth is, I know how good you are. You were the Junior Heavyweight Champion at XHF, the Territorial Champion in the whatsitsfuck place. It isn’t like you don’t have clout, mate. I know how dangerous you are and I also know how frustrated ya must be.”
“He’s good. I’m not gonna argue that. I don’t necessarily like him every day, but...mate, I know you’re not going to mention it, but I really think--”
Aiden put up his finger again.
“No. I’m not going to that route that everyone else might simply because I think he’s respectable enough to not do that shit to me, aye? Could I say it? Yeah. But I won’t. Because as relevant as it might be, it’s low hanging fruit. Now shush...again with the flow, mate…”
The Australian eyes his Commonwealth mate as Dickie is heard grumbling again, but falls back to silence.“As I was sayin’...they are absolutely great in the ring. Truth be told, the reason I’m looking forward to this match is because of the challenge of facing them. There ain’t many that have put him down. Fuckin’ doin’ amazing. But MYO...it’s gotta be eatin’ you alive that even though you have the most wins, and even though you have been consistent and even though it took a shoulder injury to slow ya down, you’re still not taken as seriously as others. You’re not bein’ looked at as a contender for Elena, ya ain’t bein looked at as a possible opponent for Hunter or even a possible X-Factor Champ…”
Aiden places his fingers on his beard, moving his head from side to side.
“I know it’s gotta be frustratin’ because it’s frustratin’ for me too. As I mentioned, you and me now have to fight for a small carrot danglin’ on a stick while Elena DeDraca faces a bloke who ain’t even in our company. Mark Hunter is facin’ someone in charge. Does that sit right with ya MYO?”
“Nah. It doesn’t, and I know both of us are more than capable of carrying the best match in this whole night. So, let me tell you what we do: we steal the show. You an’ me go and beat the hell out of each other in this Ironman match and we close the show the only way we can. And ya better believe that regardless of whether I want the movie role or not, I will be bringin’ my A-Game. I’m comin’ for blood. I’m comin for the win, ‘cause that’s what I do. I win.”
“And my goal, my dream...is to become a champion, and prove everybody fuckin’ wrong…”
Rebounds.
It was never a nice thing to have in your life, that first relationship after one that felt serious. There are usually two roads of thought: either you think of it as a bit of fun, a way to blow off some steam and regain confidence, or you jump into it headfirst and try and make that more serious than the previous one. A reaction born out of the fear of being alone.
But neither of those ways works and the rebound relationship is never a pleasant one. It doesn’t matter which side of it you are one, the rebounder or the reboundee.
In the end, someone will always get hurt and you both end up walking away and feeling like shit. The cycle continues for one of you and life goes on. But what happens if you let that relationship go too far, too fast, and too serious?
Well. That is the greatest pain of all.
Everything has an end. Everything has a tipping point. Everything happens for a reason….
The New Beginning
Early 2019
DIVISION Wrestling ended. As quickly as it began, it ended as quickly as Aiden had been shopped around and signed a contract. It was over. Unable to find a cable TV deal, the interest in the company faded. Dickie Watson had been the company's first and only World Champion. Aiden had gotten some much-needed exposure after the disaster that was his WWH tenure, even with a title from there on his resume. But now it was back to the drawing board. Back to looking for a permanent home as he navigated the independent circuit.
An appearance here, a match there, he traveled all around the US and to Canada with a day trip or two down to Mexico. Aiden was living the life of a traveling salesman, selling his skills and entertainment value to the highest bidder -- or simply whoever would pay him. In that respect, he was less of a mercenary...and more of a whore.
He had relocated to New York City completely, setting up a base near Wolfslair. As such, he was able to take in the local sights and sounds. The sprawling metropolis was much bigger and impressive than anything back home. As much as he loved Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, nothing was as impressive and awe-inspiring as the infamous New York City.
He sat outside a local cafe, a coffee sitting on the table as he looked through his phone. Conversations going on all around him, cars honking their horns, music coming from three different directions -- the city was alive and thriving. Aiden smiled and his thumbs moved fast along the keyboard on his phone screen before feeling something hit the side of his face, a piece of a chocolate donut. “Oi mate, what the f-”
“Well, you weren’t listening to me, dickhead.” Dickie Watson was visiting New York to see his sister. He’d called and said he couldn’t stand in front of another boutique again, so he was using his spare time instead to hang out with Aiden. But the Australian knew that wasn’t all of it either. He sat across the table, a half-eaten donut in front of him and a coffee next to that.
