AS 44: Austin Reynolds vs. Sam Smith

[Ty Burna]

Deadline is Tuesday, February 7th at 11:59 PM Central Time

 

[The Crock]

The scene opens to Sam Smith staring at a photo hanging above his mantle.

It's amazing how far one can fall in a few matches.

Smith points to the photo.

Just a few short weeks ago, I was nearly at the top of WZCW. I was the Elite X Champion. Losses were nearly forgotten... but not anymore. No. Last week on Meltdown, Matt Tastic and I dropped a match to Mr. Baller and Showtime. It's funny, I hit my finisher on Showtime, but somehow he had enough in the tank to roll Tastic up.

Smith looks down at his feet for a moment, then continues on.

Showtime stole a win from under my nose. There was so much more I could have done to win that match, but I let my guard down. I may hold some of the fault, but Tastic should never have taunted Baller and yelled at him. Just go for the cover... but, but, again -- I had Showtime on the brink and I lost. I cannot stand losing. It goes against every fiber of my being.

Losing to Showtime, though? It's the worst. Had we gotten the win, I'd be right back on track to what I wanted to accomplish. I've moved past the Elite X Championship, but I just can't get out of the hole I'm in right now. Am I good enough? You're damn right I am.

Smith looks back at the photograph.

You see, in the history of WZCW, there have been a few great Elite X Champions. My name lies among them in the history books. My reign was the second longest ever -- only beaten by one man.

Austin Reynolds.

What do Austin Reynolds and I have in common? We were both Elite X Champions and we were both looking to be on our way to the World Heavyweight Championship. Reynolds broke through and fought for it, but he couldn't win the big one. I can't allow that to happen to me.

This week, I have something to prove. I have to prove that I can hang with the likes of Austin Reynolds and to show that I'm not just a feeder to your guys like Showtime.

Smith pauses, running his hands through his hair.

During the Roulette, I defeated Reynolds' tag team partner Ricky Runn in a match. It's only fair that he gets his shot at me too. Like I said, Reynolds would have been a shoo-in for the World Heavyweight Championship, but instead he settled for the tag team titles.

Reynolds could have excelled, he could have pushed his limits and claimed the World Heavyweight Championship, but he didn't. I have no doubt that Reynolds loves what he does, but does he still have that same fire for competition he once had?

Smith walks through his living room, away from the mantle and slumps into an armchair.

That's what I want to know -- that's what I want to tap into. I want Reynolds to bring the best out of me and for me to bring the best out of him. This is an important match, this match is pivotal, really. This is our last chance to get some footing going into the Lethal Lottery.

Smith reaches over and takes a drink from his cup of coffee.

Everything comes to a head at the Lethal Lottery. Twenty five men in one ring, all fighting for that one opportunity. The opportunity of a lifetime -- a World Heavyweight Championship shot at Kingdom Come. The stakes are all the higher this week. Not only will I prove my worth for that shot, but I will put each and every other competitor in that match on alert.

The main event for Kingdom Come is mine. Just as quickly as one can fall, one can rise again. A win this week and a win in the Lottery will erase any other loss on my record... Just ask one of the men who beat me last week. Showtime knows what winning the Lottery means, but he doesn't know how it feels to have that World Heavyweight Championship around his waist. He squandered his opportunity, just like Austin Reynolds.

I would never squander that opportunity, nor will I squander the opportunity to face someone of Austin Reynolds' stature. Long ago, it would have been a pipe dream for me to ever be on his level, but now? It's a reality and I'll prove it. I've worked too hard for a few losses to get in my way now. I picked up the win when I needed it and made my way into the Lethal Lottery, now I'll pick up another win I need.

Smith rises from his seat and begins walking around his living room -- pacing, almost.

From here on out, find any man to face me and I will win. It's what separates the legends from the rest, it's the ability to persevere and to rise to the occasion.

Smith stops, pondering what he just said. Then mutters a whisper.

Legendary...

A bit louder, he repeats himself.

Legendary...

Smith, hands in the air, lets out a yell.

LEGENDARY!

That's it -- that's exactly it.

Smith points directly into the camera.

That's how you will all remember me. My legacy will be legendary. This week starts the next step on my road to a legendary legacy. I will go from former Elite X Champion, to true World Heavyweight Championship contender.

The scene fades out as Smith rushes out of the room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The scene re-opens with Smith standing at the back of a sports arena. In the front, the excited crowd is still filing in. The sign projects the event of the night to the masses, "WZCW Ascension."

Smith stares up into the sky for a moment, before taking a deep breath and walking toward the door.

Hey, Sam!

Smith turns looking for the source of the voice.

Sam!

Just then, a little boy emerges from around the side of the building with his father, waving.

Hey, little man, what can I do for you?

