“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
-Winston Churchill
Derek Daniels bounded off the ropes and send a shoulder block to Ace Baldwin as his back hit the mat of the old, tattered wrestling ring, he grunted as he rolled over to his stomach lazily and Derek dropped an elbow on his back, with a sickening thud, Ace rolled over and stood up to be grabbed and suplexed rather easily by Derek. He arched his back and winced and held onto it as Derek, for what seemed like the 40th time this morning, tossed Ace between the ropes and out of the ring on the thin padding outside, he rolled and stood up and slapped the apron as Derek, full on in his ring attire adjusted his elbow pad as he watched Ace who was frustrated.
The duo seemed to be in some sort of old gymnasium of some sorts, with wooden bleachers which were dusty and pushed up against the wall, what this old gymnasium did home was two, old, wooded, painted basketball goals on either side, with chipped paint on the floor, it seemed this place was long forgotten. Each wall was placed with five windows which were grimy, but not grimy and mildewed enough to let the Nevada sunlight peek through the dirt and grime.
Derek wore a cut off with MMSW across the chest and his red and gold ring attire, complete with his boots and elbow and knee pads. Ace wore his own ring attire as well, with knee pads, and only one elbow pad as he walked around the apron before he slid onto it with one knee, but Derek was waiting for him and nailed him with a picture perfect drop kick. Ace’s back hit the apron as he rolled back off into the floor holding his head. Derek kicked the ropes as he looked down at Ace.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
What the hell is wrong with you, Ace? What is going on with you? You’re letting me kick your ass this morning and it’s too easy. What is your issue, dude?
Ace waved Derek off as he walked around the outside of the ring; it was just a ploy, probably by Derek to get into Ace’s head, if there was already enough going on up there already. Ace slapped the apron and slid back into the ring, he took a few hard shots from Derek’s boots but fought to his feet and connected with a forearm that barely phased Derek as he spun Ace around and gave him a hip toss, Ace hopped up to receive a back elbow, he felt blood gush from his lip as he stood up and ran at Derek again who tossed him over the top rope and then kicked the ropes.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Come on! What is wrong with you? Get it together! I don’t even know who you are anymore, is this the kid I trained, or some scrub? Get up!
Ace’s head spun as he got to his feet and he crawled toward the apron but Derek had got tired of waiting and had split the ropes and hopped down and smacked him in the back of the head. Ace tripped and fell onto the padded outside.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Get up! What’s wrong?
Ace shook it off and finally blocked another slap from Derek and swung for a punch, just to land something but Derek ducked it and shoved Ace into the rusty ring post as it ‘pinged’ as his noggin bounced off of it. Ace tried to clear the cobwebs as Derek wasted no time and rolled him back into the ring.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Just..Just give me a minute, damn it!
Derek didn’t as he Irish whipped Ace into the corner and followed it with a knee strike that doubled Ace over and Derek shook his head.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
No, you’ve had a minute, you’ve had more than a minute to recover from your match at the super-show. You’ve had at least a week and a half to recover from your match at Blaze of Glory II, now get up and show me something, where is the fight? Where is it?
Ace dodged a clothesline but tripped up and landed in the corner as he cowered to try and get up as Derek watched him pitifully.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
If you don’t give me some kind of fight, give me an answer, I’m going to beat you, right here in this ring within an inch of your career. I didn’t throw away and piss away all I had going on to come here and help some fickle wanna-be. I came here to coach the best of the best, that’s what I told I was getting, what is this? What am I getting? TRASH!
He forced a knee into the head of Ace who was already dazed and had blood that trickled from the corner of his mouth and now his nose as each time Derek drove a point home he drove it with a knee to the head.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
I told you, I’m not putting up with you digging yourself into some emotional hole, shape up, get it together, pick it up…Get up, Baldwin! Get up! I said get UP!
