Jet City Sports Lab
Jet City, WA
10:12 am PDT
29 June 2017
OFF-CAMERA
This was his nightmare. It had never been exclusively wrestling for Kris. At first, there were drugs, there was art, there was music. In getting the drug problem under control, the rehab center was born. Art and music slowly slipped out the door in favor of a wife, kids, and the Jet City Sports Lab. To add to it, his ‘show up, fight, leave’ routine had somehow turned into ‘arrive a few days early, tape a show, do fan events, do interviews, fight, and maybe leave after everyone else’. That is why on days like this, he finds himself hiding in the office with a towel over his face. His feet are up on the desk, with an oddly haunting sketch of an eye lying in the center of it.
KJ: That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think?
At this point the voice does not even surprise him. He knew that the person that it came from was not actually there. The side effect of all of the stress and pressure he put on himself had been this stalker. The problem was, it was a person Kris had never met, and hoped to never actually come across. The sarcastic, spiteful, ghost-like hallucination of his adult son was way too much like his father for Kris to like.
Kris:...and there it is.
The problem with having a conversation was a hallucination was that they did not fall for the set ups to jokes.
KJ: The one thing that could push your headache into a full blown migraine?
Kris pulls the towel off of his face to see the person that he knew was not actually there. He had started to grow tired of the game.
Kris: You’re not real! Go haunt someone else. I have things to do.
Through the pulled shades covering the windows Kris can see movement outside stop at the raising of his voice. Hopefully people would just think that he is on some kind of conference call. He knew that his conscience was not going to let him off though.
KJ: Careful or people are going to find out that you’re starting to lose it in here.
Kris takes his feet off of the table and sits up, starting to fumble through the things on the desk. He had dozens of things he needed to do, but no motivation to start on the list. However, maybe if he kept his mind occupied it would have less time to play these tricks on him.
Kris: I’m fine...
His son laughs at him. Kris honestly doubted that any real life person would have bought the lie either so he was not at all surprised that he did not really buy into it himself.
KJ: We both know you’re not. You clearly need some help.
Kris drops the stack of papers and slams his hands down on the desk. It was not the first time he had heard it today. His hallucination was not even in the first handful of people that had told him as much. It did not mean that he was going to change his answer from the one he gave everyone else though.
Kris:I don’t need anybody. I can handle it.
KJ shrugs, moving around the desk and sitting down in the empty seat across from his father. The smug look on his face makes Kris feel uneasy. He saw so much of himself in him, and not enough of Liz. It made him seem a lot more dangerous than if it were vice-versa.
KJ: Maybe that’s out of your hands now...
Kris’ brow furrows, and he shakes his head.
Kris: We have already established that you’re not real. What can you really--
KJ cuts him off before he can even complete his sentence.
KJ: Knock knock...
Kris opens his mouth to respond, but closes it when there is a light knock on the door that immediately follows his son’s words. He looks up towards the door, very confused, before back in the chair where his son was sitting. There is nobody there. He shakes the thought away. Of course there was nobody there. Kris tosses his sketch under a stack of much more important papers and straightens up his shirt to look a lot less distressed.
Kris: Come in.
The door opens and a woman Kris has never seen enters. Her dark hair is pulled up into a bun, her latte colored skin appears flawless with what appears to be a minimalist approach to her makeup. She isn't smiling though.
Woman: Kris Halich. I was sent here to fill in for Miss Reynolds since it has become more difficult to look after you now that she has reached the third trimester of her pregnancy. My name is Kali Fox. I am a lawyer and I am under strict instructions to take care and oversee any and all things regarding your wrestling career.
She steps forward to offer an outstretched hand. Kris looks down from her eyes, to her hand, and then back up at her. Without even taking a few seconds to consider her offer, he shakes his head.
Kris: Pass. Hard pass. If you want to do blondie’s job, you can do it the same way she did. When I have paperwork for you to take care of, it will come to you. We don’t have to cross paths. We don’t need to get to know each other. We definitely don’t need to shake hands.
He turns his attention back to the papers in front of him, trying to seem busy in the hopes that she would leave him alone.
Kris: Sorry you wasted your time coming down.
She crosses her arms over her chest.
Kali: You don't really have a choice in this Kris.
She pushes a pile of papers off a nearby chair and brushes some unknown orange substance off before sitting.
