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Messages - Despayre

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121
Character Building Roleplays / Meeting up with an old friend
« on: June 07, 2012, 02:10:41 PM »
 "A perfect life?" Synn asked, arching his eyebrows. "Is that what you think I've had?"

Synn leaned forward against the table with his right elbow propped against the edge. Sean could feel that burning gaze upon him and despite the discomfort Synn's stare had on him, and many others, Sean looked up and almost winced at the fierce nature behind those emerald green orbs.

Synn said, "I was raised by two religious fanatics that would beat me regularly and lock me in the basement when they knew as a child I was terrified of the dark. I left my home when I was only sixteen after throwing my father down the basement steps and knocking my mother on her ass. I was gang raped by a group of college kids including two guys I thought I could have trusted at the time. I am the subject of name calling, ridicule and scorn by many figures for my public religious beliefs. I had a cancer scare a few years ago that you yourself helped me get through. Oh and that young man...?"

Synn pointed toward Despayre who had his fingertip between his pursed lips as he played a game on the laptop.

"Yeah." Synn said. "You met him already. A fair few times, Sean. That's how bad off you are right now. And if your life or mine seems bad, you should try walking a mile in my son's shoes. At age five he was in a car accident that caused him severe cerebral trauma, so bad it basically kept him from aging mentally."

Synn shook his head and frowned.

"It did more than that. It damaged him irreversibly. I won't go into detail because I have too much respect for him to just spread his hard story. Just trust me when i say that no matter how bad off you or I might feel, it is nothing -- nothing -- compared to what he goes through on a daily basis. Now..."

Synn leaned back in his chair again.

"Alicia and I were never trying to control you. You mistake caring, for controlling. And yes, the both of us would have been more than willing to help you, if you would have just let us. Or are you telling me you feel more shame in asking me for a loan, or for me to help you sell your house, than you would doing -- what you just told me you did?"

Synn nodded.

"I have sympathy for your plight, Sean. If I didn't I wouldn't be sitting here right now, trying to talk to you. I wouldn't be buying that house and selling it to get you back on your feet either -- whether you want me to or not."

Synn tilted his head and a smirk crossed the corner of his lips.

"You know me well, Sean. I am not always the nicest person in the world. So when I am willing to give aid to someone I actually give a damn about -- take it for what it's worth and let me."

122
Character Building Roleplays / Meeting up with an old friend
« on: June 05, 2012, 02:46:27 PM »
 Synn didn't Sean answer right away. At first he simply stared at Sean in that unnerving manner that Synn seemed to have perfected over the years. He then reached under the table that they were seated at and picked up the black carrying case and slid it toward Despayre.

"Joshua..." He said. "Would you like to play on the laptop for a little bit while I talk to Sean?"

Despayre shook his head and took a big bite of his chocolate muffin, saying with a mouthful of food, "I'd rather watch this."

"Joshua..." Synn raised his eyebrows and Despayre huffed lightly.

"But you said you don't like me getting on the computer." Despayre tried to reason.

"This time is special."

"Fiiiiine." He sighed dramatically and he picked up the carry case and stood up, "C'mon Angel." He picked the teddy bear up in his free hand and turned and headed for a table a short distance away and in a sing-song voice, sang "Someone's gonna get it..."

Sean turned his head to stare incredulously toward the young man as he set himself up at his own little table. He set Angel down in a chair to his right, then pulled the laptop from the case and got ready to amuse himself. Sean shook his head and turned back around and found Synn's piercing gaze right on him.

Synn said, "You must think terribly high of yourself, Sean, if you think the only thing Alicia and I have in common to discuss is you."

Synn looked down at the papers Mercedes had left in her wake, and he slid them closer towards himself with his fingertips. He glanced back up at Sean and continued,

"Truth be told, we were talking about you... but..." He held up a hand to keep Sean from saying anything to the contrary. "We were not 'trash talking' you. Believe it or not, we were discussing how best to aid you with this little situation." He waved the paper in Sean's face before pulling it away before Sean could take it.

"It might interest you to know Sean, that I intend to bid on this when it goes to auction. Sell it at full value, then keep what I paid for the auction and give you the rest."

Synn smiled as he watched Sean process this. Synn nodded, "Yes, Sean. Contrary to your popular beliefs, we are trying to help you -- whether you like it or not. You don't have to be in this situation that you seem to revel in. You push away the people that care for you, and reel in the ones who use and abuse -- like this personal assistant of yours." he shook his head. "She must be a real piece of work if she's allowed your finances to reach such low depths. Which reminds me ... if you're broke, how can you afford...?"

He waved a forefinger towards Sean's eyes, indicating the tell-tale signs of Mercedes's accusation. Synn then shook his head.

"Never mind. Sean, you have to stop this. Really. If you intend to get back into wrestling..." He leaned over and took Sean's forearm in his hand. "There isn't a wrestling promotion worth a damn that doesn't have drug testing. SCW included. Christian and Mark already fired you once and are willing to give you another chance." He shook his head. "Don't throw that away."

Synn exhaled through his nose and leaned back in his chair. His calm gaze slowly hardened and he stared at Sean until Sean brought his eyes up and returned his look. Synn shook his head.

"I seem to recall a few years back when I had a health scare, you were one of the people who were on my case about giving up smoking. Now I can't make you give us this shit. I'd like to, but I can't."

Synn leaned closer.

"But don't you ever come around my son in this kind of condition ever again."

"Son..." Sean whispered, his gaze narrowing. Synn turned his head slightly and Sean's eyes followed, landing on Despayre who was hunting and pecking at the keys on his father's laptop while his teddy bear watched closely...

123
Character Building Roleplays / Meeting up with an old friend
« on: May 31, 2012, 03:20:26 PM »
 "Well, you know the solution to that, don't you?" Synn asked casually as he waited for Mercedes to become comfortable at the table before he took his own seat again. Tall as he was at 6'8", he found it difficult to find comfort in his own chair. He continued, "I've been after you before to move to Nevada. You and Sean both. I even offered to help sell one of your houses but nooo."

He leaned back and rested his arm against the back of his seat so he could watch the interior of the cafe.

He turned an eye to her and smirked that cocky smile he had mastered over the years and said, "And I hope you weren't presumptuous enough to book a hotel, Alicia. Given I own a fine enough home that you can stay at while you're in town. It'll give you a chance to meet the little family I've surrounded myself with. Gabriel has a show booked that you will have to see to believe."

Synn stole a glance toward Despayre who was making 'grabby hands' toward the frappucino the barista was preparing.

"Actually, it's one of those family members I wanted to talk to you about. Introduce you to specifically."

With a nod of his head, he directed Mercedes to look around. As she did, she spotted Despayre who stood behind a small display stand, one hand holding his drink and in the other, a large chocolate muffin. He was practically hiding behind the display while watching the pair.

"Joshua..." Synn called out. "Come meet someone."

Mercedes watched as the young man simply shook his head in the negative.

Synn said, "Come on now. She doesn't bite."

Despayre called out back, "If she bites me, Angel'll bite her back!"

Synn coughed,  clearing his throat and trying most unsuccessfully to keep the laughter inside at Despayre's childish antics. He turned back to Mercedes and had a genuine smile on his face.

124
Character Building Roleplays / Meeting up with an old friend
« on: May 30, 2012, 11:09:09 AM »
 Las Vegas, Nevada

It's A Grind Coffee Shop

What? Were you expecting Starbucks if the immediate setting was a coffee house? Sorry to disappoint you. The man behind this appearance does take a delight in the coffee chain giant, but deep down in the roots of the industry, there is something more charming and alluring about a smaller coffee house owned and ran by individuals as opposed to a heartless corporation.

It's A Grind is such a place, owned by a local family and having been a staple of the city for the past ten years. It might be considered the average size for such a business, but without the added enmities of selling goods. The owners of this business preferred to keep things simple, selling their coffees in many a style and flavor, both hot and iced. There was a small counter along the back wall by the ordering station with several fresh baked pastries to choose from, and the only added extra 'purchases' would be from the single shelving unit with new released books. Patrons were strongly encouraged to sit back and relax, read a book, bring their laptops for study and such, just so long as they enjoyed their products.

It was in the late afternoon and the sun was almost ready to begin it's descent into the horizon. Another hour or two and the place would be busier, but for now, there were only a small handful of people seated inside when the door opened. A few looked up and but quickly went back to their own doings. The appearances of the new arrivals not withstanding, it was Vegas, after all.

"Wow." Despayre said as he stepped into the foyer of the business and looked around at the simplicities, and Synn entered behind him. "We've never been here before."

"You haven't, Joshua." Synn slightly corrected the young man as he steered the boy now known to be his own flesh and blood further inside to avoid any traffic. "Once every so often I find myself coming here, usually on the way to some meeting or just to relax."

They came to a small table and Synn set down a folder onto the surface and Despayre leaned over to inspect the wooden counter top to make certain it was clean. Once satisfied, he set the ever-present teddy bear Angel down onto it. Despayre then looked up at Synn and shrugged his shoulders, "Where am I when you're here?"

"Usually at home helping Theresa with the house work or hanging out with Gabriel." Synn answered. "The last time though I believe you were debating the Theory of Relativity with Angel."

"Oh yeah." Despayre nodded and he looked down at the teddy bear and frowned. "We wouldn't have taken so long but someone refused to admit he was wrong."

Synn simply smiled lightly at the corners of his lips and turned his head to glance around the shop.

Despayre spoke up, "Who are we going to meet again?"

"A friend." Synn answered. he did not see whom he was looking for so he turned back to look at Despayre. "You remember Sean?" Despayre nodded so Synn continued, "This is a mutual friend of ours. I haven't seen her in a fair few years."

"Oh." Despayre nodded and looked somewhat uncomfortable. The prospect of meeting new people was never a comfortable one for him. Very few people could he connect with on any level, and the certain level of distrust he felt perpetually hindered his social skills.

"Hey." Synn said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Alicia is a wonderful person. You're going to like her."

"I'll take that bet." Despayre looked at him through his eyes narrowed like slits. Synn shook his head, unsure if the boy was teasing or not. With him, one could never be too sure. He would have come alone, but it was Theresa's day off, and she was spending it with friends. Gabriel was elsewhere and Synn understood he could not shoulder all of his burdens on the magician's shoulder, so he privately hoped this would go well.

"Hey, I'll tell you what." Synn pulled out his wallet and fished around for some cash and handed it to Despayre. "Go get yourself whatever you like. Iced coffee, something to eat. I'll wait here."

"You don't want anything?" Despayre asked as he clasped the money tightly in the palm of his hand.

Synn shook his head. "Not yet. I'll wait for our guest."

Despayre silently nodded and scurried off to the counter as Synn took a seat at the table and found himself looking around for her arrival, waiting.

125
Climax Control Archives / Through the looking glass Act 2: Scene 2
« on: May 18, 2012, 10:45:44 AM »
 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - 1996

"Now come on. Stop fidgeting." His grandma Victoria said with a gentle smile while she kneeled in front of her three year old grandson.

It would seem that even sixteen years ago when he was just a mere toddler, Joshua had little liking to being dressed up in anything other than something that he himself considered comfortable. He liked t-shirts with cartoon animals on them and loose jeans and the like. Sometimes his mom and grandma 'indulged' him by letting him send all day on Saturday running around in his pajamas if his grandpa wasn't taking him outside to play on the grounds of their home. But he did not like this stiff dress suit his grandma was busily tucking him into. His fidgeting did not stop, however, at her insistence. He bit into the piece of taffy his mother had given him as a treat and shifted his arms away from the side, pulling the dress jacket from Victoria's fingers. She exhaled lightly as she looked at her grandson while he gave his full on attention to the candy in his small fingers.

"Joshua." She said lightly and he stopped mid-bite to look at his grandma and he cracked a smile that showed he was missing one of his two front teeth and he waved his fingers gently at her. She closed her eyes and snorted gently through her nose, finding amusement in the simplest of the boy's actions, mannerisms and facial expressions. He was a blessing on her family, one view she shared with her daughter, Margaret, but not her husband.

James was a strict disciplinarian, a powerful judge in the city court system, and nothing short of domineering. He hated the young American who got their daughter pregnant with a passion that scared her, and at times she could tell he wanted to take it out on his grandson who he would often refer to as "that little bastard" behind the child's back, but never to his face. It was not an indulgence she herself would tolerate. Strong as James was in reputation and personality, even he could take things only so far when it came to the harsh treatments he dished out on his family.

Joshua needed a strong, male role model in his life. The only one who fit that bill was his grandpa, her husband. Not an easy position to be in when he considered the child virtually an abomination  on their good standing in their community. Never mind the fact their neighbors adored the child, inviting him to parties and the like every chance that came up. Just getting James to spend any kind of time with Joshua was a virtual miracle unto itself. And Joshua seemed oblivious to the negativity that leaked from his grandpa's being. Quite the contrary, Joshua would often turn a blind eye to this and he instead looked at the older man with a loving eye.

Victoria set her hands on the knees of her dress slacks and Joshua snapped the hard taffy in another bite and just watched her as she shook a forefinger at him, and she said, "Now please Joshua, I need you to be still so I can finish getting you ready." And she shifted aside a fraction so she could pick up the small tie that rested on the edge of the chair's seat and she held it up toward the boy who took a hasty step back.

"What's that?" He asked with wide eyes, taking his wonderment from his grandma to the garment and back again. No, even way back when there was something about a tie that made this young one uncomfortable with a mere glance.

"It's alright." His Grandma Victoria assured him, or attempted to. "It's just a neck tie. It'll make you look like a handsome little gentleman."

Mmph!" He whimpered as she started to put the tie around his neck and under his collar. He started to whine and fidget all over again when a rough edged voice spoke up.

"Stop that."

The steel edged tone made the boy look up as his Grandpa James entered the room in his own suit and tie, his eyes boring holes right toward the child. He reached to a coat rack and picked up his dress jacket, not even looking at the child who was watching him with adoration in his sparkling gray eyes.

"Let your grandmother finish getting you ready." He said with a tone to his voice that said he would brook no argument or childish displays of rebellion. "And do not give her any more trouble."

Joshua swallowed the taffy he hastily chewed and called after his grandpa who left the room and headed for the front door, scooping a set of car keys up from a dish on a counter. "Are you coming with us Grandpa?"

"No." Was all the man said as he opened the door and stepped outside, allowing it to shut behind him with a sharp crack.

Victoria used the distraction to her advantage, finishing getting Joshua's tie done up and straightened while the boy's eyes never left the direction his grandpa exited. She placed her fingertips on his soft cheek and turned his head to look at her and she smiled as best she could under the uncomfortable treatment showed him by James. How a grandfather could treat his special grandson like he was virtually non-existent was beyond her scope.

She fixed the lapels of his dress jacket and said, "Your Grandpa has to work tonight."

"Oh." Was the simple response. "Why do I hafta go?"

"Why? Sweety, it's Mother's Day." She looked his hair over and could not help but marvel at how it glistened in it's sleek, black color. She fished a comb from the confines of her purse and she started to run it through the boy's hair as he clenched his eyes shut tightly and whimpered audibly. It was safe to do so now that Grandpa stepped out. She continued, "You remember that present you helped me pick out for your mommy?"

He nodded as she tucked the comb away and she slowly stood up, the evidence of age showing itself in the stiffness of her knees. She brushed her hand on his shoulder, touching him up and she smiled, "Well we're going to give it to her tonight when we go out to dinner."

"Why doesn't mommy make dinner? I like her cooking."

Victoria smiled and said, "Well you can tell her that yourself. make her feel a little bit extra special, but on Mother's Day she doesn't have to do something like that. It's all about her."

"Oh." Was spoken again in the simplest way. He then looked up at her and shrugged, "So why don't you cook dinner?"

The persistent questions from the mind of a child.

"Joshua, I'm your mommy's mommy." Was his Grandma's answer. "So Mother's day is special for me too. Okay?"

He nodded and reached up to take her hand as she led him from the front living room and into the hall where Margaret was just descending the staircase. Margaret stood in front of the two and twirled around to show off the dress she had selected for the evening.

"Well?" She asked in a playful tone. "How do I look?"

She was answered by her three year old holding out his hand palm down and giving it a 'wave'.

"Oh, thanks." Margaret laughed as she picked him up and planted a peck on the boy's cheek as he grimaced while his grandma led them from the hall and to the front door to celebrate Mother's Day properly.

Yes, this was just a short few years before the car accident that robbed this child of a potential future as a man that many might consider 'normal'.



Vancouver, British Columbia - 1998

The ambulance lights flashed as the scream of the sirens alerted every vehicle to abandon their spot on the road and pull over so they could pass.

"For God's sake, there's a kid in here!" The police officer shouted as he stared into the shattered remains of the passenger side window of the `92 Ford Escort.

The vehicle had been slammed into by a large truck that inadvertently blew a red light and crashed into the car owned by Margaret Young, sending it into a tail spin where it slammed uncontrollably into the side of an apartment building alongside the city street. The paramedics would have easy access to the driver, but the child's door was pinned against the building and dented in such a fashion that they would be unable to even open it. The female driver was barely alert, but the boy was totally unresponsive. His head had slammed violently against the hard glass of the passenger side door, splitting his small forehead open and rendering him totally unconscious. He simply hung there in his seat belt.

Her own forehead bleeding and a nasty welt developing on the temple, Margaret forced herself to come to and ease her head aside to look at the small form beside her. Her sharp cry made the officers and paramedics all the more determined.

"Joshy!" Margaret screamed. "JOSHY!!"



Las Vegas, NV - May 13

Synn sat in the leather chair in his study, silently brooding to himself. His eyes stared down at the flickering lights on his computer screen but he paid the video of a match between Nick Jones and a man by the name of "Predator" Rix Usher no mind. He knew that he should be using whatever spare time he had to further scout the three men who would be the opposition for Gabriel and Despayre, as well as the former Sin City Wrestling Roulette Champion, but this was evidence that there were indeed times when the mind simply did not go where it was intended. Small wonder given what day it was, and what he had found his household in the grips of preparing for.

He was not happy that Gabriel wouldn't be there to help get them through this. Gabriel was quickly becoming the backbone of this group, whereas Despayre was the heart. Sometimes Synn wondered if the time came for him to step down from his position as the herald of the Seven Sins, that the perfect 'heir' to the proverbial throne would indeed be the magician; the man who was both family as well as friend.

Times had changed drastically these past few years. Changed him, to be more precise. There was a time where Synn kept everyone at arm's length, the better to protect him against the betrayals of the past. There were a select few whom he would deign to call 'friend', and one was still at his side; 'Sxxxy' Shane Boswell. The other could be heard on the weekly broadcasts of 'Climax Control', namely Jason Adams. Synn used to manage the pair and serve as their bodyguard before he even fashioned one of the more controversial stables in the history of professional wrestling. Then Bad Medicine had split. Shane became the Sin of pride, and Jason struck out on his own.

That was then.

When Synn discovered a long hidden secret kept well from his attention for years, something inside of him had changed. His views on the corruptions of the world around him had not changed, nor had the beliefs in the blissful effects of the sinful freedoms. He was still a man whom many referred to as a loose cannon, one who might snap at any given moment with the temper he had made well known. But there was one now whom he simply could not address negatively, someone who he could not say the simplest of words to; no.

No, something deeper inside of him changed and gave way to release. And it was only lately that he gave way to a disturbing fear of loss.

********************


"Come on Despy!" Fantasia scolded as she made her umpteenth attempt to slip the tie around Despayre's neck before he whined and started to struggle to bat it away.

Diminutive as she was in stature, she was roughly the same height that he himself was, so when she stared at him, they met eye-to-eye. He flinched openly and averted his gaze and she huffed.

"Despy." She said and she was 'gifted' by his looking up just over his eyebrows. "This whole thing was your idea, remember?"

He nodded, but said nothing.

She went on, "Then you need to stop this and let me finish getting you ready. You want to look nice, don't you?"

Despayre mused to himself in contemplation, looking aside from the corner of his eyes. Biting his bottom lip, he yielded and nodded.

"Well then stand still and let me get this on you." She said and he frowned and a whimper escaped him. She continued, "I'm not Shane, sweety. I'm not going to chase you everywhere and wrestle you down to get this tie on you."

"Are you trying to make him struggle and depressed?" The voice came from behind her and she turned around just enough to spot the object of her affections, Shane, standing in the frame of the door. He was dressed to kill, as per usual, in a cream colored dress shirt and matching slacks. It went along well with her own pearl-white cocktail dress.

She reprimanded the handsome man, saying, "Where have you been?"

"Out picking up that bottle of wine for Theresa to serve at dinner." He answered. "Took me a little longer than I expected."

"I could have used your help getting Despy ready."

Shane smirked, "Yeah that's why it took me so long. Figured it was your turn."

Fantasia frowned and turned back to try and finish and Despayre lifted a hand to casually point in Shane's direction, asking, "Hey how come he's not gotta wear one?"

Fantasia answered, "It's your dinner Despy, not his." She cast one more glance over her shoulder before finishing the tie and Shane took his leave. She turned back around and straightened the accessory and smiled, "There. Pretty as a picture."

********************


"Synn, do you need anything?"

Synn looked up to spot his faithful housekeeper Theresa standing in the frame of his office door. Her eyes gave off a silent hint of concern but he shook his head in the negative, answering, "No, thank you Theresa. I'm fine." He looked back to the computer screen for a moment, then up as the housekeeper had almost shut the door behind her.

"Theresa?"

She turned around and pushed the door open. She said nothing, just stood there and watched him. Waiting.

He asked, "How is Joshua? Is he almost ready?"

She nodded, "Si. Fantasia is getting him ready. Having a good deal of difficulty doing so too. How about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you ready?" She asked, her eyebrows rising almost to her hairline.

"No." Was the simple and honest answer. "I don't think I am. Or will be." He shook his head and growled almost inaudibly. "I don't know how he talked me into this."

"Simple." Shane said as he stepped inside of the room. "He asked, gave you those puppy dog eyes he perfected, and you caved." Shane paused beside Theresa and snaked an arm around her waist for a light squeeze. "Heya babe."

"Fresh tart." Theresa rolled her eyes and turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. The silence left in her wake was deafening. the tension grew thick as Shane simply stared at Synn and his light hearted manner was virtually extinguished. His face hardened as he said nothing.

He didn't have long to wait as Synn finally reached over and turned the desktop off and exhaled sharply. He leaned his elbow onto the arm rest of the chair and set his chin on his clenched fist. "If you have something to say, Shane, then please do so."

"Well the first thing I want to say is you can fucking look at me when I say something to you."

The words were calm, but the acidic tone behind them bit into Synn like a blade crafted of the coldest ice. He brought his head up and turned his head to face Shane and his eyes flashed in anger and he spoke, "Excuse me?"

"Apology not accepted." Shane quipped as he walked over to the front of the desk and stood there, refusing to take the seat opposite of the man he now looked down on. "Oh and you can lay off that intimidation bit with your frowning and angry eyes routine. I've known you for over ten years, so drop it."

Synn had been expecting this. Ever since he had argued so heatedly with Margaret and spilled the proverbial beans, there was no going back and containing the secrets again of Pandora's Box. "Just say what it is that you want to say." Synn said. "Get it over with."

"Fine!" Shane snarled and he reached over the desk and in blinding force, cuffed Synn hard upside of the head, almost sending him tumbling to the side. Synn jumped to his feet, knocking his chair back against his office wall and the two men glared at one another. Synn's temper flared to an all-time high at the audacity, but Shane was his equal in height, weight and experience. Shane stood there, and stared. Whereas Synn stood in anger, Shane felt a sense of betrayal.

Before Synn could even respond to the insulting blow to the side of the head, Shane cut him off by asking, "Why?" he shook his head. "Why the hell didn't you tell anyone?"

Synn fumed. He could not believe Shane went so far as to physically strike him, but a part of him felt the man had a point, and a right to feel as angry as he did. Shane reacted to Synn's silence by reaching to take another shot but Synn brought up his right arm to block it and both men simply stared hard at one another.

Shane nodded, "Good. For a second there, I thought I had lost you. I mean for the past couple of years you've been playing the role of a god damn coward so it's nice to see you still have a fucking set!"

Synn's eyebrows rose and he said, "Coward?"

"Coward." Shane confirmed. "I can't think of any other reason why you wouldn't tell us. I hear Gabriel found out by accident, but you still kept it from the rest of us! Fantasia and I have known you for years! God damn man! You turned this rag tag group of yours into a family! Granted, a dysfunctional family, but a family none the less! And one thing I learned in my life is you don't keep secrets from family!"

Synn said, "Maybe I didn't think you needed to know."

Shane shook his head and took a step back. "Maybe not. maybe we didn't." He said. "In the end, that was your decision. I tried to get Gabriel to open up because I might be pretty but I'm not stupid. I knew there was something going on. Fantasia and I could both feel things weren't the same. There was a ...."

"Tension?" Synn finished his thought and Shane nodded and held a hand out to indicate he was correct.

"Tension. Yes." Shane said. He shook his head and held his hands out. "What did you think was going to happen, man? Did you think we'd make fun of you for having a past we weren't aware you were capable of? Did you think we'd make jokes or put you down?"

Synn shook his head. "No."

"Then why?" Shane asked, truly wanting to know. "And don't give me that bullshit about thinking we didn't need to know! All of this has been threatening everything we've built over the past decade! If you had just been open and honest..."

"Not one of my finer qualities."

Shane nodded, "Yeah, no shit! We all knew there was a reason behind why you rescued Despy from that hell hole. we all knew there was some kind of connection, but we didn't know it extended this far. We didn't know that he was..."

Synn tucked his hands in his pockets and finished, "My son."

Shane looked down at the desk and glanced up, nodding. "Yeah." he shook his head and a smirk of amusement and annoyance broke out on his face. "God, it feels weird to even say it aloud. That kid has grown on all of us, but anyone could see he had an effect on you most of all. And now that I think about it, maybe that's why you kept it a secret. maybe you didn't want anyone to think you've changed when it's been so damn obvious you have."

"No." Synn shook his head and Shane tilted his head to the size inquisitively.

"No?" He asked. "You haven't changed?"

"No. It's not why I kept it under wraps."

"Well then, indulge me." Shane folded his arms over his chest. "Why? Even if you didn't tell us, why didn't you tell Despy?"

Synn answered, "Because of the lies his grandfather and most likely, his mother, fed him every chance they got. They gave him reasons why I wasn't around. Told him I wanted nothing to do with him, and I imagine a whole slew of colorful tales of fancy to poison a child's mind against his father."

Shane shook his head, "And did it work? No." Shane lowered his arms. "From what Gabriel told me, the kid ran right up and hugged you."

"Perhaps it was a moment of weakness." Synn tried to reason. "The surprise of the revelation." He shrugged. "He's been somewhat withdrawn since then anyway. Not as close as he was."

"You think he's processing all of this?"

"Perhaps." Synn shrugged. "Or he's remembering the lies he was told and it's starting to make him see me differently than he did in that moment."

"You don't give him much credit, do you?" Shane frowned. "He might be remembering these things. He might even be trying to process everything that's happened since he found out. But..." Shane's change in tone made Synn look at him. "...but he is smart enough to remember everything you've done for him since you took him out of that hospital. He's not stupid, Synn."

Synn said, "I never thought he was."

"Well then give him a little bit more credit you arse!" Shane's voice rose. "Its been painfully clear that kid loved you before he ever even knew you were his dad! You're not going to lose him!"

The look on Synn's face spoke volumes and screamed to Shane he had touched the raw nerve he had been looking for. Shane nodded.

"I know that's what you've been most worried about man, but face facts. You've given him a home when he'd otherwise have none. That woman was never going to take him out of that hospital."

"He doesn't know that Shane." Synn said. "A part of his mind repressed the memory that she was the one who placed him there and left him."

"And that's why you're letting him do this today." Shane finished. "You're so worried that he'll want to leave you for her that you gave in where she's concerned..."

Synn held a hand up and shook his head, "I... I just didn't know what else to do when he told me that he wanted to do this today."

Shane said, "You could have said no and spared us all having to be around the bitch and saved us a world of pain."

Synn smirked and looked around, "I don't think I'd ever know how to say 'no' to that boy."

"Clearly." Shane smiled in return. A moment later the doorbell rang and both men looked toward the office door where they could hear Despayre tearing down the hallway and shouting at the top of his lungs...

