Post by Xion Zeros on Aug 11, 2018 18:04:58 GMT -5
Ashleigh Cash snaps a selfie of herself as she does one final check up on her ensemble for the evening.
“Matt, are you ready yet?”
Matthew Miles looks up from the couch, sitting upside down with his legs hanging over the armrests.
“Babe, I’ve been ready for an hour now. You’re the one who keeps checking yourself out in the mirror. Not that I’m complaining as I check you out all the time myself but I’d like to get to this restaurant before they close for we can catch a movie afterwards.”
Ashleigh smiles and looks over to Kevin quietly browsing the internet on his laptop on the other end of the couch.
Ashley teases, “We can’t leave Kevin here all alone without a baby sitter. Do I need to call Alice to keep tabs on him?”
Matthew shook his head, “Lay off, babe. He’s been in a sour mood after we almost killed Behemoth in the Final Fantasy x Monster Hunter World event and the damn thing kamikazed us for the win with Ecliptic Meteor for the win when we didn’t have anymore Comets to hide behind. He’s taking that L pretty hard. I know how much he wants that Dragoon armor set and Insect Glaive to match.”
Kevin buries his face into the palm of his hands as he gets a mental flashback of victory slipping through his fingers. He sighs heavily before turning to face them.
“Actually, it’s not that thing that’s bothering me…” he starts. “I just got a lot on my mind.”
Ashleigh sits on the armrest next to Kevin and messes with his hair playfully.
“Well out with it, kiddo. You know we’re not going to leave our Kevvy-kins alone and sad when we’re his friends. Matt, our date night can wait a little while longer as we fulfill our roles as loving parents to our bundle of joy.”
“Oh god…” grins Matthew as he sits up to listen.
“Ash, I get it… You always give me shit out of love and I do the same to you with the Strawberry Shortcake jokes, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot, especially after seeing what’s been going on across the board in the wrestling industry.
NGW had a wave of talent just walk out. GWA got bought out. I don’t know the specifics of those two situations and the others I keep hearing about on social media, but it makes me sad when I think about it. NGW were good to us for the Tag Team Series and we met a lot of great talent there from other promotions. The last thing I want to see is any lose their livelihood.”
Ashleigh nods, “I agree, but a lot of those free agents found work quickly, so there shouldn’t be much to worry about on that front. Why worry about them anyway? We’re not set to appear there again since the Tag Team Series was over with anyway.”
“I know, but I really wouldn’t have minded wrestling some more of those folks again, but who knows, maybe our paths will cross again in the future.”
Matthew nods, “Yeah there’s no telling where the cards will fall when it comes to that stuff. People seem to come and go wherever the wind takes them in this business.”
“Like that Konrad Raab guy? I see you’re supposed to be facing one of his proteges on the next Primetime TV taping.”
Kevin nods slowly, “Yeah that guy… I feel like I have a responsibility against his protege. Raab may not be around anymore, but a lot of his words echo in my mind. All of that stuff he was saying about GZWA isn’t a place for ‘serious’ wrestlers and no one here takes anything seriously got a lot of people mad and fired up, but I feel like we contributed to his opinion of that mindset, especially me.”
Matthew shook his head, “Dude, no need to be tearing yourself down about what he was saying. The guy had a serious underlying problem that wasn’t going to be worked out in a wrestling ring. He got the help he needed, even his wife went on social media and said that. He’s in a better place now mentally and physically.”
“Matt, you don’t get it. As long as we can remember, I have always been the butt end joke of this team, in and out of the ring. For every wrestler that isn’t nothing like how Konrad saw as a stain on this sport - the hard-working women like the ones who competed in Reinas, Talia Areano, Crystal Hilton, the Frosts, Bobbi Jackson, and Mariah to the guys who are bringing the fight week in, week out, such as Mike Bradley, Knightmare INC, Justin Lockhart, that creepy bastard Senor Vinnie, Carnage, and most recently Equinox.
None of those men and women have lost to a damn sandwich for crying out loud. I’m going to be haunted by that embarrassment from my days in ZXWWF for the rest of my life. The Tag Team Series was the one time where I didn’t feel like I was just dead weight to this team. Let’s be serious here. Matt, you could be hanging with the Television Champion if you ever decided to take a swing at being a singles competitor. Same for you, Ashleigh. You could be hanging with the cream of the crop fighting for the Women’s Championship if you ever decided to quit hanging at the sidelines as our cheerleader. I can’t help but feel like as long as I’m around, I’m going to continue to hold both of your careers back.”
The trio of the Mega Busters stood in silence briefly.
Ashleigh combed a blonde lock of hair behind her ear and slapped Kevin across the back of the head.
