Richard Blonoff
Make America Rassle Again
Deadline is Monday, Novembers 14th, 11:59PM CST. Extensions available upon request.
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Meltdown 135: Mikey Stormrage vs. Austin Reynolds (Non Title)
- Thread starter Richard Blonoff
- Start date
- Status
Deadline is Monday, Novembers 14th, 11:59PM CST. Extensions available upon request.
What the cameras didn’t see at Lethal Lottery
As Austin Reynolds heads up the ramp, the roars of the crowd are deafening but he is ignorant to them. The look on his face is one which tells a story of a man filled with internal struggles. Once again it’s a familiar feeling of anywhere but here.
At the top of the ramp, Austin can feel a pair of eyes boring a hole through his skull as The Power Trip stalks him up the ramp. There is a distinct change in atmosphere that even Austin is able to perceive. Constantine just about catches up with him as they reach the curtain, just outside of the public eye.
“You failed! You failed me Austin!” Constantine roars at him, pulling him to force Austin to look at him face on. “Look at me damn it!”
“John, what do you want me to say to you? I did everything you asked of me,” Austin replies quietly, absorbing the pure anger that is being thrust at him. “I was with you at every step out there. We put out Lebelle and Kagura. Taylor was left on her ass because of what we did.”
“Then why are we back here? Tell me that, genius?!” Constantine aggressively pokes Austin and the former Ratings Winner takes a willing step back. “Well you kicked me out John. That’s on you!”
“This isn’t over Austin!”
Austin walks away from The Power Trip, who doesn’t go after him.
“Right here, right now John, I don’t care.”
Austin walks away, leaving Constantine in his wake at the behaviour. But then Austin stops and comes back.
“Just remember that you aren’t the only one who lost tonight. I lost my championship too. I lost the one thing that made me relevant here outside of Vis Imperium. So what’s keeping me here now that I’ve stopped winning? I don’t have that badge of honour here anymore.”
“Oh stop it Austin, drop the pity schtick. I can see right through it.”
”Why? You can get anyone you want alongside you and Abel.”
“You think you can buy your way out of WZCW through failure? That’s how you did it before right?” Austin has been silenced as Constantine menaces in front of him. “No Austin, you’re staying around and you’re going nowhere. If that means staying until you are broken then so be it.”
Constantine pulls Austin close, much like he did a few days but with much more force. There is neither care nor unity in this gesture.
“Vis Imperium came in with everything and has come out of this with nothing. That is unacceptable in every possible sense. I promised you access to your family after tonight but maybe you’re not ready for it.” This hushed tone fails to mask the crystal clear intent. Austin tries to resist, to pull away but the grip on the back of his neck is locked in tight. “You’re not strong enough to get what you want.” He now whispers into Austin’s’ ear. “But maybe, it’ll be fun to see you try.”
In a seamless gesture, Constantine pushes him away and walks past him.
“We’re not done Reynolds. Not by any stretch.”
The words linger in Austin’s head a lot longer than they echo around the backstage area. Before he knows it, the buzz of the backstage increases as Tyrone Blades storms through the backstage area. He takes his leave almost as quickly but Austin considers whether there was the briefest of moments where their eyes met, a flash of acknowledgement.
No. Absolutely, definitely not.
...
In the middle of the night, blacks and grays merge into one and swallow everything around them. Darkness thrives, forcing everything to adapt to its’ constraints. It’s easy to feel alone, absorbed into the gloom. Once it has hold of you, it is impossible to escape.
Austin sits in the darkness, quiet and unmoving. Even more disheveled than usual, he melds into the mess that surrounds him.
Since his return to the new apartment after Lethal Lottery five days ago, Austin had not left the apartment. It’s clear that he’s struggling to process what happened during and after the event.
His journey in WZCW has always been a path. A newcomer with everything in front of him quickly ascends to the Elite X Championship, endures a furious war against established talents; a dance with the main event, a second away from the World Championship. All stops along the way, even the thrill of the chase as part of Runn Reynolds Runn, it served a purpose. The options that were available to him were unrivaled.
