SCW Boards
Roleplay Boards => Archived Roleplays => Climax Control Archives => Topic started by: Austin James Mercer on March 20, 2019, 05:16:55 AM
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All I see is, shattered pieces
I can't keep it, hidden like a secret
I can't look away
From all this pain, in the world, we've made
Every day you need, a bulletproof vest
To save yourself, from what you could never guess
Am I safe today?
When I step outside, in the wars we wage
Prologue: Second Chances.
Do you know how hard it is to earn a shot at a world championship?. Do you know the pressure you are under when that carrot is dangling in front of you? To have a chance at that type of accolade is special, to be able to have a group of people who run and own a company give you that faith, that trust, more than once?.
It’s mind-blowing.
When I was a kid I would dream about my dad being a superhero or a spy or an action movie star, the usual stupid bullshit. Then I met him and I was a little disappointed. He was a businessman, he wore a suit, he closed business deals, he managed the assets of Athos Corp. But then, well then I learned about his youth and my family lineage.
I learned about our real family business.
The calling my father ignored.
The one that I couldn’t turn away from.
And in the last few years as my body matured and my mind became stronger I have risen to be feared, respected and in some cases admired.
I have been given a second chance, a shot at retribution. A shot at ending something special and legendary.
And I will not, WILL NOT, waste it.
Scene One-I have faith in you.
Off Camera
New York, New York.
Last Week.
He sat on the large leather couch staring at the floor. His now one-year-old son Markus playing on a mat, little plastic cars and blocks crashing together as the child made squeaks and grunts. Austin smiled and tilted his head to the side, his long brown hair dangling down his shoulders and back. Markus looked up at his father and have a little smile. Austin shook his head and sighed deeply. ”You think you’re funny, don’t you? Markus just smiled wider and curled up his nose, Austin didn’t even hear Lisa walk in.
”He’s hilarious.” Austin turned his head with a small laugh, Lisa stood in the doorway, heavily pregnant. Her hand on her belly. As Austin apparently doesn’t waste time. Lisa’s silver hair was tied back away from her face, her high cheekbones framing a large, happy smile. Her sparkling blue eyes studying her husband as she moved over close to him, Austin reached over sliding his arm around her waist, laying his head on her belly, his ear pushed against her. Lisa’s hand ran through his hair as Markus looked up at his mother now popping one of his large plastic cars in his mouth, Lisa shook her head as Austin reached down and moved the toy out of his son’s mouth.
”We’re proud of you, you know?” Austin smirked and looked up before standing, he towered over his wife who came up to his upper chest. He reached down and lightly ran his hand over her cheek before kissing her forehead. ”I know. I never questioned that.”
Lisa looked up and stared into Austin's eyes, she tried to read him, read his emotions, his feelings and his thoughts. She gave a knowing nod and put a hand on her husband's chest. ”You’ve been different. Since you and Alex teamed up, this whole, Wolfslair thing, it’s not just a gym anymore is it?” Austin shook his head and looked down at his red and black wolfslair shirt, his wife’s ring catching his eye. ”You have a fire that was missing. A fire that you seemed to lose when your father passed, one that you regained when...well you know”
He gave a smile and leaned down picking Markus up, the boy looking tiny in his father’s arms despite his obvious size and growth being bigger than an average 13-month-old boy. ”Are you ready? For the match?” Lisa’s voice was light and happy, but Austin could tell she was worried, the losses had hit Austin hard. Made him angry, made him withdrawn. But Lisa had faith in him, she knew how good he is, how gifted he always was. ”I will be. I’ll be at the gym again tomorrow. I just, I just needed this day off. Needed to spend time with Markus, with you….”
He paused for a moment and kisses his son’s forehead now. ”Remind myself what really is important. What I fight for”
Lisa laughed and slowly gave a nod to her husband stepping back with her hand on her stomach again, she rubbed her baby bump, all 8 and a half months worth. ”I’m sure your daughter will enjoy knowing that. Just like I’m sure Markus already does”.Austin shakes his head and places his son back on the mat in front of his toys. ”He’s a baby, I’m pretty sure all that runs through his head is “I’m hungry” and “I’m sleepy”.” Lisa playfully hits him on the arm. ”Don’t ruin my fun..”
