[Gabe]

 â€¢ Scene 1 •

A person’s ego can perniciously corrupt the most innocent of people, giving them aspirations not ready to be bestowed upon them. Gabriel Asar’s recent victory over the loud-mouthed Kris Halich had seen his ego become even more inflated than it had already been. The lethargic Gabriel was out of action for almost two months, therefore any positives taken from his debut were sure to fan the flame that relit itself inside of him, giving him a new purpose. Not setting his sights on any title just yet, he focused his attention on his upcoming match with Ryan Kidd. Gabriel’s second match at Sin City Wrestling was Kidd’s second debut. Both men had egos, only Gabriel’s was more deserving.

Ink-black heels clapped against the concrete. A pair of long, extended legs headed for Gabriel’s apartment. Little did he know, his breakfast routine was about to be interrupted by his opponent, albeit not on Kidd’s own accord. The woman stopped outside the apartment complex, her fingers tightly gripping a folder. Raising her free hand, her index finger trained itself onto a button connected to an intercom. Milk and cereal gushed from Gabriel’s mouth as he jolted upright before slamming the bowl onto the kitchen counter. The intercom’s wailing drilled through the calm morning with its exasperating sound.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"I’m coming!"

Gabriel leaped into a pair of jeans after struggling to force a leg through, then ran to the intercom and pressed the button.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"Who is it?"

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"Why it’s your good friend, Kirs--”

Fuck! What on earth is she doing here? he thought to himself as he buzzed her in. He didn’t want any company over, the place was a mess. Instead of preparing for his upcoming match, he bathed in his luxurious ego trip that spiked after receiving his first ‘W‘ at the company. A creased white t-shirt accompanied his baggy jeans. Before he could scramble to find socks to put on his feet, Kirsty knocked on the door. He darted across the apartment, pressed his face against the wooden door, and peered through the peephole. Her body shape contorted, like looking through a fish bowl. He snapped down the handle and, before he knew it, there she was - in human form. His eyes immediately focused on her shiny, black heels before tracing up her legs, past her skirt and blouse, settling on her face.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"Uh, hi…?"

She brushed past him, still clutching the folder.

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"By the looks of it, it’s a good thing I came round. Look at this place, it’s filthy. You should be training for your match against Ryan Kidd, not living like some bum.”

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"I’ll tidy later, and don’t worry about Kidd, let me handle that. Did you see me defeat Kris Halich last week? Believe me when I say I’ve got everthing covered."

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"Uhm, I don’t think so, mister. I’ve got information I think you’ll want to hear.”

She meandered through the hallway, past the bedrooms, and into the kitchen. Gabriel pursued her. She picked up empty pizza boxes and beer cans along the way, popping them inside a waste basket. Spinning on her heels, she turned to Gabriel and pointed to the kitchen counter and ordered him to sit on one of the sets of three stools either side. Her stern voice was all the convincing he needed to do as he was told.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"I know you’ve helped me a lot in the past but I honestly have this guy figured out. He’s been in SCW before, after his first lost he quit. Doesn’t sound like he lives up to what he proclaims to be."

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"Yuck. Just look at this place, I mean it’s disgusting. Sitting back and resting on that big ol’ ego of yours is only going to fatten you up, y’know? You need to take this match seriously, or else Mr. Doesn’t Live Up To Your Standards will embarrass you. I’ve been doing some digging around. Here’s what I’ve found.”

She placed the folder on top of the marble counter and opened its contents. Whenever Gabriel got himself into a spot of trouble mentally, she came round his apartment to give him the dirt on his opponents. He looked at her gold locks of hair draping over her shoulders and running down her back, before his eyes shifted onto her blue orbs. She nodded to the folder, forcing him to pay attention.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"Okay, so what have we here?"

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"This is a list of his achievements, his style of fighting, who he has beaten, and all that mumbo jumbo.”

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"Listen, I appreciate you trying to help me out, honest. I just--"

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"No. You. Listen. To. Me.”

Each word spoken assisted her forefinger pressed against Gabriel’s forehead like it was the intercom buzzer.

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"You might think you’re some big shot in the world of wrestling, and that may be the case, but you’re a nobody in Sin City Wrestling. Kris Halich is nothing compared to upcoming opponent, the sooner you realize that the better. Last week was last week, this week it’s Ryan Kidd. So, I suggest you zip that mouth of yours shut, look inside this pretty little folder, and focus. Can you do that for me?”

Aspirating the last line, rhetorically, she took a seat next to him. Her fingers traced what she read aloud. Gabriel tried to follow but couldn’t shake the thought of how someone could get so mad yet flush out the anger in a flash.

