J2H was fuming when he walked through the curtain after his segment on Climax Control. Anger crossed his face, mixed with a hint of frustration as he burst through the curtain with his championship over his shoulder. The atmosphere in the backstage area instantly turned ice cold as staff members averted their gaze as to not meet the gaze of the SCW World Heavyweight champion as he looked around the backstage area.
J2H: Who's the fucking dickhead who played that son of a bitch Harris's music?
He was met with a few casual glances and silence as people quickly moved away from him as he stepped down the steps that led away from the ramp.
J2H: You lot fucking heard me! Who played his damn music?
Again, an awkward silence filled the backstage area, more and more people moved away as he looked around through narrowed eyes, but was quickly approached by Hot Stuff Mark Ward and Christian Underwood.
HS: What's going on?
J2H looked towards the two bosses, his eyes narrowed as they dart between the two owners of the company.
J2H: What do you mean what's going on? Do you even watch your own show or does someone give you the rough idea of what happens?
Christian: Of course we watch the show, but what the hell are you going on about?
J2H: Michael Harris clearly isn't here, right?
HS: Michael Harris hasn't been on the tour at all. He lost the match, like most champions who lose, he got offered time to relax and he took it, so no, he's not here.
J2H: So who's the clever dick that played his fucking music to fuck with me.
Christian: Let me see if I can figure that one out for you.
Christian turned away from the group, but J2H's eyes don't leave him as he put his finger up to an earpiece and muttered to himself. He waited for a few seconds as the World Champions eyes burned a hole in his back, waiting impatiently for a response. After a few more seconds, Christian finally turned around with a puzzled look on his face.
Christian: No one played his music.
J2H: So you're saying I just randomly heard his music play because no one pushed the button to play it? I didn't have a stroke out there, all those people heard the fucking music, and you're telling me no one at all pushed the button to make it play.
HS: I was at the table that could make it happen with a couple of assistants, I never called for it to be played.
Christian: And the guys in the truck said they didn't play it and I trust them, they've been with us for years sooooooo....
J2H grinded his teeth, his anger and frustration started to get watered down with confusion as he tried to decide if to believe them. He knew these two had pulled tricks like this for years to move things along, but it made no sense for them to do so with Michael Harris missing in action and not sure if he was even returning.
J2H: So he somehow remotely hacked the system and played his own music just to fuck with me for mentioning his name a couple of times recently? I smell bullshit, I think you have someone on your staff that is playing buddy buddy with him and they're using me to mock, even if the shit has no intention of coming back. It's his big final fuck with James moment.
HS: I don't know what to tell ya, but I'll look in to it and see if I can find out what's going on.
This did nothing to pacify the feelings running through J2H as he looked at Hot Stuff with narrowed eyes.
J2H: Why don't you call Michael Harris and find out what the fuck his game is. Find out if he wants to come back and get violent or if I have to downgrade and face Goth because he made a big fanfare of digging up a group who can't stay together for more then five minutes and mentioned my name. Been there, done that with Goth.
Christian: Like he said, it will be looked in to and we'll figure it out.
J2H sighed as he looked toward Christian and back towards Hot Stuff and shook his head slowly. The anger only slightly subsiding for a little while.
J2H: Well while you two figure that out, I'm going home. I've bounced around this tour doing absolutely nothing but talk and I'm sick of being away from home, so I won't be around next week. Hit up Harris and get him on the show to talk about things and I'll go be like the rest of the roster and stay at home when I'm not needed.
Hot Stuff and Christian shared an uneasy look, instantly getting the attention of J2H.
J2H: What?
HS: Actually, we need you to show up next week. We have a title defence for you so you need to be in Peru next Sunday.
A sharp inhale from the champion quickly showed he wasn't happy with the news he had just received from his bosses, he had his heart and mind set on some time at home with his family who he had rarely seen since he became champion.
J2H: Seriously?
Both Christian and Hot Stuff nodded their heads at the same time as thoughts rushed through J2H's mind. He knew he was the champion and wanted to lead by example. He had flown half way across the world, just to sit and talk for a few minutes, but he knew he needed to do that to prove what he'd been saying about the SCW roster for a long time.
