MD 147 - Constantine vs. Batti (Non-Title)

[Da Prophet]

RP Deadline Tuesday 16th January 23:59 (Central).

Extensions available upon request.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Every wrestler has two sides to them: What we want to show the fans and what we want to keep for ourselves. On one hand, I am that bubbly hyperactive Batti chick who wants to ride a unicorn to the ring. On the other, I am just Beatrice, another Millennial who needs to let her hair down and have a drink or two. They're both still me. I can't be rainbows and birthday cake 24/7, you know.

It was an American night on the island.

The sounds of sirens rang near and far away, whining through the tropical city of Honolulu, Hawaii. Fellow tourists raged on as the sun set, drowning out the ambulance chorus with song and drunken laughing. Employees drummed on, keeping a beat for the paying customers. Batti sat in a tiki lounge drinking rum punch from a coconut bowl. She shifted in her seat, across from the table her old rival sat picking at a dish made from quinoa and what the superstar figured was kale.

"Weird. I never thought I'd run into you here of all places. But I guess it's fitting. Nature and all."

Her guest nodded sheepishly at the statement. Besides the lei around her neck that covered her peace sign necklace, the acquaintance looked the same as she did years ago. Still, something was off about her, and it was on the tip of her tongue.

"You've changed."

She nodded again, pointing at Batti Otaku. The blonde shrugged.

"Guess so. Times change. It's a new world now, but I suppose you already knew that. You've probably been in every march and protest rally of 2017. Huh, explains why you're not lecturing me about flowers and saving the Earth yet. Can't believe I figured that one out on my own. I used to be such a ditz."

Aquarius smiled bittersweetly. Batti drank her rum, contemplating what she'd do that evening.

Before she made up her mind on where the bar hopping would take them next, she was interrupted by a man in a visor and khaki shorts.

"Why if it ain't Beatrice Mutha Fuggin Otaku!" the balding man exclaimed. "Didja know I've waited years to interview somebody like you? Shit. Big fan. Never seen ya in Hawaii. Fuck you doin' out here?"

He said everything with an erratic, coffee-fueled vibrancy. She understood him just fine.

"Umm sorry never heard a reporter use so many curse words."

"I'm from the Old School," the man explained in a tone that didn't explain anything at all. He pulled up a chair and then produced some rolling paper. "Want some pot?"

Aquarius's face lit up, but Batti shook her head.

"I feel I'm being Punk'd but alright. I'm with WZCW putting on a show for Meltdown. Facing Constantine, our World Champion. Non-title, of course."

"Damn shame, damn shame," licking the now filled paper like an envelope.

"Is that even legal here?"

"Yeah, I got some debilitating conditions. Glaucoma...arthritis...greyscale...but anyways we're getting off-topic. I need more for my online rag WrestleWall. I didn't introduce myself, did I? The name's Ray. Ray Webber."

They shook hands. Aquarius eyed the joint hungrily. Ray caught her looking.

"You're a quiet one. Mute?"

"No, this is Aquarius. Apparently she's taken a vow of silence. Political reasons."

The reporter shrugged, and set the blunt to flame. "Let's get down to brass tacks. The rumor mill is that you've been having a meltdown of your own with Ramparte's recovery. Now I ain't here to pry into yours and Ramparte's and Tyrone Blades's sex lives. Sex is perfectly normal in a healthy, functioning adult's life. We ain't some TMZ *********ing fodder, me and ol' WrestleWall," he said sharply. "But your fans wanna know what that was about. Comments?"

"None," she replied through clenched teeth.

Ray let the question go. "There's been some heat online about you for some time. Started back when you were feuding with Xander LeBelle I think. Many thought you were too green to be in a championship match. That WZCW had an agenda in pushing attractive talent over their harder workers. Want to clear the air on that?"

Relieved, Batti turned her glance down at her coconut. "Back then, I was well aware of the Youtube comments and the Twitter backlash. I cared. Now? Eh people are going to say what they want to say online. I'm sure I could find websites dedicated to bashing Mother Theresa. Maybe a few on Ghandi or Jesus or the Buddha. I'm not putting myself in the same boat as those guys, but my point is people are going to talk. I cried nightly over that, looking back at it now I was a little naive. Stupid, really. But I've changed since then."

"Mmhm change, okay," he jotted down on paper he hadn't rolled. Ray took another hit. "Speaking of, let's get back to Constantine. Former politician about to be a former member of your company, we here."

