Rust?

[Eddie Nash]

Eddie Nash is played by CM Punk
Mikey Hughes is played by Alex Shelley
Shane "Bolo" Iguevo is played by Che Guevara

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Eddie Nash
Memphis, Tennessee
7th of February, 2011

On the outskirts of Memphis, Tennessee there lay a quiet dive bar in the middle of the backstreets barely hampered by civilization since it's establishment sometime in the fourties. It was in this bar bar where our two heroes, Mikey Hughes and Eddie Nash resided on this fine evening. Together they sat drinking and for Eddie, it was a night to drown his sorrows. His sore defeat at the hands of Der Krieg Maschinen had not only left him in agonizing pain but also sorrowful and in desperate need of a drink as he hurt both physically and emotionally. Both men sat at the bar with a single space between them, something that was requested by both men. For Eddie it decreased the proximity between the two which decreased the homoerotic tension of two bikers getting hammered together and for Mikey it meant that if a fly honey walked by he could easily cash in and allow her to pull up a seat.

Eddie's weapon of choice tonight was a double shot of whisky which was off the counter and downed before the bartender had even set it on the bar. Eddie's usual sinister yet happy grin was replaced by an expression of morose and glum sorrow and there was a genuine sense that he had lost his way after being beaten by Kaja and her monsters. In fact, ever since Josh Eagles gave him his first ever defeat it seemed like things weren't quite right in the Wolf Pack leaders mind. He couldn't handle letting his people down like that after they'd put their faith in him so fully and now it seemed like he was just heading down a long and slippery slope towards a cataclysmic meltdown.

This was not Eddie's first fall from grace and if only to mock him further the harrowing images of the sheer look of disappointment in his parents faces the day he stood before a county judge hampered over him like a black cloud. His parents had raised him well and he had always been taught the right messages in life, Eddie just chose to blatantly disregard them. His arrogance had cost him any shot at a normal life and now his arrogance was once again going to wreck his chance at becoming a wrestler, or so he thought. While he was drinking himself into a deep depression Mikey Hughes simply nodded his head in tune to the depressing country music that played in the background.

”Eddie?” asked Mikey, his voice ever so slightly slurred from the effects of his vodka and coke.

”Yeah?” came the reply from Eddie who was equally sloshed.

”Why the Hell are we in this god-awful dive?” he quizzed slapping his palm on the bar counter.

”Because I feel like shit and because I figured if it ain't a rave you'd shut your damn mouth and keep quiet. If you don't wanna be here, you can go. Your lay-low period is over now.” instructed Eddie.

”Wow, asshole. What's put the bees in your bonnet?”

”I'll tell you what's wrong with me Mikey. I'll tell you EXACTLY what's wrong with me. I'm an ex-convict that tries to parade around the place like a reborn hero, like some sort of white knight that can save the world when I can't even beat two clueless savages lead by a German stripper. I had the entire Kingdom of Pride in the palm of my hand until my arrogance got in the way and now I'm right back at square one unable to muster the basic of victories.

Add to that the one woman I have loved more than anyone else is now banging another man, a man who was like a father to me and also the fact that I'm lumbered with your wise ass for the foreseeable future and you have the showpiece of things that are WRONG with me. I can go into much more dental if you want sweetheart. I have all day.” moaned Eddie angrily, his eyes now ablaze with upset. He stood up now with fury, ready to throw fists at his nemesis.

”Oh come on. So what, you lost to Balshak and Sambo? Big deal. You got beaten up by two pussy-whipped giants and if vagina is all the strength you need to beat people up then dammit, WHY aren't you tapping Gemma Jackson yet? She totally digs you. As for me? Well I don't exactly wanna be sat here drinking with your sorry ass but then I guess that's what friends are for. You may not think I'm the baddest cat in town but I've driven you home when you could barely walk, I've come to you with training and I've given you more publicity than your body has room for. I may be annoying but damn, you've completely disappeared up your own ass.” snapped Mikey now, his rage matching Eddie's who simply wasn't used to being talked to the way Mikey now was.

”Well if I'm such an uppity asshole why are you still here? Why don't you fuck off and leave me if I'm such a burden?”

”Because you're being an attention seeking prick who can't hack life an-”

Before the two could conclude their argument they were interrupted by a new arrival. A man about 6'3, dressed in olive drab military style clothing with muscles the size of Memphis and long, golden-brown locks of hair took a seat at the bar resting his big black boots on the support bar. The chiselled Casanova type signalled for the bartender and spoke to him with a curious hybrid of an Australian and Spanish accent. Exotic to say the least.

”Pint o' lager please mate and make it snappy. I'm on the move soon.” he said, his thick accent causing the entire bar to turn their heads. Southerners didn't take too kindly to foreigners but by the way he carried himself he was obviously a seasoned brawler.

”Wait... Shane. Bolo, is that you?” asked Eddie recognizing the familiar face of the aussie. The man, Shane “Bolo” Iguevo turned his head and looked at Eddie and took a moment before it finally all clicked into place.

”Eddie mate! Is that you? Crikey I ain't seen you since you went in for your stretch. How ya' been fella?”

”Jesus Bolo. I'm great man, really great. Simply mucho fantastico. What'cha been doing with yourself?”

”I went back home mate. One of 'em anyways. Literally just come back stateside after spending a years tour in Oz. Went over to see me old man and learn survivalist skills because he's a ranger y'see. Used to go out into the jungles and fight crocs and lizards and shit.”

”Your dad is Steve Irwin?” chimed in Mikey, only for both the two other more senior members of The Sons of Anarchy to ignore him.

