Do we have a problem here?
You know those times when you have so much on your mind that you can’t focus? That everything feels wrong and no matter what you do you can’t get your head in the game? That is where we find Austin James Mercer. Everything has gone wrong or hasn’t been his way in recent months. From losing the SCW mixed tag team titles, to losing his shot at the SCW World title. Everything seems to be against the former champion. A man who is widely regarded as one of the best in the company.
But now, he doesn’t feel like it.
Everything he’s done was a failure.
And everyone knew it. The new kids, the veterans, Alex, Alicia, everyone. They all stared at Austin as he sat on the bench toward the side of the gym. His hands clasped together. He didn’t notice them, his mind flashing through everything wrong in his personal life, his professional life and where he was and fit in the wrestling world. Was it time to leave SCW? Should he leave Wolfslair?
The questions in his mind were valid. His heart was broken. His sister was still in a court battle, his wife had a struggling business that she was stressed about and his friendship with Tempest was on the rocks. And Now to top it all off, the mixed tag titles they had held and made matter were now going away. All of this seemed to bear down on Austin, it played on his mind and made him fade in and out of reality.
He didn’t even hear Alicia.
The former three time SCW Bombshells champion had been on fire, rediscovering her fire for wrestling and doing everything that Austin should have. She was in the same area as Austin, watching the wrestling world pass her by. But unlike Austin Alicia snapped out of it, found a target and found her voice. She moved around and titled her head looking Austin up and down before moving forward and poking him in the ribs. Austin didn’t move, Alicia cleared her throat and again Austin said and did nothing.
She grumbled and folded her arms over her chest looking over at Alex, he just shook his head and gave her a shrug. Alicia moved around the side, grabbing a bottle of water with a small smirk, she popped the top, squeezing the sides forcing water to spray across Austins face. He sputtered he shook his head and looked over at Alicia with a raised eyebrow. ”Oi…what the shit Ali?” He frowned and stood up.
Alicia shook her head and folded her arms over her chest. ”Are you done moping around her like someone just stole your sweetroll?”
”Did you just quote Skyrim at me?”
She chuckled and gave a small nod before moving around and sitting down next to him. ”So, what’s the deal? Why do you keep looking miserable and so..not like you? Austin groaned and took a deep breath before straightening up and leaning against the brick wall behind him. ”Fine. Don’t tell me. But I will sit next to you, and move around you, and chew my gum…very loudly.” Austin sighed heavily and shook his head, Alicia made awkward eye contact with him, slowly pulled a piece of juicy fruit from her pocket and inserted it between her lips before chewing, slowly, but loudly. Very loudly. Like obnoxiously loudly.
Austin growls and shakes his head before going to get up, as he moves toward the showers Alicia chews even louder, he places his hand on the locker room door and pushes it open before realizing Alicia is trying to follow him into the male locker room. He stops, shakes his head, and shuts the door turning around. ”You really aren’t going to let me get away from you are you?” She shakes her head, Austin nods and folds his arms over his chest stepping sideways. ”Anything I say or tell you stays between us…right?”
Alicia crosses her heart and nods. ”Consider me your priest…I’m ready to hear your confession.” Austin makes a face and shakes his head.
He closes his eyes taking a long deep breath before opening them again and throwing his arms in the air. ”My lifes a mess Ali.” She raises an eyebrow sitting back and listening. Austin groans and runs his hands through his hair. ”My sister is in a custody battle, my wife’s business is stressing her out, I feel like I’m not relevant, anywhere and Tempest and I had a huge fight cause I stupidly listened to my sister and wife about something…” She nods and taps her finger on her lips. ”That’s it? A nod?”
Alicia clears her throat and leans forward. ”So what?”
”I’m sorry wha-”
”Shhhh I’m not done…you’re prettier when you’re not talking…” Austin swallowed hard and went to talk, Alicia shakes her head and puts her hand up. ”You think you’re the only one who has issues Aus? Your sad because your life isn’t perfect?” He blinks a few times and stays quiet. ”I’m getting divorced, I’m barely holding on, i’m in therapy. Alex is injured and working through it, Johanna is leaving SCW because she believes she doesn’t have what it takes to be here…Aiden and Dcikie are at each others throats, Kallie is in the middle….”