Kali: I wasn't just picked by Kirsten. And I am getting paid to essentially be your babysitter. You can argue, fight, yell and scream if it makes you feel better but all in all, you are stuck with me.
He is silent for a second, leaning back in his chair. Kris looks back and forth between her eyes and the papers on the desk before picking his words carefully.
Kris: It took me less than a month to get rid of the last person Jason tried to hire to keep an eye on me. It was smart leading by blaming in on Kirsten. I’m going to guess that was Jay’s idea. Don’t worry though. You don’t need to protect his brand. It will be a lot less of a hassle for you, and a lot less of a headache for me if you just took notes from the lawyer girl though. You can do your job from home.
He waits for her to get up, but she makes no move to leave.
Kris: If you know anything at all about me you know I’m very capable of getting rid of people when I really want to. If I don’t want you around, you don’t have a chance of lasting very long. The way I see it, there is very little that I need or want from you. There’s nothing you can do for me that I can’t do myself. I am balancing everything on my own. That’s what he wanted.
Kali: I wasn't hired by Jason either. And trust me Kris, I know everything about you so I was well prepared for your ‘I’m a big boy’ speech. You don’t have to like me. I am here to do a job and I am very good at doing said job.
She looks directly into his eyes without flinching. He raises both of his hands to his face, rubbing his eyes in frustration. With his face covered, he takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. When he pulls his hands away, he manages to fake a smile.
Kris: Summer XXXtreme is on a cruise ship. Jet City is obviously here. If I’m not here, there’s a whole lot more you can do here than you can following me around. If you’re not going to just go away, then you can at least stay here and do something useful.
She shakes her head.
Kali: Mr. Ripley has all of that under control. As I said and what you seem to have difficulty understanding is that my specific job is to make sure you are where you are supposed to be, at the correct time with all the things you need.
He shrugs.
Kris: That sounds more like an assistant, and I don’t need one, so again, no thanks. I got it. The clinic is fine. I can handle the stuff for the show before I leave. I can even arrange my own travel. I’m a grown up. I don’t have any use for you.
She shakes her head, pulling her phone out of her pocket, and clicking the screen to life.
Kali: You had yet to book any flights for this weekend. You have a fan event before you leave. The clinic has not ordered supplies in three weeks. Half of the trainees here haven’t paid you. You haven’t said anything about your match this week, and as of the moment I walked into this office, nobody involved in your show has anything to show for this week other than a five hour long conference meeting about breakfast foods.
She had done her homework. Granted, half of that information he had probably accidentally handed her himself through social media. He knew he should not have let the camera guy run the Twitter account for the show.
Kris: Okay, so I’m running a little bit behind.
Kali’s perfectly arched eyebrows raise in amusement.
Kali: A little? These are not just ‘minor’ issues Kris. These are all pretty major things. The first thing you are going to do is hand over a few of those responsibilities to your other staff members. Second, I will take care of your flight and make sure you get the the event. After that, we will discuss how you wish to go about addressing your opponent.
He laughs, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Kris: We won’t be discussing anything once I get to the event. It’s on a cruise ship that has been booked for months. My wife and kids aren’t even going with me because there just isn’t space to make it happen. Unless you plan on sleeping on a couch for a week while I ignore your existence, you need a new game plan.
He gets up from the desk with a smug look on his face, thinking the argument has been won. Being along on the cruise ship gives him an entire extra week alone to fix everything himself and come up with a plan to get rid of her. She reaches into her messenger bag and places a folder on the desk. She flips it open not only to s front row ticket to the show but a first class room accommodations as well.
Kali: I made sure to have all of that looked after in advance. Your boss was very accommodating once I explained what I was doing.
It was her now giving him the smug look. He reaches across the desk and spins the folder around. The tickets to the show were legitimate, but not what he was interested in. Thumbing through the rest of the papers, he finds the reservation for her room. His fingers crawl across the page, looking for the number of the cabin. When he finds it, he shakes his head.
Kris: This doesn’t work. This is adjoining to me. This is supposed to be…
He looks up from the folder, and finds her waiting for his response like she knows what he was going to say. Instead of finishing the thought, he closes his mouth. This was not the kind of argument that he was going to win today. She was well prepared, and on offense. It was not surprising that he felt ambushed.
Kris: You know there’s no way off that boat. You get on it and you are stuck there with me. The fat guy thought he could hang too, and there weren’t very many ways to get under his skin. I have made a career out of making people just like you hate me. You’re setting yourself up for failure.