But then as the body started to give out, the possibilities dwindled. Austin was only able to go so far, only able to look so far ahead. It was suffocating as avenues closed around him.
On his return, the outlook was similarly bleak but it was not his vision that mattered. He could be guided or at dragged through what was needed to be done. But the Lethal Lottery was the flashpoint where everything changed.
For now Austin wasn’t just in an empty and soulless vacuum, he had become one.
What was left for Austin to fight for now? Everyone had someone, something tangible and now Austin wasn’t able to be quite sure if he even had Vis Imperium left. It would be a sorry state of affairs for Austin to be missing the group like that but it was less about the methods that they had used and more about the rewards that could be garnered with them. After all, there was no doubt that it was better to be with Vis Imperium than against them. It had to be.
With everything that has gone before in mind, the message that he received a few days before the next round of shows was of no surprise.
Too many questions surrounding this very simple communication and Austin knew that he could spend the next week running them around his mind. The simple fact was that nothing would change that version of events. He was going to face one of the men who benefited most from what happened at the Lethal Lottery.
Mikey Stormrage, World Champion. In a world where Ricky Runn had earned the same honour, it should not be that surprising yet it felt just as wrong. Stormrage was one of the men who had gained most from Austin’s departure. It could be argued that his feud and ultimate victory over Constantine at the start of the year was the catalyst behind the formation of Vis Imperium.
Austin had paved the way for guys like Stormrage and Mikey had never shown a modicum of gratitude or appreciation. Was there any respect there? Mikey had shown no admiration for the achievement of those who had gone before him and he only seemed interested in what he could gain in the here and now. Over the years that had not changed. In winning all of the prizes over his time in WZCW he had got everything that he chased. Did Mikey even care that James Howard has suffered the same fate that he had, never able to escape serious injury?
The irony of this was not lost on Austin. Mikey was the man with everything, yet here today Austin had nothing.
And empty or not, there was something to be said for where he was. On the road to Kingdom Come. As empty and unrewarded as life felt, the journey could still mean something. Austin was a wrestler once more but Kingdom Come was a destination that he had no care for. Others were able to hold a bright candle for it and that may well allow him opportunity to gain something that he knows that he should crave. Vis Imperium were still the means, the end game is still unknown.
What could he even gain? Mikey can raise his championship. Mention Kingdom Come and he simply wins that argument.
But Kingdom Come was where Austin put Strikeforce on the map. Who said he had to even make it to New Orleans? Had he not enough had time in the spotlight? And if Austin could beat Mikey Stormrage, then he could beat Justin Cooper again.
No, Mikey is the star man and Justin is the new pet project. There can be no way that WZCW would allow their event to be hijacked by Austin Reynolds. But maybe this is where Vis Imperium could play their part.
Mikey had allowed himself to forget who he was. Austin could not help but remember everything that he had endured.
The journey of the soulless vacuum was full of pain. Austin could do what he liked at Meltdown. Nothing was going to change that.
As Austin Reynolds heads up the ramp, the roars of the crowd are deafening but he is ignorant to them. The look on his face is one which tells a story of a man filled with internal struggles. Once again it’s a familiar feeling of anywhere but here.
At the top of the ramp, Austin can feel a pair of eyes boring a hole through his skull as The Power Trip stalks him up the ramp. There is a distinct change in atmosphere that even Austin is able to perceive. Constantine just about catches up with him as they reach the curtain, just outside of the public eye.
“You failed! You failed me Austin!” Constantine roars at him, pulling him to force Austin to look at him face on. “Look at me damn it!”
“John, what do you want me to say to you? I did everything you asked of me,” Austin replies quietly, absorbing the pure anger that is being thrust at him. “I was with you at every step out there. We put out Lebelle and Kagura. Taylor was left on her ass because of what we did.”
“Then why are we back here? Tell me that, genius?!” Constantine aggressively pokes Austin and the former Ratings Winner takes a willing step back. “Well you kicked me out John. That’s on you!”