"SHE'S HERE! ANGEL! SYNN! EVERYBODY! SHE'S HERE!"

"You ready?" Shane looked to Synn who shook his head, an expression of pure misery on his face.

"No."

********************


Despayre ran down the stairs so fast he almost lost his sense of balance and tumbled the rest of the way but caught himself. Theresa almost made it to the door first but Despayre called out, "Let me! Let me!"

Theresa yielded and stepped back and Despayre grabbed the door handle and jerked it wide open and smiled widely at the woman who stood there.

"Mom!" He ran into her arms and cried out, "Happy Mother's Day!"



"I have to admit surprise that this match was signed as it was. yet it is fitting to see the champions in the main event of any program. it is the spot reserved for the best of the best, and Gabriel and Despayre most certainly fit that bill."

"Under most circumstances Sinful Obsession would have been paired with Rage in a six-man tag team match, but I won't complain. I can see and understand why the prodigy of Austin Parker, Bo Dreamwolf, was assigned to be the third man on our team. The reason and fault would lie at the feet of our esteemed Heavyweight Champion, Nick Jones. Now Nick, I have watched you from afar for a number of years. I'm sure you remember our mutual time together in GXW where we both reigned with gold around our waists. It is nice to see that some things haven't changed. You still seem to attract gold wherever you go, and that ego of yours has done nothing short of inflate itself to epic proportions."

"I admit, I admire that. Your arrogance has carried you well inside of that ring and over the years. You wouldn't be where you are today if you weren't capable of handling yourself when the chips were down. You obviously don't need that back up that you surround yourself with, but hey. I admit there's nothing wrong with having a bit of an insurance policy -- just in case. I've had that myself many a time, when I thought someone would be stupid enough to interject himself into my affairs. So I am certain that you'll understand if I decide to even the playing field a bit and have Rage, Shane and Fantasia accompany me to the ring to cheer our side on. I mean, after all... why should you have Tony and Big B and Diana. Oh, and for the record... I like your cousin. A very well mannered man for the company he seems to keep on your side. Despayre likes him as well. A shame he has such a bloodline that taints who he could be."

"Nick, the fact you're the top man here in Sin City Wrestling won't make things any easier on you in this match. So please don't make any false assumptions otherwise. If anything, I'd dare say you were teetering on the edge of a cliff, ready to fall off and impale yourself on the jagged forms below. If you'll pardon my honesty, you wouldn't even BE the champion if a certain backstage occurrence hadn't happened, so I look forward to seeing just what will happen when the former champion meets the current. I look forward to seeing how you react when you find yourself in the ring with a little man who you see as a dangerous threat. Don't think I ever misjudged your feelings towards Despayre. call them what you will, but you have two very viable threats to your existence that will be chomping at the bit to get their hands on you -- not counting Bo. Everything stands against you this time Mister Jones. I would dare say even your own partners. Not a position i would wish on my dearest of enemies."

"Speaking of your partners, I had wondered if anyone would sink so low in maturity to focus on a childish game of name calling. Johnny Brown, how you disappoint me. Douchespayre? Gaybriel? Is that seriously the best that you can come up with to voice yourself in such a business? It's no wonder you've made it no higher than mid-card at best thus far in your career. Poking such ill mannered puns at two men who are clearly your betters both inside of the ring, as well as out. Making Native American jokes at a man that I dare say could and will wrestle circles around you. You can say the Sins being the Tag team Champions doesn't impress you, Johnny, but deep down your blood boils with the taint of jealousy because they have made it to a pinnacle you have yet to... they're champions! Tag teams, singles -- it doesn't matter. They've both done it whereas you have not! Gabriel was even the first heavyweight champion, and you have absolutely no chance at matching that accomplishment. So talk bad. Make your silly puns all you like. It'll just make you look even more foolish when you find yourself flat on your back, staring up into the lights for the inevitable count of three."

"I suppose i should ask the Convict, Bobby Cage -- what in Hell did you ever do to deserve being teamed up with two jokers such as Nick Jones and the so-called True Brit? I see you have a credible win-loss record... one of the very best I might add in this promotion. You deserve a chance at the main event level, but paired with two fools such as these? I don't know how you managed to piss off Ward and Underwood, but you obviously did something to rub them the wrong way. well, take it all in stride, Cage. Make the most of this opportunity while you have the chance. Even when your side falls by the wayside in loss, be secure in the knowledge it was through no fault of your own. You're a talented fighter, but you simply drew the short straws when it came to partners."

"Play it smart Cage. Cut your losses and stay in the backstage area. I'd hate for you to experience the fallout of what Jones and Brown are about to suffer the brunt of."

126
Supercard Archives / Family matters
« on: April 27, 2012, 10:53:32 AM »
 Previously...

"What the hell is she doing here?" Gabriel whispered as he stepped up to Synn's side to watch in stunned awe as Despayre embraced both the woman who gave birth to him, and who also was responsible for confining her mentally unbalanced son in the hell that was the Broodmoore estate. Shane, Fantasia, and even Rage had kept their distance from their mentor, as they too were completely caught off guard by this sudden appearance. Here they had just had one of the most amazing experiences in their lives in meeting Queen Elizabeth herself, and suddenly the world had been turned upside own in a single fleeting moment.

"Synn?" Gabriel whispered as their eyes never strayed from the scene playing itself out in front of them but their mentor never responded. Gabriel tore his eyes from Despayre separating himself from his mother with his cheeks wet with the tears formed by a long hoped for reunion. Synn's eyes stared straight ahead, watching as Despayre ran his fingers through his mom's hair, seemingly inspecting everything there was about her. Her eyes too were brimming over with the emotional evidence of a desperately wanted reunion.

Save for the memories of when she had left him in the care of the Broodmoore doctors and never returned.

Gabriel knew well enough that Synn was transfixed -- stunned -- and currently experiencing his own worst nightmare.

Gabriel spoke up again, still in a hushed whisper but with a tone behind it that would surely get Synn's attention, "Are you sure it's her?"

"Of course I'm sure!" Synn hissed through clenched teeth. "She may have changed a bit since we were kids but..."

"Changed a bit?" Shane said lightly as he and the other two maneuvered themselves closer. "She looks as if she swallowed the woman who gave birth to Despy."

Synn exhaled sharply through his nose and his head turned s-l-o-w-l-y to look over his shoulder at Shane and something in Synn's emerald green eyes told Shane that this was most assuredly not the time to be making such comments. Shane hid his discomfort behind that cocky smile he always wears and rubbed the back of his head. Synn turned back around to watch as Despayre grabbed his mom by the hand and with a huge smile on his face, excitedly pulled her along behind him as he hurried back over toward their group.

"Guys!" Despayre chirped with an innocent excitement they had not heard since the day Angel was first placed into his waiting arms. "Guys! Look ... look! It's..."

"We know who it is Joshua." Synn said matter-of-factly in an acidic tone, but one that was completely lost on the boy, but not his mother. Synn looked from the little guy, to the woman and gave her a curt nod. "Margaret."

"Rowan." She smiled despite the discomfort between them.

Gabriel and Rage glanced toward each other and mouthed 'Rowan'?

Synn sighed and looked back at them briefly before returning his attention to her and spoke, "Please, I had my name changed legally to..."

"Synn." She said, nodding. "Yes, I know. Old habits I guess. I mean it has been awhile."

Synn said, "Twenty years, give or take."

Margaret offered, "It's nice to finally see you again after all this time."

"Thank you." Synn replied crisply. "And you've never looked more lovely. There. Now we're both liars."

Margaret blinked back her surprise, unsure if she heard Synn correctly. The words settled in her mind and the corners of her lips twitched into a frown, all of this lost as Despayre had his arms around her neck and snuggled his face into her shoulder length, brown tresses.

Shane cleared his throat and eyes turned in his direction, where he spoke up, "Erm, maybe we should go...?"

"Nooo!" Despayre whined. "You hafta meet my mom! Gabriel! Gabriel...." Despayre reached out and snatched his best friend by the arm and Gabriel found himself drawn up close to the woman he heard so many wrongs about, and had secretly hoped would never again enter Despayre's life. "Mom, this is my bestest friend of all, Gabriel!"

Despayre wore a smile of pride as Margaret smiled herself and offered her hand over to Gabriel, and only for Despy's sake did he accept it.

Margaret said, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"That's sweet." Gabriel smiled, pumping her hand gently. "I only wish I could reciprocate."

Despayre frowned as he tried to process that one, and Margaret simply gave Gabriel a hard look for a few scant moments before she turned to Synn and tilted her head to the side. "I see you've been telling everyone everything that you could about me."

Synn shook his head. "Not everything." He answered, tilting his head toward Despayre. "And not to everyone."

Margaret looked to her son, understanding Synn's implication. Had Synn divulged the secret that it was she who had sealed Despayre away in Broodmoore where he was tormented and tortured into an even worse mental state than when he went in, it would do far worse than hurt him.

It would destroy him.

Synn would not allow such a thing to happen, and that was the only reason he hadn't told Despayre the more in-depth history between mother and son.

"Mom? Mom!" Despayre chirped, amazingly resilient against the cloud of tension that was thickening by the moment between the gathered adults. He pulled her over toward the remaining members of the Sins as Synn stepped up and Gabriel turned around to stand by the man's side.

Shane and Fantasia were stoic at the appearance of the woman and her being drawn closer towards them. Rage appeared as he always did -- perpetually upset with a frown frozen on his face. Only those closest to him could see the simmering anger building behind his eyes. yes, he too knew of what this woman had done. Given his own personal history, one would understand how he might feel about a mother sealing her only child away as an act of selfish convenience. Yet Rage too fought the urge to speak his mind, which could very well be the hardest fight he had ever accomplished.

Despayre held his arm around Margaret's shoulder and with his free hand, indicated the three members of his newly discovered family. he said, "The pretty one is Fantasia. (whispers) I'm not sure what her real name is. The handsome guy there is Shane. The mean, bald one is Rage. (whispers) I know his real name but he doesn't like it being used."

Rage frowned (yes an even worse one than he already had on his kisser) and a low, guttural growl rumbled in his throat when Shane thought quickly to change the topic.

"Despy..." Shane said and held a certain fuzzy friend up that had been pushed into his arms. "...aren't you forgetting someone?"

"Angel!" Despayre cried. "Oh I am so sorry! *huffs* Where are my manners?" He took Angel into his arms and cuddled him for a moment before turning around with the brightest, widest smile on his face and said, "Mom ... this is my best friend, Angel!"

Margaret leaned over slightly with her hands at the waist and she cooed, "Well hello Angel! How do you do?"

Despayre lowered Angel a bit to his own waist with a baffled expression, "How does he do what?"

"Despy..." Fantasia smiled, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. he turned to look at her and shrugged, "No, seriously. How does he do what?"

Synn turned to Gabriel and drew him aside a step and leaned in to whisper, "I need you to take him out. Do something, distract him."

"You're serious." Gabriel said more as a statement than a disbelieving question. "With his mom having just shown up? What the hell do you expect me to do? Take him down by the river and race the ducks?"

"Whatever it takes." Synn growled. "I need to take care of this before it blows up in my face!"

Gabriel shook his head and started to walk past Synn, murmuring along the way, "Yeah like that could ever happen..."

Margaret tickled Angel's nose with her finger, eliciting a laugh from her son when Gabriel and Synn approached them and said, "Hey buddy, what say you and me take a breather? All this excitement is getting a bit much for me."

"Huh? Now?" He looked at his mom and then to Gabriel, crestfallen. "Noo! My... my mom just came here! I haven't...!"

Synn stepped up and as much as it bothered him to do so, he rested a hand on Margaret's shoulder and raised his eyebrows and said, "Just for a little while, Joshua. I thought perhaps Shane and Gabriel could take you somewhere where you might buy your mom something to drink? Perhaps get her a present?"

"Oh..." Despayre bit his bottom lip, contemplating this. "I suppose so, but..."

"It's alright Joshua." Margaret said, giving her shoulder a light nudge to 'shoo' Synn's hand off, and heightening the emphasis behind the use of Despayre's given name. "Synn and I do need to have a little private talk. I'll still be here when you get back."

"Promise?" Despayre said, holding Angel up toward his mouth and mumbling against the back of his plush head.

"Promise." She answered back. "And if you find any, I do like orchids."

"Orchids it is!" Despayre said aloud., turning Angel about face to look into his little black eyes. "We have ourselves a mission, Angel!" he spun about and took off for the door, Shane and Gabriel hurrying to catch up after him. Only a split second later, Despayre appeared again from around the corner and ran up to Margaret, hugging her tightly and planting a light kiss on her cheek, seemingly the very same action a child would do with his own mother. "Be back soon!" And he was right off again.

Margaret watched him with a smile on her face as Rage and Fantasia exchanged uncomfortable glances.

Fantasia cleared her throat and all eyes turned to her. "Synn, I'm going to check on our reservations for dinner tonight."

Synn nodded as the 'Sin of Lust' took her leave. Rage ran a finger along his jaw as Synn and Margaret turned to him and he shrugged, "Shit. I guess I'll go pretend that I have something better to do." And he walked off without another word.

Tense moments of uncomfortable silence followed in his wake between the two remaining people standing. Margaret sighed and turned around to face Synn directly and she said, "Ro... Synn," She corrected herself. "I think..."

But Synn held his hand up, cutting her off from whatever she was going to say, and he instead started talking, "Please, Margaret. Could we skip any unnecessary false pleasantries and go straight to the point of this whole debacle before we find ourselves reminiscing about a shared history that never was?"

Her facade of a smile vanished in an instant and she shrugged and said, "Fine."

"What do you want?" Synn asked simply. "What are you even doing here?"

Margaret frowned and shook her head in faux disbelief. "Do you really need me to answer that?" She glanced away briefly, tongue in cheek. "You were always supposed to be the smart one. An answer for anything, or rather, a smart ass answer for anything. Yet here you are, asking the dumbest question imaginable."

Synn said nothing. He just stared right at her. Watching. Waiting.

"I'm here to see my child." She finally answered. "I came across the damn world to hopefully, finally catch up with my little boy and perhaps even see him win a championship, doing something he loves doing."

"Why here?" Synn asked. "Why now?"

"Rowan..." She started to say but at the flash of annoyance in his eyes she quickly changed her words, "Sorry, Synn ... I have been trying to find you two since I found out you managed to get him out."

"That was three years ago."

"I know." She admitted. "But I didn't find out until almost two years ago. Mom and I finally managed to break through the red tape ourselves and lo and behold, we find out you checked him out. Oh and managed to be declared his legal custodian to top it off."

"After nearly twenty years I think I earned that right." He fired back with sarcasm dripping from every word.

"You could have told me sooner Synn!" She sudden;y charged angrily. "You could have let me or my mom know the moment you freed him from..."

Synn tucked his hands in his pockets almost contentedly and shrugged a shoulder, "I had no reason or desire to."

"But..." Margaret seemed surprised, almost shocked at his demeanor. She had a hand on her breast as she pleaded, "But I am his mother..."

"No, actually you're not." Synn countered and she responded as though she had been slapped right across the face. He pointed a finger directly in her face and continued, "You lost the right to call yourself that the minute you signed those papers and threw away the key. You lost the right to call yourself that the moment he was abandoned in Broodmoore!"

"Synn..." Margaret pleaded, shaking her head with a fresh wave of tears brimming in her hazel eyes, "I swear to God I didn't know the type of place..."

"Doesn't matter. You would have found out had you visited him. Had you fought harder to see your baby boy! You didn't, so the right to call yourself his mom... " He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "It simply doesn't exist any longer."

With that being said, Synn turned his back on her and simply walked away into the hotel's inner settings, hoping desperately that the bar would be open. After that long awaited confrontation, he needed a drink.



"Well, what a mess, huh? I bet everyone out there watching is waiting with baited breath for the continuing episode of "As the Ring Turns", everyone's favorite wrestling related soap opera. Because when you get right down to it, professional wrestling is a soap opera. Just with a few piledrivers thrown in for good measure."

Jesse Ventura imitation: "Vote for me or I'll body slam your grandmother!" Ha! .... *ahem*

"I know that a lot of what I'm saying isn't making sense just yet, but please just bear with me. With everything that's been happening over the past several days, you can't blame one's mind for being a little lost in the shuffle."

"As you can see, things are quickly spiraling out of control. With 'London Brawling' and a chance to win the tag team championship looming over the horizon, this couldn't be coming at a worse possible time."

"Yes, I'm sure the champions as well as the second pairing of challengers are just beside themselves with concern over this situation, the thought just never entering their heads (and their hopes) that this bit of family drama might -- just might -- distract Sinful Obsession from their goals to repeat history. Well, don't get your hopes up too much gentlemen. I'd just hate myself if I weren't to warn you that I've been working with Despayre ever since all of this started, helping him to focus and to channel the emotions he's being flooded with against the four of you."

"I know my boys. I know what both of them are capable of inside of the ring, and unless the champions and second challengers have been spending all if their time under a rock, I'd be very worried about what's going to happen indeed."

"I'm happy to see that the Aristocrats finally managed to show themselves. You boys had me worried for a moment there. You two are probably one of the biggest threats not just in the SCW tag team division, but the whole Alliance-wide realm as well. Few teams have had the courage and fortitude to face the obstacles that you have, and whether I like you or not isn't the question here. I simply can't find it in myself to deny the truth that Chett Hawkins and Steve Scanlon are a formidable threat to any tag team and any tag team championship that is within their reach."

"Yes I am admitting to everyone out there that the Aristocrats are one of the best combinations that this business has ever seen. Just not the best. That honor doesn't even go to the champions, simply because Jordan and Casey haven't had the pleasure of stepping into the ring with Despayre and Gabriel yet. Chett and Steve are going to fight their hearts out to walk away with the gold, there isn't any doubt about it. It's like a child on one of those old fashioned carousels where you had to reach to grab the brass ring. So many turns, so many near misses. The Aristocrats will one day be the Sin City Wrestling Champions, just not yet. Not at 'London Brawling'."



Oh it was a lucky thing that the bar had been open. It was a foolish thing to do, especially given the circumstances, but after what had just happened, Synn just didn't care. The burning sensation of the two glasses of Scotch settled in him and the warmness gave him the illusion of calm and relaxation. The unexpected confrontation with Margaret, Despayre's birth mother, had been inevitable. Deep down he knew it. He had simply been just too ignorant in the hopes that somehow, in some way this distasteful bit of fate would pass him and his son by.

His son.

He never really forced the thoughts into his mind before, but after the thing with his mother only almost two hours ago, it seemed to flow naturally. Despayre was his son, and now he would have to figure out what exactly to do about the given situation. Truth be told, he simply hadn't planned ahead -- which was a cardinal sin in itself for him, if you'd be so kind as to pardon the pun. he prided himself on always knowing exactly what to do, but it was like your own parents would always say...

They hadn't been given a handbook in how to deal with a child, so nobody could know all of the answers when it came to raising them.

Despite wishing it would have never had to have happened ... despite it now being over and done with ... Synn would now have to know what to do about Despayre when the boy would want to know where his mom had gone to. Synn's biggest fear ... wondering what he would do if Despayre wanted to go with her. That worry was over with her...

"What the hell are you still doing here!?" He practically shouted in a stunned aspect as he had walked from the bar and through the lobby to find Margaret seated at a small table in an alcove, sipping a cup of hot tea. He walked right over toward her table without another word and demanded, "Leave. Now!"

Margaret set her tea cup on the saucer and placed it on the table before her. She looked up at him and for the first time since they had met all of those years ago, Synn saw a fire behind a pair of eyes that seemingly matched his own.

She said simply, "No."

"No?"

"No." She reaffirmed, this time with more force behind her statement. She slowly stood and faced him without fear, despite the fact the height difference between them placed her head squarely in his chest. She looked up at him, her fingers gliding on the smooth surface of the cherry wood table and she spoke up, "You're not getting rid of me that easily Rowan..."

"Synn..."

"Rowan!" She barked back, refusing to acknowledge his legally changed name this time, perhaps more so to annoy him than anything other. "I waited all these years to see my boy again! I waited all this time in the hopes you might have it in your heart to let his mother and grandmother know he was fine, that he was even alive, but no! You just left the two of us hanging...!"

"I wish..." Synn muttered, but his idle threat did not deter her.

Margaret continued, "Even had you not let me know, the very least you could have done is tell my mother! She was good to you! Even if you didn't deserve it, she treated you like gold!"

Synn looked at her with a blank stare, the effects of the alcohol in his system slowly being burned away by the temper rising. He said, "Be that as it may, had I told her, you were bound to be confided in... and you'll forgive me but that was simply not an option!"

By now, there were several heads turning in the couple's general direction, staff and patron alike as the voices grew steadily in volume.

"You sanctimonious prick!" She seethed. "You have no idea what I was put through..."

"What you were put through!?" He roared. "You self pretentious bitch! I was in that hospital! I saw what the hell kind of environment you put him in! I saw the effects those god damn doctors caused Joshua! When i went in there, all that was left of him was the animal! The boy was gone! I fought ... literally fought to bring the boy back, and to get that boy to trust me! He told me all those years.... all he wanted was for his mom to walk through that door and save him! He was disappointed each and every time! That in itself destroyed his sense of worth far more so than anything that those doctors could conceive! A boy always needs his mother, and you simply were not there for him! I was! he lost his childhood all because of you!"

"I tried..."

"You didn't try shit Margaret!" Synn shouted. "You didn't do anything that did not benefit you! After he was injured, and he started to deteriorate, he simply became an annoyance to you! Not a son but a burden!"

She cried, literally cried, "That isn't true!"

"You might as well say good-bye now." Synn said, the woman's tears having no effect on him. "Because you are never going to see him again!"

"I am his mother!"

"I am his FATHER!"

Only a handful of seconds passed as they stared into each other's eyes when a clearing of someone's throat alerted them. Synn and Margaret turned and looked behind them, and both froze as there stood Despayre, his teddy bear held tightly against him, and his eyes wide... staring at the two of them, back and forth. Gabriel's own eyes were closed tightly, his mouth pursed into a frown as his hand gripped Despayre's small shoulder in a brotherly form of comfort.

"Joshua..." Synn said, finally having found his voice. "I..." He took a step forward but Despayre took a hasty step back, backing himself right up against Gabriel. That alone made Synn feel as if his heart had fallen into the pit of his stomach. There had been little doubt that either Margaret or her father -- or perhaps both -- had filled Joshua's head with lies about his father, explaining his absence from his life, instead of telling him the simple truth. No doubt those very lies were already beginning to resurface in his still-child like mind. It was a sad fact of life that to a child, whether it be a boy or girl, a mother's word was pristine. It was simple truth, as were the words of a grandma or grandpa. After all, why would they lie to a child?

The father on the other hand... especially one that was not there to defend himself...

Synn glanced past Despayre and to the man behind him. Gabriel had been right. All this time Synn had put off telling his son the truth for fear of it blowing up in his face, and his holding out might very well have caused even worse damage. he had to fix this... but he needed privacy. He said, "Gabriel, can you...?"

Gabriel frowned and looked down at the little guy who stared straight ahead at Synn, everything about him seemingly frozen in place. He looked back up at Synn and shook his head in the negative, saying, "I'm not sure I can le..."

Synn whispered audibly through clenched teeth, "Please" This situation was quickly growing out of control. Gabriel sighed, then with one glance back at Despayre, he nodded and started to leave when a hand suddenly ensnared his wrist.

"No." Despayre whispered.

"Despy..." Gabriel started to say, tugging at his wrist but for such a little guy, Despayre had a surprisingly strong grip. "I should go..."

Despayre looked up over his shoulder and his eyes wavered as he said, "Please." Whatever Gabriel saw in them, he didn't say outright, but he knew he couldn't just walk away. Despayre's psyche was fragile enough as it was. No amount of medications or therapy would ever take away what was done to him. But he needed support, and Gabriel looked up to meet the gazes of both Despayre's father and mother.

"You heard him." Gabriel said, his tone saying he would brook no argument. "Fix this."

"Sweety..." Margaret started to speak in a soothing tone but Synn whipped around and aimed a forefinger right at her.

"Don't!" He barked. "You have done quite enough already."

"Don't talk to my mom like that."

The words were soft, but the way they were spoken were like the hiss of a viper. Synn turned around and Despayre's gray eyes glared directly at him, having naturally come to his mother's defense. It was everything Synn had feared. Despite everything done, Despayre could not bring himself to believe his mother capable of any wrong doing. Synn did not approach him again. He instead slowly lowered himself down to one knee in front of him, bringing him closer.

Whatever anger that had arisen in Despayre at Synn focusing his ire at Margaret seemingly evaporated, and his face was knit in confusion. Tears brimmed at his eyes as Despayre opened his mouth several times, trying to say something but the words continually escaped him. He exhaled sharply and swallowed, until he finally found his voice.

"You-you're really my dad?"

Synn closed his eyes and simply nodded in affirmation. No words could express the truth any better. He opened his eyes, and no tears were there, but the fear of separation was. Gabriel could see it and it all hit home, the reason why Synn held off for so long in telling Despayre who he really was.

He did not want to lose his son.

"I knew." Despayre whispered.

"Excuse me?" Synn frowned, shaking his head to seemingly clear the proverbial cobwebs. "Knew... what?"

"Angel told me." Despayre held his eyes down towards the plush bear. "He told me you were my dad. He told me that's why you got me out of the place. That's why you treat me so nice, and buy me things and got me a home..."

He lifted his eyes and said, "You're my dad."

Synn couldn't say anything to this. He glanced down, and before he knew it, Despayre had rushed onto him and enveloped his thick neck with his smaller arms in a tight hug. He buried his face into Synn's shoulder, his body starting to rack with sobs. Synn had no words. All he could do was bring his arms up and bring the boy closer and hold him.

Gabriel was admittedly uncomfortable. He knew Synn should have come clean sooner, and it was only by a miracle things did not blow up in his face. Despayre ... no, Joshua ... was a smart kid, despite his off the wall antics and mind frame. None of them gave the kid enough credit when it came to his mind. He never thought that Despayre would have worked out the truth for himself, even if the bear had been given credit.

Gabriel shuffled back a few steps to give them space, and that was when he noticed Margaret stepping onto the elevator, having had the very same idea. Probably the first decent thing the woman had the courage to do.

Gabriel took one last look at the now revealed father and son embracing in the hotel lobby before he took his leave, and stepped out into London.

"Do you know what I like the best about the SCW tag team division? Unlike other promotions where the setting is more structured with regularly booked combinations and pairs, the SCW tag team roster is ever changing. Oh we have a few regular teams, like the Aristocrats and Sinful Obsession to name a small handful, but everything here is kept fresh as the roster of combinations evolves constantly. I know for a fact that this is also done in the Land of the Rising Sun, where you might see a tag team compete on one show, then be on opposite sides of the fence the next. It keeps things interesting and if i might add, it also keeps the champions of the tag team side on their toes."

"This above all else is why I have to give Jordan and Casey credit for their reign lasting as long as it has. With the tag team division as it is, winning those belts is difficult enough as it is, let alone retaining them. You've held the tag titles for just over a month which is a commendable accomplishment. Hats off to you. Bravo, and all that sort of thing. But unfortunately all good things must come to an end, and for your reign at the top of the mountain, your time is now Wx2. (Like the name? Wx2? Stands for Williams times two, in case it flew right over your heads.)"

"Jordan is a confident man. I happen to like that. You have to be in this business, but to infer that you are all seven sins rolled into the being of a single man? Tsk tsk. Sorry but the mentor of the seven Sins had that distinction nailed down long before the thought ever entered your mind. I can see you laying claim to Pride, perhaps even Lust (shame on you by the way!) and Greed. But then there's Sloth, Envy, Gluttony, and Wrath. Four qualities in the average human being you just seem to fall short of."

"Another thing I like about Jordan is the fact that he gives credit where credit is due. He called Gabriel and Despayre the best team in SCW. that they are, and in doing so Mister Jordan Williams practically predicted the downfall of his latest dynasty. For you see, to emerge victorious, a team is needed that knows how to win. they have to know what the other thinks and breathes and feels. You can't tell me Jordan that you have that very same bond with Casey that Gabriel and Despayre have shared these past two, plus years. That is the weak link in your armor. It's the weak link that my boys fully intend to exploit. Your resume in this business is impressive, make no doubt about that. But your time at the pinnacle of your profession is in the past. Gabriel and Despayre are the future -- and the future is looking brighter than ever."