Kali: Well impossible to make someone who already hates you, hate you Kris. That’s one reason they picked me. Now, I have work to do getting this place back on track. You can get back to talking to yourself and pretending to work. Just be ready to do that promo…
She looks at her very expensive looking wristwatch.
Kali: Two hours.
She stands, snatching the folder from the desk and putting it back in her bag. He sits quietly like he is going to allow her to walk away without question. However, in reality he is just biding his time until she reaches for the door. One thing inside what she said gave him the window that he needed, and now he had a week to exploit it. As soon as her hand touches the doorknob, the words fly out of his mouth.
Kris: If I’m stuck with you, you can at least tell me why you already hate me. I think that’s fair.
She sighs, but doesn’t turn to face him.
Kali: But then I lose my leverage for you to keep me around. See, it is going to eat at you because you can't place me. Can’t figure out why no matter how hard you wrack your brain around it. It keeps you from doing anything overly serious. We aren't playing fair here. Fair is not getting into so much trouble that your family can’t trust you on your own.
She pulls open the door.
Kali: Two hours Kris. See you then.
He did not expect anything different if he was honest with himself. If she was going to give up that information easily, she would have volunteered it. Her mistake was thinking having the leverage made her more safe. He already has his response ready before she can even clear the doorway.
Kris: Your leverage doesn’t get me out of this chair or on that boat. If you think I’m above tanking my career just to get rid of you, you’re wrong. If I wasn’t that kind of person, your services wouldn’t be required.
She looks over her shoulder at him and reaches into her bag again. The paper she shows him is very familiar.
Kali: You underestimate who it was that actually hand picked me to do this. She said she would do it herself if quote not for someone in her head having sympathy for you.
The contract in her hand was one he knew very well and one his wife had learned about just recently when she had probed her sister about it.
Kali: She said that without Kirsten able to be around, you needed a handler. Someone that wouldn't put up with your shit. So again, do not underestimate me.
He raises his arms behind his head, cradling the back of his head in the interlaced fingers of his hands. There is a smile on his face, despite the indirect threat to his marriage and children.
Kris: I’ll see you in a couple hours then.
She places the paper back into her bag, stepping the rest of the way through the door and letting it close behind her. He waits until the door is firmly shut before he snaps up out of his seat and starts to gather papers.
KJ: She’s going to be a problem…
Kris jumps where he stands, the ghostly version of his son speaking directly into his ear.
Kris: You’re in my head. You already know she’s not. You’re just saying that to piss me off.
Kris opens the desk and grabs a black folder out of it, opening it onto the desk. He stacks the papers on the desk neatly and puts them into one pocket before walking around to the other side of the table and picking up what he needed from the stack she pushed onto the floor.
KJ: She hates you…
Kris shakes his head, coming up from the floor with what he needed and stuffing them into the empty side of the folder. He picks it up, tucking it underneath his arm and searching the back wall for the right keys.
Kris: She doesn’t actually know me. She is a lawyer. The person she hates is the person she is reading off of that paper. The junkie drug addict who cannot be trusted around children and is a danger to both himself and his wife. Now she is stuck in an adjoining room with me for a week on a boat.
KJ takes a seat where Kali had been previously sitting, raising his feet up to rest on the desk.
KJ: That has to make you mad. You had plans for that room. All of the hard work and preparation down the drain. I guess you really will be flying solo for the whole time. Even worse, now you have a nanny there to micromanage your time. I hope you plan to smuggle a little something down there with you or you are going to have a bad time.
He finds the keys that he is looking for and takes them off of the hook, moving down past the bathroom inside the office to the back door.
Kris: I’m not smuggling anything, and my plans haven’t changed, just the person has. If she’s not begging for someone to pick her up before I have to start filming on the preview show, it’s because she made some sort of deal with the devil.
KJ points from where he sits, over at his father.
KJ: ….and running off out the backdoor in a company car is going to help how?
Kris shrugs, disconnecting the fire alarm to the door and pulling the locking level up so that he can push it open.
Kris: You heard her. I have two hours to figure out who the fuck she is and why Violet hired her. Hopefully nobody will even realize I am gone. My car is out front and nobody will have seen me leave the office.
Kris closes the door, trying to end the conversation, but is immediately startled by his son leaning against the wall behind the closed door.