He sent another knee into the side of Ace’s head as he curled up into the corner, under the bottom turnbuckle as Derek shook his head and gave Ace a hard stomp to the back as Ace looked up to Derek and held his hand out but Derek kept stomping until Ace was pressed between the bottom turnbuckle and the ring post. Derek backed away as he sat on his hunches in the middle of the ring and waited for Ace to get up, finally, bruised and beaten Ace got to his feet and looked over to Derek as he wiped a bit of blood from his mouth and stood up on shaky legs as he stood up and leaned in the turnbuckle and looked up to Derek.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Derek, I lost. I failed. That briefcase was mine for the taking and low and behold I let that asshole Kevin Carter luck right into it. That’s what bothers me, Derek. It isn’t that I lost the match, it isn’t Kevin Carter got the briefcase, it’s because I had a chance, and I failed because I let a guy just fall into the cage with the briefcase in his hands, it’s the worst feeling ever, and I can’t shake it. I can’t win the big one, time and time again, I’ve failed, and after a while, that really gets to you.
Derek crossed his arms and walked over to the opposite corner and popped himself up and sat on the top turnbuckle as he looked as Ace dropped down into his corner.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
I understand, but you cannot fall into this same losing funk you did in the GIW, this happened once before, losing streak, you lose that fire, you lose that flame. Kid, you’re still undefeated in singles action in the SCW. I know it bums you out Kevin Carter got that briefcase, hell, it bums me out to see someone so generic and undeserving, but you made that guy tap out…
Ace nodded and grinned.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I did, and it felt damn good making him tap in the center of the ring, but people like him, man. They don’t remember that stuff, it’ll never be brought up again, short term memory, but it just sucks that I’m going to have to see him walking up and down these halls with that golden briefcase, knowing that he’s going to sit on it until all eyes are on him, until everyone is watching, because Kevin Carter is an all eyes on me type of guy, he’s an attention whore…But I can’t fault him, I’d do the same damn thing if I was walking around backstage with that thing.
Derek smirked and nodded and hopped down from his perch and pulled on the ropes and looked to Ace as he lowered his head.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
That’s why I think…You and Kevin Carter aren’t very different, that’s why you two don’t see eye to eye and that’s why you hate one another, you both hate one another because you are so much alike. That being said…
Ace wasn’t hearing none of it though as he shook his head vigorously as Derek talked about he and Carter being cut from the same cloth. Ace kept shaking his head.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
No, we aren’t anything alike. I don’t have the move set of a 99 overall create a wrestler, like a top rope Canadian Destroyer splash or whatever the hell he does. I don’t have to call someone a “faggot” every other word because I do not have the vocabulary of a eighth grader. I don’t have a fiancé who can barely string together a sentence to cut a promo for a match, I don’t have cross eyes, and I’m not a mouth breather.
Derek smirked and got back into the middle of the ring as Ace started to get back a little of that swagger as he came out of his corner as well as he walked around Derek, Derek followed stride as they walked around each other.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
True, but he has a fiancé, and you know what else separates you guys? He has a golden briefcase that will ensure him a title shot of his choosing at any show, do you have that? No…But I talked to SCW management, and they let me know about your next match, that is if you get your head out of your ass and decide you actually want it.
Ace looked up to Derek, he looked some sorts of a dog that just heard the word “ball” or “bone” as he eyed Derek. Derek had a wide, tree-frog like grin on his face as he crossed his arms.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Please, please tell me I get to face Kevin Carter again, the fact is I beat him once one on one and I’ll beat him again one on one, he got lucky, plain and simple, he isn’t the better man.
Derek pondered how to answer this for a moment, but he dodged around the question with a question of his own.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
How about this? How about if I asked you if you were ready to step into the ring for championship gold, what would you say? Would you accept it? Would you be happy?
Ace scoffed at this comment and crossed his arms as he leaned up against the top rope and kind of bounced off it as he nodded cockily.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
In a second, and I’ve earned it too, I just came up short for that briefcase and I’m undefeated in singles action like I’ve said countless times, and I’ve proven myself on the microphone, and everywhere else SCW has put me. I’m ready for some gold…Let’s hear it.
