Austin Reynolds makes his way backstage following the end of his Elite X title match with Frankie Smith. The match, which ended early due to Blades chair-assisted interference, was very well received by the crowd. And if Austin didnt have a splitting headache from Blades extremely stiff chair shot, then he may be aware of the positive reception that he is getting from the ring staff backstage.
But Austin can only hear the ringing in his ears and it muffles the voices and the buzz of activity in the backstage area. The two referees that are with him escort him to his dressing room and arrange for a medic to come check him out.
Austin puts his head in his hands and tries to compose himself. He knew that he just had a stunning debut that could not have gone much better in his eyes. This splitting headache was nothing to worry about. Its not something some sleep and a paracetamol wont cure.
The medic comes in.
Hey Austin, this wont take long. He removes a pocket light from his pocket and shines it in his eyes. Follow this for me please?
The light dances around. The brightness causes Austin to cringe a little as the pain splits through his forehead.
When can I leave?
You have a concussion sir. Its company policy to have more tests at a hospital, just to make sure you are OK.
Austin sighed. It was no surprise. Blade was overly aggressive, like he was desperate to assert his newfound masculinity on the masses. Austin thought that the chair shot was unnecessarily harsh. He was seething and could not wait to get out of this steaming pile of a town and get Dominic to sort this mess out.
OK lets get this over with. He gets up slowly and follows the medic out of the room.
Three hours later, Austin emerges from the hospital in the artificially bright night. He was given codeine and told to rest up. The obvious diagnosis had not helped his mood and now here he was tired and not where he thought he would be three hours after Ascension.
A royal blue Nissan 350Z pulls out of a nearby parking bay and stops in front of Austin. He pulls the door open and slumps into the comfortable leather seat.
Get me home baby. Im tired of this dump.
Hayley leans across and kisses his cheek, which is slightly mauve and bruised. Aww baby, you did so well! Im so proud of you.
Austin leans his head back a little. Any news on the ratings yet?
Sounds promising but its a little too early. Besides Dominic is working on something to make up for you not winning.
I deserve Frankie Smiths title on a platter. Austins teeth grind as the frustration boils over a little.
Baby, Dominic knows that. trust me, he sounded awfully confident about getting something great tied up for you.
Really? The most pessimistic man ever to escape from Scotland is confident? Austins shrugs his shoulders. It must be good.
Austin spends his next few days in the penthouse apartment that he owns in Chicago. The same town he trained in and the place he comes to relax and heal. We see him on the balcony that overlooks the busy city below. He turns and comes inside. He pushes his sunglasses up on to his forehead. We can see the bruising on the top of his face
So here I am. I have my head bashed in and have my chance to win the Elite X title snatched out of my hands by some lunatic. But Im not going anywhere. Im going to come back to Ascension because Blade didnt kill me. He has only fuelled my desire to go out and put on better shows and more awesome matches. The fact that it was taken away from me means that I have to come back ten times faster and smarter. So thank you Blade. Because although I should still be furious that Blade cost me my shot at becoming an instant legend but I know that my time will come before his.
Austins fighting to stay totally calm despite being mad at the events of his first Ascension. His eyes burn brightly and show real passion.
But nevertheless, it is going to work out for the best. Thanks to my friend, the best agent in the damn business, Dominic Ray, the esteemed WZCW Board of Directors have looked at what I have done for the ratings of Ascension and for the Elite X title and they have made the only viable decision that they could. I have been entered into the Elite X league to replace some no name jobber who was not able to get the job done and then quit.
It is going to be my biggest success yet. I am going to do exactly as I promised to the Elite X title. On the biggest stage of the year, live on pay-per-view and never looking better in Hi-Def, it will find a new home!
Austins never-say-die confidence is clearly unaffected. To be expected though, he knows the ratings for his match were a new high for the programme and everyone was impressed.
You may say that I have to get there first but this chump is not even a bump in the road. Ace David probably thinks he is on the road to stardom. Hes been a tag champion and I bet you thought helping a former World Champ would be the answer right?"
Tough luck cardshark, cos Im the royal flush to your pair of threes. Hell, Im the damn Joker in this pack. Im the guy everyone tunes into see and Im going to use you to get me into Kingdom Come. Id have this league won if I had been in from the start but Im damn sure that Im gona nail the second place. I have to be at Kingdom Come and I guarantee it will be in a star studded match which will rocket me into the main event! Im sure there will be a place in a pre-show match for you, maybe with one of the developmental guys?
Austin chuckles, as he almost perversely examines the very idea of Ace David having a disastrous Kingdom Come while Austin reaches a new high in a title match on the trademark pay-per-view event.
You can go ahead and spout out all the crap you want. Nobody is going to be listening because everyone is going to be paying attention to me! I know for a fact that millions of new fans tuned into WZCW, only to see me denied a place in history by a maniac who had no interest in fairness. He only wanted pain and he got it. But in doing so he only delayed the inevitable fall from grace for Frankie Smith. So can you imagine what will happen to the ratings when I walk through you to get to Kingdom Come? Its going to be classic television.
His tone bounces, cocky and pretentious. He is smiling as he revels in Aces misery.
And so what have you achieved recently? All you did was get yourself disqualified, which makes you look like a chump! You know that you have nothing to play for now. You, your career and the rWo are all on a downward spiral and it is going be furthered in primetime viewing on Ascension.
So ya know what? Austin pauses and he pulls down the sunglasses on his forehead. Imma let you finish but yo looking at the next Elite X Champion.
Oh my god.......you clown. Hayley emerges from the right. She smiles at him and playfully pokes him in the chest. You could have left out the Kanye impression you know.
Austin takes off his the glasses and puts them over her eyes. Nah. They are both so overrated; I couldnt resist. Austin pulls out a remote and turns the camera as Hayley kisses him deep and passionately.
