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It had been a few weeks. Aiden had tried everything to get into a mindset where he could enjoy himself. But the truth is after what happened in Japan it was hard for him to trust. And he wasn’t about to just trust everyone at the gym. His days were filled with working out, often by himself unless he was in the ring with the rookies. afterward, he would have a shower, get some food, and retire to the small loft at the back of the gym that he had called his home for the foreseeable past and future
It was a lonely existence. Many high-ranking members of the gym had tried to talk to him. From Austin James Mercer to Alicia Lukas, to Alex Jones himself. But none of them could get through. He seemed to enjoy being alone.
But he could see the looks he was getting. Everyone would stare, they would want to go up to talk to him but would be apprehensive. The normally upbeat and goofy Australian had turned into a loner. Someone who is quiet and reserved. Someone who would rather spend time by himself than laugh and enjoy others' company.
Alex and Austin stood in the corner, talking with Alex‘s wife Sonya. They looked over at him, he could feel their eyes on him. He knew they were talking about him. Aiden shook his head as Austin made his way over. The tall muscular American smiled and gave Aiden a nod. He moved his hand up moving his hair behind his ears, as this was back when Austin still had his long brown hair and had the demeanor of a happier man
”Hey Aiden.” Austin gave him a nod, Aiden did it back and Austin folded his arms over his chest. Aiden started taking his wrist wraps off as Austin seemed to think over what he wanted to say. ”How are you finding Wolfslair?”
Aiden looked over at Austin. He nodded slowly again and threw his wrist wraps in the small black gym bag at his feet. He put his hands on his hips and tried to act relaxed but in reality, he had no idea what to say, he had no idea if he wanted to admit he’s been finding it hard or if he just wanted to play lip service, so many things were going through his head, he wanted to joke around but he was also terrified to. Instead, all he was able to mutter was one single word. ”Fine”
Austin grumbled, while he wasn’t the same angry, rage-filled force of nature back then, he was still grumpy and easily irritable. He ground his teeth together and looked over at Alex and Alicia, who both used subtle body language to push Austin toward Aiden. ”You sure? You haven’t really talked to anyone. You seem to do the bare minimum when it comes to ring work and also do the bare minimum in communicating with everyone else….”
Aiden took a deep breath, he didn’t want to act like a dick, he also didn’t want to tell Austin everything. Why would he? Where exactly would Aiden be able to begin with all of this? He entered a relationship with the boss's daughter, a man who had ties to the Yakuza, he then had a best friend and tag team partner who backstabbed him and then had to leave Japan. Only to land here. How exactly do you condense that down into a relatable and understandable, dialogue? ”I’ll try harder mate.” It was a very straightforward answer, direct, to the point. But it wasn’t the answer that Austin was looking for.
The hulking former world champion and default locker room leader of the gym just under the owner. Alex shook his head. He moved around in front of Aiden, tilted his head looking down. ”Look, I don’t know what you think is going on here, Alex brought you in because he sees something in you, but your attitude isn’t winning you any friends.”
”Friends?” That word was going to set him off. Aiden hated it. The last time he considered anyone in this business a friend he felt that cruel sting of a knife right in the base of his back. He swallowed and shook his head before leaning down and picking up his bag.”I ain’t here to make friends mate. I’m here to train and get better, last I heard this was a gym, not a bloody social club.” he went to breeze past Austin, however, Austin was not going to let him off that easy.
”You’re right, it’s not.” Aiden stopped and looked over his shoulder. ”But your attitude has rubbed a lot the wrong way. I mean what? You think you’re above us all 'cause you flew straight in from Japan?”
”Nah that ain’t i-”
”Alex wrestled in Japan, so did Alicia, hell so did that skinny kid over in the corner. So this whole”better than you” attitude needs to stop.”
Aiden could see now. His silence and stand-off nature had made people think he was arrogant. Made people believe that he thought he was better than everyone else. He swallowed hard and shook his head, that wasn’t what he wanted, that wasn’t what he was trying to do. He turned and took a few more steps toward Austin throwing his hands in the air before scratching the back of his neck. ”I don’t think I’m better than anyone….never said I did…” He took a deep breath and stepped back toward Austin. ”So…what do I do?”