Kris: You have to stop doing that.
KJ shrugs.
KJ: You have to stop thinking slamming the door or walking away can get rid of me. It doesn’t work like that. You’re stuck with me until you deal with the reason that I’m here. Ignoring me isn’t going to get rid of me. Seducing me isn’t an option either…
Now it is time for Kris to shrug in response. He tried hard not to focus on how well his mind recreated the mannerism perfectly when his son did it.
Kris: You’re not real, so you’re not a real problem. She is, so she needs to go sooner rather than later. I guess you got moved to the back of the line.
Kris tries to walk away again, clicking the remote in his hand to unlock the doors of the white sedan in the alleyway. They had gotten it for the prospective trainees to use while first visiting, so nobody would notice it was missing. He climbs into the driver’s seat, throwing the folder next to him. He catches sight of his son in the back when adjusting the mirror.
KJ: Phillip is not going to tell you what you want to know.
Kris smiles, putting the key in the ignition of the car.
Kris: No, but he will give me a little bit more than I already know in exchange for me not touching him. Anything is going to help. I want this chick gone by Tuesday. I don’t have time to waste.
Kris shifts the car into drive, and looks up into the rear view mirror again, thinking he was going to get some response. To his surprise, the seat is empty behind him. He shakes his head, trying to avoid acknowledging the uneasy feeling that it gives him when he realizes he is actually alone. He was right about one thing though, he did not have any time to waste.
===================
===================
Jet City Sports Lab
Jet City, WA
12:01pm PDT
29 June 2017
ON-CAMERA
â€This should be exciting...â€
The screen comes to life with Kris in a regular office chair. He is seated in the middle of the the bigger of the two rings inside the Jet City Sports Lab, spinning around in circles. The SCW Roulette Championship rests on his lap, and oddly he is dressed as if he is about to compete. The unzipped, bright white, “Pure†jacket is opened to show his chest beneath it, and the matching white shorts with his name down the sides sparkle in the light.
â€The entire SCW roster sets sail on a likely disease-ridden boat for a week before we are going to beat the hell out of each other. I think the reason that this roster functions so well, is because we all have our own lives. We come together to put on a show, and then with few exceptions, all go our own way afterwards. People that don’t like each other, never have to see each other unless there is a match. Any tensions between people have time to diffuse during the week. That’s not going to be the case on this boat though. We are all going to be trapped with one another, with the only escape being a long swim back to a shore.â€
He stops spinning, planting his feet on the floor once he is facing the camera.
â€For me that means a lot of things. Despy is hosting the show and is still mad at me about delicious cookie cannibalism. Mikah is going to be there, so I expect there to be a lot of jokes with double meaning. The Mean Girls will be in attendance, bringing the level of hotness at poolside way the fuck down. Alexis Staggs will be in the house telling me how sorry she is that she’s not sorry, and Tim will be around to get into trouble dressed as Batman. It also means that people like Travis Nathaniel Andrews and Steve Ramone, two of my biggest critics as of late, get to bask in my presence. For one of these reasons, several of them, or even all of them, there’s a good chance that someone is going to be getting thrown off the boat, and the Vegas betting lines are making me the heavy favorite.â€
He shrugs. Other people might have been worried about how truthful the statements were, but Kris has always managed to enjoy the chaos he creates.
â€We do know at least a few things though. One of my opponents, Ryan Keys, will definitely be dressed to impress. Jamie Dean is going to have a blast judging a bunch of wet shorts. Bobbie Dahl is going to be making so many fans so very uncomfortable, and The Bad Boys will continue to bore us with their irrelevancy. We also know this though, this Roulette Championship match is going to be held Ultimate X style over top of a pool. Now, normally we would not know what kind of match we were having before the wheel spins, so this is a pleasant change… for me. For Ryan Keys, meeting me in this kind of match is going to feel a lot like deja vu. See, I took the title away from him under these rules. Granted, there was not a pool involved. I don’t foresee that being a problem though. If stepping into the ring with me yet again, after losing to me last week, was not bad enough, now he has to do so in a match he has already lost a title to me in. But hey, I bet he enjoys the cruise anyways.â€
He leans forward.