"I see Casey is also as charming as ever he were. Quietly asking what my boys ever did to deserve this chance at a championship he holds. Funny, I could almost ask the same thing of him any time he has the chance to wrestle a champion for a title! But considering Gabriel has already confronted Big Bad Casey on to this fact tells me I regretfully (hello, sarcasm!) don't have to focus as much on the Big and bad One as much as I had planned to."

"We tried playing nice with Casey. we tried the whole respectful routine and paying him lip service (shut up you pervs), but the man just can't play nice and return the respect in kind. He doesn't appear to have it in him, and it makes me wonder why on Earth, out of all the potential wrestlers in the SCW, Spike chose him to join the ranks of the New Extremes. I guess every great leader needs a flunky, eh? And Casey, when you lose the gold here in London, and you will, who do you think is going to catch the blame? Hm? It won't be Jordan, I can assure you. You might be 'big" Casey, but Gabriel and Despayre are the two 'baddest' men in that ring, no matter the difference in size. Bit by bit, you're going to be whittled away like a tree that gets turned into a itty bitty pencil. Once Sinful Obsession is done with you, there won't be anything left of the proverbial giant of SCW."

"Neither the champions nor the challengers give this team of Sinful Obsession nearly enough credit, and that is where the fatal mistake has been made. It's a common fact of life that when you don't pay attention to history, you are condemned to repeat it. Because it was in December of 2010 when Despayre and Gabriel won a tournament to walk away as the Asylum Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Champions. (Not the World Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, just in case you're paying attention HarKore Warriors!) This match, yes, as you must already know by now, took place right here in London, England. The team they beat didn't see them as being too much of a threat either. Their mistake will be yours, and the titles are coming home to the Seven Deadly Sins."

"There you are!" Despayre called out as he walked into the hotel room to find Angel sitting in front of a running video camera. He hurried up and scooped the teddy bear up into his hands. "Stop wearing out that camera!" He smiled as he turned around and hurried from the room, closing the door behind him.

<img src=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v428/CMFrank04/angel.jpg>

What? Who did you think was cutting this promo?

127
Supercard Archives / God help the Queen!
« on: April 21, 2012, 04:14:40 PM »
 
<img src=http://www.travlang.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/buckinghampalace_11.jpg>
Buckingham Palace


Buckingham Palace, it's origin dates as far back to the year 1705 when it was conceived as a town house for the Duke of Buckingham. Over the years, other British monarchs took to this royal residence and in the nineteenth century, it was expanded to become what would be seen today by the eyes of the people. In 1837 upon the ascension of Queen Victoria, it became the official royal palace of the British monarchy.

Many of the peoples in other nations are unaware that there are special times throughout the year that the public is allowed access for very special tours to give people a glimpse of the grand estate of perhaps the world's most powerful family. Only a handful of rooms are on this tour, but it never the less allows those lucky enough to be on this tour a once in a lifetime glimpse into the world of the British aristocracy.

"And we're really going to go inside?"

Despayre was standing at the gates before the royal palace, his hands wrapped tightly around the bars to the point his knuckles were white. His face was firmly set between the bars and his gray eyes gazed at this grand sight before him with unabashed excitement. He turned his head and looked back to Synn who was standing stoically, as if the prospect of seeing such a thing was vastly unimportant to him. The same chilly breeze that whipped Despayre's long hair around, caused Synn's long jacket to waft faintly as he tucked his hands inside of the coat pockets.

"Yes, Joshua." Synn replied. "We won't get to see a lot, mind you, but what we will be allowed to see will be a privilege all to itself."

"That's fine!" Despayre turned back away from the rest and stared intensely at the Palace, his plush buddy Angel tucked snugly inside of his own jacket to be shielded from the winds. The weather forecast had called for a chance of rain and the chill air combined with that, made Despayre wary about the chances Angel might get sick.

(Teddy bears make the worst patients you know!)

The rest of the Seven Deadly Sins stable were also a part of this tour, standing at the forefront of the crowd gathered, a blend of the people of London, as well as tourists from across the globe. As Shane was emerged in a discussion with Gabriel and Rage, Fantasia stepped forward and tapped her forefinger along Synn's arm to draw his attention away from Despayre.

"He's pretty excited about this, isn't he?" She asked with a smile to her tones that matched the one on her lips.

"He is." Synn nodded, a look of pride in his eyes that anyone could see, but few might understand. "Ever since you showed him that movie 'The Queen', Joshua's been fascinated by the woman. A couple of years ago when we worked for the AWA, we were here in London."

Fantasia nodded, "I remember. He wanted so badly to come to the Palace and see the inside."

"Yes," Synn concurred. "It broke his heart when I had to tell him they weren't giving tours at the time. Took a lot of time to console him and promise him we'd try another time if we were ever in London again."

"So how'd you arrange it this time?" Fantasia smirked. "Call ahead and work with the Royal family to get us the tour scheduled?"

Synn cast a smarmy look over his shoulder at the petite fireball of a redhead and arched a single brow. "I'm good, Fantasia, but even I'm not that good." he turned back to watch as Despayre had pulled out a souvenir map of the Palace interior and held it before him so Angel could see it too. Synn continued, "I simply lucked out. I did a little web searching for the tours when this show was first announced. It just so happened one was set for today..."

"And that is why you insisted we arrive in London over a week early?" Fantasia finished with a smile, understanding. She shook her head and laughed gently. "You are spoiling this boy rotten, you know that?"

"Ah well, I wouldn't be Synn if I did otherwise." Was all Synn could say to answer her 'charge' against him.

This was when Despayre finally broke away from his claimed front spot at the head of the line at the gates and approached them with the map held out. He looked up at Synn and asked with enthusiasm, "Angel said we might meet the Queen! Is that true?"

"Oh Despy," Fantasia started to say. She knew all too well how important it was for tourists to get to at least see a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth, but to meet her? "I don't know."

Despayre's eyes fell to Synn who added, "She is a very busy woman, Joshua. I suppose anything is possible, but I have to admit it's doubtful. She has so much to keep her occupied. You understand, don't you?"

Despayre frowned as he attempted to contemplate the logic. A sigh escaped his lips gently as he shrugged his small shoulders, and he said, "I guess. Angel said it was a long shot anyway." He then turned to one of the palace guards and the others' heads turned to watch as Despayre hopped over to the one guard standing stoically at his post inside of the fence, and Despayre asked, "Do you think we'll get to meet the Queen?"

He stood and waited for a response, but none was forthcoming. the guard stood straight and stared ahead, his eyes unwavering and body not moving.

"Hel-LO!" Despayre called, waving a hand in front of the guard's face, drawing other stares and amused reactions from the small tour crowd. Despayre glanced back at his buddies in the Sins and quirked his head to the side. "Boy this guy is so rude!"

"He's not going to respond, Despy." Fantasia called gently. "He's not allowed."

Despayre turned to look at her and frowned, "How come?"

Synn answered, "It's tradition. They have to focus on their duties to the Royal Family, and nothing else. Nobody can make them act otherwise."

"Nobody, huh?" Despayre turned and looked at the guard inside of the gates. he then turned and started to approach.

Gabriel approached from behind and had a smile on his face that could only tell a person he knew something fun was about to happen. He whispered to Synn, "Oh this ought to be good."

Despayre stood just inches away from the guard inside of the gates and pulled Angel out of his jacket. He held the teddy bear up so that Angel's little black eyes were 'eye level' with that of the guards. He wiggled Angel in the air in front of the guard... "Hellloooooooooo! ... Beware the stare!"

Shane and Rage stepped closer to watch and enjoy the tourist spectacle as several others in the tour group started to watch with unabashed curiosity and amusement as Despayre continued to hold Angel up in front of the guard and he started moving his body left and right as he started to sing without shame at the top of his lungs...

"If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic."

Despayre pulled Angel down and looked closely at the guard who did not respond at all to the display performed for him. He blinked at the guard, then held Angel back up and continued his little performance,

"Picnic time for teddy bears,
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today.
Watch them, catch them unawares,
And see them picnic on their holiday.
See them gaily gad about.
They love to play and shout,
They never have any cares.
At six o'clock their mummies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they're tired little teddy bears. "

By now some in the crowd started to clap their hands along to the performance which just seemed to egg Despayre on. Even Shane and Fantasia joined in as Synn, Gabriel and Rage just watched as Despayre started to dance around the front of the guard, singing with enthusiasm...

"Every teddy bear, that's been good
Is sure of a treat today
There's lots of wonderful things to eat
And wonderful games to play

Beneath the trees, where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
'Cause that's the way the teddy bears have their picnic"

Despayre called an end to his song and performance and the tourist crowd, including all of the Sins, applauded and this snapped Despayre out of his reverence and he realized what he just did in front of a very large crowd of strangers. His cheeks flushed a scarlet red of self-induced embarrassment and he quickly ducked behind Synn's much larger frame to shield himself from the eyes of the onlookers as the applause slowly died down.

Gabriel leaned over at the waist and asked, "Did it work?"

From behind Synn, a muffled voice responded, "No! This guy's good!"



"Oh Casey, what can be said that hasn't been said a multitude of times already? Would 'so we meet again' be too cliche' to befit this special occasion? Well, I can at least admit that I am not disappointed at this golden opportunity for Despayre and Gabriel to face you once again, because it is just that; a golden opportunity. The hallowed chance to dethrone the SCW Tag Team Champions in international territory could bring much heralded acclaim to the tag team division, and to Sinful Obsession in particular. And knowing me from our shared history from the AWA, clear to SCW, you know how much I enjoy those in my care to be renowned with such fame."

"You are, after all, the biggest man in this match. So you will understand when that makes you the logical target for attack. It's nothing personal, just business. or, if I must be honest... glory. I have never shied away from telling anyone whom might pay attention that I seek the renowned with all my heart, both for myself as well as the members of my family. Nothing would please me more, than to have Gabriel and Despayre realize their goal, and walk away once again as champions together as a pairing. No team in the SCW has the common denominator that they have shared between them. No team here has such a bond. They've become more than friends, more than reliable partners. They're now family, bonded as brothers. Neither you and Jordan, nor the Aristocrats can say the same. It's a bond that can't be defended against. What each wants, the other attains. And that gold you hold so dear is their innermost desires for this very night that swiftly approaches."

"I imagine this match could be viewed by you as a chance at the proverbial 'double your pleasure' entendre. Hm? Not only do you have the chance to retain your titles in London against two of the top tag teams in the business, but you see on the horizon the chance for you to get that first ever elusive win in the record books against a team you just have never been able to put down in defeat. A shame, really that it's come to this. You see Casey, back in the AWA when our history started, the flames between our sides were fanned by the intensity of the ill will harbored. I remember that first match when you did everything you could to hurt Despayre and you ended up disqualified in doing so. As they say, water under the bridge -- and yet here we are again. Different outlooks, yet the same goals. Victory. You crave it, and you have succeeded. Sin City Wrestling Tag Team Champion, and you did so credibly. So to you I offer my congratulations, as well as my sympathies."

"After all, I know every champion wants to live on in the annals of history for as long as they can. But that one moment always arrives when the champion is a former champion, and in London, that moment has arrived for you. It is predestined, Casey. It's fate. You will return to Las Vegas as a former champion. Your attitude against us may have changed, who knows -- but the end result will always be the same. Defeat. I will accept nothing less."




There were different queues to get into from the very start of the tour to go on different aspects at different times. The members of the stable decided together that they would begin the tour with the Queen's Gallery, and end with the gardens. Being at the front of the line offered Synn and his 'family' the chance to see everything first, and no in-fighting would be permitted from the masses to push ahead from their place. Order was demanded at all times and even Synn knew better than to press his luck.

The Queen's Gallery itself was a prominent display of some of the many priceless items in the Royal Family Collection. This year there was even a heightened interest at this particular stop of the tour, as the wedding gown of the newest member of the Royal Family, Kate Middleton, would be on display.

"Woopty fucking doo." Rage murmured as they stepped through the ornate door frame and into the first step of their tour. "A wedding dress that probably shouldn't even have been white in the first place."

"Shh!" Fantasia scolded, despite the fact Rage's words rang true to her ears and amusing toward her sense of humor, as she tried very hard to keep a straight face as the tour guide spoke aloud toward those who would listen. Many in the large group listened attentively, but others (the Sins included), opted to go about the gallery and look to their leisure while listening only when it best suited them.

"Don't get any ideas." Synn whispered with an undertone of amusement as he approached Gabriel who was looking at a glass case with a dazzling diamond studded tiara adorned with rubies. "These people would skin you alive if you ever even thought about it."

Gabriel cast a glance over his shoulder and winked, "Would I do a thing like that?"

"Yes." Synn said simply. "And as amusing as the thought might be, I'd rather not have to bail you out of some European jail. Best we remove temptation." and he gripped Gabriel by the shoulder and steered him away from the display of the royal jewels.

Various paintings of grand design and detail lined the walls in their golden and ivory frames, each sculpted with enviable skill by masters of their craft. Among the great works was "Enoch, Philip and Annie In the Cave" ... "Pandora" ... "The Ride of the Valkyries" and "Titania" among many others.

Rage's attention fell to the collection of royal weaponry, among them being pistols and maces.

Despy was busy studying a display of a Man's Silver Flask, and piped up, "I bet Shane would like one of those for his birthday, huh Angel? Yeah I think so too! I dunno. The gift shop perhaps?"

Other valued treasures on display in cases were cheroot cases, meerschaum pipes and a classic English gift set, coin purses and chatelaines, a silver baby rattle fashioned in the shape of a joker, yads and torah pointers, a helmet clock and most promising, a beautiful collection of gold and cobalt demitasse cups.

Fantasia was looking on at Kate's bridal gown with obvious pleasure and she sighed in a relaxed state of mind as she said, "What I wouldn't give to try that on."

Shane slid up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and whispered, "I don't know babe. I think your body might reject a white dress."



"Jordan Williams."

"This name means something. History. High esteem. Glory. I know of few others who have risen to the level of competition that this man has. One of the best, if not the best professional wrestlers in the game today. I personally was thrilled when you came out of your inactive status to help raise Sin City Wrestling to an all-new level. I admit I had you pegged as a future Heavyweight Champion, and who knows? You may still prove me right. But this time, for now, it's the tag team division, and as per usual, we find you at your usual spot. Right on top as the proven best."

"Until 'London Brawling' that is. You see, this will mark a bit of history as being the first time that either Gabriel or Despayre have set foot inside of the ring with you. It is a privilege for them both, and it will prove a learning experience, I am sure. For all parties involved. They will learn from your vast years of successful experiences, and from them you will learn a little lesson in humility. You see, I've watched you for a long time Jordan. from your time in the IWA through the EFWO and right where you are now. I was there, if you recall, in the EFWO at the exact same time that you were. I've watched you because I have a good many years of experience of my own inside of the ring. Perhaps a few short to match your own, but you'd be a fool to think I don't have enough to share with Sinful Obsession to make them a credible threat against your reign at the top of the hill."

"Study. Do your homework. Despayre and Gabriel are one of the few credible teams employed by Sin City Wrestling. They've been together for a few years now. That experience will be of great value, and it is experience you do not share with Casey Williams. You can not read your partner as they do with one another. You can't predict what the other needs or is going to do so you can react accordingly. Gabriel and Despayre, however, can. And they are not without their own merits, Jordan, as I'm sure you're well aware."

"Gabriel -- undefeated AWA World Television Champion. Despayre -- undefeated AWA International Champion. Sinful Obsession -- undefeated AWA World Tag Team Champions. Gabriel -- the first ever Sin City Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, and we all know the circumstances of that championship loss! Are you beginning to see a pattern here, Jordan? Are you starting to wonder just why they have the stellar records that they do? Well, just it back and wait my friend."

"When the time comes, all will be made clear."



"Oh now this is what I'm talking about!"

Rage said aloud with approval as the tour entered the Royal Mews and they laid eyes on the various vehicles and horse drawn carriages used for state purposes by the Royal Family. Shane looked at Rage with a quirked brow and shook his head.

He asked, "Since when are you interested in old cars?"

Rage replied, "Bitch, please! There's a shit load you don't know about me!"

"Yeah," Shane replied, "Like how you've made it to the end of the tour without getting a piece of ass."

Rage turned and glared daggers at Shane who walked on with Fantasia on his arm, oblivious to the seething cauldron threatening to boil over. He turned back and started browsing around the variety of pony carriages, a Glass Coach, a Gold Stage Coach, a 1902 State Landau, and the collections of Phaetons and Victorias.

There was so much to please the tourist eye when Despayre approached the tour guide and raised his hand as if asking for permission to speak, "Excuse me, but where are the horses? I see the carriages but where are the horses that pull `em?"

The tour guide smiled her best and said, "I'm afraid the horses are in the stables. We won't be seeing them today so we might..."

"Boring!" Despayre called out and spun around to rejoin his friends in the Sins as the tour guide blinked.



The tour had went through the state rooms where the Royal Family had entertained world figures over the years, and now was on it's last stop, the 42 acre gardens of the Queen's. It was a virtual oasis of flora and wildlife, where the tourists were able to walk along the path and enjoy everything to please not only the eyes but the scents as well. One might even see the large 19th-century lake which is graced by a flock of flamingoes, the Waterloo Vase, a helicopter pad, and a tennis court.

Shane came up behind Fantasia and reached around to present her with a freshly picked lilac. She looked at it and blinked back at her man with surprise, before hissing between her teeth, "Shane, you twat! Did you just pick that out of the Queen's personal gardens!?"

"C'mon, what's the big deal?" Shane shrugged, shaking the flower in front of her to coerce her into taking it. "When's the last time I bought flowers?"

Fantasia just looked around to see if anyone saw, then looked back up at him and leaned in to answer, "Whenever you think it's going to get you some, and it always works so..." She looked back at the flower and the understanding dawned upon her and she graciously accepted it, saying, "You won't be able to walk right tomorrow sweet cheeks for getting me a flower from this garden."

Shane turned and said, "I'm counting on it."

Synn looked up from inspecting the Napolean Vase and said, "Joshua, are you enjoying... Joshua?"

The questioning tone of the words called the attentions of Gabriel, Rage, Shane and Fantasia to look up and about, but Joshua, aka Despayre, was nowhere to be found.

"Joshua....!"

..........

Despayre walked down the long hallway of the ornately decorated wing of the Palace, his head leaned back and taking in every single richly decorated sight that was before him...



"Now I don't want the Aristocrats to think I went and forgot about them. Oh no, how could I? After all, since our first meeting in the ring, haven't we become the very best of friends? Hm? no? Yeah, somehow I'm not surprised. What does surprise me is it's not you who are opposite the ring from us and that third team, wearing the championship gold."

"As much as it galls me to admit it, if ever there was another team destined to be champions -- other than Sinful Obsession -- it would be the Aristocrats. Chett "Hangman" Hawkins and "Big" Steve Scanlon are a formidable combination of men and styles blended to be a threat to anyone they find themselves up against, and yes, that includes Gabriel and Despayre. When our two teams met, you gave my men a fight that I am reluctant to admit I did not see coming. You fought them to the bitter end, and for the Aristocrats, the end was indeed bitter. For you see, as hard as you fought, in the end, it just wasn't hard enough. After all, who was it that won that match? I do believe it was Sinful Obsession."

"And that was in a standard tag team match, with nothing on the line save for pride. Now try to imagine it gentlemen. If that was the end result with nothing up for grabs, just try to imagine what these two are capable of when championship gold is on the line. Gabriel is, after all, the Sin of Greed. he will settle for nothing short of adding more glory to his already swollen resume', and Despayre just wants to succeed when others believe he might fail. He demands to prove himself with his best friend at his side. Winning the SCW Tag Team title was written in the diaries of the Fates themselves from the moment they signed their contracts. All it would take was a bit of time."

"Despayre is patient. He waited while Gabriel took his rightful spit as King of the Mountain, knowing this time would eventually come. Despayre has become anxious ... hungry. He is a predator and come bell time, he will be unleashed."

"Gabriel and Despayre have waited long enough for their crowning moment gentlemen. The wait is now over."



"Excuse me." Despayre said timidly as he held Angel close to his body and approached an elderly gentleman in a suit and tie. "I think I'm lost. Is the Queen on this part of the tour?"

The man looked up from the table he was signing a paper on and blinked from behind his glasses. He looked toward his left, then right, then focused on Despayre.

"I'd say you were lost young man." The elderly man said in a thick British accent. "The main tour should be in the garden by now."

"I know, that's where I was." Despayre tried to explain. "I was with my friends when I thought I saw the Queen coming inside and I wanted to say hi and introduce us, but I think I took a wrong turn and... " He looked down sheepishly and whispered despite himself, "I'm sorry."

The older man looked at Despayre with a critical eye. He had served as a member of the staff of Buckingham palace for over thirty years and his was a well trained eye for any signs of trouble, and although he saw there was a unique nature to this young man before him, he could read nothing that should involve the calling of the palace security.

A door opened and a regally intoned voice spoke, "Is everything alright Harold?"

Despayre turned to see who had stepped out of the next room and spoken, and he froze. The lady was elderly with short, white hair, glasses on the demure nose and clad in a tasteful business dress. Despite her advanced years, her eyes shone with wisdom and her stature told she was one to be respected. Despayre was looking at Queen Elizabeth herself!

"No mum." Harold addressed the Queen with a respectful nod. "I was just chatting with this pleasant young lad. Seems he accidentally separated himself from the tour group and was trying to find his friends. I thought it best if I looked them up for him. Save a bit of time and headache."

"Yes, quite." Queen Elizabeth agreed and she turned and looked the young wrestler over who was by now doing everything to avoid eye contact with the world's most powerful woman, aside from standing behind the suit of armor he was next to. The Queen as well was a marvelous judge of character with her years of experience in her office, and she too could see the innocent nature of Despayre.

Just as her attendant of so many years was about to step up to Despayre to escort him away, she raised her hand to stall him. "It is almost tea time. Perhaps you would be so kind as to bring have Mary fetch it if our young man here would care to wait?"

"Certainly mum." He looked to Despayre and asked, "Might I ask what your friends look like so I will know them?"

Despayre paused, thinking. He said nothing at first and frowned for just the smallest of moments before he finally spoke up, "Tall. One is bald and looks really mean. One is a pretty redhead."

Harold smiled and gave a nod before he turned to carry out his duties. Two other men stood nearby in the Queen's private office, watching and aware. Innocent or not, their duty was the protection of the Royal Family and were keeping a close eye on Despayre.

The Queen held her hand out toward the open door where the men were and she inclined her head, "Would you join me?"

Despayre glanced up to see where she was indicating and he slowly took a single step forward and then followed her into the room, where one guard remained outside, the other retained his station behind the closed door.

"Please, have a seat." Queen Elizabeth said, motioning toward a small sofa in her study. Despayre looked at it, then at her. She shook her head slightly to ask, "Would you rather stand?"

"No." Despayre said meekly. "But it's ladies first."

This brought a genuine soft smile to the Queen's face as she nodded and walked around to the other side of the sofa and had a seat. As Despayre followed suit, taking a spot on the other side, she remarked, "I see somebody raised you properly."

Despayre looked down at the teddy bear held closely against him and shrugged.

"What is your name?"

"Despayre."

"Despayre?" The Queen frowned. "Is that your real name?"

Despayre shook his head, "No. It's my wrestling name."

"I see." The monarch said in observance." "What is your real name?"

This time Despayre lifted his eyes to look at her and his face flushed a charming pink as he answered her, "Joshua."

"Joshua." The Queen repeated, leaning back against the sofa with her hands in her lap. "I do like that name. Very dignified."

This compliment from such a woman made Despayre sit up just a little bit straighter.



Synn is standing with the others, each one bearing a worried expression as Synn spoke to a man in a business suit. Synn held his hand at chest level, palm down, and said, "He's about this high, with really long, black hair. Half of his head is shaved... Don't look at me like that. He really looks like this."

Shane added, "And he'll be carrying a teddy bear."

Gabriel looked at Fantasia and asked, "Why does he keep looking at us like that?" to which Fantasia shrugged.

"A teddy bear you say?" The voice drew their attention behind them and they saw the older man wearing a smile approach them. "Would you be the friends of Joshua?"

Synn was the first to answer, quickly approaching Harold. "Yes! Is he alright? What happened? is he...?"

Harold held a hand up and said, "The young man is quite alright. He got a little lost, took a wrong turn or something such. He's quite fine and having a bit of tea while I searched for you. Come with me."

Harold turned and headed up the path and the Sins had little else options but to follow.



Queen Elizabeth was now seated next to Despayre, both with cups and saucers in hand as they carried on a conversation.

The Queen said, "Such a shame the state this world is in." She shook her head as she took a sip from her cup.

Despayre followed suit and agreed, "It is. it really is. You know what else is a shame?"

"What's that?"

"When you sit down and your thighs squish out to twice their normal size. That's a shame."

The Queen paused a moment, baffled by this as she took a moment to contemplate his statement. Then she nodded and sipped at her tea when there was a knock at the door.

"Yes?" She called out and the security in the room reached over and opened the door. Harold leaned in and smiled,

"Ma'am," He said. "We've found Joshua's friends. Shall I show them in?"

"Yes, please." She answered, standing up. Watching for a second, Despayre did the same as the door opened wider and Harold stood inside and the Sins promptly walked in, with Synn at the helm.

"Joshua!" He scolded. "Why did you wander off like...?" And he froze immediately when he saw who else was in the room. All of them did so. Fantasia's eyes went wide and she gripped Shane's arm tightly. Rage muttered, "Holy sh..." before Shane wrapped an arm around his head an clamped a hand over his mouth. The two Brits in the group, Shane and Gabriel, held the most reverence of them all as they each found themselves long enough to place their hand on their heart and bowed humbly at the waist. Humbly being the operative term. Both Gabriel and Shane were indeed humbled by the sight of the Queen of England.

"Joshua..." Synn managed to say. "Are you actually having tea with the Queen of England???"

Despayre lowered his cup from his lips and blinked, looking at each in turn before asking, "Doesn't everybody?"

Shane looked at Gabriel and flopped his arms at his side, repeating, "Doesn't everybody!"

"Mother..." The door opened wider and the experience was compounded when in walked Prince Charles and Camilla. "I am told we have visitors?"

"Uh oh..." Despayre whispered. "It's the social climbing shrew!"

"Joshua!" Synn scolded at the same exact time Shane and Gabriel reprimanded, "Despy!"

Queen Elizabeth turned her head and said simply, "Joshua. We do not speak of the Duchess in such a manner."

Despayre looked back and forth between them before he said, "Why not? You did."



The Ashburn Hotel...

The door of the hotel lobby was opened by the doorman and the members of the Seven Deadly Sins walked in, their conversation excited and loud.

"I still can't believe it!" Shane said with a wide smile on his face. "I always thought Despy was capable of anything ... but dude!" he clapped Despayre on the back, almost sending the much smaller man tumbling forward. "You and the Queen herself!?"

"It's no big deal." Despayre reasoned with a smile, bringing the smiles to each of the others in turn.

"No big deal he says." Synn mimics. "The man has tea with the most powerful woman in the world, and he says no big deal."

A hotel clerk approached the group, and spoke specifically to Synn, "Pardon me, sir?"

"Yes?" Synn said, glancing over toward him and frowning at the disruption of their conversation.

"A woman in the waiting area." The clerk said. "Said she's waiting to see you? She says she knows you."

Rage asked, "Who the hell would that be?"

Synn shrugged as he turned to head for the waiting area of the lobby with the others in tow, "Most likely one of those comely lasses Ward or Underwood use to interview us. They told me they scheduled us something and..."

"MOM!" Despayre suddenly cried out from out of nowhere and he tore past the others.

The heads of Synn, Gabriel, Rage, Shane and Fantasia whipped around to spy Despayre jumping into the waiting arms of a woman across the lobby. Gabriel turned his head quickly to look at Synn whose color had drained completely from his features. Gabriel looked back to watch as Despayre embraced the woman with heartfelt enthusiasm and he could find only one thing to say to fit the situation...

"Oh fuck..."

TBC....

128
Climax Control Archives / A whole lot about ... well, something
« on: March 17, 2012, 02:49:47 PM »
 The main guest quarters of the high end hotel was calm ... quiet, save for the subdued sounds emanating from the plasma television stationed against the far end wall. The decor was tasteful, with the furniture spaced across the light, creme colored walls and carpet, and the paintings along the wall minimal but with an elegance all unto their own.