”I love you, Lisa…” “I know” Austin paused for a moment and shook his head. ”Did you just Han solo me?”
A few days later
Austin let out a grunt as he pushed the weight bar off his chest, the sweat poured from him as the veins in his arms and chest pulsed with blood. He kept his breathing steady as he moved the bar, others just stared as Alex and Alicia stood in the corner with other members of the gym, Alicia hit Alex in the arm and pointed at Austin, Alex just gave a smirk and slowly walked over as Austin growled and pushed the bar straight up. Alex helped Austin guide the bar onto the rack, Austin sat up with a nod looking over at Alex ”Thanks”
”How you going kid?” Alex’s voice was low, he wanted to keep this between himself and Austin. Despite the very public setting. Austin gave a small nod and stood up wiping himself down with a towel, his body covered in sweat as he breathed deep and low over and over again to bring his heart rate down. Alex folded his arms over his chest waiting for an answer. Something more than a one worder or a simple use of body language. ”I’m good, I just. I don't know if I can do this.”
”Do what?’ Austin sighs and shakes his head moving away from the main group leaning against a wall. His hands sit on his hips as Alex stands in front of him with an eyebrow raised. ”I’ve already gone further and done more than most people ever thought I would. I just don’t know if I can go further. Alex stays silent letting Austin be alone with his thoughts for a moment, running them through his mind. ”This will be my third world title man, third. I never thought I’d win one. But three?. I’m still nervous. I don’t think that’s a good thing. Too still let it get to me.
Alex laughs and shakes his head, Austin looks down at his friend and mentor, Alex reaches out and pats Austin on the shoulder. ”That’s it?. That’s what you’re worried about?
Austin looks confused, his eyes focus on Alex as Alex paces back and forth. ”Well yeah...why wouldn’t I be?. Shouldn’t I be calm like you?” Alex scoffs and shakes his head. [/color=red]”Like me?. Kid how many world titles have I won?[/color] ”Nine… Alex nods with his eyebrows up and a smile on his face. “That’s right, nine. And you know how many shotsI’ve had?. About 15 or 16. And I still get nervous before every single one, and before every defense and every big match. Being nervous is a good thing”
Austin just listens, his large arms fold over his chest as Alex continues. ”Being nervous means you’re uncomfortable. It means you’re not complacent. The one time I was comfortable going into a title match, it was against Mickey….” Alex pauses and growls under his breath, obviously still angry at what happened in the match. His hands clasp into fists as Austin stands up straight. ”Mickey didn’t beat me kid, I beat me. And you were able to go in there and destroy him, and now, here we are at the edge of greatness. You’re good enough to beat Fenris, you’re good enough to be the champion, you just need to believe and go do it.”
Austin sighs and nods slowly. Alex seems to get a little agitated. ”Bring that title home Austin, bring that title to us, bring it to your wife, bring it to your son and your unborn daughter. But most of all, bring it home to YOU…” Alex reaches up and grabs Austin by the head bringing his forehead against his with a smirk. ”Wolves run in a pack...you’re the alpha now brother…”
Scene Two: I know the odds
On Camera
New York, New York
Present Day
”I know the odds here, I get it.”
Austin paces back and forth, his body covered in black jeans and a red and black wolfslair shirt, his hair tied back as his hands clasp together in front of him.
”You don’t respect a 6’6 monster to be an underdog. But in this case. I am. And now I’ll say this plain. I should have been in that four-way at Blaze of glory. I took my eye off the ball and someone undeserving got in. See something that should be prized in this business is consistency. Alicia, Alex and I are consistent. We put effort into the promotion of every event, every match, every moment. We go out there time and time again and we do all we can to make sure the fans go home happy and we as a collective succeed.
“We don’t always win, but we are still a beacon of how you should perform in this business. Some people only turn up for the big matches, when something is at stake. That’s when they care. See Crystal Zdunich and Kate Steele for examples.”