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"Have you heard of this man, Daniel Tyler?”

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"No."

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"Well, you should have. Don’t be such a dummy, Gabe. If you want to stick around SCW, you’re going to want to get familiar with its history. Anyway, Daniel Tyler is the one Kidd debuted against, you can guess the winner, right? It was your opponent for this week. A solid victory for the newcomer. After watching both your debuts, there isn’t much to split either of you. He won his match by disqualification, so you have a clean victory over him, I guess. Come to think of it, he has never won a match in SCW cleanly. The second match is where it gets interesting, though.”

Gabriel pursed his lips and started to pay attention. Kirsty wore a much different expression on her face. Her eyes alight with excitement. All her hard research was finally unfolding in front of her, she could only hope that the egocentric friend she sat next to was receptive and taking it all in.

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"His second match for SCW was his last. He paired with that Amy you’ve been seeing a lot of. Jordan Williams and Odette Ryder were their opponents. I bet you a million bucks you haven’t heard of them either. Am I right?”

He shrugged and shook his head.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"All I’m seeing is someone who couldn’t stand losing, then leav--"

Kirsty ignored him and picked up the folder, humming to herself, while flicking through it. She slapped it back onto the kitchen counter

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"Ah-ha! Look at his accomplishments. Right there. You see? Impressive, eh. He was Star of the Year in two different companies in the same year, two years ago. One of his matches in an entirely different company was voted the best match of the year. That’s a lot of years, and he has held belts, too. Ryan Kidd is no kid, Gabs. You would never see him throw a hissy fit on Twitter when he doesn’t get his own way.”

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"What is that supposed to mean!?"

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"Nothing. All I’m saying is I know you, and I know you’ll throw your toys out your pram if you lose this week. I’m here to tell you to get off your fat, lazy ass and actually put in some effort. You might think you can roll into this match like you’re some unstoppable boulder, or whatever, but I really don’t want to see you come undone inside the ring and have your SCW career fall to pieces. ”

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"Kirst, I’m not like this guy. I don’t quit. Through all the acting up on Twitter and the countless shenanigans, I know what I’m doing--I’m in control--and always achieve my goals. I’m not interested in what Kidd has accomplished, all I can do is focus on my wants and what I need to do in order to get them. If I sit back and worry about what this guy’s going to do, I’ve lost before I even step in the ring."

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"You are so missing the point here. You’re a closed-minded knucklehead.”

Kirsty balled a fist and tapped Gabriel on the head and laughed. Her bouncy cheeks rose, squishing her face into a squint. He pushed her hand away and stood from the chair.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"I appreciate you bringing all this information to me, but honestly you shouldn’t worry yourself. If I win, I won’t rub it in your face by telling you I knew I would all along. If I lose, well, that isn’t going to happen."

She scoffed at him. His immediate reply was laughter, and he handed her the folder, while his other hand held her shoulder at arm’s length. Ryan Kidd probably never had a friend like Kirsty, but Gabriel did. He knew to be thankful for the efforts she had made, alerting him of any unsuspecting dangers. He just couldn’t see the dangers because he was still swimming in the sea of his own narcissistic thoughts.

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"Don’t be so impet, um, impetri--”

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"Impetuous."

«: KIRSTY;
the Perky and Quirky :»
"Yes, don’t be so impetuous when you’re out there. Whether you believe it or not, Ryan Kidd has been around the block. If you’re not on your A game, he might catch you off guard. Be careful out there, and don’t be such stranger. Ever since you signed for SCW you’ve ignored your old friends in favor of your new ones.”

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"Okay, I’ve got it. I’m focused on this new path I’m on, that’s all. Thanks again for your help. I’ll think about what you’ve said, I’ll also stay in touch a lot more."

The two of them exchanged a hug and within a snap of a finger, she was gone. He watched her skip across the hallway and out of the apartment complex, then shut door. Puffing out his cheeks, he assessed the apartment. It was time to clean up his living area; his ego needed a good hoovering, too.


• Scene 2 •

Nightmares are often said to be ominous signs of the perilous future, but to others they are mere neurons joyriding around the semi-conscious brain; luckily for Gabriel, he stood with the latter. The night before Climax Control, his sleep wouldn’t remain unbroken for more than an hour, plagued by the thoughts of losing the match. Confidence served him well up until now, however, he attributed the nightmares to Kirsty’s brief talk with him.