The mood was kind of soured then when one realized that the program being shown on the screen was the Brendan Fraser movie, 'Looney Tunes - Back In Action'.

Synn and Rage sat on the stretch sofa against the wall, their attention on other things besides what was flickering on the screen; the charming blend of live action and classic animation. Synn had his laptop on his bended knee and was busy browsing the internet, looking up information on the NWA and it's championship combination of Weapon-X and Vixen. Rage had a magazine in hand, stealing glances over the folded pages and frowning as if the noise from the movie would not permit him to concentrate on what he was trying to read. As if a debate raging between Brendan Fraser and Daffy Duck could detract from a scientific study on the benefits of ingesting licorice underwear. (Go figure!) The proverbial 'Sin of Lust' sat on a chair beside the sofa, curled up and only paying slight attention to the movie as she had an ereader in hand, reading the classic 'Lord of the Rings' while the team killed a little time before they were set to go out for the evening to an autograph session scheduled by the SCW for the tour of California.

The only two who were paying close attention to the movie at hand was the combination of Kittie and Despayre, both seated on the floor just a foot away from the screen. Kittie sat with her legs curled up and she rested her side against a plush recliner, her one hand on her lap, the other subconsciously twirling her fingers in her blond locks. She was not as into the whole "Looney Tunes" craze like her childlike partner, Despayre, but she found the animation shorts somewhat amusing, and more importantly -- calming. Despayre was the fanatic of the group for these cartoons, and his eyes were riveted to the screen as he sat with his legs stretched out in front of him and his hands curled tightly in his lap. All of his attention on the important stuff.

Despayre's regular tag team partner, Gabriel, had not made the trip to California. He remained behind this one time under Synn's direction so he didn't aggravate his injured knee just as his return date to the ring was close at hand. This disappointed Despayre severely, but Synn and Gabriel both explained it was in Gabriel's best interests, health-wise. That was all Despayre needed to hear to accept it. Gabriel would make the trip with them for the next stop, after all.

The one last member to the group of the Seven Deadly Sins, Sxxxy Shane Boswell, opened the door from the hotel hall and stepped inside of the room. He surveyed the goings on around him, before shutting the door behind him and saying, "Whoa, party central."

"Just enjoying a rare respite, Shane." Synn said from his seat, clicking away at the keys of his computer. "It's a rarity these days it seems. We just have the Meet and Greet shortly and then we can go back to Vegas." He looked up at the 'Sin of Pride' and added, "And then of course the whole process starts anew."

"Whoopee." Shane said sarcastically as he popped his forefinger from his lips and twirled it in the air. He walked over to the side of the sofa and peeked over the screen. "Find anything on the champs?"

"Surprisingly little." Synn answered as he turned the computer to a bio page on the NWA World Tag Team Championship team of the Har-Kore Warriors. "But enough. Their career together is admittedly a storied one. They've won championships a plenty, and earned each one."

"Twenty, plus." Shane said and jetted out his bottom lip in contemplation. "Hm, that's pretty damn good. Gotta give `em credit. Only team I know of that tops that would be..."

"TSSA." Synn finished the thought and turned the laptop back around to continue his scouting. "I know. Chippendale and Thunder's title records run into the thirties, and that's just with each other. the rare times they teamed and won gold with other partners would push the number even further."

Shane dropped the bag he was carrying in Rage's lap with an audible "oof!" and growl from the big man as he maneuvered to the chair where fantasia stood up. Shane plopped down and she followed suit, taking her usual spot on his muscled lap as she didn't miss a beat in her reading. Shane's arm slid around her waist and he spoke up, "So you find any of their matches to help scout for these two chuckle heads here?" He motioned toward the combo watching the movie from the floor.

Synn nodded, "Enough." he glanced up and raised an eyebrow. "You realize they've only defended the World Tag Team title once?"

Having overheard, Fantasia lowered her Nook and frowned, "Once? They won the title at the end of January and only defended it once since?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head in the negative before going back to her reading.

Synn smiled, having read her thoughts without so much as glancing up. "The NWA titles for the most part are only defended once a month, so it's understandable."

"Doesn't exactly set the world on fire though, does it?" Shane asked, glancing over toward the screen. He looked down and saw something that was not there before he looked up. "Am I crazy or is something missing?"

"The bears?" Fantasia mused with a smile.

"Yeah." Shane conferred. "Where's Angel and..."

"Snowflake?" Fantasia finished. "They're in the bedroom, having a tea party as I understand it."

"Ah." Shane nodded sarcastically and rolled his eyes. "Why didn't I know that?" He exhaled gently through pursed lips and raised his eyebrows. He turned his head aside and looked down towards the hall before turning away again.

Fantasia lowered her Nook and gave him a wicked little grin. "You want to look, don't you?"

"No."

Synn closed the laptop with a snap and set it aside, saying, "Well whether you want to or not, here's your chance. It's time to get downstairs for the little fan meet. Can you go get the bears, Shane, while I try to pry these two away from this movie."

"Uhhhhgh!" Shane sighed annoyingly and he stood upright. "Why do I get the feeling you got the easier of the tasks?"

"More tea?"

"Please."

"One lump, or two?"

"Ohhh no you don't! You're not going to get me with that old trick!"

"Why, whatever do you mean?"

"Hey don't play innocent with me! I watch enough Looney Tunes to know how it works. You ask me how many lumps I want and then you whack me with that spoon."

"Now I do believe you're being just a wee bit paranoid, don't you?"

"Hey! A little paranoia is a very healthy thing. It keeps the blood flowing."

"So does an ice pick to the carotid artery, where do you want to draw the line?"

"... Right before that whole ice pick thing!"

"So, where is everybody, anyhow?"

"I think they're all out in the hotel room, watching the boob tube."

"*snort* You said 'boob'!"

"I did, didn't I? Can I say that? I mean, I'm always being told this is a 'family program' and things are PG-13 and all."

"That's WWE, you silly. We're Sin City Wrestling. Anything goes!"

"Anything?"

"Well, almost anything. You won't see anything like Synn bending Mark Ward over in the ring or anything like that."

"All the better for my innocent little eyes. I won't have to wash them out with Clorox!"

"Uh...yah! So why is everybody out there instead of in here, playing with us and having a spot of tea?"

"I think Synn is trying to keep everyone's mind on other stuff. Mommy Dearest struck again."

"Oh? What was it this time? A homemade sweater with wool so fresh it still goes BAAAAAAAAAAAA!...?"

"Um, well, no. Not quite. It was just a little greeting card, Hallmark I think."

"Do we get royalties now that you plugged the greeting card conglomerate in our promo?"

"I doubt it. The greeting card business just isn't what it used to be. And besides, it's tasteless to plug some company in a wrestling promo just in the hopes of a cheap reward."

"Oh I agree! ... Captain Morgan Rum!"

"D'oh!"

"Well it was worth a shot."

"Say, what are they doing out there anyway? Don't tell me they're watching that press conference again. I'm still trying to process it, myself."

"I know. I mean, who do those two think they are anyway? Coming in here and criticizing the way Mark and Christian are running things? Last time I checked, they came to SCW, not the other way around. Just who do they think they are!"

"They're the NWA World Heavyweight Tag Team Champions."

"Heavyweight?"

"That's what Wolverine keeps saying."

"Who's Wolverine? I thought his name was Weapon-X."

"You say potato, I say vodka. Been reading too many X-Men comics lately."

"So... does the NWA have a World Cruiserweight Tag Team championship?"

"Nope."

"Then why does he keep calling their titles the Heavyweight Tag Team championship? Heck, they even called the SCW titles the SCW Heavyweight Tag Team Championship!"

"You know I looked at the official NWA website and they don't even call their titles Heavyweight tag team titles. I guess they have some weird hangup over that term."

"Does that mean since he calls their title for Heavyweights, he's calling his wife...?"

"I would say so, yes."

"Hunh. Not a very nice thing to say about your own beloved. It's no wonder he condones male on female violence. Tsk tsk tsk. He probably uses a tazer on the little missus when the smashed potatoes have lumps in them."

"Yeah I was talking to my little buddy after watching that snooze fest and he didn't understand how equality equaled right from wrong when it came to men fighting women."

"I'd say it was the Har-Kore Warriors who don't understand. A gentleman does not hit a woman, bottom line."

"I agree. Only a coward would hit a woman, unless maybe his life was at stake. But hitting a woman in a wrestling match? Oh they say that the woman can take care of herself and claim equal rights and all that, but what happens in a domestic dispute when the cops are called because a guy beat up his girlfriend or wife? Are the cops going to say, 'Oh she can handle it. It's the new millennium so equal rights and all that!'"

"No the cop will not! That guy is going to get arrested."

"Exactly! It doesn't matter if the woman started it or attacked him and he was defending himself. The man gets blamed and arrested. The man is shed in the bad light and is automatically in the wrong according to society and the law. The man is made out to be the bad guy."

"So, how is pro wrestling any different?"

"It's not. It's a sport, that's it. It's not even been realistic in the past when men have stepped into the ring against women."

"Example?"

"Well look at when two of the toughest women in the business, Jacqueline and Luna (God rest her soul) tried to wrestle Jeff Jarrett. He tore them apart. They accepted his challenge. They knew what they were getting into, and still Jarrett was made out to be the villain for hitting them in the matches. Trish Stratus tried to wrestle Chris Jericho but he laid her out with one clothesline. Test (God rest his soul) pretty much laid Lita out and pinned her after just one big boot."

"How about Chyna? She took on men all the time. Even in Japan. Every time someone who says women should be allowed to wrestle men, they always bring up Chyna as their main point of argument."

"Chyna. Hmph. Well for one, Chyna is -- or was -- twice the size of all these other women who say they should be able to wrestle with the guys.  But have they forgotten just how bad in the ring she was?  Plus, people forget that half of the time she fought men, she either used weapons to win (ala Jeff Jarrett) or she had help, like when Triple H used to accompany her to the ring for her matches against men. Billy Gunn, Val Venis, she wrestled and beat men of that caliber, but only because Triple H interfered and did most of the damage himself."

"True. I recall a match she had with Ken Shamrock. He wouldn't fight her but she kept pushing and slapping him until he snapped. He put her down with one belly-to-belly suplex and she was out! And ... after that one move Triple H jumped into the ring to get revenge for her.

"Revenge for what? She signed up for the match. Shamrock just happened to lay her out. Put her in a real match against some of the men she 'wrestled' and they'd take her apart. Like when she wrestled in Japan."

"Tried to, you mean."

"Right. She got in a move or two here and there, but those guys had her number from the start of the match to the end."

"What about Misty? She's one of our own and she was the only woman in the Cruiserweight Gauntlet and she walked away with the title."

"Let's just say she's the exception to the rule. But if you want to be technical, she was the last entrant so she had a heck of an advantage going in."[/color]

"True. Say, speaking of my home girl, can you believe that press conference where the Har-Kore Warriors actually had the nerve to bring her match up and criticize who Mister Ward signed to wrestle her? Tsk tsk."

"Well they seem to have a high value to their own opinion. I guess when you've been competing for as long as they have, you naturally have this affinity toward your own opinions of the business, whether you're working regularly for that company or not."

"Yeah but what business is it of theirs if Misty was signed to compete against Angelica? Personally I'm looking forward to that match. I mean, it has some history behind the two babes and so far we really haven't seen Misty and Angelica together in SCW."

"Oh I know. Even if the title isn't on the line, it'll be nice to see something new. And if Angelica wins, she will at least be put in line for a title match so all the better. Plus you'd think those two would be happier seeing a woman getting such an opportunity in a division centered around the boys."

"You'd think, but they're just complainers by nature. Look at how they whined about who they'd be facing here with their open challenge. They knew SCW's rules very well about men wrestling women before they ever showed up to issue their challenge."

"Yeah! Then they go and complain about not getting an all-male team to compete against. I mean, hel-LO!? Sinful Obsession couldn't wrestle them even if it was allowed. Gabriel is hurt, and if they'd bother to do their homework, they would have known that."

"Yeah, and the others were already signed to compete for the SCW Tag Team titles. Sorry kiddies, but in my opinion, the SCW titles have more prestige because they're defended more regularly and against a wider variety of teams."

"I think so too. I think so... oo! Cheese it! It's the man!"

The footsteps outside of the bedroom were heard to have stopped. Beneath the door that led out into the hallway, the shadowed forms of a pair of shoes came to a halt. The doorknob turned and with a soft click to the ears, it slid open against the plush carpeting and Shane set foot inside of the room and have a brief look around, until he spotted what he had first set his eyes for.

Two teddy bears were seated at the small end table on plastic chairs. One was the gift Despayre had given to Kittie for a wintery holiday gift late last year, aptly named Wynter. The female teddy bear was clad now in a 'ball gown' of crystal blue with a tiara on her scalp. The second was perhaps the most famous teddy bear known to man (and we mean that!), the little companion of Despayre himself, Angel. Angel was seated opposite of Wynter, dressed in a tuxedo with a top hat and a monocle over his right eye. The table was set for a tea party, complete with the small cups, teapot, and a little plate piled high with Oreo cookies.

Shane could not help but shake his head, the bemusement on his face at the play acting of his team companions. He walked over and as per Kittie and Despy's request, scoops the bears up into his arms and he turned about to leave, when he stopped short. He slowly turned his head back to glance at the table with a frown on his face. He leaned in toward the table and saw tiny little teeth marks, bites taken out of the cookies on the plates that were in front of each bear's place setting. He then saw the tea cups had actual tea in them, and the wisps of steam rising told him that it was still hot, still fresh.

"How...?" Shane started to wonder aloud when he clamped his mouth shut and shook his head. "Forget it. I don't think I want to know."

And he turned back swiftly and hurried from the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

"Shhhhhh!"

_______________________________


Mid-camera...a teddy bear's face fills the television set with thick rimmed glasses magnifying his little black eyes to three times their normal size with a white and powder blue polka dot tie...Mr. Self Help.

Mr. Self Help: Hewwo. Will you be my fwiend?

(Insert corny theme music here reminiscent of a TV game show)

The Hilton Garden Inn Hall was to be the location for the next installment of Sin City Wrestling's weekly two-hour long Climax Control, packed with wrestling action of the dramatic flare that has made this a staple for enthusiasts of the sport. The famed six-sided ring had already been put into place, but the floor was empty of the seats and chairs for the fans. That was because today, Saturday, was a special pre-Climax Control event. A special SCW Meet and Greet for the fans, filled with stars signing autographs and mingling with their supporters. A chance for lucky fans to step forward inside of the ring and take pictures with their friends and their favorite superstars and Bombshells.

It was the perfect way for those in charge of Sin City Wrestling to wet the appetites of the wrestling hungry men and women, young and old, who have come to support their creation since day one. On the far side of the hall was a stage complete with podium. many fans stationed there were laughing and talking, showing those closest to them of their purchases at the souvenir stands and the autographs and pictures taken and received from the men and women of the SCW.

A sudden, ear-splitting feedback screech from the sound system caused many to cringe and grab at their ears, when a booming voice carried across the hall...

"'Lifestyles of the Poor and Unknown' will not be seen at this time so we that we can present to you an even bigger loser of a show."

"Here he is, the bear with all the answers. The one who can look into you and see what ails you and make you feel all snuggly inside! The cuddly wuddly little guy who's advice is often asked for, but rarely adhered to. He talks to you whether you're listening or not because he cares -- and he likes the sound of his own voice! Please welcome...Mr. Self Help!"

The fans standing at the stage turn and start to clap their hands and cheer, whistle and holler out for the impending appearance of the famous little teddy bear. Seconds pass by and the stage light continues to flow over the red, velvety curtains while the cornball music continues to play. Shadowy silhouette are shown against the curtains from the backstage area, clearly in deep conversation and possibly unaware of their voices being heard.

(Darn those stage microphones!)

"I don't want to do this."

"Despy, you have to."

"Why?"

"Because it was your idea!"

"That is beside the point! Why do I have to go out there and do his seminar? It's his!"

"You know Angel gets stage fright."

"Well he needs to get over it! I don't like going out there either!"

"Well how about this? Here. Put his glasses on."

One shadow is seen slipping something off of a small figure being held by another and slipped onto the head of the one holding the figure.

"See? Problem solved. You won't even be able to tell anyone is watching."

"Wow! Have you ever thought about corrective surgery for your eyes, Angel? I don't know how you manage!"

"Despy, they're waiting."

"Alright! Alright! I'm going, but he owes me big!"

There was a rustling of the curtains as the opening was being targeted but not found, when an audible growl was heard and the bottom of the curtains were then flung up and Despayre struggles through to the general laughter and applause of the fans watching in the convention hall. Wearing the glasses with the magnifying lenses, Despayre's gray eyes were four times their normal size and he was clearly struggling to see as he held his hands out and carefully walked towards the podium. He found it, if you call bumping into it at a hard impact 'finding it' and looked around at the fans who each bore smiles and "Beware the Stare" Angel t-shirts.

"Hello." Despayre spoke into the microphone (after locating it too, with his hands). "I'm afraid Mister Self Help will be unable to attend his seminar. I am Joshua, or Despayre, his assistant. I will be substituting for him (he turned his head to look off-stage and bellowed) BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS NOT AWARE THAT HE'S A BIG BEAR NOW AND SHOULD BE OVER HIS STAGE FRIGHT!" He looked back to the crowd before his eyes widened and looked off-stage again. "Oh yeah!? Well you're another!" Despayre looked out to the fans and jetted a thumb to the backstage area. he turned to face the curtains again. "And I better be getting a cut of his tape sales if I have to be doing his speech!"

The fans, by now, were roaring in laughter at the comedic antics of Despayre, whether he intended for them to be comedic in nature or not. Despayre shook his forefinger at the curtains before he turned to the fans with a mocking frown on his youthful face and he cleared his throat.

"Anyway..." he said. "I am Mister Self Help's assistant and tonight we...*cough* **coughcough* *cough-HACK!" He thumped his chest with his hand an shook his head vigorously, making that funny noise with his lips. "Hm, pardon me. Hairball. One of the many risk factors of teddy bear cuddling."

The fans laughed and Despayre looked left, then right, then leaned closely into the microphone as if to share a secret. He said, "And that morning breath of theirs. Oh let me tell you some-ALRIGHT!" He glanced offstage again and exhaled his breath sharply before looking at the fans with an elbow propped on the podium. He tilted his head back, to indicate the people standing off the stage area. "Teddy bears can be so TESTY when you critique the slightest... FINE!"

He looked down and picked up a stack of papers and sorted them before glancing up, biting his lower lip. he turned his head and called out, "Hey if I have to do this, I need my lovely assistant! I can't be expected to read this to talk smack about my opponents AND click the projector too!"

The voices from backstage are overheard debating by the fans...

"You do it."

"Screw that. I did it last time."

"Yeah but you did it so well..."

"Flattery will get you nowhere. So you do it."

"He doesn't like me."

"Despy likes everybody!"

"I meant the bear."

"Oh .... of course you did. Hey I know! Kittie is his partner. She can do it."

"What!? I am not..."

The curtains were thrown open and Kittie was sent stumbling through. She was greeted with cheers and jeers alike from the fans as she turned back to glare at those unseen, her teammates obviously. She turned around to look out at the fans briefly before looking to Despayre who had a quizzical expression.

He said, "Gabriel, you've changed."

"I'm NOT Gabriel!" Kittie growled.

Despayre hefted his glasses up briefly and nodded, "Oh good. I was worried. For a moment there I thought Gabriel got a boob job and lost about a hundred pounds."

Kittie protested and said, "Try a hundred and twenty and then we're in business."

"Are you ready!?" Despayre shrieked happily.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Uh uh." Despayre shook his head.

Kittie sighed defeatedly and said, "Then I'm ready."

"Excellent!" Despayre passed the projector button to his tag team partner for Climax Control and turned back to the fans and spoke into the microphone, "Today, ladies, gentlemen, and undecided..."

Kittie mouthed 'undecided'?

Despayre continued, "WE are here to talk about the issue of violence between men and women, cleverly disguised as a wrestling promo because, you know, we have to do things like this. You see, in many professional wrestling organizations, they let men compete against women, for good or ill. Not here in Sin City Wrestling, however! And my lovely assistant Kittie and I have two opponents who don't agree with this. Weapon-X, and a lady by the name of Vixen."

Despayre scratched the back of his head and turned to look at Kittie.

"Say," he asked. "Can a lady go by the name of Vixen? Doesn't that mean a lady who's not a lady?"

From backstage, somebody shouted, "It means a quarrelsome or argumentive woman, Despy!"

"Oh!"

Despayre turned back to the camera and smiled, "Well then that fits then! She and her man-man seem to enjoy dictating their views and opinions on SCW, and they haven't even officially competed there yet! Oh it's wrong to discriminate against women, they say, and not allow them to wrestle men. Well let me ask you something..."

Despayre leaned forward on the podium, and rested an elbow up atop of it.

He said, "Is it equality, or an inferiority complex, that they seek to indulge? Oh don't get me wrong, men and women should be equals, and be able to compete in the same businesses, the same professions, as one another. But should they be allowed to compete in the same physical contact sports, such as wrestling? Can you imagine a match like this?"

Kittie clicked the button on the projector remote.

\'user vs \'user

Despayre spoke, "Would it be considered equality for Laila Ali to engage in a boxing match with world boxing champion Vladimir Klitschko? If equality means they'd be scraping her off of the match after the first shot he landed, then sure! But they don't have intergender professional boxing matches. If Vixen and Weapon-X had their way, they probably would. Their stances, are a detriment to the safety and well being of women everywhere!"

Kittie held up a sign that clearly read "Cheer" and the fans obliged enthusiastically.

Despayre continued, "Of course, boxing is not wrestling. But yet you would not see these form of intergender fights in other contact sports such as MMA, UFC, and the like. Why? Because they wouldn't think to put women in such dangerous positions, so why professional wrestling?" He held his arms out to the side and looked baffled. "Professional wrestling can be as dangerous and as violent as any other. So why. Why do the Har-Kore Warriors seem so determined to have men wrestle women? Perhaps it's a domestic issue? Perhaps it's something from their childhood? Vixen, you can talk to me. You can talk to Mister Self-Help ... or his assistant I guess. Tell me..."

He looked closely into the camera.

"Does your husband lay a hand to you? Or, do you lay a hand to him? Domestic violence where women attack their men isn't unheard of, but it is not reported as often due to the embarrassing nature of the situation. Few men would report that their women beat them up. In our sport, few men would want to willingly wrestle a female because once they get pinned, IF they get pinned, that pretty much shoots their reputation up the... patooty."

He looked off-stage.

"Yeah I'm not going to say that other word. This is a family promo!"

He looked back out at the fans and gave a goofy smile.

"Now, more visual aids!"

Kittie clicked the remote...

\'user

"Annie, from 'Misery'! This is a babe who had no trouble at all at taking a hand to a man ... and an axe to his foot. Ewwww! She beat him and threatened him. She intimidated him, and all in the name of love. This, my dear Vixen, is you. You, are Annie. Of course I'm not saying you tie your husband to the bed and hobble him. Unless, of course, he's into that sort of thing."

Despayre looked to Kittie.

"Is he into that sort of thing?"

Kittie frowned, "How would I know!?"

The fans laughed.

Despayre frowned. "Boy! Some assistant you are! You're supposed to find these things out beforehand! Anyway..." He turned back and smiled. "Up next in our revolving Kaleidoscope of kooky basket cases of intergender inequality..."

Kittie clicked the remote.

\'user

"Ah! Good ol' Norman Bates! A man with classic psychological issues. Psychological .. psycho ... get it? HA! No? Hm, well I'd have laughed if you said it. Now, although Norman here did a man or two... in Did them in! I KNEW THAT! His primary targets just so happened to be women. Why? Because girls were icky and immoral according to his mother, and did this man ever have momma issues! He kept her dead body preserved in his basement for crying out loud!"

Despayre blinked, looked at Kittie briefly before he leaned in close to the microphone.

"Vixen, I implore you. When you get home -- CHECK THE BASEMENT! Oh and I'd lock the bathroom door when I went for a shower too, if I were you. That Weapon-X might have a few skeletons in his closet that you're not aware of. So, my point in all of this."

He looked down at the papers and then turned around.

"There was a point to this!?"

"Apparently." A voice called back. "The bear doesn't waste time."

"No, no he doesn't." Despayre turned back around and shrugged.

"Would Annie take Norman Bates in a brawl to settle it all between two basket cases? Who would win if they did? The point is, these types of situations happen in horror films all the time. Who are usually the antagonists? Men. Jason Vorhees. Mother issues. Freddy Krueger. He just hated women in general. It was children he had a liking toward. Michael Meyers? I think he had a thing for his sister, which is probably why he wore that mask. Naughty naughty naughty!"

Despayre picked up the stack of papers and rapped them on end on the podium.

"In closing, you two sick, twisted freaks. This is not a horror movie where men having their violent ways with women is an accepted par of the course. This is professional wrestling. More importantly, this is Sin City Wrestling."

The crowd cheered.

"You knew very well before you ever came here that men were not allowed to wrestle women, so you have no right -- none at all -- to complain that you did not get an all-male team, or an all-female team, to face in this showcase match. So kindly stop complaining, and play the hand that you've been dealt. You have Kittie and Despayre, a combination that equals your own. Champions, versus former champions. Men abusing women in a violent manner belongs in horror movies. Women abusing men belongs in the random S&M dungeon."

Despayre frowned at the paper and looked to Kittie.

"I don't get it."

"Don't look at me." She said, holding her hands up. "It was your teddy bear who wrote that speech."

"Yeah, I think I'll go ask him to explain it to me. Are we done?"

"God I hope so!"

Despayre pulled off the glasses and blinked rapidly. "Wow!" he said. "I really need to ask Synn to get Angel that laser corrective surgery."

"After we kick Vixen and Weapon-X's asses, okay?"

"Okay!" And Despayre dropped down to all fours and crawled back under the curtains. Kittie watched him with a smirk before she found the opening immediately and started through. But before she vanished behind, she turned back and looked out to everyone, "This has been a Mister Self-Help presentation"

And she vanished behind the curtains as the fans laughed and applauded.

129
Supercard Archives / Loyalty
« on: February 24, 2012, 06:10:32 PM »
 After Climax Control...

The evening had been blessedly quiet for a hospital's normal occurrences. There had been no emergencies today, a miracle of sorts given that Carson City was, in fact, the capitol of the state of Nevada.

The ambulance pulled up alongside the patient drop off entrance for the Carson City Memorial Hospital, one of the city's premiere medical care hospital facilities. The rear doors opened and the paramedic stepped out and turned to wait as the driver shut the engine off and stepped out himself. The driver walked around to the rear of the emergency vehicle and looked inside, "Sir, are you absolutely certain we can't wheel your friend into a room directly?" He asked this as a nurse walked out with a wheelchair being pushed before her. The hospital, of course, had been notified along the way about the circumstances of the patient and what would be desired and/or requested.

"No." Synn said as he took a step out of the ambulance and dropped down to the pavement. The back end of the ambulance had been decidedly crowded, with Synn's 6'8" bulk taking up most of what free space there was to be had, with the patient and the paramedic feeling rather cramped with what was left. "Trust me, it'll work out better if we just do it this way. We have friends on the way and it would be best if we wait by admissions for their arrival."

He paused and took a step back as the driver climbed into the back and the first paramedic stepped up into the back and with a team effort, they worked together to remove the gurney, and the patient being Gabriel, out from the vehicle.

"Are you certain?" The nurse asked, looking up at the tall form of Synn with wonder and a hint of apprehension in her voice. "If you're worried about your friends locating him, that'll be no problem. They can just ask at the admissions desk and be directed from there."

"Yeah man." Gabriel grunted as he was assisted by the two paramedics from the gurney and into the wheelchair. To keep him leg steady, one paramedic swung the foot rests around so Gabriel could securely rest his foot against it. "Why waste time? The sooner they see me, the sooner the doctor can give me some wicked pain killers and the sooner this will be over with." The one paramedic who rode with him in the back then scooped up the teddy bear from the gurney that Despayre had made sure also made the trip with his friend, and passed it to Gabriel whose cheeks suddenly flushed scarlet.

