Post by Silence on Jul 17, 2010 15:58:12 GMT -5
Saturday July 10’th:
Justin Kaard had seen better days. The former Adrenaline King was less than a week off his final match in the now defunct Pro Wrestling Fire, a match that had pushed him to his limits but still he had come up short. So now here sits the fallen Adrenaline King. Alone and forgotten while drowning his sorrows in cheap liquor in a seedy bar. His career gone, his girlfriend gone, his family ignoring him, Justin was having a hard time figuring out why he woke up each morning.
Signaling for the bartender to poor him another round, Justin tried to retreat into the sweet ignorant bliss that the whiskey would offer. He would have too, except the man in the dark grey suit at the end of the bar was watching him. Kaard knew he was drunk, too drunk to focus clearly, but not drunk enough to not know when he was being watched. Turning from the over dressed man; Justin went back to sipping his drink.
“You look terrible Justin.”
Justin coughed into his glass. He knew that voice. Turning slowly so as not to fall from the barstool, Justin turned and found himself face to chest with Kurt Noble.
A bitter smile crossed Justin’s face as he leaned back against the bar. “Well Kurt Noble as I live and breathe. Come to slum with the common man?”
“Not quite.” Noble said, “I came looking for you specifically. Wanted to check on you and see how you were doing.”
“Well isn’t that Noble of you.” Kaard said, chuckling at his painful pun. “I feel all warm and fuzzy inside.”
“Well seeing as you are on your third glass since I’ve been here, I imagine you’re feeling quite fuzzy.” Kurt nodded towards the door, “Look, can we take a walk? I have a business proposition for you.”
Justin turned back towards the bar, “I have a better idea Kurt. Pull up a stool and get drunk with me. Then when we’re both feeling much much better, then I’ll hear your little proposal.”
Kurt sighed and pulled up a stool beside Kaard. As the night went on Justin drank more and Kurt tried to bring up his proposal. Every time he tried though, Justin would interrupt, claiming that he wasn’t feeling it yet. So Kurt sat by, watching as Justin Kaard seemed determined to drink himself into an early grave. Last call finally went out and Kurt paid the bartender while Justin finished his last drink before stumbling outside; Noble in tow. Justin’s world went wobbly as he tried to navigate the steps leading down to the parking lot and he ended up leaning against the building for support.
“Are you okay?” asked Kurt.
Justin thought for a moment. “Nope.
Justin leaned over and began to retch. His stomach rebelling and finally winning as Justin purged everything he’d just drank.
“Okay now I’m good.” said Justin while wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.
Noble shook his head. “That’s disgusting. You really are going to need to clean up your act if you’re going to compete in Kingdom of Pride.”
Staggering down the wall away from the vile puddle he’d just spewed, Justin turned back towards Kurt. “Compete in Kingdom of Pride? Who said I was competing anywhere. I’m done man. Washed up. Old hat. I can keep spouting clichés but I think I might throw up again if I do.”
“Well then stop before you make us both sick.” Kurt said with a chuckle. “Look no one said you had to compete, but I never figured PWF’s Adrenaline King would be one to quit without a fight. And I never thought he’d be weak enough to crawl inside a bottle when he was done.” Kurt added with note of disgust.
Justin laughed as he slumped down against the wall. “Without a fight, that’s a good one. So you must not have been at the same Declaration pay per view I was. You must not have been watching the same match with Storm that I was. I GOT DESTROYED! But then that’s my legacy isn’t it. Feed the heroic little guy to the big bad monster and let the monster come out on top.”
Kurt kneeled next to Justin. “You’re right, I didn’t see that. What I saw was a hero go out there and give it everything he had. So what if it didn’t work, you left everything in the ring and that’s something you can and should be damn proud of. Look I won’t presume to know how you feel and I know you’ve got other stuff going on, but I came to Seattle to personally offer you another shot. We’re reopening Kingdom of Pride and I want you on the roster.
“So you want “The Adrenaline King” Justin Kaard to give up all of this,” Kaard motioned at the emptying parking lot, “for another shot at getting my head kicked in.”
“Gee when you put it like that, what ever was I thinking in offering it. I should just quit and spend the rest of my life in a dive with you.” Noble said sarcastically.
“So you want me to come work for you huh.” Asked Justin, ignoring Noble’s sarcasm. “Tell you what, give me a week to think about it ok.”
Kurt shook his head. “No can do, our first show is in less than a week. I’ll give you three days. If I haven’t heard from you by then I’ll assume you decided not to accept my offer.” Noble held out his hand to help Justin up.
Justin took Kurt’s offered hand and pulled himself up. “You’ve got a deal Kurt.”