”That sounds sweet man. You learn anything cool?”

”I learnt how to kill a man with my bare hands. I saw some beautiful things out in the wild man, shit you wouldn't believe. Indigenous people Tribes. Beautiful women when we weren't out on trail. Man it was a blast. I'm back only because I miss biking with my boys.”

”You'd trade away the beautiful women and everything just to come biking with us? Shit, I knew you were gay.” joked Eddie pounding a fist into his arm jokingly.

”Quiet you. What the heck have you been doing with yourself since you got out? Don't think in this economic climate there's much work for an ex-con mate.”

”Honestly? I've been avoiding Geoff Baker and working as... get this. As a professional wrestler.”

”Really? That's actually pretty interesting. I take it you're working for Kingdom of Pride?”

”Yeah, how'd you figure?”

”You're on the TV over there.” laughed Bolo pointing a meaty finger at to the suspended TV hanging over the bartender. Eddie turned and saw rather regrettably that it was his match with Der Krieg Maschinen. Although he wasn't even the one pinned his defeat was nothing short of agonizing and watching it made him cringe. Bolo watched as Nash got man-handled by the two giants who simply desecrated the team effort.

”Christ, they really did a number on you there man. You should've come to Oz with me, my old man would've taught you a thing or two about out of control monsters. Like seriously, there's a science to getting monsters and beasts.” said Bolo, nodding his head as Eddie turned to face him again.

”Really? Like what? I've got a match with the face-painted one alone this week and I could really use some pointers.” asked Eddie, intrigued now. If this was a man who'd spent a year fighting wilderbeasts and crocodiles and all other kinds of mythical creatures like dragons and koala's any advice this now skilled survivalist could offer him would be nothing short of golden.

”The answer lies in keeping yourself on the move while impeding their ability to go in there. Stick a machete into the back of their knees and cripple 'em before going for the throat, head or any other vital areas just to really make your mark on 'em. Power is all great and good but if they can't catch you they are useless. Utterly useless. So you keep them on the move, chasing after you so they run out of stamina and you wear them down so they can't continue to chase you. You're strong as Hell Ed, but as we just saw you can't go toe to toe with every muscle-head in the game because they'll simply overpower you. Technique is the key.” explained Bolo as Eddie hung onto his every word.

By this point now Mikey had gotten bored and was terrorizing some prick in a suit stood by the juke box.

”So wear them out. I will always have a stamina and speed advantage simply because I can outrun him. Right, what else? These guys can take pain, so I need some way to even the odds.” said Eddie curiously taking expert advice from the Aussie.

”Well you have to isolate and conquer. When it's you and that other one against the two of them it's difficult because they've obviously been doing it for years. Like when I was in the jungles my dad would teach me, then we'd attempt to kill some beasts together and we got better and better and more rehearsed. However, alone you don't have to worry about teamwork complications. So what you need to do in your team match is seperate them but facing him alone you need to pick your spots. Constantly stay behind him so he can't chase after you and when the time is right you nail him with something truly special.” continued Bolo now.

”For me, the conclusion usually involves sticking a sharp object into his head or chopping the bastards head off. Unfortunately that ain't legal in this country so you'll have to come up with something yourself.” said Bolo, with Eddie already having a tonne of ideas in his head. Most of them pretty much involving dropping the hammer and nailing Somba's carcass to the mat. There was no way he'd be able to pull off the Highway to Hell on either him or Balraj, they were simply too large so the spear would have to do. Already now strategies were filling up in Nash's mind both for his singles match this week and the coming tag match at The Knighting. Eddie knew he could pull it off.

”Thanks Bolo. You've really inspired me brother. I've got some twisted ideas and now, I'm gonna' be The Kingdom's knight in broken armour and slay two of the foulest beasts in that fair kingdom. God, I could've been a novellist. Haha. Thanks man, anyways I better head off before I pass out.” said Eddie reluctantly as he started to stand up. He'd noticed that Mikey Hughes was now slumped against the jukebox and wasn't really moving much and as a result remained largely ignored by the clientelle of this classy establishment.

”Alright man. See you at the club-house soon yeah?” asked Bolo offering a hand of which Eddie could use to balance on. Eddie nodded in agreement as his vision was blurry and he began to stagger towards Mike.

”Yeah sure man. Sure. Thanks again for everything.” cried Eddie happily as he turned and gave a big grin to the Australio-Mexican.

”Oh no worries. OH. And the most important thing Eddie? Don't fear the best, BECOME it. You can't beat a creature if you don't think like one. Play smart but DON'T be afraid to act on instinct. Get yourself in the mind of a wild monster and tackle him. You'll do great man. Will you be at the club house soon?” asked Bolo now, curious. Knowing Eddie and Geoff have history together he figured this unlikely but Eddie thought about it for a moment.

”Y'know what? Maybe I will.” he declared proudly and with that he escorted the drunken Mikey Hughes and himself out of the bar and into the night street.

Now the plan was formed. Eddie would take up his sword once again and he would return to the Pride ring and this time he would slay Somba. He didn't care if he had to bring steel chairs, steel steps, tables, weapons of any form into the mix. So long as he could beat the man who had been along with Balraj and Kaja dominating and tormenting the Pride audiences with their might, slay him and put him down for good it was all that mattered to Ed.

He could do it, he KNEW he could and thanks to a reassuring speech by Mikey and the influence of Bolo he knew exactly HOW he would do it. Will Eddie beat Somba? Or has Bolo simply served to give him false hope. Needless to say, Eddie would give it his damnedest and do everything in his power to make Kaja the proverbial damsel in distress this Sunday at Oblivion.