"Gabriel..." Synn placed his hand on the magician's shoulder and leaned down so that he could speak gently, if not privately, to the man. "Shane is bringing everyone here, Fantasia, Despayre, Kittie... they're going to walk in, expecting to see us. Do you want to experience the chaos of Joshua running rampant through the halls of this place, trying to find you?"

Gabriel paused momentarily, lost in thought, as he contemplated this very same scenario. Slowly he turned his head to look up at Synn and the most wicked of smiles crossed Gabriel's handsome face. He murmured, "Only if there's somebody recording it."

Gabriel's mirth was matched as he saw Synn's face remain stoically serious but the corners of his lips twitched, showing he was slightly losing the battle not to betray his amusement at the thought. He said carefully, "I know, I wouldn't mind seeing it myself." He choked back what would have had to have been a laugh but then continued, "But perhaps they're right. They should be here any moment." He stood upright and looked at the nurse and nodded, "If you take him, I'll wait for our friends."

The nurse nodded and moved behind Gabriel, and taking a grip on the handlebars of his wheelchair, she moved him forward toward the entrance where the automatic doors slid open to admit them and they disappeared inside with the two paramedics following to pass on to the nurse what they knew about the injury and the cause thereof. The last thing Synn heard was the nurse saying aloud, "Nice teddy bear."

"IT'S NOT MINE!"

Synn shook his head and turned around to wait for the next arrivals. It would turn out that he didn't have long to wait.

The way Shane drove he must have been cutting off every other car in the heavy Carson City traffic trying to tail the ambulance because it wasn't no more than five minutes later when Synn's own car pulled up around the drop off where Synn stood waiting for him. The vehicle swung around into one of the few parking spaces for visitors and the engine was cut off. The doors opened and Despayre practically climbed on top of and over Shane who shouted, "Oy! Watch it!" in his haste to escape the confines of the car and rush to Synn. He almost darted right past him and into the hospital straight away, had it not been for Synn's swift reflexes as he reached an arm out and ensnared the youth around the waist and reeled him back.

"Hold it, Joshua." Synn said as he pulled him around in front of him and turned him about to wait as the others, Shane, Fantasia and Kittie, joined them at the front.

Kittie frowned, "Why are you out here? I would have thought you'd be waiting inside, checking Gabriel in."

"They're taking him straight to a room to get checked in and examined." Synn explained. "I thought it perhaps prudent I wait here for you so a certain someone (pointed at Despayre from behind) didn't go running around the halls trying to find his best friend."

Kittie smirked but Shane grinned widely, "Damn, that would be hilarious."

"Can we go find Gabriel now and see how he is?" Despayre whined, looking upside down at Synn.

"Yeah." Synn nodded. "You three first." He said to Shane, Fantasia and Kittie who walked past the pair and entered as the glass doors slid in opposite directions to admit them inside of the facility. Before Despayre could hurry to follow, Synn turned him around and leaned over to look closely into his eyes.

"Are you certain you want to go in?"

Despayre's face turned to one that would have brought a barking laugh had it been anyone but the ice-veined Synn who remained staring at him. The look would almost bear the question of, "What are you, nuts?"

"Of course I want to go!" He answered back. "I told you Gabriel needs me!"

"Okay." Synn said with obvious reluctance, "But the first sign of your feeling badly and we leave." and he straightened up and placed a hand on Despayre's smaller shoulders and directed him toward the doors. They slid open and the pair set foot inside, but no sooner did they than did Despayre freeze up and stop moving. Synn turned to look at him with concern.

"Joshua?"

Despayre fidgeted with his arms, unused to not having Angel's security snuggled within them. He loosened his arms and let them fall to his sides, where his hands clenched and unclenched into fists. Shane, seeing this, took a step forward and looked at Synn.

"He okay?"

Synn hated to do this but he placed a hand on Despayre's arm to steer him around and take him back outside but surprisingly, Despayre pulled from his grip.

"I'm okay." Despayre whispered in a tone that told them that statement wasn't entirely accurate. "It's not the bad place. It's not."

Synn leaned down and inspected him closely and Despayre's head whipped up to return the gaze. Synn asked, "Are you sure?" to which Despayre just nodded. Despayre inhaled a shaky breath as Synn draped an arm around his diminutive shoulders and led him towards the admissions desk where the others stood.

********************


The examination room was like any other in its sterile environment with the charts on the wall and instruments sealed away behind the glass cabinet doors. On the examination table, Gabriel sat with both legs stretched out, and the one leg from his black, leather pants had to be cut away by a swift hand and sharp scissors so the afflicted knee injury could be closely scrutinized. The injury was painfully obvious now to the naked eye as the knee that Goth had taken out and struck down with a steel chair was swollen to three times it's normal size and discolored a sickening array of blue, green, purple and yellow. Gabriel held an ice pack against the knee and breathed deeply as he attempted to dull the pain in his mind, at least until something a little more potent prescribed to him could do the job for him.

An older woman of Asian descent stood at the foot of the exam table with a clipboard in her hand when there was a soft rap on the door. She glanced up over her glasses on the bridge of her nose and looked to the door for a brief moment, before it opened and a young male intern peeked inside. He saw Gabriel where he sat, and a perplexed expression only briefly crossed his face when he spotted the teddy bear on the table at his waist. He then regained his composure and looked to the woman.

He said, "Oh, Doctor Ochi? Your patient's visitors are here."

"Finally." Gabriel grumbled as the intern opened the door wider. Synn was about to step inside but he was almost bumped into the door frame as Despayre barreled right past him and leapt, landing at the exam table's side and he leaned in close to look Gabriel in the eyes, almost nose-to-nose.

"Are you cured?" Despayre asked. "Did the doctor take your temperature in the normal way or the funny way?"

Doctor Ochi blinked and looked over to Synn who had stepped inside of the room and shut the door behind him. "You'll have to forgive him." Synn said to the doctor as he moved around her to stand on the other side of Gabriel and the table. "He was worried about his friend here." And he picked up Angel and leaned over to offer the teddy bear up to Despayre's waiting arms.

Despayre cuddled the bear closely against his chest and looked at Gabriel, "Did he take good care of you?"

"Yeah, he did Despy." Gabriel replied. "He tried to bite the nurse for coming at my pants leg with the scissors."

"Well nobody wants to see your legs."

Gabriel looked up and frowned, the pain dulling his sense of what to and what not to say. He growled, "I am getting a little bit tired..."

"Boy and you haven't given him the pain killers yet and he's already tired!" Despayre looked at the doctor in wonder. "He's going to totally zonk out!"

"Joshua..." Synn said in a soothing tone, holding a forefinger to his lips. Despayre turned to Gabriel and repeated the gesture. Synn then turned to the doctor who was looking at the clipboard in her hands.

She stated, "I have all the information on what happened Mister..."

"Just call me Gabriel."

Doctor Ochi looked up with her eyebrows knitted in wonder, before saying, "I'm afraid we're going to need your last name for our files."

"He doesn't have one." Despayre spoke up. "He's like Madonna." He looked at the bear he was holding and nodded. "Right. Or Cher."

Synn reached into his jacket and pulled out a fountain pen and handed it over to Gabriel, saying, "Just write it down for her if you prefer it kept a secret."

The doctor nodded and passed the clipboard to Gabriel. He started to write it down when he paused and looked at Despayre who was stretching on his toes to try and see. "Despy?" Gabriel said, and his 'little buddy' dropped back down to his feet and bit his bottom lip with a frown. Gabriel started writing again when a fuzzy face appeared over the back of his shoulder, 'looking' down at the writing. Unable to help himself, Gabriel smiled and poked Angel in the nose with the pen. Despayre pulled his bear back with a soft laugh and held him tight as the doctor took the clipboard back.

"So," She started to say. "Three repeated shots to the knee by a steel folding chair?" She looked at Gabriel and held her hands out in wonder. "Do you mind if I ask why the authorities haven't been summoned?"

"Fat lot of good it'll do." Gabriel grumbled as he turned his head away and watched as Despayre peered into the cabinets, inspecting the utensils. He looked back at the doctor and shook his head, "The guy who did this will get his, doc. But I don't want to send any more time focusing on this than I have to. Calling the cops will just keep me here even longer than I want to be, and I never was much of a fan of the police anyway."

The doctor shrugged, clearly not agreeing with his decision to not involve the police. She instead jotted down some notes before she looked up and said, "Well, I have all of the information I need. I'm going to send you down for some X-Rays."

Synn folded his arms and leaned back against the wall, "He's not going to need surgery, is he?"

"We won't know until the X-Ray results are back." Doctor Ochi answered. "But it is possible if enough damage was done to the knee or tendons around it, he might."

The news was neither good, nor welcome, but it had to be accepted. Synn looked at Gabriel who met his eyes, before they both glanced over to Despayre who had a fearful expression of concern on his own face, eyes wide and darting between the doctor and Gabriel.

The doctor opened the door and turned back to the men inside of the room, "I'll get started on the paper work and Jaymes will take you down for your knee to be X-Rayed. It'll be just a few moments."

"Thank you doctor." Synn said as the door closed with a soft latch.

Gabriel asked, "Where are the others?"

"In the waiting room."  Synn answered. "The nurse told us only two visitors and Joshua and I were the two most likely candidates. Soon as you get taken down to be X-Rayed, Joshua and I'll go fill them in on what's happening."

Gabriel nodded when a light snort brought his and Synn's attention to look at Despayre who was holding a hand over his mouth and nose, tittering gleefully.

"What's so funny?"Gabriel asked.

Despayre lowered his hand and tried to compose himself, without much success. He answered in between giggle fits and said, "Angel just told me your last name."

"Angel doesn't even know my last name."

"Does so!" Despayre protested. "He looked over your shoulder when you wrote it down, remember?"

"Oh really?" Gabriel arched a brow, looking his friend over. "What is it then?"

Despayre leaned up onto the exam table and whispered in Gabriel's ear. Gabriel's eyes opened wide and he looked at the bear, "How the hell did he...?"

********************


Doctor Ochi stood in the exam room, alongside Synn who stood in the background against the wall, and Gabriel who was again seated with his legs outstretched following a series of X-Rays on his knee. Despayre, who had refused to remain in the waiting room with the others, stood close to the table's edge and at Gabriel's side. All eyes were on the bright box of light against the wall with the X-Ray film pinned against it.

Doctor Ochi lowered her hand from her lips and turned her head toward Gabriel and said, "Well, the good news is that you won't be needing surgery. Somehow, despite the fact you took three shots like you described, the damage, although bad, was minimal compared to what it could have been."

"And the bad news?" Gabriel prompted.

She turned to him and answered freely, "The bad news is that despite it not being as bad as it could have been, it is still bad." She turned slightly to point at an area on the film. "Right here indicates a slight, very slight, fracture of your kneecap. You also suffered some damage to the tendons surrounding the joint itself."

Synn held up a hand to emphasize a point, "But nothing, you said, that would require surgery."

"Correct." Doctor Ochi nodded and then returned to looking to Gabriel. "But you are going to have to wear a brace around your knee, and keep the pressure off of it for as much as possible while you recover."

"So, what? I can't walk at all for... however long?" Gabriel frowned.

Doctor Ochi stepped over and removed the X-Ray from the screen, all the while responding with professionalism, "No, certainly not. You can move around but I recommend it be at minimal intervals, at least initially. Also you'd do well to use a set of crutches to help elevate the pressure from the knee when you do so. Keep it straight for as much as you can and..."

Despayre interrupted, asking innocently, "Will he be allowed to wrestle again?"

The question had been on Synn and Gabriel's mind as well, but they had yet to ask. Once Despayre took the initiative, the doctor found all of their eyes on her.

She sighed and slowly removed her glasses, "I will be honest. I have never been a fan of these form of contact sports. Boxing, UFC, professional wrestling, so when I am able to offer this advice, I usually suggest it be in my patient's best health interests not to take part in them."

Gabriel shook his head. "Not an option."

"I understand." The doctor nodded. "So in knowing this, I would say that after four, perhaps five weeks, you would do well enough to be able to return to the ring. However at first I would also recommend you wear a brace for the first couple of weeks when you do so. Just to be sure."

"Not a problem." Synn said before Gabriel had the option of doing so himself.

Doctor Ochi then added, "Also, for the first few weeks at least, do you have anybody that might be able to help you get around, to take care of you?"

"I'm not an invalid." Gabriel spoke up suddenly, perhaps harsher in than intended. Before he could say anything else, Synn interrupted and said matter-of-factly.

"He'll be staying at my place for the duration."

Gabriel swerved his head around to stare daggers at Synn but there was no room for argument judging by the big man's face and tone.

"Don't argue." Synn said. "It's for your own health. It's not forever so it isn't like you have to give up your place or anything like that."

Gabriel turned away, shaking his head and grumbling, "Christ..."

"Hooray!" Despayre cried out. "Gabriel's staying with us!" He held his teddy bear at arm's length and cooed to it, "You hear that Angel? Gabriel's going to stay with us! Doctor Angel and Nurse Joshua taking care of Gabriel!"

Gabriel turned his head back to the man and bear pairing with his brow furrowed in a curious blend of frustration and curiosity. He could not help it though when the corner of his lips twitched in amusement. Synn shook his head but the doctor herself also seemed amused.

She said, "Now... if there are no further questions, I'll just write out..."

"I have a question." Despayre said timidly, raising his hand.

"Yes?" The doctor slid her glasses on, looking to him as he slowly lowered his hand and he leaned in, a curious look on his face.

Despayre asked, "When I  order at Panda Express, and say no MSG ... do they really put it in anyway?"

Doctor Ochi blinked, and Gabriel snorted back his laughter while Synn hid his face behind the back of his hand as he shook his head, but the quaking of his shoulders spoke volumes of his amusement. Despayre just looked around at them in his innocent nature toward his question.

She then regained her composure and said, "I'll go have Gabriel's prescriptions written out. He'll be put on a mild muscle relaxer and pain killer..."

Gabriel muttered, "Hot damn..."

She smiled and opened the door to take her leave...

Only minutes later, the intern from earlier, Jaymes, had made his way to the room and fit Gabriel's leg into a firm knee brace that would keep his leg straight. He also had a set of crutches and offered them over to the patient as he slid carefully from the exam table.

Synn stepped up and said, "Okay, we'll go get your prescriptions filled and..."

"Not yet." Despayre said and all eyes turned to him. "We can't leave yet."

"Why not?" Gabriel asked.

Despayre rolled his eyes and exhaled, his expression saying that the answer should be obvious. "Because they haven't given Gabriel his sucker yet. Everybody knows when you go to the doctor, you get a sucker."

"Joshua..." Synn started to say but Despayre shook his head vigorously.

"I am not leaving until Gabriel gets his sucker!"

Synn exhaled through his nose and turned and looked at Jaymes who got a deer caught in the headlights look.

********************


Out in the waiting room, Shane glanced up and he gave Kittie a nudge with his hand. She too looked up and the three of them, Fantasia included, hurriedly stood up as Synn, Despayre, and Gabriel stepped into the waiting room area. Gabriel was carefully maneuvering himself on his crutches, trying to keep the weight off of his injured knee. Despayre was hovering all too close to him, just in case his best buddy were to have an accident.

"It's about damn time." Kittie said as they met the three. "It's been over an hour. What did they s..." She frowned and pointed at Gabriel. "Where did you get the Blow Pop?"

Gabriel pulled the purple sucker from between his lips and smiled, "Where do you think?" And tilted his head toward Despayre who puffed out his chest and smiled proudly.



Now...

Synn sat far off in the dining room of his spacious home, talking on the phone as he glanced up every few moments to look toward the kitchen and watched as Despayre practically hovered over their housekeeper, Teresa, as she went about her work in the kitchen, preparing their evening meal.

Under almost all circumstances, the older, Hispanic woman clearly intimidated Despayre into being on his absolute best behavior, and he was doing no wrong now, but he knew well enough when to keep a proper distance. in fact, in this case, she was allowing him to lend her a helping hand. And why not? She was making Gabriel's supper too. Despayre had initially wanted to make it all on his own but there was an established rule in the household; the kitchen was Teresa's domain.

"Hand me that Joshua." She said, pointing off to the counter at a bottle of virgin olive oil. Despayre hurriedly grabbed it and passed it to her, and watched in wonder as she expertly added a dash of it to the dish in the skillet and she gave it a slight stir before moving on to one of the other two pots and pans on her large stove.

Synn glanced back down and spoke into the phone in almost a conspiratorial tone, "So it's final then? The match isn't being canceled? ... Fine." He clicked the phone off without so much as a good-bye to whomever he was speaking to and whispered, "Son of a bitch..." Before he turned to look back into the kitchen and slowly stood up.

Teresa then leaned over at the waist and pulled open the oven door and peeked at the contents inside, and Despayre hurried around the edge of the counter so that he could do the same.

"Is it ready?" He asked.

"Yes." She said, straightening up and he followed suit. "Supper is ready. Will Gabriel be eating in his room or joining us at the table?"

Despayre frowned and thought, unsure, when Synn entered the kitchen. Having heard the question himself, the 'dark priest' said, "With us, as usual." He arrived at the counter and placed a hand on Despayre's shoulder and said, "If he were to stay in his room any longer, I worry he'll grow roots."

Despayre laughed as Teresa pulled a beautiful chicken and spinach casserole from the oven and set it on the marble counter atop a matting. She said, "Oh he gets out plenty. He only eats breakfast in the bedroom, and the rest of the time he's in the rest of the house or off somewhere with you two on one of your adventures. When he should be in bed, resting." She waved a spoon at Synn in reprimand. "It's just a good thing you put him in the guest room downstairs instead of making the poor man sleep upstairs. How he would have gotten down..."

Despayre spoke up, "I would have shown him how to slide down the banister, just like Angel showed me."

Teresa turned her spoon on Despayre and shook it at him, "I seem to recall you trying that and flying off the end and breaking one of Synn's good tables."

Despayre bit his bottom lip and hurriedly looked down, avoiding her eye contact, as well as that menacing spoon.

"Joshua," Teresa said, turning her tone from strict to soothing and he glanced 'up' from the top of his brows, his head still down. "Will you please set the table while I get things set up and moved into the...?"

Despayre turned and rushed off, not letting her finish her statement in his excitement at helping out. He watched for a moment as she started getting the dishes ready before he turned and walked out.

In the downstairs guest room, Gabriel leaned back on the bed with his arms folded. His body spoke of relaxation but his facial expression spoke of being bored. On the stand beside his bed were stacks of snacks of every kind, including cookies and pretzels and popcorn -- as well as the customary half-empty bottles of Cherry Coke which indicated who was sneaking him all of these goodies from Teresa's kitchen and into his room. A handful of books laid nearby, and two coloring books with spilled crayons over the hastily colored pages. And seated beside him, snuggled up against a pillow, was Angel, clad in a little doctor's outfit Synn purchased for Despayre at the Build-A-Bear store in the local mall.

His gaze fell on the television screen as he was watching a copy of Despayre's DVD movie "The Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie". There was a soft rap on the door and he looked up.

"Yeah?"

The door opened and Synn stepped inside. He looked around at the mess of the room and smirked, "I see Joshua has been taking his responsibility of caring for you seriously."

Gabriel raised his eyebrows and eyes opened wide as he exhaled. He nodded silently before finding the words, "Oh yeah, that's putting it mildly. He won't ever let me get bored. He's always finding something to occupy the time. Most of it includes Coke and Looney Tunes but he's started to vary. Had me reading him 'Lord of the Rings' yesterday."

"He's not bothering you, is he?" Synn watched him for an honest answer and Gabriel shook his head.

"`Course not." Gabriel said. "But I wouldn't object to getting outside once in awhile. I think I can manage a trip with you guys in town you know. It won't kill me."

Synn nodded, "Funny you should mention that. I was thinking of taking Joshua and Teresa to a movie after supper tonight. Originally it was to get you a breather but if you'd rather go...?"

Gabriel looked thoughtful and nodded, "Sounds good."

Synn said, "Speaking of which, supper is ready. Joshua is helping Teresa set the table as we speak."

"Oh boy." Gabriel whistled. "That's asking for..."

They heard a crash from out of the bedroom...

"Oh Joshua...!"

"Sorry!"

Gabriel smiled widely and Synn slowly pulled the door shut. He turned to the man in the bed and had a concerned look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Gabriel asked.

"I just got off the phone with Mark Ward." Synn answered. "It's just like what I told you. They're not going to cancel the match."

"What?"

"It's moving forward as a singles match. They're making Joshua wrestle Goth one-on-one."

"You're kidding." Gabriel frowned, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "So Goth gets everything he wants, huh? Take me out of the equation and that leaves Despy to fend for himself?"

"Well, he won't be out there by himself, that's one thing." Synn admitted, glancing at the door before returning to watch as Gabriel moved to pull himself from the bed. "I'll be out there to make sure the bastard doesn't try to pull any funny tricks out of his hat. Joshua can handle himself against Goth."

"Of course he can." Gabriel agreed. "This is the same guy that attacked the teddy bear."

"Attacking Angel had a diverse affect on Joshua's mind frame, I'll give you that." Synn said as he moved over to reach and scoop up the aforementioned bear. He then moved back to the door and waited for Gabriel to join him. He continued, "But Goth did something far worse to him when he attacked you. Joshua knows this. I've overheard a few of his one-sided conversations with Angel about Goth when he thought nobody else was listening."

"And...?" Gabriel prodded.

"And... he's angry. He's not showing us that fact very much, but I have a feeling when that bell rings, Goth is going to find out just how big of a mistake he's made."

The bedroom door suddenly swung open, slamming into Synn and knocking him back against the bedroom wall.

"SUPPER IS SERVED!" He announced merrily. Then he looked around and leaned into the room, peeking behind the door where Synn was pressed, massaging his now tender nose. "Well now that was certainly a silly place to stand!"

Gabriel snorted back a laugh, looking away as Synn slid out from behind the door and offered the teddy bear to Despayre.



"Loyalty. It's an endearing quality in this day and age, and yet so very rare. It's small wonder why you weren't able to recognize it when it stared you straight in the face, Goth. You don't even know the meaning of it. I remember dealing with you back in the AWA. You were sadistic in the treatments of even those who claimed to be loyal to you. if they did not satisfy your needs and wishes against those you deemed an enemy or inferior, woe be to they who upset the big, angry boss man."

"Look at our very own friend, Kain. Was he not a man whom you took an initial shine to? Did he not work for you and fight against those you wanted to make an example out of? What happened to him, hm? You took him straight to the AWA World Championship, and thought what better beast to unleash against this group of athletes that have been defying me, in the Seven Deadly Sins? You had been looking for someone, anyone, to put the shoulders of Gabriel and Despayre to the mat for the first time in their careers, and yet failed each and every time. How many times did you force Gabriel and Despayre to go against the same men, in singles and tag team divisional contests, hoping for that elusive victory ... only to turn away in defeat each and every time? You were so certain that Kain would be the one, yet there was that lingering doubt in your head. Why else would you have refused to allow the World title to be on the line? It's not as if you could say Gabriel didn't deserve the title opportunity. The man was a champion and unbeaten! You just knew, however deep down in your own subconscious, of what might occur."

"And did occur. Gabriel did what you imagined to be impossible, when he pinned Kain in the middle of the ring -- cleanly -- one, two, three. You weren't a happy camper after that match, were you? Not only did you 'punish' Gabriel by stripping him of the Television championship, you and your little harem delivered a beating to Kain and sent him away for a very long time. That is why you do not know the meaning of the word loyalty. That is why when you attacked Gabriel, you started shoveling the dirt in your own grave. the same one you dug out when you attacked Angel."

"You see Goth, I have never had much use for tales from the Bible. I believe fairy tales have their time and place, and it's usually in childhood and at bedtime. You seem to have this fetish for Biblical references so let me give you an example that you just might be able to understand, from your own view point."

"Do you recall a man by the name of Job? oh come on now. think back into that deluded little walnut of a brain. The story goes, and I have to admit I wasn't paying very close attention in Church when it was passed down -- I just happened to notice the young Reverend had one serious ass on him that held my undivided attention."

"So many years ago, God and Satan were talking. See, this is why I have such a hard time buying into these little stories. I always thought the two were supposed to always be fighting, and in this one they're talking? Anyway, Satan makes a claim that God's loyal 'servant' Job, who had every blessing a man might want, would denounce  him to his face and curse him if his luck were not so blessed. It was Satan's claim that Job served God only because God protected the man and gave him much out of life."

"God accepted this challenge, and allowed Satan the leave to take everything from Job, save for his life. Satan went about and took away the lives of Job's wife, and his many children. Satan took away his home, the food from his table and the great wealth that Job had known. He could not take the man's life, but Satan did play Hell, pun intended, with his health. Through his initial losses, Job prayed but these curses continued to visit him. Job was angry, and cried out for why he had been abandoned, but never once did he cry directly against God. Unfortunately for Satan, this act itself cost him the bet, and God restored Job to a new glory, with wealth, a new wife and a new generation of children."

"It's a funny story, really. The Church tells us all that the Lord loves us and we are under his care, but here in the almighty Bible is a tale of God allowing a man devoted to him to suffer greatly at the hands of Satan, and for what? To win a silly bet with his former favorite and the now deposed of the angels. Some caring God, is it not? A loving Lord that allows his loyal follower to suffer, just because He wanted to emerge the winner of a meager wager. A loving God who allowed an innocent woman and children to die, all because of a wager."

"And this is the God that the Church wants you to put your faith into, and to love unconditionally."

"**chuckles**"

"Think about it Goth. There is a reason why this tale was the one I chose to use as an example. Only every so often do you see an example of true, undying loyalty. And if you would have looked closely, you would see the perfect, modern example when you see the brotherhood bond that exists between Despayre, the man you wanted to victimize, and Gabriel, the man you attacked to get to him."

"Gabriel has never once avoided you, Goth. As I recall, you were the one who made yourself scarce back in the day, after Despayre returned the favor of your attack with one of his own. An attack, I might add, that bloodied you badly and put you out of commission. The Sins were still around after you took your leave, but where were you? Under strict medical care, as I am told, and realizing the bizarre truth that you, indeed, are but a mortal man. A mortal man that can bleed, that can be hurt, and that can be defeated."

"Your mind games are meaningless here, Goth. You are now dealing with a rabid mind that wants to hurt you much like you hurt him and those he loves. Despayre never avoided you. He has not avoided you here, in this new territory. He is simply waiting. Waiting for you to set foot inside of the ring, so the two dearest things he holds to his heart can be avenged. You unlocked this cage, Goth. You set loose an animal that this time, I have no intention of controlling. And this time, like the last...?"

"You will have only yourself to blame."

130
Supercard Archives / You asked for this...
« on: February 18, 2012, 01:06:39 PM »
 What brought this about?

Previously on Climax Control.....

"FUUUCK!!" The cry tore through him as he grabbed at his knee, his face covered in a sheen of sweat as he fought to retain his self control but the brutal nature of the attack and the targeted body part made this brave front next to impossible to maintain. "Son of a BITCH!"

Gabriel's scream of outrage and pain filled the backstage hallway of the Carson City High School and this, along with the screaming cries for help from Pussy Willow brought staff and star alike stampeding down the halls to find out what the outburst was all about.

"Get off me!" Gabriel thrashed as an SCW road agent loomed over him, taking a swing at the man. "get away!"

"What's going on!?" Co-Owner Christian Underwood shouted as his way through the fast growing horde of on-lookers. He arrived in time to find the young superstar curled up on the floor in a near fetal position with his one leg that was attacked, stretched out. Pussy Willow was right behind him, indicating it was she who ran to get help from the boss. He leaned over Gabriel but had no chance to start asking questions when a booming voice thundered through the mass of spectators.

"MOVE!" Synn bellowed as he shoved anyone in his path that was blocking him from getting to his man. "Get the fuck out of my way! NOW!"

The smart ones paid quick heed to the commanding voice of this rather large and intimidating individual. The ones who were slower on the take were shoved roughly aside without apology or excuse. Christian Underwood himself was grabbed by the collar of his short and tore away from his position and shoved roughly aside where he fell against a table and was just able to catch himself before toppling to the hallway floor.

"Hey!" Christian shouted indignantly. "There's no need..."

"Shut it!" Synn snarled, a finger aimed right at the boss's nose. Surprisingly, Christian, a man well known for his verbal banter and sharp wit, clammed up. He frowned as Synn turned his back on him and knelt down beside his charge. "What happened?"