Derek smirked again, Ace could tell he was waiting for the payoff, but he had played this game before as Ace turned and cracked his neck and bounced.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Yeah, you got a shot at gold this week, kid. Proud of you, but it’s not for a singles belt, it’s for the tag team championships against Blood Omen, or whatever they are called, Frost and Kain, two of the more upper echelon of the SCW…
Ace stopped in his tracks before he looked over to Derek who still had a grin on his face as Ace put his hands on his hips and shook his head.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
So, if I put two and two together then in my head, that means I would be required to have a tag team partner, but judging by the names I don’t really need them, about time someone knocked these two off, regardless, did you come out of retirement? Who is it? Who is my partner?
Derek chuckled as he leaned against the top rope and laughed a little more before he chuckled once more and then cleared his throat.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
Kevin Carter.
Ace laughed so hard he had to hold onto the top rope, he straightened up as Derek watched him and wiped the tears from his eyes and shook his head.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
No, really…Who is it?
Derek nodded again.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
It’s Kevin Carter, Ace.
Ace shook his head as Derek walked over to underneath one of the bottom turnbuckles and picked up his Iphone and brought it over to Ace, he scrolled through a couple of emails and then held the phone up to Ace who’s jaw dropped. He yelled out something even Kevin Carter would be proud of.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
F*CK, what?! What kind of knucklehead would put me and that idiot in the same corner, am I even going to have a partner? Can he even find the ring without a sign post? Will his head fit through the entrance curtain? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? Is the world ending?
Ace paced back and forth as he said these things as Derek just chuckled, he, for one could not wait to see these two in one another’s corner for the championship match on Climax Control.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
No, the world isn’t ending, but this is a title shot. A TITLE SHOT, championship gold, and I know Carter has already been going around and yapping about how he will be the first every one man tag team champion and what not—
Ace opened his mouth to say something and Derek held his hand up to silence him.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
But let him talk, Ace. Look, I scheduled an interview with you Belinda Simone, one of the voices of SCW, she’s a hard one to get to interview, but it’s going to be your first sit down interview since you’ve been in the SCW, cameras are going to be on and there, and it may air during Climax Control, but definitely on SCW.Com and Youtube, and I know, I KNOW you want to give it to Kevin Carter, I know you want to trash him, I know you don’t want to tag with him, but I’m going to be there, and I’m going to give you one piece of advice…Take the high road.
Ace looked at him curiously as it was Ace’s turn to hop up on the top turnbuckle to pop a squat as Derek stood in the middle of the ring.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
What do you mean take the high road? I want to defend myself after all this guy said about me, he doesn’t want to admit we are equal…
Derek nodded and then tapped his chin and pointed at Ace as Ace watched him very quizzically, to see where Derek was going with this.
-“Dynamic” Derek Daniels:-
How hard is it to make up insults about people? Hell, you’ve just spent 30 minutes running down Kevin Carter with ease. Do your thing with Kain and Frost, run them down, trash them, do whatever, I don’t care, but you know what’s going to make Carter the maddest? Praise him, talk about how great he is, talk about how good of a teammate you are going to be, and go out there and do it, because you know what? No matter what Carter says, no matter how much he acts like he’s the one man show, he’s going to need you at some point, and he doesn’t want to lose, more importantly he doesn’t want that L to be on him. I know it sucks, but go out there and win them in spite of Kevin Carter, in spite of what he is saying…How bad can it be carrying a belt around everywhere, eh?