Aiden raised an eyebrow and tossed the choc-coated treat back at Dickie. “I was too.”
Dickie shook his head and folded his arms over his chest sitting back, pushing his feet out with the left foot over the right, showing off his vintage black and white Converse and strategically torn skinny jeans. “Oh yeah? Prove it. What was the last thing I said?” There was an awkward silence. Aiden blinked a few times, then narrowed his eyes at Dickie, who stayed stone-faced and silent.
“You’re annoyed with Finn for not comin’ with you to see Elena and that’s why you’re here gettin’ coffee with me. Also the coffee is flavourless and the best part about this is the fuckin’ donut.”
Dickie sneered and looked down at the donut. He cleared his throat and sat forward, tearing off another piece of it popping it into his mouth. “You got lucky…”
Aiden shook his head and let out a relieved breath. He finished up his message before pressing “send”. He smiled and sat back, grabbing his coffee and taking a sip. Dickie was right: it was flavorless. He turned his nose up for a second and held in a gag as he put the cup back down. Lifting his chin, he stretched and just took in the sights, sounds, and smells of it all. Dickie tilted his head and finished his coffee, before tossing the paper cup in the recycling bin.
Dickie wasn’t stupid. He nonchalantly looked up at the smog covered sky before shaking his own head and leaning forward. “So, who is she?”
“Who?”
Dickie cleared his throat and took another bite of his donut, pointing at Aiden's phone. “The person you’ve been messaging for the last twenty-five minutes while trying really hard to hide it.” Aiden blinked a few times, his hand sliding up to grab his phone and move it. Dickie couldn’t help but laugh. “Come on, Aiden. Spill it.”
He groaned and rolled his eyes. “All right. So, there’s this sheila…”
“Her name’s Sheila? How old is she? Like 60?”
“What? No, mate. ‘Sheila’, a female.” He shook his head, clicking that Dickie had no idea about Australian slang. He shuffled nervously and opened his phone before showing him a picture. Dickie raised an eyebrow and sat back nodding his head. “She and I got introduced and we hit it o-”
“Yeah, Flo is a nice girl.”
Aiden stopped mid-sentence and just stared at Dickie for a few seconds. It clicked, and it all became clear. Of course, Dickie would know her. Florence was a friend of Elena DeDraca. He couldn’t help but laugh and smile. “Anyway, me an’ Flo have been talkin’. We clicked and went on a date or two and I think it’s gettin real serious, real quick...” He trailed off, clearing his throat. He was nervous about it. Florence was the first woman Aiden had talked to in any meaningful way since Etsuko. His heart sank, thinking about her and the fact he never got to say goodbye.
Dickie finished his donut and looked at his phone, shooting a message off to Hannah. He smiled and stood up. “Getting out there is a good thing, mate. You have a place here, you’re training hard, forging friendships and setting down roots. Now, we both just need to find real fuckin’ jobs. HYBRID can suck my ass.” Dickie put his phone in his front pocket and picked up his leather jacket and threw it on, a dark red knitted cap sitting over the mop of dark brown hair that swept to the side. He muttered two words under his breath that made Aiden laugh.“Fuckin’ DIVISION.”
The closure had hit him hard. The first company he made a splash in, and a company that looked to him to lead it. The fact he was their champion filled him with pride, and as it closed, Dickie became angry. He tried to hide it, but Aiden had known him long enough now to figure out his moods. “We’ll get there, mate...but Hannah is gonna pull ya leash...get on back to her yeah?” Dickie gave a sigh and a nod as Aiden got to his feet and fist-bumped his friend. “I’ll see ya later, I gotta get to the gym.”
“Tell Alex my brother said Hi.”
Aiden just shook his head with a chuckle. He didn’t want to open that can of worms….
The Flip Flop
Clap clap clap clap.
No, not that type of clapping. Not hands. This isn’t that stupid Fitz and the Tantrums song. This is the sound that footwear makes as it hits a tiled floor. Aiden Reynolds yawns as he opens his fridge, pulling out a Sour Heads Bang, popping the top and chugging some before letting out a rather loud burp.
“Fucking charming…”
Aiden’s head snapped sideways, wearing a loose-fitting Brisbane Broncos rugby jersey and black shorts. He shook his head, looking around. The apartment is dark, and with the blinding light of the refrigerator, he couldn’t see anything.