Batti took another sip of her rum, not liking where this question was going.

"The Champ himself. Tell me, how do you feel knowing you're going to be one of the last people he faces in his little Farewell Tour? Excited? Upset? You were a huge wrestling fan before joining up with WZCW. Let's get some comments on that."

"I...I'd rather not."

The trio sat quietly.

"I can't imagine being in this spot knowing who I'm facing and where in his career I'm facing him, okay?" she blurted out. "The fans see this happen and maybe a good portion will cry and express how grateful they are to see his last hoorah, and that'll be that. Show is over for them. But to be in the same ring as him, after the credits roll...God...God it will be so different you have no idea. I'm afraid I'll be one of those sentimental fools who will choke up when I see him. I never had a real issue with Constantine. He isn't Xander or Callie or even Justin Cooper. I'm facing him because it's my job and I HAVE to beat him. If I don't...then it shows I'm not ready. If I can't beat the World Champion, how will I ever deserve to be in a World Championship match? It's nerve wracking. My fans, they support me and we heard how hot they were for me last week. Will they be the same way knowing I'm fighting Constantine? I'm not so sure."

"You have doubts going into your match?"

"I'm only human. He's a future Hall of Famer. I don't want to be one of his last victories in WZCW, but I don't want to be one of his last losses either. This is a spiritual dilemma. Ha, guess I met Aquarius here in the right time."

The hippie perked up at the sound of her name. Batti shifted her glance to her.

"Hey you. Wanna be my guru or whatever you are?" she asked jokingly.

Aquarius grinned, and nodded.

"I'm lost. Who is Aquarius to you and why would you need a guru?"

"We used to fight one another in the smaller promotions. You'd call 'em indies. Geez, that was ages ago. Nothing to shout about, of course. Shows would close the minute we did anything of interest. And to answer your second question: Everybody needs a spirit guru. Beats taking opioids."

Finished with her dinner, Aquarius stood up and extended her hand out to Batti Otaku. Years of rough indie bumps and bad blood washed away as Batti took her hand and shook it.

"Holy shit. I got a hot scoop on your thoughts of Consty and news about you taking up a manager. All in one night. You're gonna put WrestleWall back on the map, young lady."

He flung the rest of his blunt into the empty quinoa bowl. Aquarius stared at it, deflated.

"Hope we meet again, guys. Adios."

With that, he left the girls and ran over to some other quasi-celebrity Batti didn't recognize. She laughed, drinking the last of her punch.

__________________________________​

"To be honest, I want to be The One that does it, you know? Retire the old man. Sounds selfish, but it's pro wrestling. The top prize is literally gold. You'd have to be an idiot to not want that prestige. To further your career. I couldn't tell that Webber guy that, though. Last thing I need is to say something and it get twisted and put online."

She had her favorite drink, a Chocolatini, in hand. Aquarius was drinking Mateus wine. How she got a hold of it in a bar was beyond Batti's understanding. The wine hadn't been popular since the 1960s. Still, the mute hippie downed it with a feverish delight. It made a redfaced Batti laugh.

"This is nice. I should do a Girls Night thing more often. Maybe do a thing with Eve or maybe Kagura. What the hell, live a little. Do a thing with all the girls. 'Cept Callie. Callie's a ho. This is sooo good, Aquie."

Her friend raised an eyebrow, gesturing at the chocolate cocktail. A worried expression crossed her face.

"Don't worry 'bout me, Aquie-chan. Oh lordie I sound like an anime girl. Oops."

She giggled, playing with her tie. The club itself was perfect for her. She loved going to those rough biker bars Ty would take her, but there was something familiar with flickering lights and dance cages. Something both modern and from the 80s. It made her think of her old college friends taking her to the places they don't like talking about in church. Before wrestling, Batti loved hitting the local clubs and dance halls, swaying to the beat of pop, just dancing the night away with anybody close enough to keep up with her.

"...wanna dance?"

Like the turn of a dial, the sound in the room lowered. She knew the voice, and stiffened.

"Are you stalking me now?"

He spoke into her ear with straight, delicate venom. His words a red velvet that cut through her psyche.

"What are you afraid of? Never seen a man learn to walk before?"

"Doctors said you couldn't. So that begs the question as to how..."

She turned around and faced him. Ramparte grinned down at her. He was a giant compared to her smaller frame.

"I'll ask you again. Do you wanna dance?"