I was wondering if you would give me an autograph?

Sure.

Smith stoops down to one knee, signing the boy's replica championship.

Are you gonna win tonight?

I hope so, kid.

Me too! I've never been to a WZCW show before, so I'm really excited!

Smith smiles before responding.

I'll make it worth your while, man. I have something in store for everyone.

The scene fades out.

 

[a0161613]

Austin: “Sam Smith? You want me to talk about facing Sam Smith? Right here and now? God damnit.”

An angry and impatient glare crosses the stress-lined face of the Ratings Winner. He shivers as an artic-sharp gust of wind blows down the street.

Austin: “OK, put this in the magazine, put it on the website.”

The dirt sheet reporters in front of him show surprise to Austin’s defensive tone.

Austin: “I don’t care.”

Austin pulls up his coat collar to further steel himself against the wind. The reporters shove an array to device by his face in order to get good quality material without interference from the elements.

Austin: “Sam Smith, the lawyer who made good, the man who fancies himself as a future World Champion? Sam’s a good guy. He gave Ricky a great match a few weeks back and it will help Ricky so much to face off against a guy like him. But I’ve got news for him. He isn’t good enough to wipe the shoes of a World Champion. He hasn’t even faced main event material. I’ve main evented pay-per-view for this company with main event material. I know the calibre of athlete that Sam is aiming for and the guy is way too ambitious from where he is.”

Austin’s tone doesn’t glean a reaction from these hard-nosed journos. Even so, sly glances are passed between them communicating their thoughts on the interview. Austin is so focussed on his rant that he doesn’t appear to see it.

Austin: “I’m not even going to talk about what he did with the Elite X championship. I had that title for six months plus, I gave the best title reign ever with that belt, outside of Ty’s World Title run and I was having the best matches, day in and day out. Smith gets it on a fluke, barely looks like he gives a crap and he gets a reign that’s nearly as long as mine?”

Austin: “And after all this, Smith thinks he has a chance of winning the Lottery. It’s funny because he is exactly where I was a year ago. Angry with no championship to call his own, desperate to make the guys in the back take some notice. And the fact is, I spent six months after that chasing a dream. I starred at Kingdom Come 3 and I was in the main event. I was this far away from becoming World Champion and nobody came closer than I did to beating Ty Burna. It all started at the Lottery, I was in the final six and I made a helluva impact.”

Austin steps towards the building as he seeks protection from the window. The horde of journos shuffle with him like a horde of penguins.

Austin: “Smith needs to know that I’m all for the underdog but this year’s Lethal Lottery winner is all set. The hot potato championship situation needs to end with some stability and the ratings need to brought back to life because somebody thought it was a good idea to let them tank.”

Austin Reynolds, the man who is normally so easy to talk to and so willing to give a good interview, walks off and silently dismisses the four-strong group of reporters who stand outside the hotel in Keystone. Only when Austin has stormed inside, does one of the reporters utter.

Reporter: “Damn. Whose bed did he get out the wrong side of?”

Austin limps into his hotel room and slams the door behind him. He flops himself face first onto the bed and screams into the sheets. Hayley comes out of the bathroom to observe who or what is causing the commotion.

Austin: “I’m going to regret that later.”

She tips her head to the side sympathetically and sits on the edge of the bed besides her fiancé. Austin pounds the bed with both hands in frustration. Hayley strokes his head and he turns to look at her.

Austin: “I thought we could be different! That we would stop losing once we were champions. Now we’re just set on the same path as Stantime and Mind Over Matter. We won’t keep our belts beyond the PPV unless we buck our ideas up.”

Hayley: “Awww honey.”

Austin: “It wouldn’t be so bad but to lose to Holmes and Constantine of all people. They couldn’t be more of a repeat of Showtime and Constantine if they tried.”

Hayley: “Poppet?”

Austin: “Yeah baby?”

Hayley: “Let me take your mind of it.”

She starts to kiss the back of his neck. He exhales peacefully and turns around. He lifts her up and pushes her back up the bed as the camera fades.

Forty minutes later and both Hayley and Austin are in bed and under the covers. They share a warm, glowing quality that only appears post-coitus. She dozes calmly. Austin tries to move her away but can’t. He freezes as he realises something is very, very wrong.

Austin: “Hun....honey....”

Hayley barely murmurs as Austin tries to shift her again.

Austin: “Hayley!”

She wakes with a start.

Hayley: “What’s up baby?”

Austin: “I....can’t move my fingers.”

Hayley: “I’m sorry, am I lying on your arm?”

She shuffles a little and turns to faces to Austin. She now sees his face which is pale white as Austin seems to be petrified.

Hayley: “What’s up?”

Austin: “My fingers... they aren’t moving. And I can’t feel them.”