Ace thought about it and pondered it and then sighed as he looked down at his boots and then up to Derek and he nodded and looked up.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
It sucks, and it’s going to be tough not to run him down in front of everyone, and I can’t deny that I am salty as hell that he got that briefcase and I didn’t, but all of that being said? I’m going to do it, I’ll give him his credit, where it is due, and I’m going to win the tag titles, and at the end of the night, he’s either going to say he won it all by himself or that I lost it for them, and I’m okay with that. I’m dealing with a guy who as a kid was the guy on the playground who when playing pretend always had the 16 impenetrable shields and the master God sword or whatever, he’s that guy, but I’ve always dealt with that kid well when I was a youngster, and I can put up with Kevin Carter as my tag team partner.
Derek nodded as he went to step out of the ring, he split the middle ropes and began to walk out before Ace put a hand on his shoulder and whipped him back into the ring, he slapped the taste out of his mouth as Derek looked furious at Ace and then swung at him, Ace ducked and dropped Derek with a drop toe hold, then bounced back to his feet the same time Derek did and dropped him with a missile drop kick and then let out a war cry as Derek rolled out for a breather and smirked.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I didn’t say I was done yet, hell, for you, I’m just getting started and the same goes for the SCW, I may have been beaten, but I’m not done, just because I lost, don’t mean I’m a loser. I’m bringing home those tag team titles…Let’s go!
He motioned for Derek to get back into the ring and so he did…
-Later that week-
Placed in a nice conference room hotel was two chairs sat up across from one another, already in one of the chairs placed in front of one of the cameras was Belinda Simone, who was dressed in a nice ladies suit as she seemed to be going over her notes, a couple of lights were set up as well. She seemed to be waiting for someone, until finally through both of the double doors, Ace Baldwin walked through, wearing one of his nicest, gray suits. He had on a matching tie, and shined shoes as he shook hands with Belinda, they exchanged pleasantries before the cameras were running, and Ace about to be grilled by Belinda, on the bright side, Derek had made his way in and stood just out of camera shot, behind Belinda.
Belinda turned and smiled to the camera between her and Ace.
-Belinda Simone:-
Good evening and welcome to another edition of Inside SCW, I’m here with one of the newest wrestlers here in the SCW, and he’s been rather impressive with only one loss on his record, and singles matches he is a perfect 3-0. I’m sitting with “Amazing” Ace Baldwin, Ace…How has your time in SCW been thus far?
Ace smiled to Belinda and leaned forward in his chair as he flashed his pearly whites for the camera and the lights.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Well, it’s been great Belinda, now that I’ve had a chance to be questioned by you. I appreciate your work, regardless. SCW has been just what I expected; it’s a tough out every night out. It isn’t easy, I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. I’m used to competition. I’m used to the grind, and I’m used to coming out each and every night and knowing that the guy across from me could beat me just as easily as I could beat him, it’s been a blast and I can’t wait to continue to extend and leave my legacy.
Belinda, as Ace spoke glanced down at the small note cards in her hand as she shifted them around as she listened and nodded.
-Belinda Simone:-
Well, you have been a joy to call, and to watch, but last week you suffered a minor setback as you came up just short against four other men in a match for the golden briefcase, how did you rebound from that in the last week? How did you feel when you saw Kevin Carter with that briefcase?
She smiled to him as Ace gritted his teeth as she began to talk about Kevin Carter, even that name pissed him off at this point.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
You bring up a great point, let me tell you about that as-
Derek began motioning ‘NO’ to Ace as he sat in his chair across from Belinda who looked at him oddly as he stopped mid sentence as he saw Derek, he looked back to Belinda and swallowed.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Erm, I mean he’s awesome. He’s a great, fiery competitor. You know, I was a bit mad when I looked over, I didn’t even realize, the competitor in me kept battling Argento to try and get him down and out, I didn’t even think-even fathom that Kevin Carter was up, but kudos to him for a heads up play, that’s the way a match like that goes, it’s a crap shoot, and Carter happened upon it and hit the lottery. No hard feelings.
Belinda nodded and Derek gave Ace a thumbs up from behind her as Ace nodded, a stage hand pulled up a small monitor between Belinda and Ace and Ace looked at it oddly as Belinda spoke.