“Others just flip flop, one week they look like world beaters, other weeks they look like they don’t even want to be here…”
“But me?. I am here week after week, the same maximum effort, the same heart, the same soul. I am here every damn time and while Travis Levitt got to be in the SCW title match and Jake Raab got in that match just makes me sick. And not only was I not in that match but then I was put against a guy who didn’t even seem to give a shit. Vanu barely said a damn thing to me or about SCW and if I hadn’t of voiced my opinions on social media, in promotional videos and at the arena would anyone...ANYONE have cared?
Austin raises an eyebrow and throws his arms out to the side, his wingspan quite impressive as he laughs to himself.
”Nah. They wouldn’t have. The fact I got put in a match with a guy who was debuting and who had no name, no past and apparently no future was damaging to him, to me and too SCW. But then a little spark, a bright light. Iget word that Fenris next title defense. His tenth attempt at defending the title will be against me.”
“Climax Control 231, Fenris takes on Austin James Mercer again. One on one. And I want to be real here, so many people say Jake Raab was the closest to beating Fenris. Some people say the biggest challenge he has faced was the four-way. But, in my heart I feel, and know, that I was the one who has been in his head. I’m the name that has been there, burning and making him look over his shoulder. See there is no doubt that Fenris has become the best champion SCW has had in..well..ever.”
“Longest reign, almost ten defenses, the guy is legit. There is no one in the wrestling world who would ever say Fenris hasn’t EARNED all of this.”
“Unless they’re a raving lunatic.”
“Truth is that Fenris is a man who deserves to be held on a pedestal. He deserves to be applauded and respected. And he’s a guy who will never back down, he will never quit and he will never complain about who he defends against or why. The man is a champion in name and action. But, all reigns end, all champions fall. And it’s up to people like me to do it…”
Austin smirks and paces back and forth again getting hyped up.
”Let’s face it Fenris, who else could it be?. Alex is a wily veteran, and he’s talented, Senor Vinnie is a man who is ultra violent and determined. Lachlan Kane has heart and soul. But if we’re being really honest here, it’s me. I’m the man who can do it, I’m the man who should do it, because, with all due respect to Alex, I’m the only one with the understanding of the gravity of the situation.”
“I’m the only one who really gets it.”
“See for over 245 days you have been at the top of the mountain, you have never been defeated in an SCW ring and you have been a riddle for anyone and everyone to figure out. You can have matches against people that you dominate and destroy, but then you have the heart to come back from beatings that would end most people. You can stop guys quicker than you in their tracks, take them down and end them right there and then. You can beat down guys bigger than you and nullify their power advantage.”
“It’s a whole other game to be in the ring with you and that’s what I mean when it’s strange for a six foot six and a former world champion, a man considered a monster in most circles is an underdog in a match. But that is where I find myself…”
Austin stops pacing and takes a long drawn out deep breath.
”And that is what I mean by “gravity” Fenris. See I get it, you respect what I can do in the ring, you aren’t afraid of any man in this business. But I also know that you want someone to beat you. I saw it in your eyes when you got passed me man, you were happy you were still champion but, part of you, a little part, was disappointed. Cause you know the only way you’re ever going to know if you can get even better than you are now is if someone beats you and you have to feel what it’s like.”
“It’s the same in MMA…”
“You get beaten, you figure out the weakness that was exploited,”
“You patch the weakness..”
“And you come back stronger.”
“That’s what you want to do here, isn’t it?. But no one has been able to find that weakness, to focus on what you need to fix. I came close, annoyingly close and that match took a hell of a lot out of me. Both physically and emotionally. But I pulled myself up from that, I pulled myself up when Travis Levitt somehow beat both myself and Lachlan to become a passenger in that fourway, I just keep coming, I just keep my foot on the pedal and I am getting ready to get in that ring and try again, to put it all on the line and I don’t know what else to say…”
He lets out a deep knowing sigh as his jaw clenches.
”There are no promises of grandeur. No chest beating arrogance and threats of violence. There isn’t even reasoning and bargaining about how things will be different this time Fenris. All I can really say is…”
“Let’s go to war.”