Aquarius looked questioningly at the both of them. Ram caught sight of her.

"Or maybe your friend...would you care to dance with me? I've been told I'm quiet good with my hips..."

"OOOh I'm sorry, but she's with me. She's my dance partner. Not that she'd answer you anyways. She doesn't talk."

"Now why does that sound SOOOO familiar? Hmmm...a mute...a mute...I know the punchline here, hold on..."

He laughed and it made them both shiver.

"Nothing changes with you. I bet you have a dating profile out there that asks for the bearded, rough-around-the-edges types, and/or the quiet ones. Typical."

She made a face of disgust. "Come on, Aquarius. Let's leave the creep to his solitude. He prefers being a recluse anyways."

Batti downed her drink, and grabbed the hippie's wrist. Together they disappeared into the crowd. Ramparte watched on for some time before leaving the bar, and then the club.


He leaned against the building, and searched his pocket for a cigarette. Finding one, he took a match out and struck it against a brick. The Recluse took a drag, eyeing the security guard that was coming his way.

"Look, buddy, this is a smoke free area. You're gonna hafta take that elsewhere."

He exhaled, hitting the guard in the face with smoke.

[youtube]u7isxoTIeYM[/youtube]​

Inside the club, Batti placed one hand on Aquarius's shoulder and the other over the wineglass in her friend's grip. She raised the rose Mateus wine to the hippie's lips hypnotically, and then to her own.


Tonight I want to give it all to you
In the darkness
There's so much I want to do

"I'm not your buddy and I've had a long day. Kindly fuck off."

The man sighed. "I don't think I hafta tell you twice, sir."

Ramparte put the cigarette out on the wall. "Oh I really think you do."

And tonight I want to lay it at your feet
'Cause girl, I was made for you
And girl, you were made for me

With a maddening vigor, Batti dropped the glass onto the dance floor. It shattered, but nobody stopped, instead they walked over it with sturdy shoes...everybody was caught up in classic nostalgia, feverishly keeping up with the tempo. Batti clasped her hands into the air and gyrated. Aquarius's jaw dropped. She had never seen her like this before, and never imagined seeing this girl, this same girl who played with teddy bears and spoke cutesy, shaking her ass to the rhythm.

I was made for lovin' you baby
You were made for lovin' me
And I can't get enough of you baby
Can you get enough of me

The man put his hands on Ramparte, and instantly regretted it. Ramparte shoved him into the brick wall, snapping his arm into a hammerlock. He yelped, getting the attention of other members of security. The Recluse licked his lips.

"Finally."

Tonight I want to see it in your eyes
Feel the magic
There's something that drives me wild

Aquarius tried mimicking what Batti did, clumsily rocking her legs from left to right. Batti laughed, taking her eyes off of her and onto a man that looked remarkably like Tyrone Blades. In her drunken state, she couldn't tell. Would Blades come to this kind of club and dance to this kind of music? Batti shrugged and bumped into him seductively. Aquarius tried to follow suit.

And tonight we're gonna make it all come true
'Cause girl, you were made for me
And girl I was made for you

He pinned one guard to the wall, spitting black ink-like mist into the defenseless man's eyes. He screamed and dropped to the ground, curling up into the fetal position. Another one, armed with a stun gun, fired at Ramparte.

I was made for lovin' you baby
You were made for lovin' me
And I can't get enough of you baby
Can you get enough of me?

The May-Be-Ty-May-Be-Not took both girls in hand, moving over the glass with acute precision. They gracefully assembled in a semi-conga line, grinding eagerly against one other.

Batti bit her lip, nudging Aquarius to lead her. Might-Be-Ty smiled, and bowed out.

I was made for lovin' you baby
You were made for lovin' me
And I can give it all to you baby
Can you give it all to me?

With a catlike reflex, the darts missed his chest by inches. Ram sprinted down the hill and leaped into the air. The guard's chin connected with The Recluses's shoulder, stunning him.

Oh, can't get enough, oh, oh
I can't get enough, oh, oh
I can't get enough
Yeah, ha!

Ramparte rolled himself back up and faced a much larger, burlier man. He wore an officer's uniform. The man attempted to knock him down - cuffs clearly in his hand. Backup was coming. Ramparte picked himself back up, evading the cop's grip. As the officer got to his feet, The Recluse kneed him in the gut and placed him between his legs.

Oh, I was made

Aquarius and Batti were off in their own little world.