“This isn’t over Austin!”
Austin walks away from The Power Trip, who doesn’t go after him.
“Right here, right now John, I don’t care.”
Austin walks away, leaving Constantine in his wake at the behaviour. But then Austin stops and comes back.
“Just remember that you aren’t the only one who lost tonight. I lost my championship too. I lost the one thing that made me relevant here outside of Vis Imperium. So what’s keeping me here now that I’ve stopped winning? I don’t have that badge of honour here anymore.”
“Oh stop it Austin, drop the pity schtick. I can see right through it.”
”Why? You can get anyone you want alongside you and Abel.”
“You think you can buy your way out of WZCW through failure? That’s how you did it before right?” Austin has been silenced as Constantine menaces in front of him. “No Austin, you’re staying around and you’re going nowhere. If that means staying until you are broken then so be it.”
Constantine pulls Austin close, much like he did a few days but with much more force. There is neither care nor unity in this gesture.
“Vis Imperium came in with everything and has come out of this with nothing. That is unacceptable in every possible sense. I promised you access to your family after tonight but maybe you’re not ready for it.” This hushed tone fails to mask the crystal clear intent. Austin tries to resist, to pull away but the grip on the back of his neck is locked in tight. “You’re not strong enough to get what you want.” He now whispers into Austin’s’ ear. “But maybe, it’ll be fun to see you try.”
In a seamless gesture, Constantine pushes him away and walks past him.
“We’re not done Reynolds. Not by any stretch.”
The words linger in Austin’s head a lot longer than they echo around the backstage area. Before he knows it, the buzz of the backstage increases as Tyrone Blades storms through the backstage area. He takes his leave almost as quickly but Austin considers whether there was the briefest of moments where their eyes met, a flash of acknowledgement.
No. Absolutely, definitely not.
...
In the middle of the night, blacks and grays merge into one and swallow everything around them. Darkness thrives, forcing everything to adapt to its’ constraints. It’s easy to feel alone, absorbed into the gloom. Once it has hold of you, it is impossible to escape.
Austin sits in the darkness, quiet and unmoving. Even more disheveled than usual, he melds into the mess that surrounds him.
Since his return to the new apartment after Lethal Lottery five days ago, Austin had not left the apartment. It’s clear that he’s struggling to process what happened during and after the event.
His journey in WZCW has always been a path. A newcomer with everything in front of him quickly ascends to the Elite X Championship, endures a furious war against established talents; a dance with the main event, a second away from the World Championship. All stops along the way, even the thrill of the chase as part of Runn Reynolds Runn, it served a purpose. The options that were available to him were unrivaled.
But then as the body started to give out, the possibilities dwindled. Austin was only able to go so far, only able to look so far ahead. It was suffocating as avenues closed around him.
On his return, the outlook was similarly bleak but it was not his vision that mattered. He could be guided or at dragged through what was needed to be done. But the Lethal Lottery was the flashpoint where everything changed.
For now Austin wasn’t just in an empty and soulless vacuum, he had become one.
What was left for Austin to fight for now? Everyone had someone, something tangible and now Austin wasn’t able to be quite sure if he even had Vis Imperium left. It would be a sorry state of affairs for Austin to be missing the group like that but it was less about the methods that they had used and more about the rewards that could be garnered with them. After all, there was no doubt that it was better to be with Vis Imperium than against them. It had to be.
With everything that has gone before in mind, the message that he received a few days before the next round of shows was of no surprise.
Too many questions surrounding this very simple communication and Austin knew that he could spend the next week running them around his mind. The simple fact was that nothing would change that version of events. He was going to face one of the men who benefited most from what happened at the Lethal Lottery.
Mikey Stormrage, World Champion. In a world where Ricky Runn had earned the same honour, it should not be that surprising yet it felt just as wrong. Stormrage was one of the men who had gained most from Austin’s departure. It could be argued that his feud and ultimate victory over Constantine at the start of the year was the catalyst behind the formation of Vis Imperium.