Gabriel rubbed his dark eyes, prying out any sleep dust. Tonight was the night; Climax Control crept up on him sooner rather than later, and he paid the price for not training this week. He snatched a microphone from backstage and nodded to the sound guy to play his music. It was only the pre-show, but he wanted to address the fans before the real show started. The music electrified his weakened body, like a defibrillator the sound of “I Will Not Bow” by Breaking Benjamin sparked him with Adrenaline. He made his way through the black curtain and entered on to the stage, instantly hit by smell of body odour, a rainbow of lights, and the roars of a fully-packed venue. He could easily be mistaken for a fan--with his jeans and beige t-shirt--though it was the pre-show, and he wouldn’t be getting ready for another twenty minutes.

He sauntered down the ramp, taking note of the rumbling noises reverberating throughout the building. The feverish fans weren’t shy at expressing their feeling toward Gabriel. Beneath the clouds of a mixture of boos and cheers, Gabriel approached the bottom of the ramp and scaled the steps, wasting no time to climb into the ring. He ran his fingertips through his already dishevelled hair. With his free hand, he brought the microphone to his lips and waited for his music to die down. The shadow of a smirk presented itself.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"What’s going on, San Diego!?"

The crowd was lifted by the mentioning of their hometown and praised him by chanting his name.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"Shut up. You’re too predictable. I mention this city and you’re like a bunch of patriotic hillbillies. I’m not out here for you, I’m out here for me. So settle down a little for me, would you?"

Cheers contorted to boos, but he ignored them and got on with what he was out there for.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"I’m here to address my opponent, Ryan Kidd. Y’know, all week I haven’t really gave him much thought because, let’s face it, he quit SCW after his first loss. I see this all too many times in companies with people who sound and act exactly like him. There’s nothing original about this wonderkid indies wrestler. All last night I wondered how it would actually feel to be beaten by this fraudster. I haven’t trained all week, therefore I’ve left it until the last minute to get the job done. Now I’m starting to foresee repercussions for my laziness.

Just because you killed Jesse Jame, it doesn’t make you Jesse James. I’m beginning to think this adrenaline junkie might actually pull off a lucky win, or at least that’s what by subconsciousness is screaming at me. If that does happen: just because you defeated Gabriel Asar, it doesn’t make you Gabriel Asar. I would tell people I was beaten by Ryan Kidd; they would say, ‘Who?’ and I would say, ‘Exactly.’ While I’m not at my best tonight, I am here, and I intend to stay here--with this company--for a very long time. Kidd can’t promise you that."

Gabriel paused, momentarily. His eyes searching the crowd for a reaction but they watched on, not knowing whether to encourage or reproach him.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"It’d be interesting to see if he’s still here by the time Violent Conduct II arrives. There’s no doubt he and I are likely to be put in this ‘Going for the Gold’ tournament, where the winner receives a title shot at the PPV against the Roulette Champion. Who knows, maybe neither of us will be in the tournament, I don’t care. I’m not in this company for title shots, Ryan Kidd is. I’m here to come out to the ring, get the job done, then go on back home. I do have dreams, although, the nightmares seem to be overshadowing them at the moment. The biggest dream I can hope for right now is to get a one-on-one against Drake Green, other than that the male roster is a trivial roster."

He forced a smile as the crowd made up their fickle minds and began with the booing again.

«: GABRIEL ASAR;
the Dark Saint :»
"Is the male side of the company not a little lacklustre? It certainly is when you compare it to the bombshell division. If somebody like Ryan Kidd can be on the roster, what does it say to everybody watching at home? It’s embarrassing. Drake Green, on the other hand, is someone respected throughout this entire company. Mentioning his name can silence a room, just out of sheer respect for the man. If I were to get a taste of going against him, I wouldn’t leave everything to the last minute. Until then I can only dream. I do have the honor of opening the show very soon, as me and Kidd’s match will be the first of the night. Will the little squirt manage a victory over me? Who knows. I thought I’d let everybody out here know, including Drake Green, that I will not lay down so easily. I intend to be around for a long, long time. Right now, I am a man without a purpose, as I’ve already mentioned the titles do not interest me. A traveller waiting for some action, and if there isn’t any action, I’ll create it myself. Whether you’re Kidd, Equinox, Green, Rage, or some stupid fan, get used to seeing me around. Titles or no titles; tournament or no tournament. The spotlight is on me now, and I refuse to share it."

A thud creeped through the sound system as he dropped the microphone on the ring canvas. The crowd’s booing was drowned by the reemergence of his theme song as he exited the ring, smirking. He began ascending the ramp, having only a few minutes to get ready for his match. Gabriel didn’t know how to feel about his imminent opponent. Kidd had much promise but failed to reach the levels that was expected of him. Gabriel would be a new kind of level. It was about to be game over for one of them.