”The time has come, and here I am.”
The sound on the video starts rolling before the video feed actually comes to life. Once it does though, the fans catch a full view of a familiar face.
”What can I really say about a return that seems destined to crash and burn? I mean I made a grand entrance with Jet City last year, but what came of it? The group fell apart before we could really get started. When it fell apart,”
He sighs, and the camera pulls away from the face of former Jet City student Aaron Isaacs. The lighting keeps changing behind him, like it is moving.
’I mean look at what was supposed to happen a few weeks ago. I got all set to return, I showed up to compete, and my match got scrapped because the other guy was throwing a tantrum and decided not to come. Even worse, nobody really cared that it got scrapped because it opened the door for Kris and Ben Jordan to tear the house down. Everyone that was apparently excited for my return, just kind of brushed me under the rug when given a more noteworthy option.’
The words seem painful to say, and he shifts in his seat. When he does, viewers can see that the lights are changing behind him, because he is mobile. The world around him appears to slow, and viewers put together that he is riding in the backseat of a car.
’I keep expecting the rug to get pulled out from under me this time too. Being painted as a fool for a third time isn’t something that I am going to just stand for. This Ty West guy seems to get the idea.’
The camera raises slightly to show a long line of cars behind him, and a plane ascending into the sky.
’This is a guy that has put his neck out trying to take home that Roulette Championship twice now. Say what you will about big guys climbing ladders, but he almost had the damn thing won before the cash-in-bitched-about-round-the-world.I think we can all agree that Caleb never deserved to be at the head of the line to get that first shot either. This Ty guy got embarrassed not only by the cash-in, but by people in management thinking that Storm, or Storms, whichever it is, was better. Caleb proved in that first match he wasn’t. ’
The driver says something that Aaron hears, but the camera does not quite catch. Aaron looks away briefly, but his eyes quickly return to the camera.
’’Then the guy goes on to win the damn thing. If Caleb wasn’t ahead of Ty, then what does that say about Jon Dough? Ty wasn’t going to take it laying down though, and I commend him for that. I did the exact same thing. Jet City fell apart, and I still put my name on the roster. My match just got cancelled. Ty got to have his, but just when everyone was thinking he was going to be able to put Caleb away, Jon Dough sweeps in and wins the day.
He laughs lightly, but there is no malice in it. The reflection of his own hardships is amusing from the outside, looking in.
’I don’t know how I would have handled the situation. If it were me. I can’t honestly say that I wouldn’t have flipped out at Into The Void, and shocked a lot of people in doing so. I’m not exactly sure that I would be able to give it up either though. I mean, here I am trying to get started in this company for a third time in under a year. Obviously I am a sucker.’
He shrugs his shoulders as the car comes to a complete stop. Aaron reaches over to the door handle, and pulls at it before pushing open the door. As he rises from the car with the camera in his hand, fans can see that he is at an airport.
’Listen Ty, this match doesn’t really have anything to do with any of that stuff. This isn’t Roulette Rules. This isn’t going to be some match that gets interrupted by some asshat that does not belong there. This is just two guys coming together to see who is better. If you read into the hype that SCW throws my way, this would be a big win for you. ’
Aaron moves around to the back of the car as he talks, all while keeping focused on the camera. He grabs a bag out of the trunk, and puts the strap over his shoulder.
’It’s unfortunate that you are in the way of me making a mark. Sure, you can skirt having to reach out for the Roulette Championship for a third time, but the only way that I can get over my hurdle is to come down to the ring, and actually win this match. Anything else will wipe away any chance that I have of becoming someone in this company.’
Aaron pauses for just a second at the window of the cab, and hands the driver a stack of bills to cover the lift before turning his attention back to the task at hand.
’When I came in the first time, it was as a student of someone that I thought could go on to become the SCW World Heavyweight Champion, and I was right. When I came back the second time with Jet City and tried to be a part of that magic, I got crushed. I didn’t think I could fall any further before that match was cancelled. Unfortunately that puts me at the very bottom, and there is no possible way to be shuffled further down. The only way that I can go, is up, and you happen to be the person standing in the way of me doing that.’
As always, there is a smile on his face. He starts to approach the automatic doors leading into the airport while he wraps up his thought.
’This isn’t a personal thing. You seem like a good guy. This is just you being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. I hope that you can get over that when it is all said and done.Right now though? I have a plane to catch. I will be seeing you at Disney World.’
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Aaron pockets his phone after killing the feed and unzips the top of his bag to look through it for his boarding pass. He follows a crowd of people up to the check in desk, but his eyes are down at his bag as he searches. However, instead of finding it, or joining the orderly line that the rest of the crowd falls into, Aaron is knocked off of his feet by someone moving the opposite direction. The two men hit the ground hard, and Aaron’s bag slips from his arm and slides across the floor, as does the bag the other person was holding.
Kyle Kavanagh: “What the actual fuck dude?!”
The man seemed vaguely familiar, but Aaron could not place him. It did not help that his face was half covered from the angle that Aaron was at, and happened to be twisted up in pain from the collision.