Austin smirked and laughed under his breath. ”Come out with us….have a meal…a few drinks…”
Aiden cleared his throat, he looked around the gym at all the different faces. Some he had gotten to know a little bit about, others. He didn’t even know where they were until today. It sounded like a good idea, going out for a meal and a couple of laughs. It was something that, he would’ve jumped at Thida before. Something he did with so many others when he was in Japan. But right now? He wasn’t ready. He wasn’t ready to go out and do that, to put himself on the line like that. ”I’d like that mate, but…uh…not tonight yeah?”
Austin smiled and gave him a nod, something about the look in his eye that made him realize where Aiden was coming from ”Alright….so a rain check?”
”yeah…thanks.” Austin offered a fist bump, Aidan smiled and reciprocated before picking up his bag and heading towards the stairs. Austin went over and talked to Alex and Alicia. Alex nodded and smiled seemingly happy with The progress was made. Aiden needed to get out, he needed to feel fresh air and get away from this gym.
He threw on a T-shirt, sprayed himself with deodorant, and moving downstairs past the other students and members of the gym who were getting ready to leave, he made his way outside and started walking down the sidewalk. Not even looking where he was going. Staring at his feet is a shuffle along the concrete. Minutes passed by, and he couldn’t keep track of what street he was going down and then suddenly he felt a collision with someone else. ”Ahh shit sorry…”
He looked up, and standing in front of him was a woman. Long black hair with a few red streaks, full of tattoos, she clearly worked out but wasn’t a bodybuilder or wrestler of any kind. She shook her head and smiled. ”It’s ok these things happen…..my name is Florence…nice to meet you…” She smiled and offered her hand, Aidan couldn’t help himself. He smiled back and took his hand in hers, giving it a small shake.
”Aiden….nice to meet you…”
Queens Gambit
Aiden Reynolds, the new SCW Roulette champion. Who would have thought he would’ve won a championship so soon after entering the company? But here he was, holding the gold in his hands. He couldn’t help but smile but he also knew there was work to be done.
”Man, this is kind of nuts yeah? When I entered this company I had no idea what to expect. I joined the blast from the past because I thought it would be a bit of a laugh and I was interested to see how far I could make it. Not very far apparently. but, it also got my name out there. And that leverage and that knowledge led me into getting a championship match against Eddie Lyons…”
“Now, I stand by everything that I said about Eddie. He is an amazing professional wrestler, tough as nails, hits like a bloody truck. Eddie is the kind of guy that you want to have a match with because he brings out the best in you and that’s exactly what he did with Me. He brought out a side of me. I didn’t even know existed. when the dust settled I was the one who was holding the championship but I want you all to realize something, Eddie Lyons is one of the best in this fucking company.”
“And I can see Eddie challenging Finn for that world title”
“I get it. This is a little bit weird, right? Normally in this business, we like to badmouth our opponents. Rub salt in the wound when we beat them, but I’m not like that and I’ve never been like that. When I see a guy like Eddie Lyons, I realize that he thrives off of competition. he’s someone who needs respect and he is someone who deserves respect and that’s exactly what I’m going to give him. I would’ve given him respect if he beat me but it is also important when you beat someone to appreciate the fact that you have just beaten someone who would consider one of the best. If you keep verbally destroying people and running them into the ground then ultimately…..”
“Your victories mean nothin’”
Aiden laughs to himself and lets out a sigh of happiness. No matter what no one can take this away from him.
”Now, I want to be a fighting champion. And that means putting this championship on the line against anyone and everyone. Whenever I needed. Of course that doesn’t mean I thought that first show back I’d be defending it. But it appears as if our queen for a day had other plans. She wanted to punish me for beating her cousin. kind of weird isn’t it? Eddie is so respectful and ready to be the best company to offer and instead of giving him a chance to prove that and giving Eddie a shot at the world championship she decides to punish me for simply being better on the night.”
“Kinda weird.”
“Almost like Vicky doesn’t think her cousin can get the job done.”
“So, instead of helping her cousin out and giving him a championship match that he honestly deserves she instead gives a guy a championship opportunity who arguably doesn’t deserve it. All in aid of punishing me. It’s really vindictive. And honestly? I kind of dig it. After all, what’s the point in having power if you aren’t gonna use it? So I can’t understand that. But using one of your wishes on lil ol’ me? Ahh Vicky, I’m flattered.”