â€And then there is you, Travis. Basically since the moment I first put my hands on the title that you can’t have until the end of October, you have been chirping. First it was demanding a title match and having both of the bosses laugh in your face. Then it was about how much better than me you were, and how big of a disappointment you see me as. It worked. You got me to ask the bosses for a match with you. Congratulations. However, that’s not the way things work anymore. They told me no. They even told me that I couldn’t book myself in any matches when I hosted Climax Control specifically to keep me away from you. If it was up to me, your mouth would have been closed a long time ago. As it stands, they let you earn your way into Ryan’s rematch clause. Now you get to be trapped on a cruise ship with someone like me, who you have been picking at, and picking at for more than a month.â€
Kris leans forward, slinging the championship up over his shoulder as he does.
â€So let me remind you of something that I just said. Typically the SCW roster gets a week to cool off after matches, heated promos, or insulting segments. Typically, each week when I show up, I have already let what you said the week before roll off my back. There is nothing typical about this cruise though. There is no time to cool off. So let me give you some advice. Pick your words carefully, or be prepared to spend the week locked in your room and hoping that the room service person knocking on your door isn’t me in a disguise. You know that I’m more than capable of beating your ass before this match even gets under way, and you know I’m the kind of person that doesn’t give a shit how much trouble it lands me in. One week from Sunday, or maybe even before, you’re going to get yours.â€
He stands up from the chair, taking a few steps closer to the camera, and winking with a smile.
â€Trust me.â€
===================
===================
Taxy Bar
Los Angeles, CA
5:51pm PDT
30 June 2017
OFF-CAMERA
This partnership was not going well. Phillip had been no help when Kris went to ask about Kali. Apparently he had been left out of the selection process. Kris knew better than to try and get any information out of Violet either. He had returned to Jet City, done his promo, and allowed her to drive him to the airport. The entire flight was silence, Kris listening to music so loud that she could hear it, and Kali pretending not to be bothered by it. As soon as they landed, and he switched his phone back on, the arguing started. His marriage was no shaky ground, and since Kali was the only one around to vent to, he had chosen to bail. That is how he ended up in the parking lot of a bar seen a lot throughout his career, despite having a horrible reputation. The only thing keeping him in the car was an argument he was having with his new assistant. However, one particular message set him off.
Are you done throwing your temper tantrum yet? It is kind of funny watching you be mad at your phone.
It was all he could do to not look around and find where she was watching him from. All of his frustration finally bubbles over. He shuts the rental car off, and steps out, slamming the door behind him. He does not even check the street before crossing the road, texting back the only response that he thought might help him feel better.
Nope. You can watch this though.
He walks from his car, across the street to a bar he had been to more times than he could count. It was the same one so heavily featured in his early SCW work. However, before he enters, he winds up, throwing the phone as hard as he can against the bricks making up the front wall. It splinters into dozens of pieces and he pulls open the door, disappearing inside. He is shocked to see the pretty mocha skinned assistant sitting at the bar. Without even looking she pushes a glass and a silver gift bag in front of an empty stool. He pushes it out of his way and calls the bartender over to him. They shake hands, the man behind the counter with a huge smile on his face.
Kris: Brandon's. The real one.
The smile immediately fades from the bartender’s face. Kris meets his judging eyes, and speaks through gritted his teeth. His voice was low and level, clearly holding back most of his emotions.
Kris: Just fucking do it. Okay? I don't need a fucking lecture.
The man behind the counter disappears, albeit reluctantly.
Kali: Trouble in paradise? She takes a sip of her own drink, her tone even and cold.
Kris: Don't fucking talk to me. You don't exist.
His words are cool and collected, despite their viciousness. The bartender comes back, and places the bottle in front of Kris. For a second he does not take his hand off of it though. Kris grabs it around the middle and rips it from his hand.
Kris: Thank you.
He reaches over the bar, grabbing a regular sized beer glass and scooping it full of ice. The cork top of the bottle is not a roadblock at all. He raises the bottle to his lips, sinking his teeth into the cork and pulling it out. Silently, Kris fills the glass, swirls it once, and kills the entire thing. Kali smirks, still sipping her own drink slowly, but not so foolish enough as to keep pushing him when he was clearly so close to bursting. Kris puts the glass down on the table, and tilts the bottle towards it, filling the glass a second time. However, instead of draining it, he puts the cork back into the top of the bottle and stands from the stool. He reaches into his pocket and throws a stack of money on the counter before scooping up the bottle, his glass, and walking away. He rounds the pool tables where more regulars recognize him and offer greetings. He passes them without a word though, moving to a corner booth and sitting down, killing the second full glass of gin. Of course she tracks him with her eyes, but Kali stays where she is. He refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she was nervous about the whole situation. Part of the reason that she had been hired to make sure he stayed out of places like these.