Saturday July 17’th:
Justin Kaard stepped out of his battered old jeep in front of the Cookeville Community Center. The place looked like a dump, but Noble hadn’t promised him extravagance, just another chance to wrestle. He pushed open the doors and followed signs to the locker rooms. The event was a day away, but it never hurt to get familiar with new surroundings. He’d called Noble two days after they met at a back alley bar, Justin couldn’t even remember what it was called. Kurt had been glad to hear from him and promptly added his name to the card, though there had been no opponent for Justin at the time.
Justin dropped his bag in the locker room and headed out to the ring. The techs already had it set up and since no one was around, Justin decided to climb in. Bouncing off the ropes, Justin stretched out his legs before bounding to the top rope. Perching on the top turnbuckle, he scanned the small arena.
“It’s good to see you back in the ring Justin.” Justin looked down to find Kurt Noble standing at the base of the ring. Without another word, Kurt joined him in the ring. “I’ve got some news for you Justin. Good or bad depends on you though.”
Inhaling deeply, Kaard jumped down from his perch. “Let me guess, you guys just signed Storm and my first match is against him?” Justin asked with a sarcastic edge.
Kurt didn’t smile. He didn’t frown either for that matter, he just stood there stone faced. “Actually yes. He joined right after you did and the only spot left to fill on the card was your opponent. I’m sorry Justin, there was nothing else we could do.
Justin slumped down in the corner. “Great, just freaking great. Well congratulations Kurt, you’ve just fed me to the fucking wolves. I hope you guys enjoy your match because I’ll be leaving after it.”
Kurt looked down at Justin. “Before you make any career decisions, understand that we really didn’t have a choice. But there is a bright side to all of this.”
“You guys will pay my medical bills when that monster kills me again?” Justin asked bitterly.
Kurt nodded, “Should one of you require medical attention for the match, yes KoP will cover it since it happened while you were working for us. But no, the match is part of our beat the clock challenge. If you win, you’re automatically entered into the main event for our first super show. You’d be one of five men competing for the Valiant Championship.
Justin looked dubious. “All I have to do is win?”
Kurt laughed, “Essentially yes, winning this week gets you a title shot. But there’s more to it than that, I know how much you and Storm hate each other. The man stalked you for nearly two months back in PWF and made it his business to make your life miserable. Also, while I can’t make any promises obviously, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that Storm stays away from you outside of scheduled matches.”
I waved him off, “Save your protection offers Kurt, I can take care of myself. Okay fine, I’ll compete tomorrow. Storm has already taken my health, my well being, hell he’s even taken the woman I love from me. All I’ve got left is my pride.”
Justin Kaard had seen better days. The former Adrenaline King was less than a week off his final match in the now defunct Pro Wrestling Fire, a match that had pushed him to his limits but still he had come up short. So now here sits the fallen Adrenaline King. Alone and forgotten while drowning his sorrows in cheap liquor in a seedy bar. His career gone, his girlfriend gone, his family ignoring him, Justin was having a hard time figuring out why he woke up each morning.
Signaling for the bartender to poor him another round, Justin tried to retreat into the sweet ignorant bliss that the whiskey would offer. He would have too, except the man in the dark grey suit at the end of the bar was watching him. Kaard knew he was drunk, too drunk to focus clearly, but not drunk enough to not know when he was being watched. Turning from the over dressed man; Justin went back to sipping his drink.
“You look terrible Justin.”
Justin coughed into his glass. He knew that voice. Turning slowly so as not to fall from the barstool, Justin turned and found himself face to chest with Kurt Noble.
A bitter smile crossed Justin’s face as he leaned back against the bar. “Well Kurt Noble as I live and breathe. Come to slum with the common man?”
“Not quite.” Noble said, “I came looking for you specifically. Wanted to check on you and see how you were doing.”
“Well isn’t that Noble of you.” Kaard said, chuckling at his painful pun. “I feel all warm and fuzzy inside.”
“Well seeing as you are on your third glass since I’ve been here, I imagine you’re feeling quite fuzzy.” Kurt nodded towards the door, “Look, can we take a walk? I have a business proposition for you.”
Justin turned back towards the bar, “I have a better idea Kurt. Pull up a stool and get drunk with me. Then when we’re both feeling much much better, then I’ll hear your little proposal.”
Kurt sighed and pulled up a stool beside Kaard. As the night went on Justin drank more and Kurt tried to bring up his proposal. Every time he tried though, Justin would interrupt, claiming that he wasn’t feeling it yet. So Kurt sat by, watching as Justin Kaard seemed determined to drink himself into an early grave. Last call finally went out and Kurt paid the bartender while Justin finished his last drink before stumbling outside; Noble in tow. Justin’s world went wobbly as he tried to navigate the steps leading down to the parking lot and he ended up leaning against the building for support.
“Are you okay?” asked Kurt.
Justin thought for a moment. “Nope.
Justin leaned over and began to retch. His stomach rebelling and finally winning as Justin purged everything he’d just drank.