Austin holds his hands up ”Ok I get it…everyone has their problems I’m not special…”
Alicia slaps him on the arm and shakes her head. ”We all deal with it Aus, we all turn up, we all bust our asses…and you need to bust your ass the hardest….” She pauses and smirks. ”Besides we all look to you…we all see you as a leader.” He nods slowly and Alicia steps back. ”So be a leader…and call Tempest…”
Lets get grimey
”Well, I’m back.”
A shake of the head, his shoulders drop and his chest pushes outward. Outwardly he was still the former world champion, former mixed tag team champion and former Internet champion. A man who has beaten the best of the best and refused to back down. But inside…inside was different.
”But where did I go? What have I done? Why did I disappear for almost a month? Well. The truth is I needed to center back in on myself. See, last time you all saw me I was talking about being lost in SCW. Like I had no direction, no meaning. And do you kn ow what that is like for someone like me? Do you? There are so many names in SCW who are talented but don’t have the drive and don’t learn from their mistakes, who refuse to grow and be better. But me? I am always learning, despite my success, despite what I have accomplished I still know and understand I am not the be all end all of this business. “
“I am a cog in the machine.”
“But, I’m a cog that is still useful, that can help turn the wheel. I just need to be given purpose. A direction. And beating the hell out of Brayden Hilton is not a goddamn direction. It is however a direction I was pointed in. And as hard as Hilton fought he still failed. And as much as I hope and wish he would have learned and become a better professional wrestler, part of me knows he didn’t learn a goddamn thing.”
“He isn’t the type to look inside himself, admit his failures and become what he feels he is destined to.”
“I am. I am someone who fought against my future. I didn’t want to be what my father wanted. In fact, I actively rebelled against it. That is why I’m even in this business. See, my father wanted me to be a leader, to be someone who was a success in life and in business. And after his failures in wrestling, failures he never learned from, he tried to push me away week after week and turn me away from wrestling. But, I did what I wanted and in the process…lived up to his expectations…”
Every word was a lie, every emotion he tried to portray outwardly was a betrayal of his real heart. Austin smiled, a mask to hide how he really felt.
”Butr what expectations do I have on me now? Where do I go from here after beating Brayden and taking time off to heal and grow? Well, according to SCW it is to put me against the finalist of the blast from the past and see if Austin James Mercer still has something to offer aside from beating up arrogant children. And, while I welcome the challenge I can’t help but feel as if I am being used to measure Max Burke and if he can earn another shot at Mac Bane. After all, Max took Mac to the limit, he looked like he could win and become the World champion. So what better way to show the world Max is the next big star of SCW than by having him face and beat Austin James Mercer right? Good plan SCW…”
He chuckles and laughs it off as a joke with a small wink. But inside, part of himk believes it, the feeling of being set up to fail eating at him from the inside out.
”But, it’s not like Max needs that right? Blast from the past finalist, former Roulette champion., Grime champion. I’m sorry but, maybe the more I think about it the more I realise Max does need all the help he can get. See, GRIME and SCU was something I have been critical of. Aside from one or two talents who have shown they can go in SCW more of the time at our supercards I never paid attention to the matches SCU would force down our throats. In fact, what did some fans call the SCU matches?...”
“Bathroom breaks?”
“But what about the SCW roulette title? Well, it was almost a decade ago Max, and while I can appreciate you had success in SCW I find it funny that some people believe I live in the past when I mention my accomplishments. But, the Blast from the past is recent. Being a runner up elevates your status. And I can respect that Max. But what I can’t respect, what I cannot accept is that so many people think you are going to beat me and go on to be a bigger star. That you are going to finally realise the promise you had ten years ago.”
He raises his eyebrows and shrugs folding his arms over his large chest. A black and red wolfslair shirt over a pair of jeans. His long hair flowing down his shoulders and back.
”I am no stepping stone for you Max. See, I have unfinished business with Mac Bane. Mac believes he is the best champion to ever hold the SCW world title. I take umbridge with that. After seeing what Alex accomplished, what I accomplished, what Fenris and Ben Jordan have done, that man still walks around with an air of arrogance. And you are standing in mhy way. And that is my direction, that is my path and I refuse to let you stand in my way.”
“When the company you work for fails you, when they don’t give you what you need then you need to take your career and life in both hands.”
“And that is what started with Brayden and what continues with you. And as I fight my way back to0 the top, back to the main event and back to Mac Bane, or supreme machine, I will leave a bloody path, laid with the bodies and bones of those who fall to me, including you…I refuse to be a name on your list. You get in the ring with me and you will feel what it is like to face someone who is truly the best…and one pissed off giant…”