“There’s not a day that I don’t think that I’m letting Mariah down for training me, only to end up on the sidelines most weeks, but then I remind myself that I’m a part of this team. It’s my choice to support you and Matt every week. Both Xion and Mary told me that whenever I’m ready to be full-time member of the women’s division, there’s always a place for me, so there’s no rush. I owe you guys a lot actually. You two took me in when I was in a really dark place in my career after I ran into success too fast and too early into my career when I was first starting out. I won that Rookie Diva tournament in ZXWWF and let that title win afterwards go to my head before I found myself not even on cards there anymore after I lost it. I was contemplating whether or not to hang up the boots for good when you guys just asked me on a whim whether I would like to join you guys on the road. We did that crazy road trip throughout the UK and even a few months in Japan before coming back stateside to join GZWA.
I’m sorry that I give you a hard time so much, Kevin, but the truth of the matter is that I’ve seen you and Matt grow collectively as an unit and individual as people. Sure, you two are the same nerds that I found myself hanging out with and following around the world on all kinds of adventures, but you’ve grown as talents too from what I’ve seen.”
Matthew nods in agreement, “We’ve all tried the singles thing before. It was fun for a while back when we first got started in ZXWWF, but we were rookies and didn’t know what the hell we were doing. We were kids that got handed the weight of the world onto our shoulders and ultimately crumbled underneath the weight and responsibility. To put it bluntly, we couldn’t handle being in that position due to our inexperience.
Plus, you’re forgetting that you were cocky little shit back in those days and showing off like how you were always doing back in those days isn’t something I doubt either of us are going to let you live down. You thought King Kong didn’t have shit on you after you survived those infamous manhunts from that damn Nemesis guy back in those days. It serves you right for management to kill that ego of yours.”
Kevin chuckles a bit, “Okay, okay. I’ll give you that one, but I felt like the big man on campus after sidelining Nemesis at ‘Mania that year. I was riding on Cloud Nine back then. Little did I know I didn’t know the meaning of that until I met my girlfriend…”
Ashleigh teases with an “Awwwwww!!” while Matthew grins at her antics.
Kevin shrugs his shoulders, “I dunno, I just can’t help the feeling that there’s tons of people out there who feel like we - or any talent on the roster for that matter - could go out there, have a 5 star match, and these people still won’t give us the time of day in terms of props or recognition. Only thing they care about is their number of Twitter followers and reach of their tweets or how they are ‘saving’ the sport from people like me.
Is there a damn thing that I can do to change their opinions? It always feels like if go out and kill it out there with you guys, it goes on deaf ears unless I’m in the same match as guys like that. Look, I have nothing against Agostino Romano at all. I even bet he’s a cool down to earth, honest guy, but after seeing him beat a monster like Brother Zachariah in his debut match, I don’t see how I’m going to be able to hold a candle to a guy like that. Romano himself said that he’s just here to have fun, clearly taking his own mentor’s teachings to heart. He’s not going to see me as a threat. Primetime is less than a week away. That bell is going to ring and he’s just going to see a laughing stock that he’s forced to share a ring with.”
Matthew frowns a bit before replying, “Dang, man. I didn’t know that you put this much thought into this lately. We could hit the gym harder and try our hand at learning some new tricks, but on the real though? All of that extra training would be for nothing if your head isn’t in the game and you’re beating yourself up before even the match even starts. There’s nothing wrong with having fun when you’re out there wrestling. We had fun during the Tag Team Series. We had fun when we were just starting out in ZXWWF and we’re still having fun as part of GZWA’s roster.
All this talk about how ‘serious’ someone is in this sport cannot be determined by a handful of people, it’s determined by those fans that pay to come see you perform and send them home happy. That’s always what matters first. The pain and anguish that goes with it are minor consequences if you love what you’re doing. For crying out loud, it’s not like we’re going out there wrestling a blow-up doll every night, performing Zangief’s Street Fighter IV Ultra Combos on the damn thing or fighting for Judy Bagwell on a pole for crying out loud. I see stuff like that are a disgrace to this sport; not anyone who willing to give their blood, sweat, and tears in that ring.
We might have good days and then there seem to be a lot more bad days for you than anyone else at times, but I consider it an honor to call you my tag team partner and better yet, my best friend. Whatever happens at Primetime, I just want you to give it your best. That’s all anyone can ask of you. If that’s not good enough then they can…”
“PISS OFF!” exclaims Ashleigh before immediately blushing and adding, “Sorry, been chatting with Alice’s European friends too much lately.”
“Babe, that actually fits, so yeah. You get the idea, right, Kevin?”
He nods slowly as Matthew and Ashleigh give him a hug.
Ashleigh adds, “We can go out another time, how about we just order a pizza and just watch something on Netflix?”
Kevin shook his head, “You don’t have to cancel your plans on my behalf. You’re already dolled up anyway for Matt. I’m good. Don’t worry about it.”
Matt perks up, “You sure, dude?”
Kevin nods as he pushes them towards the door, “Absolutely. I’m going to Skype my girlfriend and head to bed anyway. Figured I’d get an early start and get some training in the morning with one of Mariah’s early bird classes.”
With them out of the door, he gives a sigh of relief as he slumps against door and returns to his thoughts, glad that he was successful with his happy front for his friends.