Kris: Can I get my stuff please?
He yells it out towards the counter, without taking his eyes off of his drink. He takes the cork out of the top of the bottle, and starts to fill the glass when the bartender moves out from behind the counter and over to him. In his hands are a bucket, that Kali sees Kris reach into before dropping another few ice cubes into his glass, and a small, black phone. He pats Kris on the shoulder and comes back around the bar. Kris flips open the back of the phone and slides his SIM card into it before snapping the case closed again and turning it on. So focused on watching him without trying to be obvious, she misses the bartender stopping in front of her.
Bartender: He wants me to throw you out.
Before she can respond, he holds his hands up in front of his chest innocently.
Bartender: Don't worry, I'm not going to.
Kali: You couldn't anyway. I would sue you and this bar so badly your grandchildren would still be paying mine. You are a smart man, don't let anyone downplay that because you're a bartender.
Bartender: Lady, do you know why he comes here?
He waits for a response, but she does not cave to what was clearly just a set up to a speech.
Bartender: Kris has been coming in here for four years. This is the first time he has ever drank.
He reaches below the counter and takes out an identical bottle of gin.
Bartender: He normally drinks out of this. It's just water. And hustles the guys in some pool. He normally gives them their money back after and kicks me a little.
He takes the bottle and puts it back under the counter.
Bartender: But he knows that if you bring that attitude into a place like this, all he has to do is ask and you can be taken out back and have that education of yours beaten right out of your head. You'll be less worried about suing anyone and more worried about relearning how to tie your shoes and spell your name. Get it?
Kali: I suggest you step off sir.
She pushes her empty glass forward. He looks down at it, shaking his head. She was almost as big of a hassle as Kris was. He points over at Kris.
Bartender: He's a good kid, and clearly something is not right with him right now.
He lowers his hand, and refills her glass, sliding it back across the counter to her.
Bartender: If you can't see that, then you're not the good guy here.
She reaches into her messenger bag, presumably to pay for the drink, but the bartender shakes his head, stopping her. Kali looks up confused, but the bartender picks up the stack of money Kris had thrown on the counter.
Bartender: He already paid for it.
She glances at his name tag. Of course it had to be something less than interesting. After all, he was standing behind a bar, way past middle age, and his name was not on the marquee outside. Clearly he had made poor life choices.
Kali: Mark... I am not here to soothe his hurt feelings. I am here to make sure he doesn't do anything to fuck up a contract he signed. So while I appreciate you being concerned, you really shouldn't involve yourself. It is a sticky web you can't easily get out of.
He laughs. It is unsettling how genuine it is. It was a lot like being on the outside of a joke that everyone else gets.
Mark: How long have you been around? A week? Less? Lady I've been watching out for him for four years. I could write that kid's biography. He has helped me close up. He has helped me keep the power on when business was slow. I have scooped him up out of that booth so fucked up on the shit he put in his arm that he couldn't put a sentence together. You can't tell me anything about him that I don't know.
She takes slow sip of her brandy.
Kali: I’ve been around longer than you think. I have never said he can’t be a good person and honestly I haven't even said anything bad in this entire conversation. I simply said I am not his mom or his wife here to pat his head. I am here to make sure he doesn't get that way again because if he does... its game over. In more ways than one.
Her tone hasn't changed from the cool evenness the entire time. Mark shakes his head, neither convinced, nor impressed.
Mark: So if you know the things I know, know the kid he is, and have been around so long, why act like such a bitch? Clearly something is wrong. And you’re taunting him? You going to say the person you were texting before he smashed his phone against my building wasn’t him? If you’re not here to help, the least you can do is not make it worse.
Kali: Fair enough.
She still does not seem overly enthused about the idea, but stands from the stool, and grabs her drink before making her way across the bar. He does not look up at her, but at this point the bottle in his hand is already halfway gone. For the first time, she actually reads the label.
Kali: Brandon’s Gin. Gin? Are you an old lady?
The jab does not stop him from refilling his glass, and then topping it off with fresh ice. It was actually a question that nobody ever asked him. The brand was not carried in many places. It definitely was not on the menu here, but there was a very clear reason.