Austin had paved the way for guys like Stormrage and Mikey had never shown a modicum of gratitude or appreciation. Was there any respect there? Mikey had shown no admiration for the achievement of those who had gone before him and he only seemed interested in what he could gain in the here and now. Over the years that had not changed. In winning all of the prizes over his time in WZCW he had got everything that he chased. Did Mikey even care that James Howard has suffered the same fate that he had, never able to escape serious injury?
The irony of this was not lost on Austin. Mikey was the man with everything, yet here today Austin had nothing.
And empty or not, there was something to be said for where he was. On the road to Kingdom Come. As empty and unrewarded as life felt, the journey could still mean something. Austin was a wrestler once more but Kingdom Come was a destination that he had no care for. Others were able to hold a bright candle for it and that may well allow him opportunity to gain something that he knows that he should crave. Vis Imperium were still the means, the end game is still unknown.
What could he even gain? Mikey can raise his championship. Mention Kingdom Come and he simply wins that argument.
But Kingdom Come was where Austin put Strikeforce on the map. Who said he had to even make it to New Orleans? Had he not enough had time in the spotlight? And if Austin could beat Mikey Stormrage, then he could beat Justin Cooper again.
No, Mikey is the star man and Justin is the new pet project. There can be no way that WZCW would allow their event to be hijacked by Austin Reynolds. But maybe this is where Vis Imperium could play their part.
Mikey had allowed himself to forget who he was. Austin could not help but remember everything that he had endured.
The journey of the soulless vacuum was full of pain. Austin could do what he liked at Meltdown. Nothing was going to change that.
Richard Blonoff
Make America Rassle Again
"Wake up."
"Mikey, wake up."
"C'mon, wake up, they are here."
I slowly opened my eyes, groaning.
"Five more minutes."
"We don't have five minutes, the taxi is here and waiting."
"Fine, fine, I'm awake."
I got up and stretched. I was already in my press conference clothes, Eve insisted I put them on ahead of time as she knew I would likely sleep all day. I walked to the bathroom and did my business, before I grabbed my bag and was ready to leave.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
Eve asked, almost annoyed.
"Oh yeah!"
I quickly dove on the bed and grabbed my title belt.
"Hardly a press conference without this thing."
Eve rolled her eyes, but she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek as we left the hotel room. We got to the lobby and checked out before we made our way to the taxi that would take us to downtown Charlotte.
"Why do you always book your hotels as close to the arena as possible? I've never understood that."
I yawned, still tired.
"I hate taxi rides. You just sit in the back and let someone else control where you are going. I hate that feeling of not being in control. Plus the shorter the ride, the longer I have to sleep in, so that is always nice."
Eve again rolled her eyes at my answer.
"So after this press conference, what do you have planned for the rest of the day?"
"It's a secret. You will find out soon enough."
"You know I hate surprises."
I smiled playfully at Eve, before putting my arm around her and pulling her in close to me.
"You'll love it. I went all out, trust me."
"You know you don't have to do anything that special to impress me."
"I know, but I like to treat you well. You deserve it. You are a special person Eve, and I couldn't be happier to have you."
Eve smiled back, though behind her smile I felt like there was something she wasn't telling me. I quickly forgot about it though as we were almost at our destination, the Time Warner Cable Arena.
We got out and made our way through the building to the media room, where the various press had assembled and were awaiting our arrival. We made our way onto the small stage that had been set up and took our places behind the podium. Some quick makeup was applied and some last minute adjustments were made and soon the press conference began. I made sure my World Title belt was on full display in front of me.
"Mr. Stormrage, congratulations on your title victory. How does it feel to be a two time World Champion?"
I cleared my throat.
"It feels good. Of course I could lose this belt just as unceremoniously as I lost it the first time, but it feels nice to hold onto it again."
"Do you still think Garth Black has anything to do with The Hollow Ones?"
"I'm not sure. You can't deny their involvement in our first match, but this time they stayed out of our affairs, so I'm really not sure."
