Post by hoh on Sept 19, 2021 22:47:39 GMT -5
"Hey, hot stuff. It's happening."
"Huh?"
"I'm working Revo1's battle royal."
"Ah, cool, that sounds awesome."
Her Aussie accent always made me smile. Even going through depression, just hearing my wife Kat's voice somehow managed to lift me up. On this occasion, her tone was one of excitement and approval; we worked together as part of my faction - still going strong decades after forming, but less disruptive than our younger days - and are so in love that it's almost nauseating.
I'd met her in another promotion back in 2012; I was going through an "Antichrist" phase while she was a sweet young rookie working the developmental shows. The moment I laid eyes on her, I knew I wanted her. Somehow, she saw through my ego and the vile things I was doing at the time and long story short, we've been married for nearly 7 years. Those long legs, blonde hair, infectious smile and sarcastic lilt to her voice are just.....Man, I'm fucking lucky.
"Want me to get you anything while I'm down there?"
She shakes her head no, cup of coffee in her hands.
"Nah, I'm fine, thanks. Why, planning on winning and bringing some extra baggage home?"
Her smile was wide and she looked so radiating in that moment that it was hard to turn her down.
"Well, we'll see, I guess," I laughed, trying to look anywhere but directly at her. Somehow, I'd figured that it was less awkward that way, like I was expecting to have to come home with a new trophy or championship in case she thought less of me. Shadows of the past that I was trying to better myself from, I guess. Kat was great at reassuring me without even saying anything, which was a big help considering how and when we met, and my divorce still feeling a little raw. That was all a long time ago, though. I had to stop remembering it all so vividly because here I am, married to this amazing woman and about to test myself in a promotion I've never wrestled for.
That's the funny thing about memories, though; they never act the way you want them to. That was proven true when she reached forward for a kiss, her lips meeting mine and reminding me of all the things I'd fought for, the hurdles I'd jumped successfully to reach this point. Revolution1's battle royal at Remembrance II will be just one more hurdle to leap. One more memory to make and keep in the positive part of my brain.
Other people might be in this for others they've lost. I'm doing it for Kat, the woman who changed me for the better.
----------------
"The time is near. I've known of Kylie Moore for over a decade, when we worked in the same promotion with me as the big time star and she was the up-and-coming talent. We never spoke much back then but I kept an eye on her career since we parted from that company all those years ago, and I'm proud of what she's achieved. Nobody expected her to 'make it', whatever that means, and yet I'm being allowed the chance to work a match in a promotion she started from scratch; putting all of her blood, sweat and tears into something she loved and..."
I sigh, keeping my face out of shot. Nothing visible gives away who I am, and that's how I want it.
"Anyway. This isn't about Kylie, this is about Remembrance. People threw their hats into the ring to take part and I figured I'd do the same thing. Part of it was the fun of working for someone who was a colleague in the locker room 14 years ago. Part of it is the idea of remembering long-lost brothers and sisters in this business; tragedy is never far away from wrestling, and I've seen my fair share. I'd like to think that my participation helps the memories of everyone who lost their lives tragically in this business. Finally?
Look around. I haven't worked with any of the talent signed up to this battle royal; therein lies the challenge. I've been doing this since January 1999, facing the biggest stars of the past three decades, but Revolution1 has some of the biggest of now, and of the future. Complacency has never been part of my being, so here I am; ready to test myself against new people for my own sick desire to push my body and my status as a veteran to the limit."
Off-camera, I'm pushing my long hair back behind my head, tying it up in a pony tail and taking a brief pause. Talking has always been my strongest suit but right now, I want to be more composed.
"I've started revolutions. I've been part of them throughout my career. It's kind of strange, knowing that the people I'll be inside the ring against at Remembrance were inspired or influenced by some of the things I was a part of in my younger days. Imagine Mozart being in the crowd while Eddie Van Halen fires off a solo, and how he'd be completely blown away that people called him a prodigy in his own time and now, here's someone in a new generation, taking what he did and improving on it. That's my situation heading into this match, and I fucking love it.
Pushing myself is what I do, and you'll see it in that ring. I've been in more than enough of these matches to know how to keep my head on a swivel, but also to have fun. September 20th, I have fun and test myself, the two things a guy like me needs right now. The past two years have been shit for everyone, so lets go out there and entertain the fans while we fight for a title shot. Both things are possible. See you all out there."
Camera off. Sit back and relax. Now, the real work starts.