J2H: Fine, I'll fly in on Saturday.
Another uneasy look crossed the bosses faces as the exchanged glances, causing J2H to roll his eyes at the pair.
J2H: Now what?
Christian: We're recommending everyone goes there as soon as possible. The air is thinner where the show is and we need everyone there to get used to it to avoid any issues. We have medical professionals to check everyone out when they arrive and again a couple of days later to see if you have acclimatised to the area.
J2H run his hand over his head, not sure he could believe what was being said by his bosses. It meant more time away from his family, but he knew he couldn't refuse, not just cause of personal pride, but he had long claimed the SCW roster was lazy and only show up to wrestle. He'd shown up when he wasn't wrestling, he could hardly do the opposite in his mind and not show up to wrestle.
J2H: Fine...
He shook his head towards the bosses.
J2H: Who am I facing?
HS: HB Carter...
J2H wasn't sure how to take the news, so took a few seconds to let it sink in. He was unsure why Carter was picked when he had all but offered Miles Kasey a shot at the championship on social media not too long ago, but he knew there was no one else stepping up.
J2H: Yeah, ok. I'm gonna go now, cause I got a very awkward conversation to have with my wife about the fact that I won't be flying home.
He didn't wait for a response from either of the two bosses and breezed past them and towards the locker room.
*******
Ninety minutes later.
China was below him as his private plane, flying towards Peru, just at the beginning of two refuelling stops on a twenty hour plus flight. A look of concern was on his face as the plane hummed through the air as he sat with a laptop in front of him, the curser hovering over Melody's name. He took a deep breath, just waiting for a few seconds, running the potential conversation over and over in his mind before finally hitting that call button. It didn't take too long before the smiling face of his wife Melody was on the screen.
Melody: Hey baby!
He smiled just hearing her voice, the tour taking it's toll on him for just being away from his family. He knew tours were like this and would usually take his family along with him if it was more of a lighter travel tour, but this shotgun, all over the place tour was not one for his family.
J2H: Hey babe.
Melody returned his smile as she looked at him from across the world.
Melody: Are you heading back home now?
He wanted to open his mouth and blurt out the words he'd practiced in his mind all the way to the airport, all the way through security, all the way through take off, but he couldn't. Melody could sense something wasn't right with her husband.
Melody: J, what's wrong?
He sighed as he looked at the screen, knowing he was about to disappoint not only her once, but twice when she had to tell his son that daddy wouldn't be home just yet.
J2H: I can't come home right now.
They were not the words he practiced in his head for an hour before, but they were the only words that would come out of his mouth.
Melody: Oh?
He could feel her disappointment from across the globe and he never wanted to let down his family.
J2H: Unfortunately, they want me defending next week in Peru, some shit about the air being thin so they want me there right away along with the rest of the roster. They'll probably all be flying out tomorrow morning or something but this pissed me off and I just wanted to get the fuck away from there, so right now, I'm somewhere above China, heading to god knows where to refuelled, then heading to god knows where else to refuel, then possibly a third god knows where to do it again and then to Peru.
Melody couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice as she spoke to him.
Melody: I really wanted you to come home, James Jr misses you. He loves seeing you on the screen, but he misses you being here.
Those words almost broke his heart, he wanted to be home with his family and was hoping to do so if only for a few days.
J2H: I'm sorry, I didn't know about this till I walked back through the curtain but I can't be one of those champions who don't defend. I mean for the last few weeks, I think only Salco has been defending all the time, no one else has. I really wanted to be home, I told them I'd go home,fly in on Saturday, but here I am.
Melody was always a person who tried to make the best out of a bad situation, even when inside she was angry or annoyed.
Melody: At least you'll get to stop over in some different places. You'll be able to see some of where ever you are.
J2H: I'm going as far as airport VIP lounges or something like that, I'm not staying in any over night. This whole China to Peru thing will end up about thirty hours of travel when you count the stops. I'll just sleep on the plane or something.
Melody: You know as well as I do, that is going to drive you crazy being stuck on a plane for so long.