-Belinda Simone:-
Well, funny how you should mention Kevin Carter, because the SCW has definitely paired an odd couple together as you and Kevin Carter himself will be teaming up to go against the tag team of Frost and Kain, Blood Omen and two very big names in the SCW who have been rather dominate atop the tag ranks, some say they could end up holding them for a record number of days, what’s your thoughts, first on Blood Omen?
Ace leaned back, a bit more in his comfort zone as he clasped his hands together in his lap as he shrugged his shoulders and looked to Belinda.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
The fact is, tag team wrestling is a lost art, it’s not just SCW who needs a division, it’s everybody from mainstream to independent federations just like SCW, you see, I know this, and I know a bad team when I see it, Blood Omen? They don’t have any chemistry. You’re lucky if you get both of them to the ring at the same time, they’re both so flaky and they’re both overrated. Kain must be the goddamn Batman, I read his bio, family died all that jazz, he trained to be a fighter, I don’t care about any of that. He doesn’t intimidate me, and as for getting in the ring and I’m going to know I’ve been in a fight with him? I doubt it. He’s going to roar like a kitten, and I’m going to smack him down.
Belinda nodded and offered out her hand as she spoke.
-Belinda Simone:-
What about his partner, Frost?
Ace shrugged as he switched positions with his legs.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Flash in the pan. He’s alright, he’s cool when he comes out and flips and flops around and gets the crowd on their feet, but what’s he going to do when he gets grounded by my offense? What’s he going to do with arm drags and leg locks? What’s he going to do when I break his knee caps and his neck? He isn’t going to jump around then. Hell, the kids are chanting “619” at him when he comes out to the ring because they don’t know he’s not a luchadore. And speaking of flaky? Yeah, he’s just like his partner. The belts? Are min—Ours.
He caught himself quickly as he smirked to Derek who nodded and Belinda held up her finger and raised her eyebrows.
-Belinda Simone:-
Well, it should be known that your partner is none other than Kevin Carter, the man you spoke so highly of earlier, have you seen what he said about you already?
Ace looked to Derek who was waving his hands, but Ace couldn’t tell if he was telling the camera crew no or telling Ace no, but Ace hadn’t seen the footage, so he shook his head.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
No, I haven’t.
Belinda smiled and clicked ‘play’ on the monitor in front of them as clips of Kevin Carter trash talking Ace was seen, how Carter would carry Ace to the championship if he had too and how he may not even show up for the match, Ace sighed as Derek looked stricken behind him and made a pleading motion with Ace.
-Belinda Simone:-
Your thoughts on your partner?
Ace cleared his throat.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
Yeah let me tell you something about Kevin Carter—
Ace looked to Derek who was now bribing him off camera with a hundred dollar bill as Ace gritted his teeth and looked around.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
He’s a fiery competitor. Any guy that steps in that SCW ring is, and Carter can say what he wants, but I’m equal to him and deep down he knows it. Deep down I know that if Kevin Carter needs me in that tag match, that I’ll put my grudge aside for him, no matter how much I may—Dislike him.
He forced a smile that looked horrifying.
-“Amazing” Ace Baldwin:-
I’m going to back him up, no matter what he said about me, because wrestling is what have you done for me lately type of sport if you will. Wrestlers and fans alike aren’t going to see that I beat Carter three or four weeks ago, they are going to see that briefcase and that is going to solidify him to the fans, they aren’t going to know how close I came, they aren’t going to know how I made Carter tap out, so I’ll take the high road, I’ll back Kevin Carter, even if he won’t back me.
Derek gave Ace a thumbs up as Belinda smiled and leaned forward to shake Ace’s hand.
-Belinda Simone:-
Thank you so much Ace, ladies and gentleman, this has been Belinda Simone with Ace Baldwin, and we are signing off…Good luck to you in your tag team match and good luck on getting the gold.
The scene faded with Ace and Belinda chatting and they shook hands.