You were made

Ramparte hooked the officer's arms over his own back.

I can't get enough
No, I can't get enough

The hippie found her rhythm, resting her hands over Batti's hips. Together they danced with an empowering, erotic femininity that made several people back off, giving them more space.

I was made for lovin' you baby
You were made for lovin' me
And I can't get enough of you baby
Can you get enough of me?

Ramparte pulled the cops arms and leapt. Gravity did the rest as his face collided with sidewalk. The officer was knocked out cold, blood running from his forehead and into the concrete. The Denouement hadn't been performed in almost two years, and Ramparte felt it would have looked a bit sloppy on camera, but still he took pride in being able to do it again.

"Thank you, Beatrice," he said aloud, before running off into a patch of woods nearby. Another patrol car entered the adjacent parking lot.

I was made for lovin' you baby
You were made for lovin' me.

Batti held on to Aquarius, snickering with an intoxicated joy.

"Too bad they never play LADYBABY."

 

[Dave]

It had been so long since Constantine thought about WZCW – the break over Christmas and New Year had seen to that. The thoughts of leaving WZCW weren't as prevalent in his mind as he managed to escape the microcosm of wrestling for a while. Truth be told, it was nice for Constantine to leave the WZCW Heavyweight Championship in his cabinet over the holidays and forget about all of the pressure that was on his shoulders. Pressure that he, himself, had put there. Pressure to take the Heavyweight Championship from Justin Cooper, pressure to rid the company of Vis Imperium – all of that had subsided. But unfortunately for Constantine, had been replaced by more pressure as his career wound down. With the thoughts on his mind of facing Justin Cooper at the Lethal Lottery again, Constantine could not but help be worried about what he was going to leave behind should he be unsuccessful at retaining his Championship.

Justin Cooper had proven to be more than a match for the Hall of Fame superstar but Constantine had expected that from the very start. He had worked closely with Cooper for years and was all too aware of his almost meteoric rise through the company. Mr Banks and Vis Imperium may have had a large hand in that but there was no doubt that Justin Cooper got there on his own merits. He did, after all, win the Lethal Lottery last year and then went on to beat Mikey Stormrage at Kingdom Come.

The abuse of power that he wielded over WZCW was frightening but perhaps even more frighteningly, he backed it up in the ring. He was strong, cunning and wily to say the least. Truth be told, beating Justin Cooper inside of the cell was one of the most challenging things Constantine ever had to do. He wanted it more than anything and, in the end, that's what counted. But, sitting in his study with 2 days until his match against Batti, Constantine was finding it hard to find the same hunger and motivation to continue.

With a blank slice of paper sitting in front of him, Constantine stared at the page – a look of confusion and tiredness in his eyes. Quietly, in the background, Mia entered the study with a look of concern on her face.

Mia: John, it's been hours. Come and get something to eat at least?

As the final words left her lips, she placed a reassuring hand on the shoulder of her partner and the father of her child. Constantine raised his left hand and placed it on top of Mia's hand in an act of reassurance to himself.

Constantine: Maybe you're right, Mia.

Mia kneels down to the right of The Power Trip and runs a hand up and down his back as she, too, stares at the blank page.

Mia: Listen, John, you don't have to worry about what's coming now. In a couple of months, you'll ride off into the sunset with your legacy in tact. All of the wrongs in your career have been righted. Finally, the fans of WZCW appreciate what you have given them. There's nothing more to do. You don't have to sit here and try to find meaning in your next few matches that you have left.

She places a hand on his cheek and turns his face towards her.

Mia: It's been so good having you home for Christmas, John. The only thing you owe anyone now, is being a good father to your daughter.

With that, Constantine offers Mia a comforted smile as they gaze into each other's eyes.

Constantine: You're right, Mia. You always are. I should be trying to enjoy the time that I have left in WZCW. I should be trying to enjoy the matches that I have with the talents that will look after the company long after I am done with it. People like Batti are the future and, I suppose, ti will be good to share a ring with her.

Mia gives Constantine a warm smile as she gets back to a vertical base and makes her way back towards the door. Constantine looks back towards the page and scribbles a few things down on the page before getting to his feet. He looks off to his right at the Heavyweight Championship behind the glass. He smiles as a warm feeling of accomplishment swells up inside him. Making his way towards the door, Constantine looks back towards the sheet of paper before walking through the door and closing it.

Spoiler