Kris: It’s the only thing I never saw my dad drink, and never saw at any of the liquor stores he took us to. It’s just mine. I don’t have to be like him to drink.
She understands immediately, but pushes any sign of it off of her face. If she was going to make it in this job, she needed to maintain the illusion for now. It would happen eventually, but not like this, and not today.
Kali: You know it’s not really something people drink by itself. Normally it gets mixed.
Kris raises his glass, the same amount of indifference in his voice. She was mildly impressed that he was still able to string together coherent sentences.
Kris: Well I’m not much of a drinker. It is not my thing, but it will have to work.
It takes effort, but she manages to ask the one question that he needed to hear, even though he would not respond favorably. It was more about the offer than whether or not he took it. It built trust.
Kali: You want to talk about it?
He shakes his head.
Kris: Nope.
Kris raises the glass, and drinks a considerable amount of the contents. It was a good sign that he was slowing, and not killing a glass in one go. She assumed that meant he was starting to get to the level he wanted to be on. The one where he did not have to feel whatever was on his mind. Her next question was not so easy. She had no clue what his answer would be, but as much as he needed to hear her ask the first one, she needed to hear the right answer to this one.
Kali: You want me to go?
He thinks it over, raising his glass again and finishing it off. At this point it was going to be a miracle if he did not black out right there in the booth before too long. His voice is low, almost a whisper, and comes with the most subtle of head shakes.
Kris: No.
===================
===================
Grand Princess Cruise Ship
Post Kris and Mikah Show
11:07pm PDT
1 July 2017
ON-CAMERA
The theme for the Black Sheep is playing to the sound of applause from the other side of a giant screen being used for the graphics for the Kris and Mikah Show. Standing by is Scott Oliver with a camera crew, waiting by the back steps in the hopes of talking to one or both of the hosts. His hopes are answered when Kris steps behind the back of the screen, clawing under his shirt with his right hand, and holding a drink completely level in the other. Despite the fact that the sun was down before the show even started, he is wearing sunglasses to cover his eyes. The Roulette Champion manages to unhook his microphone, throwing it down onto the deck as he comes off of the staircase. He turns towards Scott, and immediately stops in his tracks. He goes to turn away, but thinks better of it. He raises his drink to his lips, finishing it and coming over to Scott.
â€You can leave. I just need your camera.â€
Scott opens his mouth to object, but the glare that Kris shoots his direction is unlike anything he has ever seen. The two usually got along so well. Stoner holds out his microphone to Kris, who smiles, not even attempting to make it look remotely sincere before he rips it from his hand. Scott opens his mouth again, like he is going to try and get to the bottom of it, but changes his mind, turning tail and walking away. Kris raises the microphone up as music starts to play on the deck on the other side of the screen.
â€Another successful show in the books. Call it the Kris and Mikah Show, or the Mikah and Kris Show, whatever the fuck you want, but we just packed a boat the day before people were supposed to show up. People are paying attention. People are enjoying what I am doing.â€
He pauses, looking at the microphone and turning it over in his hands a few times. After the brief examination, he realizes it is nothing more than a prop. Irritated, he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath and attempting to count to ten. He does not quite make it, instead opening his eyes, and throwing the microphone as hard as he can. The camera turns with it, following it through the air with aid from the lights all around the boat. It splashes into the water an impressive distance away.
â€My co-host had to pause and ask me if I was okay a few times during the show. Over the last couple of days I have been asked by fans, friends and family alike if I am okay. I figured that maybe my little promo yesterday left some unanswered questions so when I saw you guys standing here I just couldn’t help myself.â€
He holds his arms out to his sides, and the camera pans up to see the giant screen behind him. The image is flipped because we are along the back, but very clearly is the banner with both his and Mikah’s faces on it.
â€Let’s go to the tape, shall we? I am the only person on this roster that got pitched an idea to do a show. Go look at SCW studios right now. It’s a bunch of old bullshit, and then me. I put this together. I made it watchable. I made it successful enough that it was the kickoff event for Summer XXXtreme tonight.â€
He lowers his arms, laughing a little.