“Okay now I’m good.” said Justin while wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.
Noble shook his head. “That’s disgusting. You really are going to need to clean up your act if you’re going to compete in Kingdom of Pride.”
Staggering down the wall away from the vile puddle he’d just spewed, Justin turned back towards Kurt. “Compete in Kingdom of Pride? Who said I was competing anywhere. I’m done man. Washed up. Old hat. I can keep spouting clichés but I think I might throw up again if I do.”
“Well then stop before you make us both sick.” Kurt said with a chuckle. “Look no one said you had to compete, but I never figured PWF’s Adrenaline King would be one to quit without a fight. And I never thought he’d be weak enough to crawl inside a bottle when he was done.” Kurt added with note of disgust.
Justin laughed as he slumped down against the wall. “Without a fight, that’s a good one. So you must not have been at the same Declaration pay per view I was. You must not have been watching the same match with Storm that I was. I GOT DESTROYED! But then that’s my legacy isn’t it. Feed the heroic little guy to the big bad monster and let the monster come out on top.”
Kurt kneeled next to Justin. “You’re right, I didn’t see that. What I saw was a hero go out there and give it everything he had. So what if it didn’t work, you left everything in the ring and that’s something you can and should be damn proud of. Look I won’t presume to know how you feel and I know you’ve got other stuff going on, but I came to Seattle to personally offer you another shot. We’re reopening Kingdom of Pride and I want you on the roster.
“So you want “The Adrenaline King” Justin Kaard to give up all of this,” Kaard motioned at the emptying parking lot, “for another shot at getting my head kicked in.”
“Gee when you put it like that, what ever was I thinking in offering it. I should just quit and spend the rest of my life in a dive with you.” Noble said sarcastically.
“So you want me to come work for you huh.” Asked Justin, ignoring Noble’s sarcasm. “Tell you what, give me a week to think about it ok.”
Kurt shook his head. “No can do, our first show is in less than a week. I’ll give you three days. If I haven’t heard from you by then I’ll assume you decided not to accept my offer.” Noble held out his hand to help Justin up.
Justin took Kurt’s offered hand and pulled himself up. “You’ve got a deal Kurt.”
Saturday July 17’th:
Justin Kaard stepped out of his battered old jeep in front of the Cookeville Community Center. The place looked like a dump, but Noble hadn’t promised him extravagance, just another chance to wrestle. He pushed open the doors and followed signs to the locker rooms. The event was a day away, but it never hurt to get familiar with new surroundings. He’d called Noble two days after they met at a back alley bar, Justin couldn’t even remember what it was called. Kurt had been glad to hear from him and promptly added his name to the card, though there had been no opponent for Justin at the time.
Justin dropped his bag in the locker room and headed out to the ring. The techs already had it set up and since no one was around, Justin decided to climb in. Bouncing off the ropes, Justin stretched out his legs before bounding to the top rope. Perching on the top turnbuckle, he scanned the small arena.
“It’s good to see you back in the ring Justin.” Justin looked down to find Kurt Noble standing at the base of the ring. Without another word, Kurt joined him in the ring. “I’ve got some news for you Justin. Good or bad depends on you though.”
Inhaling deeply, Kaard jumped down from his perch. “Let me guess, you guys just signed Storm and my first match is against him?” Justin asked with a sarcastic edge.
Kurt didn’t smile. He didn’t frown either for that matter, he just stood there stone faced. “Actually yes. He joined right after you did and the only spot left to fill on the card was your opponent. I’m sorry Justin, there was nothing else we could do.
Justin slumped down in the corner. “Great, just freaking great. Well congratulations Kurt, you’ve just fed me to the fucking wolves. I hope you guys enjoy your match because I’ll be leaving after it.”
Kurt looked down at Justin. “Before you make any career decisions, understand that we really didn’t have a choice. But there is a bright side to all of this.”
“You guys will pay my medical bills when that monster kills me again?” Justin asked bitterly.
Kurt nodded, “Should one of you require medical attention for the match, yes KoP will cover it since it happened while you were working for us. But no, the match is part of our beat the clock challenge. If you win, you’re automatically entered into the main event for our first super show. You’d be one of five men competing for the Valiant Championship.
Justin looked dubious. “All I have to do is win?”
Kurt laughed, “Essentially yes, winning this week gets you a title shot. But there’s more to it than that, I know how much you and Storm hate each other. The man stalked you for nearly two months back in PWF and made it his business to make your life miserable. Also, while I can’t make any promises obviously, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that Storm stays away from you outside of scheduled matches.”
I waved him off, “Save your protection offers Kurt, I can take care of myself. Okay fine, I’ll compete tomorrow. Storm has already taken my health, my well being, hell he’s even taken the woman I love from me. All I’ve got left is my pride.”