“Mate, what the fuck are ya doing?”
There is a long sigh from The Molotov. “You told me to come around early, motivate you to do your promo. Said you’d been a little lazy...”
He drank the rest of his drink and put the can down with the rest of the recycling.
“I meant early like, midday…”
There was a pause, Dickie cleared his throat and broke the silence.
“It’s 11:45 in the mor-”
“Yeah yeah, Australian midday so like..early arvoish.”
There was a small annoyed grunt, the sound of lips smacking together and then a deep breath.
“It’s time to cut your damn promo. And what the fuck are you wearing?”
Aiden turns and opens the fridge, grabbing a drink for himself and one for Dickie. He walks around holding a can in each hand and looks down with a smirk.
“What? A footy jersey, my boardies and thongs.”
“Thongs?”
“Yeah….”
“I didn’t need to know about your underwear choices, Aiden.”
He tilted his head, one eyebrow up and one down before looking down at his footwear and placing the cans on the small coffee table in front of his couch.
“The fuck are ya talking about? My thongs, mate..these…”
He kicks the black rubber footwear off his feet picking one of them up and wagging it in front of the camera and Dickie’s face.
“Oh...FLIP FLOPS! Fuck sake, mate.”
“...Flip flop? I haven’t mentioned MYOJIN’s change in personality yet….”
Dickie tries to hold back a laugh, Aiden just stays serious, deadpanning Dickie.
“...oh wait, you were serious..no the...those are flip flops…”
Aiden looks at it and tosses it aside, shaking his head.
“Bloody Americans…they're infecting your vocabulary now...”
He moves back around and sits down clearing his throat and popping the top on his second energy drink while looking down. He takes a few breaths and seems to be concentrating, Dickie starts getting impatient; he grunts, clears his throat, and still, nothing. After a good forty-five seconds, Dickie can't stand it anymore.
“Aiden, Aiden mate, we’re rolling here.”
“Shhh.” Aiden raises a singular finger.
“What?”
“SHHHHHH!!!!”
“....Why?”
Aiden's head shot up, a steely-eyed look as his square jaw clenched. He turned his head slightly to the side, his hand coming up to his chin.
“I’m trying to get into character...”
“Into char-”
“Yes, into character. See, MYO and I, despite the fact we both have some of the best records in Project: Honor, despite the fact MYOJIN competed against you for the Grand Championship, had a shot at the tag titles and even though, I was in the match for the first ever shot at the Legacy Championship...well, we ain’t worthy enough to simply have a match for the sake of havin’ one. We’re both great wrestlers, but that doesn’t matter, Dickie. Nah, see for this to be a main event, a shot to be an actor had to be on the line….now, what’s my motivation?”
“Your motivation?” The question is dry, but just enough to hold back the utter confusion that is behind it.
Aiden throws his hands in the air and grabs his drink, slamming some of it down before looking back at Dickie.
“Yeah, like what am I tryin’ to accomplish in this scene? What is me character feelin’ and thinkin’?”
“Uh, the reasons why people should care about this match and why you think you can beat MYOJIN?”
“Ahhh, so my character needs to do a proper deconstruction of the human psyche as it pertains to feelings of inadequacy and the need to succeed in the face of adversity and one's own fears of loss?”
“...sure..”
Aiden nods and sits back.
“Too easy, mate. So, you and I walked right through those two SEX guys last time, eh? You’re back in the winners circle and we showed the world that as a team we’re un-fuckin-stoppable. And to be honest, I have been. Aside from me one little hiccup in the Legacy Match, I have been the most consistent star in Project: Honor and especially on Proving Ground…not to sound too arrogant or anythin’. But it’s true. I have beaten everyone put in front of me except for Elena, and while I want to work me way back up to maybe facin’ her in the future, I have to question what the fuck is goin’ on here. We lose the bloke in charge, only for Indy to get the job, vacate the title he has been holdin’ and makin’ great and then goes and books himself in a match with Mark Hunter…”
The Australian Wolf purses his lips to the side and shakes his head as he pushes back into his chair.
“Gettin’ him out of defendin’ his damn title, on a Pay-Per-View, no less.”
“What the shit is that?”