Aaron Isaacs: “I’m sorry.. I was...”
The man starts to rise to his feet, and Aaron reaches out, grabbing the boarding pass that he was looking for in his bag off of the floor, and zipping the top of it closed. He gets up to his feet to notice the man he collided with closing his own bag and picking it up by the strap.
Kyle Kavanagh: “Was what? Not fucking paying attention? Obviously. Thanks for the update.”
Aaron could not help but feel like he knew the guy, and completely disregarded his hostility. It was easy to do from all of his time spent with Kris. Any small injustice got blown up into something bigger than it ever needed to be. As soon as the two were on their feet though, that was the thought that helped Aaron put it together.
Aaron Isaacs: “I know you, don’t I? You were at one of the fan events for SCW last year… uhh.. Umm.. Kyle something or another?”
Kyle seemed surprised that Aaron knew him at all, and did not seem to show the same familiarity with his attacker.
Kyle Kavanagh: “Among other things, but yeah. Who are you? Am I supposed to know you or something? Or were you just slamming into me to get an autograph?”
It was Aaron’s turn to be confused. His eyes narrowed, and he could not stop his head from lightly shaking back and forth.
Aaron Isaacs: “Autograph? For what?”
Kyle brushes off his shirt and straightens his clothing before looking up at Aaron with more annoyance in his eyes than anything else.
Kyle Kavanagh: “It’s not everyday you run into a famous person. You obviously recognized me right off, and faked this whole collision thing. You’re out of luck though. I don’t do that the whole signing shtick in public. Crowds form, and they’re annoying.”
Aaron found himself getting more and more lost as the conversation was going. He looked around, half expecting a camera crew to be recording his reaction to some kind of elaborate prank.
Aaron Isaacs: “Look man, I only kinda recognize you. I was looking for my boarding pass. I wasn’t trying to run into you for any reason. I apologize. Couldn’t have felt good having someone mow you over. I have a plane to catch though.”
Aaron was already running late, which was the whole reason behind recording his promo from the car on the way here. He tries to walk around Kyle, but the smaller of the two men puts a hand on his shoulder and turns him back towards the conversation.
Kyle Kavanagh: “Whoa! Not so fast there big guy...”
Aaron instinctively slaps Kyle’s hand off of his shoulder and starts to backpedal away from him.
Aaron Isaacs: “Don’t touch me.”
Noticing the scuffle, and the crowd forming around the two men, two members of airport security respond faster than either man would have expected.
Security: “Is there a problem here?”
Aaron raises his hands in front of his chest in an attempt to plead his innocence, but Kyle cuts him off before he can explain the situation.
Kyle Kavanagh: “Yeah, I was just walking along minding my own damn business when Jughead here tackled me and jacked my wallet. Dude just tried to up and walk away after like I wasn’t going to notice he tossed it in his bag and zipped it up.”
Instead of continuing to try and back away from the dispute, Aaron takes a step forward. Almost as if on cue, Kyle took a step back, looking fearful.
Aaron Isaacs: “Look, I didn’t take anything from you, and already told you that I didn’t mean to run into you.”
Kyle cuts him off before turning the tables back on him.
Kyle Kavanagh: “The guy already said he recognized me, so he probably felt I was an easy target. I mean look at him, and look at me. The guy is an ogre. He just didn’t count on me picking up on it before he took off.”
Aaron was already struggling to keep it together, and his annoyance finally bubbled over. He unzips the top of his bag, and to his surprise, a black leather wallet sits on the top of it. The security guard reaches out for it, and Aaron is too shocked to pull away. His eyes immediately dart up to Kyle.
Aaron Isaacs: “How di--”
The security guard holds up his hand, cutting Aaron off. He flips open the wallet and compares the license inside it against Kyle, having no doubt that he was the rightful owner. He looks over to his partner, who nods in agreement, and then hands the wallet back over to Kyle. Aaron seems absolutely baffled by the development and is still trying to put things together. Two more officers join the circle, stepping up behind Aaron, as the first turns back to him.
Security: “We’re going to need you to come with us.”
Aaron looks around, knowing how the situation looked. There was no way that he was going to be able to explain it away, and Kyle was not making anything easier.
Kyle Kavanagh: “I trust that I can just go, right? I mean, I got my wallet back. I am about ten minutes away from missing my flight to Disney World.”
Kyle looks down to check his watch, and taps the faceplate twice with a sigh. Aaron’s eyes immediately ignite. The Disney World comment was all it took to push any doubt out of his mind. He knew why he remembered the man. He had seen Kris point him out of a crowd. It was Kyle Kavanagh, and he had made a living out of this kind of thing.
Aaron Isaacs: “Now wait just a second...”
He cut himself off as the circle of men started to close around him.
Security: “I suggest that you leave that man alone before you make things any worse for yourself.”
They all gave Kyle the nod to leave, and he did so with a wink and a smirk. Kyle moved away from the group, and Aaron reluctantly agreed to go to an office to answer some questions. He shot a look in the direction that Kyle went, and realized that he had a whole lot of questions of his own, but they were going to have to wait.