â€What else? How about being a fucking champion in this company? How about being the most well known person in this company right now. You ask free agents about SCW, and they don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. You bring up my name, and there is instant recognition. Who else do they have carrying a title that measures up? Mikah and Crystal? Nope. They get dumped on because people think they are lazy. J2H and Raab? One we have had more than enough of as champion, the other we never cared about to begin with. Jessie Salco? Hard pass. She is barely interesting enough to stand next to Amy. Team BJ? Nowhere near the level of fandom that I have. I love them. They know it, but it is still true. I think that’s all the titles that people give a damn about. Which champion sticks out, huh? SCW fans know and love all of those people, but outside this company people would rather pay attention to Gavin Grimes than J2H. I am the one that is out there busting my ass all the time. I am the one people enjoy seeing.â€
He shrugs, looking away from the camera. This was not the same Kris that people were used to seeing. He was normally only cruel when he had a point to make. This seemed like more of an angry rant.
â€And that’s not even where my success ends. I hosted a show. I run my own gym where people come and beg to train. I help operate a little rehab clinic in Echo Park. I am a hell of an artist, so I am told, and a decently talented musician. Yet, people keep harping and asking if I am fine. ‘Kris are you okay?’ ‘Are you sure you’re alright?’ ‘Is something wrong?’â€
His voice becomes much more sarcastic and snarky when he dives into the caricatured voices of the people concerned about him.
â€Let me let you all in on a little secret. The reason that all of you like me, or watch me, despite the things I say and do, is because I am always having a good time. I enjoy myself. I do what I want. I say what I want. Over the last few years, people have really come to just expect that. That is why I can go around hitting on Mikah and people just laugh instead of tell me I am ruining the sanctity of marriage. That is why I can provoke any person in this industry on social media, and even though I am a dick, people take my side. That is why I can host a show making fun of everyone on this roster, and instead of of outrage, I am met with laughter.â€
He seems to be at a loss for a better explanation.
â€What else do you need to see in order for me to answer that question? A wet boxer shorts competition? Tune in a few days from now. Backstage antics like water balloon fights and practical jokes? I do that every week. You need me to flirt and make people uncomfortable more than I already do? I am not sure that I can. It already takes up a lot of my day.â€
He breaks into a sort of angry, and irritated laugh that clash with his words. However, he seems unable to control the tone of his voice or facial expressions. Under the scowl, and the raised voice, he just seems bitter for some reason.
â€What you all need to do, is take a huge step backwards, and then go fuck yourselves. I don’t need anybody babysitting me. I don’t need people hitting me up and trying to find some greater meaning or reason behind how I act. This is me.â€
He brings both of his palms up and taps his chest.
â€It’s all I’m ever going to be. It’s all that there is. It is not some mask that I need someone to pry off so I can be myself. I am not as lame as Rage. I don’t need to be saved from myself. I like being me. I am successful. I’m the fucking SCW Roulette Champion and that is not something that is changing any time soon. If that means being stuck on this cruise with a bunch of overbearing fans, and a roster full of asshats for a week, bring it on. If it means smacking around a chump like Travis Nathaniel Andrews, I’m more than capable. If it means beating Ryan Keys, AGAIN then I will dump his ass in the pool and make it happen.â€
He raises his hand up to the side of his face, scratching lightly at his cheek. It has a sort of calming effect on his tone of voice. He takes a deep breath, starting to feel more relaxed. When he speaks again, it is almost the normal Kris that people have come to reluctantly love.
â€What I don’t need is a boat full of people trying to make me something I am not. If you have enjoyed watching me claw my way out of the hole that I dug, then why pick at it? I didn’t used to have fans. I didn’t used to have roster members paying attention to me. I made the changes that I made on my own. I made the decision to come back, and be better, on my own. I never needed any support or coddling to make it happen. I damn sure don’t need it now that I have climbed out of the ditch and started my ascension to the top of this company. If you have enjoyed the ride, sit back and keep enjoying it. If you haven’t, change the fucking channel because I don’t care about your opinion anyways. I am doing this for me. I am doing it my way. Get on board or bail on me all together. It’s not going to change who I am either way.â€
He shakes his head, and turns like he is leaving, but freezes, turning back to the camera.
â€Ryan? Travis? This boat pulls out of here tomorrow. I suggest that you both enjoy this trip as much as possible. I know that I’m going to. However, when the cruise is over for me, I am walking out with everything I brought with me, and you’re both going home the same failures you’ve always been and probably always will be.â€
He chuckles, turning away from the camera and heading towards the ramp leading back to solid ground. He yells back over his shoulder towards the camera before he is out of earshot though.
â€Trust me!â€