Aidan smiles, picking up a chocolate chip cookie and popping it into his mouth, crunching it up before beginning the next portion of his promo
”Now Alexander Rav-“
Before Aidan can continue Kallie Reznik his wife. Fellow wrestler and baby momma steps in.
”Aiden! Do not cut promos with your mouth full! You’ll choke!”
Then Dickie Watson, Aiden's best friend long-time tag partner, and younger brother of Finn Whrlan pops up.
”Still won’t choke as hard as Raven does in EVERY big opportunity…”
Kallie's eyes widen, Aiden swallows his cookie and clears his throat and Dickie smiles wide. Proud of himself. For being a little shit….
”Look, I wasn’t gonna say it….”
Aiden nods slowly and then looks up refocusing on his promo and his opponent.
”I ain’t gonna throw shit on Alexander. We all struggle ya know? We all go through hardship. We all have glass ceilings. And Raven has held this title before so it’s not like he ain’t a contender. It ain’t like he can’t beat me. In fact, I’d argue Birdy Boy is the favorite goin into this match. And I’ll explain why.”
“See, I know that I have been able to take SCW by storm. I know that I’ve been able to go toe to toe with guys like Ben Jordan and beat Eddie for this championship but at the same time, it’s not like I’ve been a dominant unstoppable force. I have my weaknesses. and I got eliminated very early in the blast from the past whereas Alex went all the way to the bloody final”
“Raven has been in main events, he fought for that world championship and he has been a champion here. Alexander Raven is not someone who anyone should ever underestimate. So all jokes aside about him choking more often than a porn star with a gag reflex, he is still dangerous. And he is someone who could beat me.”
“I’m not stupid. I completely understand this. I understand that I’m the underdog. And I’m fine with that. He has much more stock in this company than I do. He is someone that the fans know he is someone that a lot of you have marked as a man who will eventually be the world champion. And Me? I’m just a funny goofball.”
He shakes his head and laughs to himself again.
”But, one thing I will say is that it’s an honor to be going to war against a fellow Australian. I’ve been damn proud of what he and his wife of both been able to accomplish in this company. Not so much what Krystal Wolfe has done. I don’t think we’re going to want to claim her as an Australian. but the fact we are both from the same country is where the similarities end. Alexander Raven has someone who thrives on chaos, someone who is a deep thinker who waxes lyrical about literally everything that comes into his head.”
“He is a complex individual who always tries to analyze everything that he is doing and everything that his opponent is doing. He is a ring general who likes to sit there and watch tape and study before finally cutting a promo that makes everyone think because he likes to use big words very few of us. Me included.”
“Whereas I’m simple.”
“Shockingly simple someone would say. I just enjoy doing this job. I love professional wrestling. But for the longest time, the love of this business is all that kept me going. And I have to admit it wasn’t enough. There was a time when I wanted to walk away, a time when I wasn’t sure my heart would be in. But do you know it changed? Do you know what made me keep going, Alexander? Two things. My family and my desire.”
He looks over at his wife and child a smile coming across his face before he nods a dicky who stays uncharacteristically quiet
”My desire to be the best. My desire is to show everyone that I’m not a joke. But I’m not just a goofy guy who says funny things. But I am a real athlete and a real professional wrestler who is tough as names. I have gone toward pruning that by winning the roulette championship and now I have to keep going by beating you. See, if I lose this match against you raven I lose the championship and I have one of if not the shortest roulette championship reigns in history.”
“Do you know what that would do to me? Do you realize what that would do to my ego and my desire? Do you realize what it would do when it comes to how I view myself through the eyes of my family? Because that was the other reason why I do this. My wife, my kid, my friends. I want my son to grow up and look at me respect me and respect the career that I had and see that his father was not a failure. To see that his father did everything he could to prove that he was the best. That’s the kind of shit that drives me Raven. That’s the kind of shit that goes through my mind every single day whenever I’m in the gym whenever my muscles and joints are burning because I just need to do one more wrap. Whenever I’m in the ring with a guy who I know can beat the hell out of me.”
“When I hit the mat and that pain courses through me and most people will not get up. That is what drives me to get up. That is what drives me to keep trying to be the best. So you better bring everything that you have Alexander, you better bring all of that frustration and not being able to be the world champion and all that frustration of losing the blast from the past you better roll it up and you better bring it at me with everything you have because if you don’t? well if you don’t then you’re gonna fail again. And I won’t have the opponent that I deserve.”