"What the fuck does it look like happened!?" Gabriel cried out in frustration and stabbing pain that would not stop coursing through his leg. He was soft spoken in many cases, and under any other circumstance would not have spoken to this man in such a way -- but pain was a factor that could change the demeanor of anyone or how they react to others. Gabriel sucked in a deep breath and snarled, "That son of a bitch jumped me!"

"Who!" Synn shouted, but he turned aside and looked up. He saw Pussy Willow standing closely beside Christian and he stood up and stepped closer. His eyes were on the blonde beauty but his words were anything but gentle as his own green orbs held her gaze in his own. "What happened? Who did this?"

She was not shy about the fact this fierce stare from Synn was unnerving her. She wrung her hands within each other at the front of her waistline and looked down at Gabriel who glanced up at her.

"WHO!?" Synn shouted, his face starting to sharpen in a red hue from the growing anger and frustration. Pussy jumped and swung her head back around to look at the much larger man that was staring her down.

"Goth." She swallowed and said simply. "H-he came from out of nowhere. I was trying to interview..."

"Three times!" Gabriel interrupted, his voice strained. "Bastard hit my knee with a fucking chair three times!"

Synn looked down at Gabriel and if it were possible for a man's facial expression to betray the primal emotion of pure, unadulterated anger, you would be seeing it right now on the handsome face of the leader of the Seven Deadly Sins. He turned to look at Christian but before he could confront the owner, a shrill voice cried out from down the hallway.

"GABRIEL! Gaaabriel!!"

Bodies flew aside, some willingly, others not so much, as Gabriel's tag team partner and 'little brother' Despayre came charging through the crowd, his frantic cries for his best friend biting at everyone's eardrums. He was trailed closely by Shane, Fantasia, and the Sins' newest recruit, Bombshell Champion Kittie.

"Joshua!" Synn called out. "Go back to the..."

But for perhaps the very first time, Despayre paid no attention to the commanding presence of Synn and his orders. The unstable youth's only thoughts and concerns were for his best friend. He shouldered his way past one unfortunate staff member and stopped fast as he saw his 'hero' down on the floor, and clearly in excruciating agony.

"Gabriel!" He cried and he dashed to his friend's side but Synn moved swiftly and caught him by the arm. He pulled him aside to keep him from acting rashly or doing any further and unintentional damage to Gabriel. "Let me go! Gabriel..." He whined as he tried to pry his arm loose but without success.

Kittie, followed closely by Shane and Fantasia, came hurrying through the crowd and Synn called, "You couldn't have kept him in the dressing room!? Take him God damn it!"

Shane wasted no time in doing what was needed. They knew and understood Despayre's love and devotion for his best friend and tag team partner, but he had to be kept out of the way, at least until they could follow through and get Gabriel the help he needed. Shane grabbed the struggling Despayre and pulled him to the side where they could remain at hand but with enough space for the downed man to breathe.

Someone who had been working the back hallway came running up with a bag filled with ice from the cafeteria, wrapped in a hand towel. Synn snatched it away and knelt down at Gabriel's side and pressed the ice against the injured knee joint. Gabriel clenched his eyes tightly shut and his body tensed at the pain that seared through him but after a moment's pause, he started breathing again and opened his eyes.

"Hold that against your knee. Don't move it." Synn said and he stood up and turned to face Christian.

"Happy?" Synn asked, his eyes flashing a hint of their true intent while his face remained icey.

"Me?" Christian frowned and looked around. "What did I do?"

Synn lost all control and he raged, "I warned you and Ward about that son of a bitch back when he first showed up! I warned you what the hell that bastard was capable of and you didn't listen! You just sat on your fucking asses and did nothing! You played the 'wait and see' game until something finally happened and there's your end result!" He pointed down at Gabriel who seemed to be trying, for the first time in his life, to avoid the attention of the people around him.

"Wait, you're blaming me for what Goth did?" Christian looked stunned. "I wasn't even the one who hired the guy! I didn't..."

But Synn wasn't in any mood to listen to reason. True it had been "Hot Stuff" who had hired the boss of the Asylum Wrestling Alliance, and it had been "Hot Stuff" who Synn confronted directly that one day about doing so, but right now one of his own was hurt. The victim of an attack and Synn held his hand up in Christian's face to silence him. The affect was surprisingly immediate.

"And where the hell was the security?" Synn growled in a low tone. "You had it at every other show. I saw them here tonight, so where were they? Hm? They're supposed to stop shit like this from happening! Where were they? WHERE WERE YOU!?"

Christian's brow started to furrow in gross agitation. He was upset at what had happened, yes, but he was also upset that the sole blame was being shifted onto him. He had never been one to back down in all his years as an active competitor in the ring, and even though he was semi-retired, he was not about to begin now.

"Where was I?" Christian repeated. "Good question. Now let me ask another good question; where were you?"

Synn frowned.

Christian said, "Didn't you just have a match for your boys? Didn't you just arrive backstage with them? How was it that Goth got close enough to Gabriel to even do this with you around?"

Synn's eyes flashed under the lights in the hallway and he took a step towards the boss when Gabriel's voice cut in, "OH DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! I'LL BE FINE!"

Synn turned his head to look back to Gabriel who was clearly fuming at the distraction, and rightfully so. Synn glanced casually back to Underwood and aimed a finger at him. "We'll talk later." And he turned back to take care of the downed magician when a timid voice brought all of their attention around.

"Goth did this?"

Eyes and heads turned over toward Despayre who Shane had a firm hold of, his huge arm wrapped around the front of the young man's chest from behind. To any other eyes it would appear a tender embrace between friends, but those close to the group knew Despayre was chomping at the bit to get loose and Shane's grip was the only thing preventing him from doing so. His face was pale, paler than the norm for him. His face seemed almost frozen in the process of emotion but his eyes darted about. It was a sign Synn did not appear endeared toward.

"Despayre..." Synn started, using his stage name in the presence of these others rather than his given name of Joshua. "... calm down before..."

"Let me go!" Despayre suddenly cried and he started fighting Shane, struggling to get free from the superior grip of the much larger, stronger man. Despayre tried ducking down with his weight and twisting every direction, kicking his feet out but Shane held him firm, understanding about as well as Synn at the dangerous state of his unstable mind just now.

"Despayre...!" Synn stood up, not liking that the eyes around them were watching Despayre with cautious eyes now. His fragile mental status was known only too well, and this episode was not helping to further cement his treatments to remain stabilized. Despayre suddenly grabbed Shane around the forearm and sunk his teeth into his muscled flesh and Shane shouted out a curse and nearly let him go when Synn's thundering voice boomed, "JOSHUA!" prompting everyone in the vicinity to jump and Despayre's head whipped up to look at the man wide-eyed.

Synn cupped his face in his hands and made him look at him. He gave him no lee-way or leverage. Despayre stared right into his face and Synn said soothingly, "Stop this right now."

"But Goth ..." Despayre started to cry. "He hurt.... Gabriel needs..."

"I know." Synn said. "And we will get him help, but you need to stop fighting us like this. You can not go after Goth. Not like this."

Despayre voice lowered to a crackling growl, "I hate him." His eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "I hate him!"

"As do I." Synn nodded, then added, "But Gabriel comes first!"

He made the boy look at him until Despayre's breathing slowed to a calm. His face muscled twitched and slowly he nodded. Synn looked at Shane and nodded and the big man lowered his arm, releasing his grip. Despayre immediately bolted to Gabriel's side and looked desperately at his friend.

"Does it hurt?" Despayre asked innocently enough and Gabriel looked up at him as if he were... well you get the general idea. But Gabriel also knew the innocent nature of the question and the mind that spawned it so he bit back what he wanted to respond with and instead shook his head, "Not much Despy. Just a little bit."

Despayre nodded and stretched his hand out to touch the injured knee but Synn snatched his hand quickly before he could. Despayre looked up guiltily and bit at his lip but Synn silently shook his head. Synn then looked up at Christian and said, "Get an ambulance here."

Gabriel's head shot up and he shook his head, "No ambulance!"

Synn turned back to look at him and frowned. He said, "Are you daft? You need to have that checked out. X-Ray'd. I assume this Mayberry town has a hospital of some sort. How else do you expect to get there?"

"No. Ambulance." Gabriel stated firmly, shaking his head in the negative. "I won't give that bastard the satisfaction."

"Fuck him." Synn stated simply, making Despayre wince at the use of such strong language. "Don't worry about what that piece of..." He glanced sidelong at Despayre and sighed. "...that piece of garbage thinks." Despayre nodded at the correction. Synn went on, "And think for a moment. Your knee is hurt. We don't know to what extent, so it best we not move it. If I were to drive you, we'd have to move it more than what we should just getting you into the car."

"I could drive you!" Despayre piped up and almost every Sin member present shouted "NO!" to which Despayre frowned and pouted.

Gabriel fought to find a reason, a logical reason, as to why he should not ride in the back of an ambulance, aside from pride, that is. Sadly enough he couldn't think of any so he exhaled sharply through his nose and muttered, "Fuck!" Before Synn, satisfied, leaned back and looked toward Christian.

"Call the ambulance." He said.

Christian tilted his head and shrugged. "I already did. It's on its way."

Synn nodded and stood up. He turned to look at Kittie, Shane and Fantasia and said, "I'll ride with Gabriel. You three take Joshua back to the hotel and then..."

"No."

The voice was so soft and unyielding that they weren't certain that the word was even spoken aloud. Gabriel however saw the man's lips move so he knew otherwise. he watched as Despayre stood up and looked at Synn, his small hands clenching and unclenching into balled fists. Synn turned around and arched an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"I wanna go too." Despayre said simply.

Synn just shook his head, "No." and he turned to address Shane again but was interrupted before he could get one word in.

"I'm going."

Synn turned back around and wore a frown of surprised disbelief on his face. Despayre had never -- never -- disobeyed him so blatantly before. He always did what he was told and to be defied like this out in the open and in front of witnesses was not a situation Synn appreciated. He cocked his head and said, "Joshua..."

Despayre flinched at the strong tone and clutched Angel closer to his chest but he held firm. "I have to go. Gabriel needs me."

"Joshua..." Synn steps around Gabriel and Dspayre starts to back away but Synn quickly reaches forth and grabs the smaller man by the shoulder and brings him to a halt. Despayre starts to struggle but Synn pulls him aside, just far enough away from the others standing near to remain out of earshot. Synn backs him against a wall and leans down so that he can meet the young man who was unknowningly his own flesh and blood, and concern warred within Synn's eyes. Despayre looked up and his eyebrows rose in wonder and worry alike. Synn whispered, "Joshua, Gabriel is being taken to a hospital."

"I know." Despayre responded softly. "Why are we whispering?"

Synn closed his eyes only briefly as he shook his head. He said softly, "Never mind. But I don't want you going to a hospital needlessly..."

"It's not needlessly!" Despayre cried out. "I want to be there for Gabriel!"

"Calm down." Synn commanded, grasping him firmly by the shoulders and forcing him to look only at him. "A hospital Joshua. Think about it carefully. I promised you that you would never go back to any place like where you were made to stay."

"This is a different hospital." Despayre whispered, but his face spoke he now understood Synn's concern. Too often people thought just because Despayre had the fragile mental state of a toddler, it also meant that he was dumb. Nothing could be further from the truth. It might take him a little longer to work things out, but the point is, he could.

"I know it is." Synn nodded, pleased at Despayre's progress. "But they might look the same. Smell the same. It might make you feel something you forgotten. A smell or a nurse, anything could cause you to relive something you were akin to forget. It might seem real and make you want to act out...make you afraid..."

"I won't." Despayre vowed, holding his hand up. "I have Angel. He'll protect me from the badness like he does at night when I'm asleep. And... and I have you too. Please? Please let me go. I have to make sure Gabriel will be okay."

"Synn..." Shane's voice drew his attention aside where he could see the crowd starting to part to the sides of the hall. "The paramedics are here. Whatever we're going to do, we need to do it now."

Synn glanced over cautiously as the paramedics wheeled the gurney over to Gabriel and lowered it to the floor. Synn looked back to Despayre who had that pleading expression on his face, the one that spoke doom towards Synn's resolve.

"Fine." Synn nodded. "You can go. BUT..." He stopped Despayre from charging over. "I still ride with him. You come with Shane and the others. And ... if you start feeling badly..."

"I'll get him out." Shane said.

Synn nodded, then let Despayre's arm go from his grip and he ran over to join the paramedics at Gabriel's side. Synn watched as they slowly loaded the magician onto the gurney. Gabriel blanched at the pain that shot suddenly through his lower leg but he did not shout out. Despayre was watching him like a hawk and now Gabriel had a new reason to fight to remain calm.

Shane leaned over and whispered to Synn, "Why did that bloody fucker do it, do you think?"

"I don't 'think'." Synn answered, never once taking his eyes off of the brotherly pair. "I know. Goth never wanted a tag team match. He wanted Despayre all to himself. Unfortunately for Goth..." Synn looked at Shane. "...now he's going to get him."

Synn ended the discussion, walking up as the paramedics lifted the gurney up with Gabriel on it, and started to wheel it away when Despayre shoved Angel into the crook of Gabriel's arms.



"Well Goth, I imagine that you think your actions that evening were terribly clever. You know, if I have to be up front and honest, I would have to confess that back in your AWA, I had to almost respect how your level of intelligence in how you ran things. You might have made some bullshit calls, but the simple truth was you drew interest into the product. You made things happen that caused people to sit up and take notice. Unfortunately, you didn't know when to back off and allow things to evolve on their own. You didn't know when to flat out back off, and trouble arose."

"You never was able too control me, or any of the men that I cared for under my tutelage, and it just ate you alive. So instead of trying to use us for our talents and to the best of our abilities, you opted for the cheap and easy road and lashed out against us. you tried everything at your disposal to bury us when we wouldn't be cowed, and nothing worked, did it? Even you can't deny the fact we walked all over every single person you put in our paths. Every tag team, every individual ... they were just cattle to you, and you fed them to us with the likely knowledge they were mere sacrifices to a brazen cult. Well, I appreciated the flattery but we all know when things went too far, and you have only yourself to blame."

"Your ego will prove to be your own undoing. It was as today as it was those years ago. You can't admit when you've overstepped your own boundaries and made a grievous error in judgement. What you did at Climax Control was perhaps your biggest mistake to date. Oh don't get me wrong. Laying your hands on the teddy bear was foolish beyond imagining. But if anything, if anyone commands more love with Despayre than that bear, it would be the man you brought down with a steel chair. Your actions proved you might have a crafty mindset, but that does not equal a high level intelligence. It rather showed us all that above everything else, you do not understand a little thing called loyalty. You could not find a stronger bond than what Despayre shares with Gabriel, and your attack spoke about nothing short of stupidity."

"I know that you've been starving to get a shot in the ring at Despayre, ever since he put you in the hospital. **chuckles** Though even you would be hard pressed to deny that you had that one coming. Did that show you a side of him that you didn't expect, Goth? Did it burn, the embarrassment of the mighty dictator being beaten, brutalized and bloodied by my little man? To be so brazen for so many years in power, then to be hauled away in front of the wrestlers that you terrorized in business could not have stroked your ego very well. Perhaps it made them see you as you truly are; just a man. A man that can bleed. A man that can be broken. In short, a man that can be defeated."

"You asked for this Goth. Now, you have only yourself to blame."

131
Character Building Roleplays / Despy's Valentine's Day date
« on: February 14, 2012, 04:36:50 PM »
 The sun had already started its descent into the horizon, blanketing the landscape in colorful hues of reds, yellows, oranges and blues.  The household of Synn and Despayre was quiet on this the Valentine's Day of 2012. There was little planned that did not befit the holiday, so almost everyone would be busy (or getting busy), save for one;

Despayre, himself.

Shane and Fantasia had already taken their leave to go out for a romantic, candlelight dinner for two and a show afterwards. Gabriel and Synn had already made a bet with one another over whether or not Shane and Fantasia would make it to the show before finding a quiet place where they wouldn't be disturbed to enjoy ... one another's company? Synn himself had made plans to spend some time with Sean on this day, taking him to one of the better restaurants in the 'City of Sin'. That left Rage and Gabriel. Gabriel, who had been injured during the course of Climax Control (pun intended), had been coerced by the young man who was like a little brother to him, into staying at the house during his recovery. Despy, as he was affectionately known, was taking very good care of Gabriel, of course with a lot of helpful advice from Angel. It was nothing that lots of Cherry Coke and episodes of Looney Tunes couldn't cure, after all.

Still, Gabriel was getting a bit antsy. The brace on his knee kept him from being too mobile but he didn't want to be cooped up inside all night, whether it was Valentine's Day or not. He couldn't go out drinking because of the pain killers and muscle relaxers the doctor had him on, so Rage was just a phone call away and...

"C'mon Despy." Gabriel said as he stood at the door frame of the kitchen, watching the young man place a decorative glass dish of ice cream in the freezer. "Why don't you want to go to a movie with Rage and me?"

"I can't." Despayre answered as he shut the freezer door and turned and started making another sundae. "I have plans."

Gabriel said, "You don't know what you're missing. Me hyped up on drugs and a scary movie is comedy gold, bud."

Despayre smiled and giggled lightly. he had already been privy to what Gabriel could be like on these medications when they watched the sci-fi classic "Aliens" two nights ago and Gabriel had kept shouting advice to the characters on screen -- the aliens. Despayre had practically laughed himself hoarse that evening.

Rage stepped up into the door frame and said, "Yeah, c'mon. bring the bear and let's go."

"What are you guys going to see?" Despayre asked inquiringly, sprinkling a generous amount of Skittles on this sundae.

"Woman In Black." Rage answered. "Has that punk who played Harry Potter in it."

Gabriel nodded, "Yeah, and my meds are kicking in so by the time it starts I'll be good to go. C'mon."

"I can't."

"Why not?" Rage asked.

Despayre looked up and smiled brightly as he picked the sundae up to put it away. "I have a Valentine's Day date."

"A date?" Gabriel repeated and he raised a brow, looking at Rage who had the same puzzled expression.

Despayre nodded, "Mm hm."

"With who?" Gabriel asked.

"I can't say." Despayre shrugged as he turned and opened up a grocery bag and started pulling out candles.

"Why not?" Was asked and answered with a shrug.

Rage asked, "Do we know her?"

Despayre shrugged again. Gabriel frowned and looked to Rage who just shrugged himself, not knowing what to make of the situation.

Gabriel turned back to him as he slipped on his jacket. He asked, "Why can't you tell us?"

Despayre said, "Because it's a secret." He looked up as he started to put the candles in glass holders. "She doesn't even know."

"Ohhhh. I see." Gabriel nodded. He turned to Rage and shrugged. "Well that makes sense. Sure you won't change your mind?"

Despayre shook his head and continued on with his preparations. "Have fun!" He said. "Bring Angel back some popcorn with LOTS of butter!"

"You got it!" Rage called as he and Gabriel retreated from the kitchen.

Rage cast Gabriel a sidelong glance as they stepped out into the chilled, Las Vegas air. "Should we be leaving him in the house alone?" Rage asked.

"He's not alone." Gabriel answered. "Teresa's home."

They started towards Rage's car when they stopped suddenly at the same time and turned and looked at each other.



Valentine's Day had been an extremely difficult day for her, ever since her beloved husband passed away almost ten years ago. They had been married almost twenty-five years and not a day since has passed by without her thoughts in remembrance of this special, special man. they had been so happy, that neither of them could have foreseen him being struck down with Leukemia, from out of nowhere. When you love somebody, really love them, you would gladly give yourself up to save the life of the one whom you hold most dear.

Teresa sat by her husband's beside for so many days and nights and watched the man she loved more than life itself slowly die. He put on a brave front but she could tell he was in pain, and suffered. She did everything she could to make him comfortable. he fought this disease, but in the end it was not enough. He passed away in his sleep and she mourned him every day since.

It was a year after the funeral that she packed up her bags and moved to the United States in an attempt to start a new life. It was not long after that that she came into the employ of Synn as his housekeeper of an estate he held in New York. When he told her he had sold the house, she feared for her job and future, but the normally enigmatic and surly man assured her that her fears were unwarranted. He wanted her to move with him to his new home in Las Vegas and take up her responsibilities there. It was quite an offer, and showed her a side buried deep beneath his dark exterior that few would come to understand.

And in this new home she would be taking care of, there would be a new addition, Synn explained. A young man with a troubled mind and difficult past would be living there. And the boy of a mere nineteen years indeed wasa handful, him and that ever present teddy bear of his. Synn gave her a careful explanation of the boy's past and the barriers she was not to cross.

She had shared with Synn as well. She had told him about her personal loss, and the painful memories this day caused for her to feel. Synn said nothing in regards to this, but subtly he had made certain that each Valentine's Day since he had hired her, she would have off. It was an unspoken 'bond' between the two where words were not needed to express one another's appreciation.

Sitting on her bed in her room, Teresa gazed lovingly at the picture on her dresser, the one where she sat in the forefront in a garden with her husband standing behind her with an arm draped around her shoulder. It would be another difficult night to get through on her own and...

"Teressssaaaaaa......!"

Joshua's frantic call came from downstairs. She looked up wide-eyed and knew that everyone else had went out for their own plans for the evening. She hadn't even known the boy was still at home. Why didn't Gabriel or Rage take him out to the movies with them?

She quickly got up from her bed and placed her robe on over her night gown. Lord, if something happened with Joshua while Synn was out....

She pulled her bedroom door open and looked out into the upstairs hallway.

"Joshua?"

"I'm downstairs!" His voice called. "Can you come downstairs? Pleeeeeease?"

She sighed. She knew that he probably wanted her to put a pizza in the oven for him or make him another Cherry Coke float. It was her night off but he was a sweet boy with simple needs. She wouldn't have been able to say no, even if she wished it.

"I'm coming." She called back and tying the belt around her robe to hold it closed, she started down the hall to the stairs.

...

Her foot met the soft carpeting at the base of the steps and she looked around. The sun had been down for an hour and the inside of the house was dark save for the few lights Synn always kept on for comfort and security purposes. But there was a strange glow coming from the direction of the kitchen which caught her attention. She started down the large foyer which led into the hallway.

"Joshua?" She said as she neared the frame of the door. "What are you...?"

She turned into the kitchen and was unable to finish her question.

In the kitchen stood Joshua in his plain clothes but with a hastily knotted tie of Synn's around his neck, and holding Angel who was clad in a darling little tuxedo outfit she herself had bought as a gift from Build-A-Bear. On the marble counter were a handful of lit candles in an array of reds, whites and pinks. And in front of the candles were two plates, each bearing a large cupcake with thick, white frosting on it and Valentine's sprinkles on the icing. Two forks draped across each plate and in two of Synn's best crystal goblets was ... yes, Cherry Coke.

"What is this?" She said, holding her voice as steady as she could.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" He ran up and gave her a fierce embrace, catching her completely off guard. "You're my Valentine's Day date!"

The boy had always seemed to be afraid of her and here he... she quickly wiped her eyes with her finger tips and looked up at his hopeful face with a smile.

He raised his brow and asked, "Do you like sundaes?"

"I love them." She asked and took his offered arm and Despayre and Angel escorted her to the counter.

...

They spoke quietly to each other as Angel sat on the counter, away from the candles. Spoons digging into the ice cream treats and the tattered remains of the cupcakes evident to the evening. Neither of them saw Rage and Gabriel peeking in the window and watching with smiles on their faces.

132
Character Building Roleplays / Sean...
« on: February 13, 2012, 09:09:10 AM »
 Well before Climax Control happened...

QUOTE
Hey Synn, I know I haven't been very talkative the last couple of days and I do want to apologize for that. I've been very busy dealing with this court and baby drama and I really didn't want to bring you into the mix, I really hate bringing my problems into your life which is why I don't come around as much as I do, or even tell you things that are going on because I feel embarrassed. [Pauses] I'm pretty sure you will be ringside for my match at Climax Control and that's fine, I just hope that after the match we can still be close, and not have any problems because I want you to know that this is my career, this is my life and I can't lay down for anyone. I know the relationship you have with Sinful Obsession and I hope that this match can go down the middle with no involvement from anyone. This match is important to me Synn and I won't hold back, I just don't want you to be mad at me.

BEEP!


Synn sat at the desk in his private office at his house in Las Vegas and listened to the voice mail for what had to have been the sixth time. He could hear the tension in Sean's voice. The worry. Sean always did seem to have a problem fully expressing himself face to face and on the phone ... well Synn himself disliked the use of the phone. He preferred speaking to a person, face to face. It was the easiest way to dictate what went on between you and the person you were with, and allowed you to read them better; to see their mannerisms and look into their eyes when they spoke.

Sean had a lot going on in his life, but then again, so did Synn. Things that were complicating not only his professional bearings, but his personal life as well. Things perhaps Sean should be let in on. Synn had always preferred to keep his problems and emotions to himself. Always. Displaying those emotions just became a portal for others to take advantage of. Gabriel himself would not know about these things had he not discovered them quite by accident. Now he knew, and was pressuring Synn to open up.

Whether he did or not this time was irrelevant. Sean was in trouble and perhaps in need of someone to talk to.

Synn picked up the phone. It was early and Sean was probably asleep or out for an early morning work out. He hit the automatic speed dial for Sean's number and paused while he waited. Sure enough, after four rings the voice mail picked up.

Synn spoke into his cordless, "I'll flatter myself and imagine that you know who this is without announcing it for prying ears. We need to have ourselves a chat, Sean, and soon. We both have a lot on our plates. Its what has been keeping things more distant between us than I would like. Plus we never have talked about that stunt you pulled with Rage. (pause) There is a restaurant in the city, Alize. I'd like you to have dinner with me there so we can talk things out. Finally. Get in touch. You know how I hate being kept waiting."

With a click, he sent the message and turned the phone off. He hung it up and leaned back in his desk chair when the door burst open.

"COOKIES!" Despayre gleefully announced, holding a hot baking pan with gloves... a pan that sported quite burnt cookies. But he seemed to have tried to make a treat for Synn, so how could he refuse?

133
Climax Control Archives / Secrets best kept hidden
« on: February 08, 2012, 09:28:53 PM »
 Fourteen years ago...

"Rowan,

I can't believe it's taken me this long to manage to find you. There's something I need to tell you, but I don't have the time to do it the way I want. I'm taking enough of a risk getting this to you, so I have to break it to you the hard way.

There's a reason father packed us up to move back to Canada. it wasn't just because he wanted to get me away from you. Rowan, it was because he found out that I was pregnant. I am so sorry for breaking it to you like this. I didn't even know until the symptoms started to show. Father was furious, and tried to force me to get thew baby aborted but that was the first time in living memory mother stood up to him and put her foot down. She would not hear of it. So I kept the baby and I am happy that I did. I included his picture. His name is Joshua.

Margaret"

Synn remembered that letter only too easily from almost fifteen years in the past. He pulled the small school photograph out of the envelope and looked at it, and he could immediately see himself in the small, five-year old boy. He knew there was no point in trying to deny the link between them as father and son. The facial features, the same unkempt hair that could not be tamed... this boy was his son. Everything he knew and believed, was now in jeopardy. His stomach twisted into violent knots and Synn did something he had not done since he was a small child -- he lurched over and vomited up the contents of his stomach.

One year later....

"Rowan,

This is Ellen, Margaret's mother. There was an accident. Margaret was driving down the road on her way home when she was in a bad car wreck. She's in the hospital in serious condition, but ... I'm sure you know the truth, Rowan. He is in far worse shape. The doctors said he suffered severe head trauma and he is undergoing surgery to remove fluid that is building up around his brain. I can't tell you where he is being treated. Margaret's father wouldn't let you anywhere near the boy, even if I did. I can promise you though that I'll keep you updated as soon as I know anything. I know you are not  a believer, but this is your son. Pray for him.

Ellen"

If Synn had felt his stomach hit his feet when he first learned of this boy, it was nothing compared to the helpless feeling he was experiencing, knowing that his own child, a son he had seen only in a photograph, was now fighting for his life in some hospital in Canada. He had never before felt as helpless as he did that day. He could try to find him. Search for him by name, but there were hundreds of hospitals throughout the country of Canada. He was not even certain he could, or should, send a reply for fear of bringing the wrath of Margaret's father down on her and her mother's heads. At this point, he didn't really care on that particular end result. But the boy could suffer the impending whiplash effect.