A few days later, Kevin Allen - better known under his wrestling moniker as Psycho Sagus - found himself standing in the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.
Primetime wasn’t until Monday, so the arena was empty, save for a few workers cleaning up and manning the ticket booth. The wrestling ring was already set up for open tryouts that would be taking place over the weekend. Kevin took the opportunity to walk the halls and corridors before stepping out into the arena seating area. He started at the top of the venue, looking down from the top of the stairs and scanning the entire locale from his position.
“All eyes are going to be on me…” he utters to himself.
He walks down the flights of stairs until he reaches the ringside barricade and sits down at the front row.
“I remember being a kid and my parents taking me to the shows in our hometown. It was such a treat to be right here, so close to the action. It was like a night at the opera for my family. I had my tub of popcorn and my club soda and there wasn’t anything that was going to stop me from missing a second of the spectacle taking place in front of me, unless it was a potty emergency. There was action, tragedy, and some laughs to be had, but when it was all said and done, we always went home happy, looking for more.
We never went home and immediately jumped on social media ready to disclose our disgust with said product and how we as fans would improve the ring work or product as whole. There weren’t any star grades to be made. None of this talk about who does or does not belong in the business.
We just enjoyed the show.”
He then stood up and hopped over the barricade and strode around the length of the wrestling ring in front of him.
“The years pass by and I found myself on the outside looking in for the first time. I was the one standing in this ring with everyone’s eyes on me as I walked down this path as a professional wrestler.
I’ll admit. There’s times where I let success go to my head and didn’t take things as seriously I could have to my detriment and lack of better judgment. I’m not going to make excuses. I only have myself to blame for the downward spiral that my career descended into. I hit rock bottom during my career while working for ZXWWF. That company closed its doors a few years after that but I would remember it fondly for being the place where I met my two best friends - Matthew Miles and Ashleigh Cash. I couldn’t ask for a better pair of friends, correction - family than them.
Win, lose, or draw. They’ve got my back for the good times and especially the bad, but at Primetime, they can’t fight this battle for me. In all due respect to Agostino Romano, this match isn’t even about him either. My singles match on Primetime may have Romano as my opponent, but when that bell rings I’ll be fighting a battle of self-preservation.”
He rolls underneath the bottom rope and sits down into the ring Indian style.
“Does that mean that I’m going to step between those ropes and begin a journey of self-enlightenment by reading self-help books and listening to those motivation tapes? Nah, I don’t think so. For the first time in my career, I’m not fighting to only to win a match. No, I’m fighting to convince myself that belong here period.
I’m sure the response from the holier than thou members in the industry will be like, “Oh? You’re not here to be the best that ever was… Like no one ever was...To catch them is my real test… To train them is my cause...”
Kevin shook his head for clarity as he caught himself reciting the lyrics from a beloved children’s cartoon, “Sorry got sidetracked there for a moment… but yeah, there’s a lot of great people on the GZWA roster and better yet in the wrestling industry as a whole. For once, I want to challenge myself to see if I actually belong here. That’s not a knock at GZWA Management or anyone else on the roster for that matter either.
I’m guessing that there’s people on social media and throughout the locker room expecting me to just tear a new asshole into my opponent for this upcoming Primetime TV taping but that’s just not my style. Anyone can go onto the Internet any given Sunday and find someone roasting someone else for just breathing. The guy doesn’t me to undress him and I sure as hell don’t need him doing that to me. My personal anxieties and self-doubts do that enough, not to mention I already have a girlfriend to undress me… I kid, I kid.
Agostino Romano might be the coolest cat I could ever get the chance to meet for the first time in this very same ring in a few days, but at the same time, that’s not why I’m putting all the chips on the table for this one.
There isn't a title on the line. No opportunities or mystery grand prizes. Nothing. It’s two guys having a match in front of thousands in attendance and millions watching around the world. By defeating someone like Brother Zachariah in his in-ring debut, Agostino Romano already proved that he’s fast and furious. Me? I’ve played Need for Speed a few times and never was any good at it. I’m looking at this like Crazy Taxi. It doesn’t matter how I get to the destination, as long as I get there in style and within the time limit without crashing and burning.
While there’s plenty of action going on in the main event between the guys already set to compete for the World Championship at Dead or Alive, I’ll be running my own main event in my mind. Here’s to hoping my confidence shines through like a true underdog and overcome all of the obstacles that my self-doubt and concerns throw in its way.
Look… I don’t want to crash and burn. I don’t want to be anywhere where I’m not wanted. That’s why I feel like it’s my responsibility to prove that I belong not just here in GZWA where I love being a part of, but as a part of this sport’s legacy as a whole.
If I can’t do that, then there won’t be an end of how I keep feeling like how this arena looks right now… empty.
I’m sick of letting people down… It might not be anytime soon, but I want to be the reason why those kids are begging their parents for the seats on the front row someday.”
Kevin lowers his head, leaving himself to his thoughts as he continues to mentally prepare for what is to come on Primetime.