She was right, but he knew that he just wanted to get there and be done with the whole travel thing.
J2H: I'll have lots of time to go less crazy when I'm there and I don't give a fuck what I'm told to do the following week, I'm coming home right after the show and I'll fly where ever I need to for the weekend. This tour thing has been horrible.
Melody: You used to love touring.
J2H: I used to love it when shows were three or four hours apart, but twenty plus hours is too damn much, especially when it's places I can't really bring you and JJ. It's too much travel to be here with me. A tour of one country, or a continent, great, but this is double figure travelling between each show. It's too much.
Melody: Comes with being the champion.
She smiled at him, reassuring him but deep down, he felt differently.
J2H: If I knew this shit would throw me all over the place, spending more time away from you both, I would have put in a lot less effort against Harris.
Melody: You did it for JJ. He wanted to see you win and you did for him. You put in the effort so your son could see you be a champion again instead of him constantly watching your old matches over and over again.
He knew she was right but he hated being away to the point the pandemic was not as bad for him as it was for others. Staying at home was his idea of heaven.
J2H: I know and I will do it as long as I can.
He was serious, nothing more motivating then your own child to be the best you could be.
Melody: You look tired. Why don't you get some sleep and call me when you get to your first stop and tell me where you are.
He nodded at the camera.
J2H: I will but I think I'll just record something quickly for the match, send it in, get it over and done with so I can spend the rest of the week hiding from the fucking world in no doubt, some crummy hotel room with shit wifi.
Melody smiled at his tone, but knew he was serious.
Melody: Love you!
J2H: Love you too. Give the little man a big hug from me and tell him I will call him tomorrow.
Melody nodded and blew a kiss before the screen went blank and J2H fiddled around for a recording program on his screen. He found one eventually and it was time to talk about HB Carter.
*******
J2H: Well Carter, aren't you a lucky man?
He looked deep in to the camera.
J2H: You must be feeling like the proverbial dog with two dicks at this point because I bet you didn't expect to be going to Peru and headlining a show against the world champion giving you a chance to walk in to Violent Conduct with the biggest prize out there. I bet your jaw hit the floor and you cried on little Miles shoulder, used that mop top on his head to dry those tears and double check that you heard right. Well, you did hear right Carter, at a young age, you've been picked to go against the greatest SCW World Heavyweight champion of all time.
He smirked at the camera.
J2H: I was younger then you when I got a World Heavyweight championship shot and well, I don't miss so I won, fuck, three shots at the big prize and three wins for me but there won't be that fairytale ending for you Carter. In fact, I know what it's like to be young and looking at this belt knowing it could be mine, but I did it in a tougher way. I took on the whole roster in a gauntlet match where no one thought I would ever stand a chance and not only did I stand a chance, I did it and pissed off everyone around. It was more then glorious, let me tell you. Seeing people like Goth throw a backstage fit was amazing. Seeing the whole roster sulk because this young kid went and beat all their old asses because no one took him seriously. I learned a valuable lesson that day Carter, I learned that you need to take everyone seriously or things could blow up in your face, so I will take you seriously, but I can't help but think you've seen this match announcement, or someone has run up and told you, and you've already beat yourself up here.
He tapped the side of his head.
J2H: You saw my name and you knew at that point it wasn't gonna be an easy night for you at all and already, I know you can feel the nerves running through you, already I know that you're sitting there wondering how you can solve the problem that no one else has solved in a long time and beat J2H. I can answer that for you Carter, you can't beat J2H, it is that simple. Everyone has tried, and no one has in almost a year. The last person to beat me was Fenris, later last year, no one else has even come close Carter so get rid of every thought in your head about ever beating me, wipe the thought of becoming World champion out of your head right now because it will only end up in disappointment.
He smiled down the camera.