"What are your thoughts on Justin Cooper winning the Lethal Lottery?"
"I think Cooper is a great competitor and just like Matt Tastic a few years ago, him winning was really his breakout moment. He has been in this company a long time and to see him finally have some of that pay off, it was nice. Just know Justin, that I'm not going to part ways with this so easily."
I put my hand on my belt as I await the next question.
"Speaking of Matt Tastic, what is your relationship with him these days?"
I let out a sigh before I speak.
"Well, that isn't an easy answer. I thought we had squashed our issues, but fighting for a World Title can do weird things to people. I still consider him a friend, and I hope to speak with him soon. Actually, hold on.'
I pulled out my cell phone and called Matt's number and put him on speaker phone.
"Hey Matt, you are on live with me during my press conference, how are you doing man?"
"I'm okay I guess....why are you calling?"
"I haven't talked to you in a while, I just thought i would say hey and ask what's up?"
"Look man, I'm busy right now. Congrats on your big win, but I gotta go."
I kind of shook my head as Matt hung up. He seemed distant, like he wasn't himself. I couldn't dwell on it though as the next question was about to be taken.
"What are your thoughts on your opponent this week, Austin Reynolds?"
"Reynolds and I go back to the start of my career here in WZCW. Strikeforce kind of made our name on the back of Runn Reynolds Runn, so we have history. I was just as stunned as everyone when he came back to the ring a short while back, and even more surprised that he has been as good as he has been. Taking that long of time off has to be tough to recover from, but no matter how good he is, I will be better. In fact, I'm going to dedicate this match to the honor of Eve Taylor. If you remember, Reynolds ended Eve's historic title reign as Elite Openweight Champion, so when I win it will be revenge for her."
I looked over at Eve and smiled as big as I could. She didn't seem impressed though. I thought maybe it was due to the lack of questions coming her way, so I asked those in attendance to ask Eve some questions.
"Come on guys, I'm not the only one here tonight. Eve Taylor is here as well and I'm sure she would love to answer your questions."
Just as Eve moved her chair closer to the mic, one of the WZCW attendants took the stage and informed us that there was no more time during this session and that other superstars would be available later in the evening.
I grabbed my belt and strapped it around myself and took Eve's hand and walked out of the room.
"Sorry about that."
"It's okay, I wasn't really feeling up to answering too many questions about how I under performed at the Lottery anyway."
"Well I have a surprise for you at the back of the building."
I smiled at Eve, who mustered a small smile in return.
"I hope you like horses."
We got to the back of the building where an extravagant horse drawn carriage was waiting for us. For the first time all night, a genuine smile came over Eve's face. She didn't say a word, but I knew she liked it. She planted a kiss on my cheek and ran to the carriage.
"Glad you like it."
We climbed inside, and wrapped a blanket around us to combat the November chill in the night air.
"So did you like my big announcement?"
"What announcement?"
Eve looked at me quizzically.
"That I am dedicating my victory against Reynolds to your honor."
"Oh, you don't have to do that."
"I know I don't, but that is just the type of guy I am."
Eve shook her head, though oddly she tightened her grip on my hand.
"No, I mean you don't have to do it because the loss to Reynolds doesn't bother me. I've said it before, the loss almost felt liberating. Like a weight was lifted off my chest."
"And what a victory it shall be. To defeat Reynolds for a second time in my career, it will be a grand affair."
"Mikey, you aren't listening. I don't care that I lost to Reynolds. You don't need to go out there and beat him for me. Do it for yourself."
"Maybe a Game Over or two. A couple of Flying Burritos. No one shows up my girl."
Eve stopped talking, though I wasn't sure why.
"Oh before I forget, I haven't really had a chance to tell you yet, but I'm sorry you didn't perform to expectations in the Lottery. I was rooting for you. No one deserves a shot at the World Title more than you."
"Thanks, but it's okay. I'm trying not to think about it too much."
"Oh yeah, I got a bottle of wine. I'm not really educated on wine and stuff, but the guy at the store said this was top shelf stuff."