He turns his head slowly to face her.

Austin: “What the hell is wrong!?”

Within four hours, Austin is in a private room at Jackson City Hospital. He has gone through a number of tests and has been poked with several devices. He seems calm now although Hayley is his opposite and she paces the room. Dominic is sat on a chair asleep.

Austin: “Pacing like that isn’t going to help.”

She shoots him a glare.

Austin: “It’s better now. I guess we just panicked.”

Hayley: “Austin, you cannot pretend that the beatings you have taken in your career don’t add to something. Think about it, from Beckford to Showtime to Constantine to Holmes.”

She pauses for a second before continuing.

Hayley: “Even Ty Burna.”

Austin winces at the mention of this particular name. Reynolds’ calm demeanour has evaporated. Even Dom has been stirred by the raised voices.

Austin: “So you think that this was inevitable?”

Hayley: “Somewhat.”

Austin’s eyebrows rise.

Austin: “What the hell does that mean?”

Hayley: “Look, you have laid it all on the line in the name of entertainment. No one has been better at doing what you do, putting others ahead of you. But where has it got you?”

Dom sits forward.

Dominic: “Even since you started with Ricky, you haven’t taken any less bumps and the bumps you do take are becoming riskier every match. You’re taking longer to recover and your pain is becoming more noticeable. Just look at the match with Holmes, you definitely haven’t been yourself since that match. A hard hitting tag match like you just had with Holmes and Constantine just accentuates it.”

Before the conversation can go any further, a loud knock comes from the door and a tall doctor walks in. Dom stands, he and Hayley shake his hand and Austin smiles politely, despite the near-argument that preceded his entrance.

Doctor: “Good evening Austin.”

Austin: “Hey doc, any luck with the tests?”

Doctor: “Well everything so far seems to back up our original prognosis. You have a great deal of pressure building up at the top of your neck. We can’t tell what’s causing it until we do more thorough tests.”

Austin nods

Dom: “Ok, do what you need to do Doc.”

Austin: “Hey Dom, come on. I need to get back to Chicago. We got a whole week of PR planned plus I got Ricky’s thing to go to.”

Doctor: “We would recommend you undergo these tests immediately, though I suppose I could arrange them for you in Chicago with your own consultant.”

Austin nods in agreement and he smiles at Dom and Hayley but neither returns his grin.

Austin: “That would be ideal.”

Doctor: “Mr Reynolds, I feel I should at least warn you that he may recommend surgery, at least on a minimal level, just to check out the area and get a good idea on what is going on.”

Austin: “That’s out of the question. Not at the moment.”

Hayley: “Austin!”

Dominic: “Dude, you can’t dismiss it so quickly. Doctor Perkins, if you can arrange an emergency appointment, we’d really appreciate it.”

The doctor shuffles uncomfortably but acknowledges Dom’s request.

Doctor: “Of course, we’ll get the wheels in motion and discharge you for now.”

Perkins shakes hands with patient and friends before taking his leave. Once he leaves, a brief silence engulfs the room.

Austin: “Guys, I can’t spare any time for doctors appointments. I need to get the through the Lottery and I have to be at KC 4. That’s my focus right now. I can’t take any time off and I’m not going to risk anything that will affect me being at those shows.”

Hayley throws her hands up in the air and Dom sits on Austin’s bed but Austin doesn’t let him talk.

Austin: “Dom, please. This is my favourite time of year and I will never forgive myself if I miss this stretch. Maybe I’ll consider it if the Lottery goes really badly. But what if we retain the tag titles and I win the Lottery? What do we do then?”

Austin’s fierce determination meets an unusually calm Dom.

Dominic: “Then...then we take it from there. Then you go and win the Kingdom Come main event. But do not count your chickens, because you are at best a dark horse in that match and you have to get there in one piece.”

Dom’s surprisingly withdrawn support shocks Austin.

Austin: “Jeez, is it too much to get your support?”

Hayley “Support? We’ve done nothing but support. You know what Dom and I have been through for you! You ungrateful ass”

If Austin wasn’t instantly aware that his comments were out of line, then the reactions of Dom and Hayley give it away. They both head for the door and if looks could kill, then Austin would be a chalk outline on the floor.

Austin: “Guys.....Look....” Austin for once is stuck for words and he is almost tripping over his words. “I’m sorry. Let me go to Kingdom Come, and then...I’ll retire.”

This revelation stops Dom and Hayley in their tracks. Hayley rushes over to Austin and drapes herself around him. Dom smiles and Austin reciprocates, through Hayley’s constrictive hug.

Dominic: “So this is it? The beginning of the end of the Ratings Winner?”

Austin: “Yeah I guess so. It’s the Lethal Lottery or bust.”