J2H: Everyone is going to be telling you that this is your big chance Carter, that this is where you can shock the world, make something of yourself, be the man you want to be. Everyone gets in to this business to be where I am right now, everyone gets in this to be a champion, to be THE champion. Little titles are cool while you're learning so much about this place, but it's not about those little titles, it all leads up to the big prize, that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I am what every young wrestler wants to be and it doesn't matter if you come out of the GO Gym, it doesn't matter if you come out of Jet City, everyone aspires to be the champion but no one tells you about the guy who already is the champion, no one tells you the fight they have in them and this is your first shot at this Carter, those people can encourage you as much as they want but the truth is very, very simple. You're not ready for this, you're not ready to dethrone me at all. You can come in to this one full of piss and vinegar, you can listen to everyone building you up, wanting you to take this from that meanie J2H, but it's all false.
He stopped for a second.
J2H: Everyone that tells you that you stand a chance in this thing, they're not believing in you at all, they're really not, they're just trying to fill your head with confidence and your heart with hope. They don't actually believe it, they're just trying to make you believe it but that's not going to be enough at all. That's not gonna make you actually win. Words do not improve skills in a week, even if you hit the training mats constantly until next Sunday, it's not going to improve your chances of beating me, because there are no chances of beating me at all. These words might make you more determined to shut me up, but it doesn't mean it's going to happen.
He shook his head.
J2H: Just because someone on the booking committee likes you, or drew your name out of a hat to face me, it doesn't even mean they have faith in you to even beat me. It means you was the best option of a bunch of people who don't put in the effort. Maybe because you have occasionally appeared without being booked, you was deemed worthy of this honor, and that's exactly how you should see it, as an honor, as a privilege to be in the ring with me and use it as an experience. Don't need to over think it, you're not gonna win, you never was because I am better then you in every way, I was a World Champion by the time I got to your age, but you need to see this as nothing more then a learning experience so when I've thrown the belt away to whoever when I get bored of it, you will be able to go against a lesser man and have a much better shot at becoming a champion. This is your time in my spotlight, but it's not your time to shine Carter, you're there for just a little exposure while they fuck around and find out who I'm facing at Violent Conduct, yes me, not you. Back up plan for you to be champion has not even entered their mind.
He felt the confidence run through him.
J2H: This is not about you as such Carter, they might be thinking long term for a push to the top in the future but this is not the start of your big run, this is not the start of you being pushed to the stars. You must be thinking about this right now and you will think about it all week and you will come to the conclusion everyone else already has and that you're cannon fodder, that you're just there. I bet by the time this airs probably on Friday or something, you'd have found your first set of grey hairs, you would have had many sleepless nights, you would have seen me walking around Peru and gone scuttling back in to your shell with the nerves too much to handle. I bet when you have slept, you've been waking up with cold sweats and shivering. I think I've been in your head all fucking week Carter and not in the same way you usually dream about men. I think by now, I've haunted your dreams and I'm gonna know for sure as soon as you start talking about me. I know you'll be looking down that camera with a dry mouth and a squeaky voice because you know, I'm already in your head and have been since the second you heard about this.
He looked serious at the camera.
J2H: I know I'm there Carter and the closer it gets to the match, the worse it's gonna get. Hell, just hearing me speak right now, I bet you felt that chill running up your spine. Now you know I'm talking directly to you Carter, you're feeling it even more, am I right?
He stopped as if giving someone time to answer.
J2H: It will not get any easier when you're standing in the ring and you're waiting for that music of mine to hit, because it will feel like it's lasted forever there. You'll look at the crowd and you won't be able to stop yourself from getting caught up in the moment. It will hit you even more about the situation you're in and you will crumble. It's happened to bigger and better people then you Carter. That's when reality strikes and you melt Carter. Don't take it too personally, you're just not ready to be at my level, no one here is on my level, but you almost certainly, not even close. It's not you're fault, you're just no J2H, there's only one of me and that's all there needs to be because I am top of the world, the best SCW World Heavyweight champion there has ever been and I will show that to you Carter, up close, personal and this is gonna be something you can tell your gran.... errrr, nevermind. This is something you can at least talk about for a long, long time. The day you got your ass kicked by the legend himself...
He leaned closer to the camera.
J2H: And that's real talk bitch!
J2H closed the laptop and leaned back in his chair as the camera faded to black.