I turned around and reached under the spare blankets and grabbed the bottle of wine, the name of which I couldn't pronounce. I grabbed some glasses and began to pour the wine when Eve spoke.
"Actually, do you think we could go back to the hotel, this chill is starting to get to me and neither of us can afford to get sick in the lead up to Kingdom Come. Mr. Banks would flip out on us if his World Champion had to miss the show because he had the flu."
I stopped pouring and quickly drank what I had poured and placed the bottle and the glasses back behind us.
"You're right. We should go back and warm up, if you catch my drift."
I playfully nudged Eve and took her hand back in mine under the blanket and asked the carriage driver to take us back to the hotel where a night of passionate love making would surely commence. Seriously, there was no chance Eve would shut down the Heavyweight Champion of the World after a romantic carriage ride, would she?
"Mikey, wake up."
"C'mon, wake up, they are here."
I slowly opened my eyes, groaning.
"Five more minutes."
"We don't have five minutes, the taxi is here and waiting."
"Fine, fine, I'm awake."
I got up and stretched. I was already in my press conference clothes, Eve insisted I put them on ahead of time as she knew I would likely sleep all day. I walked to the bathroom and did my business, before I grabbed my bag and was ready to leave.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
Eve asked, almost annoyed.
"Oh yeah!"
I quickly dove on the bed and grabbed my title belt.
"Hardly a press conference without this thing."
Eve rolled her eyes, but she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek as we left the hotel room. We got to the lobby and checked out before we made our way to the taxi that would take us to downtown Charlotte.
"Why do you always book your hotels as close to the arena as possible? I've never understood that."
I yawned, still tired.
"I hate taxi rides. You just sit in the back and let someone else control where you are going. I hate that feeling of not being in control. Plus the shorter the ride, the longer I have to sleep in, so that is always nice."
Eve again rolled her eyes at my answer.
"So after this press conference, what do you have planned for the rest of the day?"
"It's a secret. You will find out soon enough."
"You know I hate surprises."
I smiled playfully at Eve, before putting my arm around her and pulling her in close to me.
"You'll love it. I went all out, trust me."
"You know you don't have to do anything that special to impress me."
"I know, but I like to treat you well. You deserve it. You are a special person Eve, and I couldn't be happier to have you."
Eve smiled back, though behind her smile I felt like there was something she wasn't telling me. I quickly forgot about it though as we were almost at our destination, the Time Warner Cable Arena.
We got out and made our way through the building to the media room, where the various press had assembled and were awaiting our arrival. We made our way onto the small stage that had been set up and took our places behind the podium. Some quick makeup was applied and some last minute adjustments were made and soon the press conference began. I made sure my World Title belt was on full display in front of me.
"Mr. Stormrage, congratulations on your title victory. How does it feel to be a two time World Champion?"
I cleared my throat.
"It feels good. Of course I could lose this belt just as unceremoniously as I lost it the first time, but it feels nice to hold onto it again."
"Do you still think Garth Black has anything to do with The Hollow Ones?"
"I'm not sure. You can't deny their involvement in our first match, but this time they stayed out of our affairs, so I'm really not sure."
"What are your thoughts on Justin Cooper winning the Lethal Lottery?"
"I think Cooper is a great competitor and just like Matt Tastic a few years ago, him winning was really his breakout moment. He has been in this company a long time and to see him finally have some of that pay off, it was nice. Just know Justin, that I'm not going to part ways with this so easily."
I put my hand on my belt as I await the next question.
"Speaking of Matt Tastic, what is your relationship with him these days?"
I let out a sigh before I speak.
"Well, that isn't an easy answer. I thought we had squashed our issues, but fighting for a World Title can do weird things to people. I still consider him a friend, and I hope to speak with him soon. Actually, hold on.'
I pulled out my cell phone and called Matt's number and put him on speaker phone.
"Hey Matt, you are on live with me during my press conference, how are you doing man?"
"I'm okay I guess....why are you calling?"