He hated this helpless feeling. It was foreign to him. Alien. God help the boy's bastard grandfather is he ever found him.

Three years ago.....

"The place is called Broodmoore Mental facilities and Treatment. Rowan, Synn, whatever you want to be called. Please! You have to get him out of there! I had no idea what sort of place it was when Russel convinced us that it was for the boy's best interests! Please, you have to believe me! Now that Russel is dead, I have tried everything to get him out of there but you know the connections he had. Even in death that man has influence I can't get past. But you can. I know you can. I've heard enough of some of the things that you've accomplished. Please. He's been in that hellish place for years now and I haven't been able to even visit him! The things I've heard they do to the patients there... it sickens me. Joshua was getting worse, not better, all the years he was growing up after the accident. Screaming, crying, violent outbursts. Doctors told us there was nothing they could do outside of constant sedation. That's when his grandfather sent him to Broodmoore. Progressive treatments he called it! They torture that poor boy! Rowan, please. If he means anything to you, help him!

And he did. Synn would wait no longer to take charge of this situation. His only wish was that the bastard still lived so he could see everything unravel before his very eyes. Now Synn was the one with contacts, more so than Joshua's grandfather had to intervene against his wishes to aid the boy ... his son. So many people expressed their disdain to him, saying that Synn was heartless. Without remorse or a care in the world. They were wrong. He was wrong. He had believed the very same thing about himself.

That is until that day when the doctor opened that door and Synn looked into the gray eyes of the seventeen year old boy who was his son.

Current...
Las Vegas, Nevada...
2:13 AM

Synn stood at the glass patio door of his homestead here in the City of Sin, looking out at the spacious backyard. The estate was one he bought for the sole reason of having a real home in which to raise Joshua aka Despayre. His son. His eyes were lost on the pool, the picnic area, the manicured lawn and the other houses in the distance. His mind wandered to a gift given to Despayre just this past Christmas. A hand crafted sweater with a teddy bear stitched on the front, and a note that told Despayre his mother was still out there somewhere.

Then, just a week ago, another present was delivered to the SCW offices. This time it was a small outfit purchased at the Build-A-Bear store, intended obviously for Despayre's teddy bear companion, Angel. It too, was signed by his mother.

Synn swore to himself a private vow that this bitch who stowed her child away as an inconvenience would never again have anything to do with him. He promised himself that the day Despayre finally gained his freedom from Broodmoore and came with him, a silent but tenuous relationship starting between the two. He did not want her contacting him, not even simply to look upon him. He believed with every fiber of his being that she lost all rights to him when she gave him up to a doctor's so-called care. Everything had been going so well.

Synn turned away from the glass door and allowed the shades to fall back into place, preventing any outside eyes from seeing within the house if they made the attempt. Silently he walked into the kitchen and pulled open a cabinet door, and removed a small glass. He then walked over to the freezer and opened it to remove a half-empty bottle of Scotch. Walking back to the small island counter, he sett the glass down and popped the cap off of the bottle and poured the contents into the glass. Setting the bottle down, he lifted the glass and swallowed nearly half its contents before setting it back down. He sighed, his glare aimed at nothing in particular.

Everything he had accomplished over the past three plus years now seemed to be slowly unraveling beyond his control. Despayre did not even seem to remember that his mother had put him away in the first place. It was almost like his mind was lost somewhere in time, still as much a child as he was in that photograph. It was as if, at least in Despayre's mind,time simply stopped from the moment he entered Broodmoore, and the moment he walked out.

Synn believed human emotion was for the weak, yet over the years that theory was sorely tested. he grew to care for the men and women he led into his stable of Sins. He met a man by the name of Sean Williams and never dared believe that the spark of love would actually threaten to grow into a roaring flame the way it had. But all of those emotions paled when compared to the feeling he had when he would look at Despayre and think to himself ... "That's my son." He yet held true to his core beliefs, but he knew that to deny change was futile.

Exhaling sharply, Synn looked down at pulled out a small drawer in the counter and removed a back of opened cigarettes and a lighter. Shaking one loose, he slipped the cigarette from the package and between his lips where he lit it. He took a light drag and exhaled a thin, plume of smoke when a voice emanated from behind him.

"I'm telling Teresa."

Synn almost choked from the surprise as he had not heard anyone approach him from behind. He was not one easily startled but he turned around and found a sleepy looking Despayre standing in the kitchen doorway, dressed in a t-shirt and pajama pants, and of course, clutching Angel close to his chest. There were times Synn would wonder if that teddy bear was surgically grafted to the boy but it was not a miracle he would deny. That bear did more for Despayre than any doctor could hope to accomplish.

He took a step into the kitchen, watching the cigarette in Synn's hands with a frown and his nose wrinkled. He said, "You said you quit."

"What are you doing up?" Synn said, choosing to ignore the accusation, reaching over to a glass dish to flick the ash into before turning around to watch the boy fully approach the counter. "You were supposed to be in bed."

"So were you." Despayre responded, raising his eyes from the cigarette and into Synn's eyes.

Synn mumbled, "I couldn't sleep." Before he picked up his glass of Scotch and had another drink.

Despayre sighed as he set Angel down on the counter carefully. He said, "Me neither." As he turned around and went to the cabinet and pulled out a tall glass. He then walked to the fridge and pulled it open, fishing around before stepping back with a quart of chocolate milk. He brought it over to the counter and continued, "Had dreams."

Synn watched silently as Despayre set the glass down on the marble counter top and used both hands to carefully pour the contents. A smirk crossed Synn's lips as he remembered the light scolding his housekeeper gave Despayre for recklessly pouring a glass for himself a week ago and spilling it all over her clean kitchen. It was not a mistake the boy cared to repeat.

As Despayre pulled up a stool to join him, Synn finally said, "Your own fault. I warned you about watching the movie 'Predators' with Teresa before bed."

"Angel said he knew those things." Despayre answered simply as if that was all the answer needed. "Owed them money or something." Despayre glanced up and leaned over the counter to emphasise. "I couldn't let him watch alone!"

"No, no I suppose you couldn't." Synn went to take another puff and saw the frown again on Despayre's face, focusing intently on the cigarette in his fingers.

"Why are you smoking again?" Despayre asked as he brought his eyes up again, but this time only briefly and returning them to the 'cancer stick'.

Synn exhaled gently through his nose and set the cigarette in the glass dish without taking a drag and said, "I've had a lot on my mind."

Despayre pulls his chair closer to Synn's edge of the counter and draws Angel over, draping the teddy bear in his left arm. His eyes showed concern for the man and he asked, "Is it Sean?"

"Sean?" Synn looked up at the young man who had his hands clasped between his knees, watching him. "Sean ... Williams?"

Despayre nodded, "Yeah. You know, your boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend." Synn smiled. He wasn't sure if that was exactly accurate in description. Sean didn't seem too open about what he felt or how he wanted things to progress between them, or even if he did at all. The two would have to have a long talk at the earliest possible convenience. Synn didn't notice that Despayre was now a hair's width away from his own face and he looked up and Despayre had the goofiest grin plastered on his mug that he could possibly manage.

"Do you LIKE him!?" Despayre teased and Synn had to choke back the laugh that came to his lips.

"Yes, Joshua." Synn nodded in conformation. "I like him very much."

"Me too." Despayre nodded. "Is he my new mommy?"

That made Synn look up sharply and Despayre was just leaning on the counter with his face in his hands, smiling. Before Synn could answer the quirky natured question, Despayre asked another. "Is it our match?"

"Your match?"

Despayre nodded, "Yeah. The fact we're wrestling Sean?"

"No." Synn answered, shaking his head in the negative. "Sean knows this is business, as well as you and Gabriel are aware. Although his actions against rage didn't endear him to the others."

Despayre asked, "Are you worried we'll lose?"

Synn smirked as he reached for his glass and he said, "Of course not." He took the last swallow of Scotch and set the glass down, but before he could reach for the bottle to refill it, Despayre nudged it away from his reach. Synn blinked back his surprise at the action and Despayre whispered, "Drinking is bad for you. You said so yourself."

"Bad for you, Joshua." Synn retorted. "You're on medications."

"Gabriel said you should be."

"Did he now?" Synn smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I appreciate you letting me know that."

Despayre just watched him for a few seconds and piped up once again, "Is it that weird gray hair on the back of your head?"

"What?" Synn frowned and turned his head around, "I don't have a weird gray-OW!"

Synn yelped and swerved back around, holding the back of his head and massaging it, watching as Despayre was closely inspecting the hair between his fingers.

"Joshua..." Synn started in a warning tone. "How would you like it if I did that to you?"

"Why would you?" Despayre answered matter-of-factly. "I don't have a gray hair."

Saying nothing to that logic, Synn reached for Despayre only to have him snap his teeth at Synn's fingers. Synn paused, watching him as Despayre raised an eyebrow in a silent dare. Synn tried again and a second time came close to getting his finger nipped. Discretionj being the better part of valor, Synn drew his hand back and Despayre watched in warily.

Despayre looked up and asked, "So what's keeping you awake? Hm?"

"I'm not sure you'd understand, Joshua." Synn answered in a light tone of voice, shaking his head. He was not prepared for the angry retort.

"I wish people would stop saying that to me!" Despayre spoke acidly. "Every time I want to know something that's going on, I get told I won't or can't understand and I'm tired of it!"

"Joshua..."

"I'm not dumb!"

"Joshua I never said..." Synn started but he frowned as he watched Despayre hang his head as if in shame. "Joshua, look at me. Come on, look at me."

Synn reached a hand over and cupped the boy's chin and brought his head up and was startled to see tears streaking down his face.

"I'm sorry!" Despayre stammered. "I-I'm sorry.  didn't mean to yell. Please ... don't."

"Don't?" Synn repeated. "Don't...what?"

Despayre shook his head as he clenched his eyes tightly shut. he ttried to look down but Synn's grip kept his head up.

"Look at me." Synn said in a voice that spoke of expected obedience. Despayre slowly opened his eyes and inhaled a quivering breath. He bit his bottom lip and Synn repeated. "Don't what?"

"Please don't send me back."

Synn jolted as if someone had just smacked him in the head with a baseball bat. Of all the things he had expected for an answer to Despayre's sudden behavioral change, this was not it. Despayre had been under his care and supervision for almost two straight years. He had been an extreme handful initially, and to this day still had his unexpected moments of angry outbursts and the like. But never before had this topic reared it's ugly head. Synn assumed Despayre was comforted in knowing Broodmoore was in his past, and would remain so. So what...?

"Joshua, is that what you think will happen if you misbehave?" Synn asked, sliding his hand from his jaw to his shoulder. "That I'll get rid of you?"

Synn couldn't help but feel Despayre shudder at his touch as his large hands rested on the smaller man's shoulders. Synn said nothing. He just looked at Despayre who fidgeted and avoided eye contact until he had little choice but to glance up and meet Synn's steady gaze.

Synn said in a soft but serious tone, "You listen to me, Joshua. You listen. okay?"

He waited until Despayre nodded and Synn gave his shoulders a light squeeze.

He said, "You are never going back there, do you hear me? Never! No. You look at me. I had my reasons for getting you out of that place.  I have my reasons for giving you as happy a life as I can. I have my reasons for keeping you as safe as possible. Reasons I can't explain right now, but someday you will understand everything. But I do not want you to ever believe that I would be capable of putting you back at Broodmoore."

Despayre flinched at the name of the place that was his home, or rather, prison, for so many years.

Synn continued, "I do not care if you upset me. I do not care if you flat out piss me off. You are never gong back. Never! I would die first before I allowed that."

"Don't."

"Don't... what?"

"Don't die."

Synn smiled and released his double handed grip on his shoulders and gave his shoulder a light pat. "I have no intention of leaving you."

"Promise?"

Synn nodded, "Promise. So, are you okay?"

Despayre wiped the back of his hand across his eyes and shrugged. Synn exhaled. He never knew what to expect from Despayre's unstable mind and this came from out of nowhere. He knew Broodmoore was always going to be in Despayre's mind. He just had no idea how deeply rooted that fear really was.

"Angel's lucky."

The whisper was so soft, Synn wasn't certain he had heard it. He leaned in and frowned.

"Excuse me?"

Despayre wiped his eyes again and sniffled. He repeated, "Angel is lucky."

"How so?"

"He has so many responsibilities that people trust him with. When I'm asleep, he stays awake and guards me. I'd hate to be some nightmare beastie that tries to get past him to me."

Synn said nothing. He just smiled at Despayre's complimentary commentary towards his plush friend. True, he was nineteen years old physically, but mentally he was a toddler.

Despayre continued, "He grabs his sleep when he can, but that's the beauty of being a teddy bear. Awake or asleep, people trust you with everything. All their secrets. If he's laying down for a nap or sitting there, people confide their innermost secrets to him."

He looked up at Synn calmly and whispered, "He knows things."

"I'm certain of it." Synn patted his arm. "Go get some sleep. Tomorrow will be busy for you and Gabriel."

"`Kay." Despayre finished his milk and stood up, depositing the glass in the sink. He turned and started to walk out of the kitchen, but stopped and did a u-turn. He came up behind Synn and enveloped the bigger man in his arms and hugged him tightly. he murmured, "G'night."

Synn flushed briefly and blinked, caught completely unaware by this physical display of affection. He turned his head and watched as Despayre disappeared past the doorway.

"Good night Joshua..."

The next day...

The slam of the mat reverberated through the empty gym as Gabriel brought his sparring opponent over with a snapmare and delivered a kick to his back. The man winced and clenched his eyes and fists closed as he was pulled up by a handful of hair and Gabriel tagged Despayre in.

Synn watched with determined eyes as this, the third sparring match since the day begun, continued on. Gabriel scooped the man up and drove him down to the mat and held him there, allowing Despayre to springboard over the top rope and land across the head and neck of the prone opponent with a guillotine legdrop.

The bodies of all four men glistened with a sheen of perspiration, especially that of Gabriel and Despayre. Synn was working them harder than ever before in preparation for this non-title match against the tag team champions. Gabriel and Despayre had been in big matches before. From their time in the AWA when they found themselves engaging in serious grudge matches and vying for championship titles, they came up against the creme of the crop in tag team competition.

Despayre sent the man into the ropes and caught him with a slingblade clothesline that brought the heavier man down to the mat. Despayre scaled the corner like a spider, quick as could be, and jumped off with a frog splash, landing all of his weight on the prone opponent. Despayre hooked his leg and held him down as Shane counted one - two - three.

Gabriel climbed into the ring and helped Despayre up and Shane went to check on the defeated man and nodded to his partner, another indy wrestler brought in for this training session.

"Again."

Synn spoke but the way Gabriel and Shane turned and looked at him, it was as if they weren't quite sure to believe he had spoken, or whether to believe what he had stated if he did.

"Dude...!" Gabriel protested, clearly tired but Synn arched a brow in all seriousness intended and repeated himself,

"Again." It was a tone they knew all too well. Gabriel muttered a curse and Despayre whined that he was tired but they went back to their designated corner for a brief breather while their opponents recuperated and got set to continue.

This was not to be the first time Gabriel and Despayre had been in the ring with champions. Once they had won the AWA World Tag Team Championship, targets were painted on their backs. Both young men did Synn proud as they fended off every combination put in their path until a backstage political move caused their tenure to come to an end and they walked away, unbeaten.

Synn knew silently that this combination they would be facing now would perhaps be one of their hardest challenges yet.

"You're pushing them too hard." Shane said as he climbed out of the ring during the break and approached the man he knew longer than anyone else did. he spoke gently, so the men inside of the ring would not overhear, but loud enough that he would not be ignored.

Synn turned his head slightly to glance at the Sin of pride and asked, "Am I?"

Shane did not respond as baited, but frowned. "Are you that concerned over this match?"

"I'm concerned about a lot of things lately, Shane." Synn said. "This match is but one of them." Synn turned around, putting his back against the ring apron and crossed his arms. "You've known Sean almost as long as I have, Shane. You know damn well what he's capable of."

"I thought I did at least." Shane muttered darkly. "Until he pulled that bullshit and attacked Rage the way he did."

"Yes, even I was caught by surprise when he did that." Synn admitted. "I don't know what he was thinking, unless he was just making a name for himself at a champion's expense."

"You're making excuses for your boy toy."

"No, I am not." Synn shook his head. "And in all honesty, we both know you and I would have done the same thing to push ourselves closer to the title picture. I would expect Gabriel and Despayre to do the same."

Shane shook his head, "Yes but this time it was someone doing it to one of our own. It was your mancake doing it to one of our own."

Synn sighed, "Yes, and I admit it puts me in an awkward position. But I stand by what I said. Sean will have to face Rage sooner or later to answer for that attack. I won't intervene either way. Hell, Sean may be facing retribution earlier than anticipated."

Shane frowned, "You think Rage will interfere in the match?"

"No." Synn shook his head. "I asked him not to. All actions must be accounted for but I was referring to him answering this time to Gabriel, and perhaps even Despayre. It's like you said. Sean attacked one of our own. Fond of him as I am, he had to have known Rage's friends would take exception to that."

"You'd think." Shane scoffed.

"But..." Synn spoke up and Shane turned his head back to look at him. "We can't deny the fact Sean is a gifted athlete in the ring. One of the best light heavyweights in the business."

"A threat."

Synn nodded. "Yes. I am not anxious for their unbeaten streak to end, no matter whose hands it might come by. So whether it be Sean or whomever, I want them prepared to beat whoever they must to keep that streak intact."

Shane sighed and folded his arms over his heaving chest. He looked into the ring where Gabriel and Despayre were whispering to one another in their corner. Shane turned back to find Synn also watching with interest and Shane spoke up, "What about Wyatt? Aren't you concerned about him? Dude's big as a house."

"Gabriel and Despayre have faced bigger." Synn turned back to face him. "But better trained, perhaps not. Only a fool would discredit Wyatt, given who his manager is. Dudely's one of the best this damn business has ever seen. Former world champion, so he's going to be coached as well as anyone. Better, even."

"Better than your guys?" Shane smirked.

Synn raised his eyebrows and smiled. "I wouldn't say that, but Wyatt is dangerous on Dudely's reputation alone. He wouldn't be a champion, otherwise. Our boys need to be ready."

Synn turned and looked into the ring.

"Break's over!"

All four men groaned as they made ready for another sparring match. Shane sighed and shook his head as he climbed back into the ring to officiate. Synn took his position and clanged the small ringside bell with a hammer, signaling the start of the match.

There would indeed be personal feelings going into this match. However what happened once the bell rang, that alone would be business.  

134
Climax Control Archives / Through the looking glass Act 2: Scene 1
« on: January 12, 2012, 06:50:34 PM »
 3:20 AM

It was of little wonder that he had such difficulty in sleeping these past few months. Up until the time that he had moved into this house in the wealthier suburb of North Las Vegas, he had shown a distinct preference for being closer to the cities' metropolis of the places he had once called home. The lights of the buildings and streets would mesmerize him as he looked out the upper story windows he would stay in when he traveled across the country or stay in one of the houses he had owned at one time. He could still see the lights of Vegas now when he looked out across the landscape.

He could see the stars as well, much easier out here than he could when he lived where the city would drown them out. It was something he had taken for granted for years until he had his team stay over at a ranch in Atlanta, Georgia and Despayre was positively enamored with the stars overhead too where they had to practically drag him inside to eat. Another testimony to the life he lived in the hell of that mental asylum. Cooped up in a virtual cage and rarely if ever seeing the night sky overhead. Damning, really, as Canada was known for having beautiful night skies. To be denied that simple pleasure, it should come as little surprise. Since Despayre's release into Synn's care, Synn had come to know many such luxuries he himself took for granted that Despayre simply wished to experience.

There was much missing out here besides the light and stars Synn was all too used to in the heart of the cities. The people themselves would always draw his wanton attentions while they walked or drove by while he himself sat comfortably in a random restaurant or cafe. And the noise? It was the very life of the city. His own personal mantra in the nature of sin. Ironically, it was also the same life that he had wanted to lead Despayre away from. It baffled his psyche that in any other case, he would reach for those closest to him to experience the same pleasures that he himself enjoyed. With Despayre, he wanted him to enjoy him life, but at the same time he also wanted to protect him from the very dangers that life could harbor.

Such was the nature of being a parent.

Now that Synn was away from the heart of the city, he found that he missed the subtle pleasures that it bestowed. Subconsciously at night he would lay there in wait for the comforts of the noises he had taken for granted; cars honking and speeding down the streets. The raised voices of pedestrians on the walk. The sirens of police cars or ambulances. None would come. So strange was this revelation that the silence would disturb his slumber more so than the noise would. Yet now something else ate away at his mental well being, keeping him alert.

The fear of potential loss.

Synn relaxed back in the large, plush recliner that was centered in his living room. His feet were crossed at the ankles, and his left elbow on the arm rest while the side of his head rested against his fingers. He extended the television remote in his right hand and clicked through another channel in a seemingly unending attempt to divert his attentions from the thoughts that continued to haunt him. He found no success. His thoughts would always end up reverting back to the problem at hand.

"What are you doing?"

The voice of Gabriel gave him an unexpected start. He turned and spotted the magician standing in the frame of the living room door. His hair was mussed and his sleeping clothes of a plain t-shirt and pajama pants were ruffled, indicating that he had just awoken. Gabriel did not call this house his home. he had a special suite atop the Luxor in the city, but he had come over for a late dinner and Despayre had managed to coax him into staying over. Despayre had done so successfully and with enough frequency, roughly twice a week, that Gabriel had taken the precaution of keeping a set of emergency sleepover clothes for just such an occasion.

In reality, Gabriel slept in absolutely nothing but wasn't about to do so in any house Synn resided at.

Synn asked absently, "What are you doing up?"

"I asked you first."

"So you did." Synn turned back to the giant screen LCD television mounted against the wall and clicked the remote again. He answered in a low murmur, "I'm just channel surfing."

"You don't channel surf."

"Yes, and I am starting to understand why." Frustrated, Synn switched off the television and gave the remote a nonchalant toss onto the oak table at his side. "Shit. Over two hundred channels, you'd think there would be something remotely worth watching."

"What about that Facts of Life marathon?" Gabriel smirked, leaning heavily against the frame of the door and folding his arms across his chest.

"I should slap you silly for even suggesting such a thing." Synn growled.

This only egged Gabriel on and he started singing off-key, "You take the good, You take the bad, You take them both and there you have...the Facts of Life..."

"Gabriel..." Synn whispered, flashing him a look of expressed annoyance. "What are you doing up?"

"Are you kidding?" Gabriel said as he uncrossed his arms and made his way into the living room, taking a seat on the arm rest of the sofa an arm-span to Synn's left side. "The guest room you gave me is right next to yours and I could hear you and Sean making those goddam barnyard noises through the wall all night."

"What are you talking about?" Synn turned his head to look at his charge and yes, friend. "Sean passed out three hours ago."

"Yes but the memory lingers on and causes dreams I wouldn't wish on, well, you."

Synn exhaled through his nose in what could be mistaken for a half asses attempt at a laugh, but pushed himself up off of his seat and turned and headed toward the kitchen and Gabriel opted to get up and follow the brooding man.

"So c'mon, fess up." Gabriel said as they entered the kitchen. He pulled up a stool and had a seat against the bar as Synn opened the fridge and started to dig around inside. "Talk to me. You haven't been sleeping right for a couple of weeks now."

"Do tell." Synn said as he emerged with two chilled bottles of beer and he slid one across the counter to Gabriel and popped the cap of the second for his own. "Right about when Joshua received that damn gift..." He muttered darkly.

Gabriel sighed as he took a drink from his own bottle. "I thought so." He set the bottle down and paused for a moment's thought, and then looked up at the man who seemed lost in his own thoughts. "He hasn't taken that shirt off since he got it. You speak to Underwood?"

Synn set his bottle down, untasted, and frowned as he stared at nothing in particular. "He said the package was delivered to his office. Went through security and when nothing was found wrong, it was passed along to me. I told him what was going on and it never should have been..." He shook his head. "But he told me it wasn't his fault or his job to monitor my personal life outside of the promotion."

"Oo." Gabriel muttered through pursed lips. "Cold. Accurate, but cold."

Synn rested his forearms on the counter top and he said, "Joshua acts as though she's going to walk through the door at any second. If someone knocks, or the door bell rings, he beats me and Teresa there every time. Then when he sees it's not her..."

"Looks like his heart breaks for the smallest second." Gabriel finished the thought.

Synn nodded, gripping the beer bottle again. "Exactly. Call it wishful thinking, but after everything I went through when I first found out about him, getting him out of that asylum, making him the home he deserved... for that bitch to just take it upon herself to waltz right back into his life..."

Gabriel said, "Well she hasn't exactly shown up on the door step yet."

"She will." He finally took a deep swallow from the bottle. "I just never thought she'd have the guts."

"You seriously never expected it?" Gabriel frowned in a slight state of disbelief. "I've known you for going on a couple of years now, and I can honestly say that I'm surprised you never believed the kid's mother would show up after you saved him."

"He's going to start asking questions." Synn muttered, rubbing his hand along his jaw.

"Like what?"

"Oh like why he's with me now, instead of her."

Gabriel raised a thoughtful brow, taking a drink. "And if he does?"

"I don't know." Was Synn's answer. He closed his eyes momentarily. "For the first time, I do not know what to do."

"You may have to face the obvious." Gabriel said in a serious tone that drew Synn's eyes back open and on him. "I told you before he should know the truth before it's too late. You may have to consider this a sign that it's time."

For the longest time, Synn said nothing. He seemed lost in thought as he took in and considered Gabriel's words. Of course, he was right. He had put it off, for fear of what harm it might do to Despayre's already fragile  psyche. It was a risk he did not want to take, but now that this woman had taken such a step, the risk had become even greater.

Finally Synn said, "I thought I was finally coming to grasp on the boy's mind ... at least to a small extent. We'll never know the full range of what his thought process is capable of but now..."

"But now...?" Gabriel repeated, inquiring.

Synn curled his fist against his lips and his eyes hardened. "But this is new. I'd swear if I didn't know any better, I'd say his thoughts are almost lost in time. Like he thinks it was only yesterday that Margaret left him in that place."

Synn calmly sat on the small chair in the hospital's recreation room and his eyes remained fixed on the young man who was seated as properly on the sofa as his excitement would allow. Joshua's eyes were firmly glued on the television screen as he watched Daffy Duck play at being a detective by the moniker of 'Duck Twacy' and attempt to solve a piggy bank crime wave. Joshua drew his feet up underneath him and laughed in delight at the antics of the screwball duck and Synn could not help but smile himself. He never gave any form of thought at what this would be like.

His thoughts were only of wanting the boy out of this place, yet even for him the process was painfully slow. It started off only once a week, and slowly grew to four times he would venture up into Canada to spend time with him. Joshua never received visitors according to the doctors, and Synn's visits were met at first with suspicion, and then hearty enthusiasm. This last visit Joshua ran up and embraced -- actually embraced -- Synn in greeting, much like a child would with a, well -- with a parent.

The cartoon ended and Joshua reached for his glass of apple juice and had a deep drink, spilling some down his chin. Synn reached over and the boy blinked in surprise as the bigger man brushed the juice off of his face with a napkin he had at hand.

"May I ask you a question?" Synn asked as he settled back and another cartoon was set to begin.

Joshua's eyes traveled toward the screen lazily, wanting to watch this next episode but he turned and looked bright-eyed at Synn and answered, "You do all the time. That was one right there."

Synn found himself smiling at the delightful wit of the teen and he crossed an ankle over his knee. Subconsciously perhaps, Joshua uncurled his legs and mimicked Synn's action. Synn said, "True, Joshua, but I was just wondering if your mom ever let you watch these wonderful cartoons."

Joshua's joyful expression went still, and he looked down into his lap and at his clasped fingers. is features were still, almost eerily so, and he turned his head to start watching the television again.

Synn said, "Joshua?"

"Sometimes." His voice came timid. "But not often. Grandfather didn't like them. I did. I love Looney Tunes. When grandfather wasn't at home, mom and grandmother would let me."

Figures. Synn thought silently. He knew the man that was Joshua's grandfather. A strict disciplinarian who wouldn't know a good time if it slapped him across the face. Quite honesty, he was shocked the man had enough wit to drop his pants and mount his wife, but the evidence was there with Joshua's own mother.

Synn asked, "Will you tell me about her?"

"Hm?"

"Will you tell me about your mother?"