“To be clear on this, I’m not usually an arrogant asshole. Like, I can be cocky, I know I’m athletic, I know I’m talented, I know I’m good looking and have abs you can grate cheese on. But for the most part, I try and stay measured and humble. But, I should be facing Mark Hunter, or you should be facin’ him and gettin a rematch, Dickie. Hell, MYOJIN could be facin’ Mark Hunter for that title. But instead, you’re facing Bald Boi Tyler Bradford, you’re stuck in a damn interview with Asian Julius and I’m facin’ MYOJIN in the main event…
And hey, I like the idea of going one on one with MYO, don’t get it twisted. It’s a huge match. But that match could be for the vacant X-Factor title or, and follow me on this...MYOJIN versus Aiden Reynolds, winner gets a shot at the Grand Championship…”
Aiden looks up and nods slowly.
“Makes fuckin sense, eh?. But did that happen? Nah. Instead MYOJIN and I are facing off in a “Claim to Fame” Ironman Match. We’re supposed to care about some acting role? I can’t speak for MYOJIN; for all I know, MYO wants to go be in movies and show off that pretty face and hair. But me? I’m a professional wrestler. I get in that ring to be the best and to win championships and earn shots at championships. That’s what I do. That is what I’m going to care about.”
“I care that I am facin’ a talented human being who has been in the ring with Dickie and took him to the limit. I care that I’m facin’ someone who almost became one-half of the tag team champions.
“I care I’m facin’ someone who was able to run Colton Saint the fuck out of Project: Honor.”
“Now, I could be a complete dick and go after the fact MYOJIN has failed to win a championship in Project: Honor, but, that would be low hanging fruit. Also, it’s not like I succeeded when I had a shot at becoming the top champ in this company...and, to be honest, aside from Elena, Dickie and Legacy, the biggest two scalps left in this company are you and me, MYOJIN. That’s just a fact. See, while you took time off with your shoulder injury -- I’m glad it wasn’t that serious by the way, I mean your rehab...damn that was impressive, only four weeks insteada the usual four months...”
“Oh, give me a br-”
Aiden puts a finger up and shakes his head. Dickie grumbles and goes back to holding the phone.
“While you were out, I kept on doing what I do. But even with your time off, you still have the most wins in Project: Honor. 13 of them in fact. You’re the only person who has more wins than Dickie. And trust me on this, there’s no shame in not being able to beat Dickie for the Grand Championship. It took Mark Hunter being a cheating lil’ bitch to do that and losing to Legacy in a Tag Title Match isn’t something to be ashamed of either. Truth is, I know how good you are. You were the Junior Heavyweight Champion at XHF, the Territorial Champion in the whatsitsfuck place. It isn’t like you don’t have clout, mate. I know how dangerous you are and I also know how frustrated ya must be.”
“He’s good. I’m not gonna argue that. I don’t necessarily like him every day, but...mate, I know you’re not going to mention it, but I really think--”
Aiden put up his finger again.
“No. I’m not going to that route that everyone else might simply because I think he’s respectable enough to not do that shit to me, aye? Could I say it? Yeah. But I won’t. Because as relevant as it might be, it’s low hanging fruit. Now shush...again with the flow, mate…”
The Australian eyes his Commonwealth mate as Dickie is heard grumbling again, but falls back to silence.“As I was sayin’...they are absolutely great in the ring. Truth be told, the reason I’m looking forward to this match is because of the challenge of facing them. There ain’t many that have put him down. Fuckin’ doin’ amazing. But MYO...it’s gotta be eatin’ you alive that even though you have the most wins, and even though you have been consistent and even though it took a shoulder injury to slow ya down, you’re still not taken as seriously as others. You’re not bein’ looked at as a contender for Elena, ya ain’t bein looked at as a possible opponent for Hunter or even a possible X-Factor Champ…”
Aiden places his fingers on his beard, moving his head from side to side.
“I know it’s gotta be frustratin’ because it’s frustratin’ for me too. As I mentioned, you and me now have to fight for a small carrot danglin’ on a stick while Elena DeDraca faces a bloke who ain’t even in our company. Mark Hunter is facin’ someone in charge. Does that sit right with ya MYO?”
“Nah. It doesn’t, and I know both of us are more than capable of carrying the best match in this whole night. So, let me tell you what we do: we steal the show. You an’ me go and beat the hell out of each other in this Ironman match and we close the show the only way we can. And ya better believe that regardless of whether I want the movie role or not, I will be bringin’ my A-Game. I’m comin’ for blood. I’m comin for the win, ‘cause that’s what I do. I win.”
“And my goal, my dream...is to become a champion, and prove everybody fuckin’ wrong…”