"I haven't talked to you in a while, I just thought i would say hey and ask what's up?"
"Look man, I'm busy right now. Congrats on your big win, but I gotta go."
I kind of shook my head as Matt hung up. He seemed distant, like he wasn't himself. I couldn't dwell on it though as the next question was about to be taken.
"What are your thoughts on your opponent this week, Austin Reynolds?"
"Reynolds and I go back to the start of my career here in WZCW. Strikeforce kind of made our name on the back of Runn Reynolds Runn, so we have history. I was just as stunned as everyone when he came back to the ring a short while back, and even more surprised that he has been as good as he has been. Taking that long of time off has to be tough to recover from, but no matter how good he is, I will be better. In fact, I'm going to dedicate this match to the honor of Eve Taylor. If you remember, Reynolds ended Eve's historic title reign as Elite Openweight Champion, so when I win it will be revenge for her."
I looked over at Eve and smiled as big as I could. She didn't seem impressed though. I thought maybe it was due to the lack of questions coming her way, so I asked those in attendance to ask Eve some questions.
"Come on guys, I'm not the only one here tonight. Eve Taylor is here as well and I'm sure she would love to answer your questions."
Just as Eve moved her chair closer to the mic, one of the WZCW attendants took the stage and informed us that there was no more time during this session and that other superstars would be available later in the evening.
I grabbed my belt and strapped it around myself and took Eve's hand and walked out of the room.
"Sorry about that."
"It's okay, I wasn't really feeling up to answering too many questions about how I under performed at the Lottery anyway."
"Well I have a surprise for you at the back of the building."
I smiled at Eve, who mustered a small smile in return.
"I hope you like horses."
We got to the back of the building where an extravagant horse drawn carriage was waiting for us. For the first time all night, a genuine smile came over Eve's face. She didn't say a word, but I knew she liked it. She planted a kiss on my cheek and ran to the carriage.
"Glad you like it."
We climbed inside, and wrapped a blanket around us to combat the November chill in the night air.
"So did you like my big announcement?"
"What announcement?"
Eve looked at me quizzically.
"That I am dedicating my victory against Reynolds to your honor."
"Oh, you don't have to do that."
"I know I don't, but that is just the type of guy I am."
Eve shook her head, though oddly she tightened her grip on my hand.
"No, I mean you don't have to do it because the loss to Reynolds doesn't bother me. I've said it before, the loss almost felt liberating. Like a weight was lifted off my chest."
"And what a victory it shall be. To defeat Reynolds for a second time in my career, it will be a grand affair."
"Mikey, you aren't listening. I don't care that I lost to Reynolds. You don't need to go out there and beat him for me. Do it for yourself."
"Maybe a Game Over or two. A couple of Flying Burritos. No one shows up my girl."
Eve stopped talking, though I wasn't sure why.
"Oh before I forget, I haven't really had a chance to tell you yet, but I'm sorry you didn't perform to expectations in the Lottery. I was rooting for you. No one deserves a shot at the World Title more than you."
"Thanks, but it's okay. I'm trying not to think about it too much."
"Oh yeah, I got a bottle of wine. I'm not really educated on wine and stuff, but the guy at the store said this was top shelf stuff."
I turned around and reached under the spare blankets and grabbed the bottle of wine, the name of which I couldn't pronounce. I grabbed some glasses and began to pour the wine when Eve spoke.
"Actually, do you think we could go back to the hotel, this chill is starting to get to me and neither of us can afford to get sick in the lead up to Kingdom Come. Mr. Banks would flip out on us if his World Champion had to miss the show because he had the flu."
I stopped pouring and quickly drank what I had poured and placed the bottle and the glasses back behind us.
"You're right. We should go back and warm up, if you catch my drift."
I playfully nudged Eve and took her hand back in mine under the blanket and asked the carriage driver to take us back to the hotel where a night of passionate love making would surely commence. Seriously, there was no chance Eve would shut down the Heavyweight Champion of the World after a romantic carriage ride, would she?
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