It was a pressing question, and a risky one. Given the fact the boy had such a devoted love for the woman that was his mother, he seemed generally unaware of the situation she had forced upon him. If even the smallest part of his mind knew what his mother had done, it could set him off down a dangerous path. Joshua seemed lost in a trace as his eyes watched the screen blankly as Porky Pig and Sylvester the cat seemed to be moving into what appeared to be a haunted house. He didn't press. That would be the catalyst so he simply waited for the boy to make his own decision.

"She was pretty." Joshua finally whispered after many long, tense moments. "Very pretty. She was the prettiest mom out of everyone."

Synn smiled as he just waited for the boy to make his own move, allowing him to talk at his own pace. It was ab breakthrough.

"She would take me to the movies all the time. I loved popcorn and she'd buy me big boxes of it. Candy too. Grandfather didn't like it but she did it anyway. I think she'll take me home soon. I hope she does soon. I don't really like it here."

Synn blinked. Did he just hear right? Joshua firmly believed his mother was going to pick him up at any time? Take him home any day now? Upon Synn's first few visits, Joshua was timid, afraid. he believed Synn was another abusive doctor who was there simply to hurt and torment him. A number of times he even tried to attack Synn in a state of mentally induced self-defense. It took a week's worth of visits before he finally showed the first sign of trust, and even then he didn't start conversing until much later.

Joshua fidgeted, and turned to look at Synn briefly, his eyes darting back and forth between him and the TV.

"Can we talk later, please?" He asked. "I'd like to watch this."

Synn could not help but smile. He reached over and patted Joshua on the arm, despite for the briefest of moments, feeling the boy tense under his touch. "Sure." He said. "Enjoy." And he watched as Joshua eased up immediately and curled his legs under himself again.

"I'd like you to do me a favor tomorrow." Synn said as he dropped the empty beer bottles in the garbage.

Gabriel turned around and leaned back against the counter. "So long as it doesn't involve me removing my clothes, name it."

Synn sighed. Under most circumstances he would have found himself making some form of witty retort toward a statement like that, but this wasn't the time.

He said, "I have a feeling with as little sleep as I've had the past number of days, I won't bee of much use tomorrow. What time I will be up, I need to try and figure out what to do if she shows her face." He stepped up beside Gabriel and leaned heavily against the counter, his forearms pressed down on the marble counter top. "There is a winter carnival in town. Joshua has been wanting to go..."

"And you want me to take him to get his mind off of things?" Gabriel finished the thought.

"If you would be so kind..." Synn said. "I admit I had hoped he wouldn't find out about it, but perhaps it's for the best."

Gabriel nodded, "I can do that. But I don't do merry-go-rounds."

Synn smirked as he stood upright, "Somehow I believe you will if Joshua sets his mind to it." He turned around and exhaled, "I best go check on him, and try and get some form of sleep before I give up and get back up." He looked into Gabriel's eyes and the magician thought he felt his very soul was being pierced in examination. "Thank you."

"Are you excited?"

"Shh. We should be sleeping. Big day tomorrow."

"I know. Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Excited."

"About what?"

"About what? Getting to team with Gabriel again! That's what!"

"Ohhh! Well, of course I'm excited! It's been forever since I got to team up with my best friend!"

"I thought I was your best friend."

"You're my bestest friend!"

"Oh ok, I gotcha! Boy, you haven't got to team with Gabriel since before he won the Heavyweight championship."

"I know. That was a very long time ago. I was really looking forward to getting to team up again. He promised me we would again and he was right. I just wish he hadn't lost his championship."

"I know, but that's the common factor in wrestling."

"What is?"

"Every champion will one day be a former champion."

"Well that doesn't sound very fair. Wait, does that mean one day you'll lose your title too?"

"No. I'm the exception that makes the rule stick."

"Oh! ... Er, okay?"

"So even though you had all this time off, you've still been training, right? I mean, you have to keep your skills sharp. This team you're going up against is very tough. They'll be very hard to beat."

"You've said that about every team Gabriel and I have wrestled since we first started teaming up. What makes this one so different?"

"I don't know. I was just trying to be diplomatic."

"Well you're just being silly. Everyone out there knows Gabriel and I are going to beat... we're going to beat... say who are we beating anyway?"

"The Aristocrats."

"You mean that funny family of cats in that Disney movie!?"

"No! No no no! That was the Aristocats! This is the Aristocrats! You know... Chett Hawkins and Steve Scanlon."

"That's even weirder. The guy's named after an onion?"

"No, that's a scallion. His last name is Scanlon."

"Oh! Okay now I gotcha! Now I know who you're talking about."

"Good."

"I never heard of `em."

"Oh sure you have! They just wrestled last week and beat Reprobate and Jonathan Downs."

"Well anyone could beat Reprodowns and Jonathan Bate."

".....Yeah. Look, I watched their match when we broke from our investigation and they had very good teamwork. They play the referee..."

"So do me and Gabriel."

"They do sneaky moves and double teaming when they can get away with it."

"So do me and Gabriel."

"They like to use tables if they can and fight and bend rules."

"So do me and Gabriel."

"They like to kiss each other."

"So do me and... hey!"

"Ha ha!"

"So not funny! So, you think they'll be tough to beat?"

"Well, you can't underestimate them. They're bigger than you, but then again, Casey's the biggest guy around and you did beat him in tag matches. You and Gabriel have the experience advantage as a team. They might think they do, but you two have been teaming for a couple of years now."

"Yeah! And we're good too!"

"You're the best, but this match is going to be important and the Aristocrats are going to try and use that to their advantage and push themselves to a win."

"Why is this match so important?"

"Because now that there's Tag team Champions, whoever wins this match is surely going to go up further in the rankings and get a title shot."

"You mean Gabriel and I could get a championship match and be champions together again?"

"That's right!"

"Okay now I know there's no way Gabriel and I are gonna lose if it means being champs again!"

"Thatta boy!"

"Say, why do they call themselves Aristocrats? Isn't that like royalty? They look more like a couple Southern boys to me."

"I dunno. I think they were drunk when they picked the name. Ah, makes sense. Well,  good night. Tomorrow we're going to the carnival!"

"Night buddy."

The bedroom door opened with a soft latch and Synn peeked inside just far enough so that he could see the curled up form of Despayre under the covers of his bed, with his arm draped around the teddy bear Angel and snuggled up closely against him. There was a small flashlight attached to Angel's paw with a rubber band, and the soft light illuminated a small path in the room so the bear could better protect hiss dutiful friend from any unwanted beasties that might roam in the dark.

Synn focused on the sleeping youth, drawing in his gentle breathing as a sign of a mind in contentment. Slowly Synn closed the door, and the flashlight winked out.

"Shhhhh..."

135
Character Building Roleplays / A Sins Christmas
« on: December 29, 2011, 11:28:59 AM »
 The party had ended on Christmas Eve and as expected, it was a pretty big success. Despayre worked hard and fast, helping Teresa do a quick clean up so he could rush to bed. After all, the sooner he got to bed, the sooner he'd fall asleep and the sooner he'd wake up, the sooner he'd get to all the loot!

Of course, nothing had been placed under the tree save for the gifts from each other and the SCW staff. Despayre knew the real loot would be there in the morning, courtesy of the old fat elf, himself. Once certain that the little guy had fallen sound asleep, Synn employed Gabriel and Shane to aid him in moving all of the hidden gifts from the basement, the one place Despayre refused to set foot in -- which also made it the perfect hiding spot.

Now the base of the Christmas tree was piled with wrapped packages of all shapes and sizes. No, Synn most certainly did not celebrate the spirit of the holiday, but that alone did not stop him from using it as a further excuse to heap gifts upon those closest to him, especially Despayre himself.

Gabriel also noted carrying in an armload that a few even had Angel's name on them, from Santa. He looked at Synn with a quirked brow and Synn shrugged.

"What?" Synn said. "Would you want to be around him if the bear didn't get anything?"

Gabriel paused, then shook his head. No, definitely not.

That mission accomplished, Synn invited (aka insisted) that all those still present, Gabriel, Shane, Fantasia and Rage, remain for the night so they would be there for the morning after. More so done for Despayre's benefit as he'd be heart broken if they didn't spend Christmas together, Teresa included.

********************


Morning came, as did their morning wake up call in the form of Despayre's hollering woop of glee as he charged downstairs and caught sight of the mountain of wrapped bounty beneath the towering green fir.

"HE CAME! HE CAME! C'MON EVERYBODY! IT'S CHRISTMAS MORNING! C'MON!"

Despayre continued to shout and beckon until one by one, the still sleepy members of their little group made their way downstairs, still in their sleeping gear. (In Shane and Fantasia's case, their hastily found garments as nobody expected those two wore anything once in a bed together.)

Teresa was the first to answer the call and she headed into the kitchen to start the coffee and put the cinnamon rolls into the oven. By now Despayre was a jumping bundle of nerves, hovering around her much to the older woman's amusement. As "lady of the house" she gave him a most vexing rule; no presents until they ate something. (Seriously, what kid wanted to hear that?) So the group found themselves congregated into the large kitchen and everyone sat around the table, making small talk while the anxious young man bounced around the table in anticipation.

Finally, coffee drank, and the last remnants of the icing laden rolls devoured, Synn turned to Despayre and gave him a slight nod and ZOOM! He didn't need being told twice and he rushed at top speed for the front room, and thus for the presents.

Teresa stood up and started to clean up when Gabriel took her by the arm and shook his head in the negative.

"Uh uh." He said in a definitive tone. "We take care of that later. You're coming too."

Amused and touched, Teresa allowed Gabriel to escort her to the front room where Despayre had already reduced the wrapping of his first of many packages to shreds while Fantasia took it upon herself to pass the rest around to those the labels assigned them to.

*********************


The morning passed with idle chatter and music playing over the entertainment center's surround sound. The remnants of all the wrapping paper had been bundled up and thrown and all that remained were the hastily opened boxes and the gifts themselves. Everyone was seated around the front room, examining the gifts, drinking coffee, eating more donuts and rolls, and just generally experiencing a very pleasant morning.

Teresa had family over in Europe, and Synn had even offered to have her flown home as he did every year. However this year she declined and opted to stay so she could take care of this off beat group she now found herself in the midst of. She agreed for Synn to fly her out for the start of the New Year instead.

"Hey Despy, look what I just found." Fantasia said as she walked from around the Christmas tree's furthest side, holding a brightly wrapped package in her hands. The box was of a modest size but the eyes were drawn to the shiny red and gold wrapping paper with the green ribbon draped snugly around all corners.

"Ooo!" Despayre cooed at the sight, his eyes lighting up. "Who's that one for?"

Fantasia shifted the box and offered it over to him, saying, "It has your name on it sweety."

"Who's it from?" Gabriel asked as he took a seat on a chair beside Despayre who was planted on the floor.

"Didn't say." Synn answered in Fantasia's place. "Christian Underwood gave it to me backstage and said it was delivered to his office through my name."

Despayre started tearing the paper off like Taz through a tree and Gabriel sat back with a coffee in hand, saying, "Must be a fan."

"Must be." Shane agreed as Despayre pulled out a beautiful white sweater with the image of a teddy bear stitched perfectly onto the chest.

"Wow!" Despayre exclaimed.

"Nice." Gabriel mused. "Is there a card?"

Despayre looked back into the box and said, "There is!" and he dug it out and quickly opened it. He pulled out the card itself from the envelope and started to look it over while the conversation started again.

"Joshua?" Teresa said, drawing the others' attentions. "Are you alright?"

They turned their attentions from her to Despayre who was just staring at the inside of the card. He seemed -- frozen. Most people when they sit still still move to some degree. Despayre was absolutely still.

"Despy?" Gabriel inquired, leaning down. "What is it?"

Despayre gave off a slight whimper, almost a whine, as Gabriel took the card in his fingers and slid it from his grasp. He looked at the inside, and he immediately looked up to Synn.

"Merry Christmas baby." Gabriel repeated from the writing. "Love ... Mom."

All eyes shifted immediately to Despayre who had closed his eyes and pulled Angel, and the sweater, close to his chest.

Synn shook his head and murmured beneath his breath, "Son of a bitch...."

136
Character Building Roleplays / A Sins Christmas
« on: December 24, 2011, 02:44:19 PM »
 The party was in full swing and Rage was standing in the door frame to the kitchen as the housekeeper, Teresa, was reaching into the fridge and she pulled out a rather large party tray filled with meats, cheeses, some fruit and olives. She turned around and rage arched an eyebrow.

"Yo, Teresa." Rage murmured in his deep voice that some women might say was just a hint shy of seductive.

"Yes?" Teresa said as she stepped up, carrying the tray. "You need something?"

"Just this." Rage looked up over his head slightly and Teresa's eyes followed his gaze to see the big man was standing under a sprig of mistletoe. He said, "Mistletoe, babe, and I believe that calls for a kiss."

"Okey dokey!" Despayre said who was entering the kitchen from behind him. And he stood up on his tip toes and gave Rage a peck on the cheek with a hearty "Mwah!" and he kept on his trek to the fridge for a Cherry Coke as Teresa shook her head with a smile and moved past Rage who just blinked with a blank expression at what just happened.

137
Character Building Roleplays / A Sins Christmas
« on: December 23, 2011, 09:47:22 PM »
 "HEEEEELLLLP!!!"

Despayre was quite the picture, tearing down the hallway of his home, yelling as if the hounds from Hell were nipping at his feet. Only for him, it was worse. Much, MUCH worse! It wasn't a hell hound that was chasing him down, intent on making him its afternoon meal. It was Shane that was hot on his heels, and he wanted to do something by far more fear inducing; he wanted to get Despayre dressed in a suit and tie!

(You may shudder here.)

Yes, Synn had assigned to Shane, once again, the unenviable task of getting Despayre properly dressed. This time for their Christmas party this evening. Obviously there was no 'dress code' per se, but as one of the two hosts of the homestead, Synn wanted Despayre to look the part.

Enter Shane.

The suit itself was bad enough, but that brought along with it the tie! Or as Despayre thinks of it; a hedonistic torture device! Shane just wanted to strangle him into submission or worse, but Despayre was not about to go down without a fight!

Despayre jetted around the corner of the hall and into the kitchen, throwing over a small table to block Shane's path. Shane came tearing around but didn't see the obstacle and his foot caught it and he came crashing down! That was to his benefit in a sense as with his staggering height of 6'8", he managed to snag Despayre's ankle and he brought him down along with him.

"Get off me!" Despayre cried. "Leave me be!"

The little guy lashed out with his foot towards Shane's head but Shane expertly blocked it with his free hand and started to drag Despayre toward him.

Watching in amusement from the kitchen doorway, Synn tilted his head toward Teresa who had a video camera in front of her eye, recording everything. He said, "Did you get that?"

"I got it." The housekeeper confirmed. "I don't like this going on in my kitchen. They might break something."

"Bah!" Synn shook his head, waving off her concern. "We'll replace anything that gets broken. Oo!" He opened his eyes wide when Shane managed to block the kick. "That was how he gave him that black eye a year ago when he got him ready for a date!"

"I guess Shane's learning." Teresa nodded.

Despayre grabbed hold of the counter and tried to hold  on but Shane was a determined man. He got to his knees and with a heavy tug, Despayre's grip was broken and he yelped in fear.

"HELP! I'm being oppressed!" Despayre cried out as Shane grabbed him by the back of his pants and hauled him up into his arms, kicking and flaying his arms. "STOP THE OPPRESSION!"

Shane stood up, easily holding Despayre against him while the little guy kicked his legs and flung his arms every which way to try and get loose. Shane turned around, breathless, and stared down Synn and Teresa, and now Rage who had heard the commotion and walked in to see what the hell was going on.

He bellowed, "You know one of you could give me a hand here!"

Rage proceeded to clap his hands sarcastically, and Shane sneered then looked at the other two.

"Well!?"

"I'm filming." Teresa answered.

Shane looked at Synn, "What about you!?"

"I'm injured." Synn said.

"How the hell are you injured!?" Shane asked, switching Despayre over to his other arm, holding him around the waist at his side. Synn answered by holding up his right hand and showing the bandage on his pinky. Shane scowled and said, "Oh pardon my doubting you!"

"Not at all." Synn shrugged in distinct indifference.

Shane shook his head and turned around to exit the kitchen with his "luggage" when Despayre shrieked, "He's touching my special place!"

"WHAT!?" Shane hollered and instinctively released Despayre and the little guy took off and Shane growled beneath his breath and started right in pursuit, pausing only to look at the trio watching closely and he raised a finger, "Don't you dare...!"

And he took off, leaving behind the three with barely hidden smirks on their faces.

Rage murmured as they started off to follow and watch the fun, "I can't believe he fell for that."

CRASH!

Despayre ran right up the steps and Shane was right after him, but he paused in bewilderment as Despayre slid right down past him on the banister with a taunting, "Ha ha!" left in his wake. Shane cursed rather audibly and turned about face and went right back after him.

"And the video camera is for...?"

"Youtube, what else?"

Rage, watching along with the rest, whispered to Synn, "Why the hell does Shane agree to do this if the kid gives him such hell?"

"I think Shane sees it as a challenge." Synn answered as Shane chased Despayre around them in a circle and into the front room.

"A challenge?"

"Mm hm. You know how cocky Shane is. A real perfectionist. Now he likes to see how far he can get with Joshua before he has to yield. A real challenge."

"Dressing Despayre." Rage said skeptically. "Doesn't sound like much of a problem."

Synn turned to him and smiled, "If that's how you feel, next time I'm sure he'll let you get Joshua dressed up."

A piercing shriek caused all three to start and turn their heads and Rage closed his eyes.

"Screw that." The Sin of Wrath declared.

Synn bit his bottom lip, "I bet Gabriel will catch hell from Shane now for teaching Joshua the groin claw."

MUCH TIME AND MANY CRASHES AND BRUISES LATER...


Synn sat in the front room on the large, plush sofa...

Rage sat in a recliner to his left...

Teresa walked in and handed both men a frosty mug filled with beer. She then took a seat herself when Shane walked in (or limped rather). His hair was mussed beyond its usual perfection. His bottom lip was puffy. His cheek had a beaut of a shiner on it and his clothes were torn and in complete tatters. He paused and looked at them briefly, before he silently stalked past and toward the kitchen for presumably his own beer.

Their eyes followed him when a whimpering sound caused them to turn back and a pouting Despayre walked in, his arms folded and bottom lip jetted out -- clad entirely in his dress clothes complete with tie. He flopped down in front of the Christmas tree and grabbed Angel from where the teddy bear sat and hugged it tightly.

Synn looked up at Rage and said, "I'll be damned. He did it."

138
Character Building Roleplays / A Sins Christmas
« on: December 22, 2011, 11:18:10 PM »
 For those that were lucky enough to have been invited to this particular house for the owner's big Halloween party, they would tell anyone new to the scene that it paled in comparison to the preparations for the happenings over the Christmas holiday. The lack of snow did not deter the owner of this grand abode from going all out with the decor on the exterior. The front yard looked to be an exact double for Santa's village, complete with eight plastic reindeer fashioned from creatively wound Christmas lights and an animatronic Santa in a charcoal black sleigh lined in golden lights. Over a dozen pre-lit fir trees lined the path to the front door where that frame was lined with pre-lit garland and a matching wreath.

Lights of all colors were being strung up everywhere; twisted around anything that could and would hold them up, from the bushes and trees in the yard to the house itself. As a matter of fact, the lights were still in the process of being hung with quite a bit of "expert" supervision.

"Is this where you want it?" Synn called from where he was on the edge of the first floor's roof, kneeling precariously over the porch fifteen feet below.

Despayre, who stood clad in his warmest winter jacket and Angel tucked snugly in his arms (also in a bite sized coat), looked up and scrutinized where Synn was holding a strand of lights. He leaned back and held out his hand in an artistic pose, squinting one eye shut and his tongue between his teeth.

"A little more higher!" He called to Synn. "And be careful! Don't fall!"

Synn started to fix the lights' cord to the roof and he glanced up, "While I appreciate your concern Joshua, I can assure you that I won't fall!"

"Angel says you will!"

"Angel is wrong."

The front door opens and Teresa paused from her assistance in the decorating to spot Despayre walking inside with an impish grin to his lips and a twinkle in his eye. Following behind him was Synn, who now had a slight limp and he seemed preoccupied with picking twigs from the bushes below the roof from his clothes and hair. The housekeeper noted the scratches on his cheek and hands and frowned.

"What happened to you?" She asked.

"Never mind!" Synn grumbled as he stalked past her and headed upstairs to change. She turned to see Despayre watching after Synn. The little guy then looked at her.

"Angel's never wrong." And he headed into the front room with a smile on his face and his nose in the air.

How times had changed over the course of the past year.

There had been a time when Synn would have scoffed at the very idea of even putting up a tree, much less turning his entire house into a winter wonderland. That was until Despayre had entered his life, and the chance for a real Christmas outside of the asylum where he had spent the vast majority of his young life presented itself. Initially the idea remained ludicrous, until the unthinkable had happened. An outburst against the holiday had reduced Despayre to tears, and Gabriel unleashed a verbal ass kicking to Synn. Nobody had ever talked to the "Dark priest" in a manner such as that before, but Gabriel was more than just "somebody". He was Despayre's friend, and in his mind, a brother. It was the old adage of not having to be blood to be family, and Gabriel took it to heart when he verbally tore into Synn, and pointed out he doesn't have to believe in the holiday in order to celebrate it with Despayre and the rest of the team.

Synn did not believe in the Christian traditions of Christmas then, and that extends to this day. But Gabriel's words rang true; Synn despised the holiday itself, but the others in the Seven Sins noted a change in the big man when it came to celebrating the day itself. They knew that to Synn, Christmas was just another day -- except where Despayre was concerned. For this special young man, no expense would be spared. This house itself was the first real home Despayre had been blessed with for three quarters of his life. That alone made Synn determined to make it a memorable one.

That explained the outside's current decor, and the vast interior of this spacious and not-so-humble abode. While the outside had a jolly feel to it, the inside had a more warm, festive expressive tone, dominated with red velvet bows, silver accents and icicle light curtains everywhere.

"It looks great." Synn said softly, resting a hand on Teresa's shoulder. "You outdid yourself."

"Joshua helped." She said, looking now at the fifteen foot tall Christmas tree in the front room that Despayre was helping put the finishing touches on. (This means he was bobbing and weaving in a 'tinsel fight' with Angel on the other side of the tree.) She continued, "According to him, the teddy bear gave him all the ideas."

"Well, whoever did what, even I would be hard pressed not to admit the house looks spectacular." High praise indeed from the mouth of Synn. He turned and smiled at a sight just down the foyer.

Shane stood in the hall, just outside of the front room, and poured himself an eggnog and then one for Fantasia whom he passed it to. Synn leaned over to Teresa and whispered, "Have you made certain he's had plenty of those?"

"Yes, well spiked just like you wanted." She answered, then looked up at him with a quizical expression. "But why did you want him to get hammered before your party even begins?"

"All part of the plan." Synn answered in his typical cryptic manner and he turned and walked down toward where Shane had just downed the glass of brandy laced eggnog and started to pour another.

"Well," Synn said with a smirk. "I see you're loosening up for the evening's festivities."

"Absolu... absolu... hell yes." Shane answered with a slight slur to his words. "I can't believe that you're actually throwing a Christmas party. Hell must have frozen over."

"Please don't rub it in." Synn sighed as he rubbed his temple with his fingers. "I'm still finding the very thought unfathomable myself. But..."

"Whatever Despy wants...?" Fantasia smiled as she leaned against Shane and sipped at her own drink.

"So it would appear." Synn shook his head.

"So who's on the guest list?" Fantasia asked.

Synn poured an eggnog into a small glass and handed it to Teresa who approached. He went for one for himself and answered, "Just a select few this time around. You two. Gabriel. Mark Ward and Christian if they wish. Sean. Most everyone else has their own plans. Oh and of course, this lady here." He indicated to Teresa.

Fantasia smiled as she sipped the drink, "Well we certainly appreciate the invite."

Shane raised his glass in a toast to Synn before draining it. he hiccuped and said, "That we do big boy. Synn throwing a Christmas shindig. Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Synn exchanged a wry look with Fantasia before scratching his chin and saying, "Well, I do admit to having a bit of an ulterior motive for making certain you were here so early Shane."

"Besides taste testing the eggnog?" He smirked.

"Besides that." Synn nodded. "That was just because I needed you relaxed for a bit of a favor."

Shane raised an eyebrow and said, "Synn there isn't enough brandy in the world to get me to..."

"No." Synn chuckled, waving off his concerns. "No. No. That was on my list to Santa, but no. This is something more akin to your personal experience."

"Which is...?"

"Well, being a nice Christmas party, nice attire is a must."

"Of course!"

"Dress clothes? Maybe a tie for the men?"

"Can't argue with that."

"Well...." Synn nodded his head to direct Shane's attention to the front room where Despayre was standing with Angel. Clad in a red turtleneck sweater with Daffy Duck on the chest, Despayre was just 'looking' at Shane with an expression that just screamed 'Oh I dare you'.

Shane groaned and closed his eyes.

"Aw fuck!"

139
Character Building Roleplays / Before and After Climax Control
« on: November 30, 2011, 08:24:55 PM »
 <img align=left src= "http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/8483/seancfq.jpg">Sean turned around and found himself staring up into the eyes of the man that he had just so recently been nervous about seeing again after so long. There was no mistaking a second time. This indeed was Synn. His emerald green eyes were smoldering, as was that 'hint' of a smile that creased the corner of his lips. He looked Sean up and down as if he were some sweet treat that were about to be devoured when he broke the lingering silence that permeated between them.

"Mistaking another man for me?" He quipped. "I should be insulted."

He tilted his head to the side, scrutinizing Sean closely, the smile falling from his lips. This was just how Synn was, especially with those he cared for. Just being near him could be an intimidating factor. It was as if his eyes could see into the depths of the soul and after getting to know him, one would think that to be the very case. Especially with Sean.

He said, "So, don't I get a hug?"

"Okey dokey!" And Despayre stepped up and wrapped his arms around the much taller Synn and squeezed him tight, and Sean was surprised to see a genuine smile break out onto the big man's face.

"Thank you, Joshua." Synn exclaimed as Despayre stepped back, cuddling Angel the bear to his chest. "And you, Sean?"

Synn offered his hand to Sean, and when it was accepted, Synn pulled him against his own solid body and wrapped him into a tight embrace. After a few moments enjoyment after so much time between them had expired, Synn released the hug and took a step back.

"Now.." he said. "Two things. One, please do go get your things. I find it ridiculous that Mercedes rented you a room here when she knows full well I own a house here in Las Vegas. We can cancel the reservation and you can stay at my place."

Sean blinked, wondering how Mercedes would know such a thing when Synn's smile returned and he answered the unspoken question.

"I've been keeping tabs on you since we parted ways in GXW, Sean. Who do you think was my source of information all these years?"

"Oh." Sean cleared his throat. "What ... what was the second thing?"

Synn asked matter-of-factly. "Oh, that. I was just wondering; when you roll your joints, do you do it by hand or do you use a rolling machine?"

The stunned silence followed as Synn tucked his hands into his side pockets and waited, when Despayre's sing-song voice carried over them, "Someone's gonna get it..."</color>

140
Character Building Roleplays / Before and After Climax Control
« on: November 27, 2011, 05:02:36 PM »
 <img align=left src= "http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/nevada/las-vegas/images/s/mgm-lobby.jpg">The lobby of the MGM Grand was a spectacular sight to behold in space and design, the eye catching highlight being that of the golden lion stationed atop the marble dais with the green grass and floral arrangement.

Ooo!" Despayre cooed in wide eyed fascination as he and Synn entered the MGM lobby through the front doors. Despayre made his way right for the lion, with Synn bringing up the rear and dialing on his cell...

**********

Upstairs in his room, Sean's cell phone rang...

**********

Synn caught Despayre's upper arm and reeled him back as he tried to make for the casino which was in plain sight past the lobby.

Despayre started fidgeting and whining as Synn spoke into the cell, "Sean, I'm down in the lobby with Joshua. He's getting fidgety so could you hurry down? He can be quite the handful when he gets restless."

Sean could hear over the phone, Despayre's sing song whine..."But ngel wants to play the slots...!"

Synn reeled Despayre in a second time...

"Please hurry!"
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