The soft tinny sound of a voice calling passengers towards the train tracks outside of the Tremblay train station can be heard throughout the small glass and brick enclosure that is the station. Sitting to one side, Connor has a magazine open on his lap as his foot rocks to an unheard beat. Seeing the rest of the people moving towards the door, he pulls one earbud out of his ear to hear the announcement in French just as his friend Devlin slams a hand against his shoulder.
Devlin Lefebvre: That’s you Con. Have fun and behave.
Connor smirks at his friend as he gets to his feet and shoulders the small carryon that had been resting at his feet.
Connor Murphy: Make up your mind Dev. Have fun or behave…they aren’t mutually exclusive you know. Gonna have to make a choice yanno.
Devlin narrows his eyes as he also rises and then with a matching smirk and a hard jab at Connor’s shoulder, he nods.
Devlin Lefebvre: Okay then, behave! I sunk all my money into the bar so I ain’t got bail money. And remember, the QPF shoot first, shoot again and then ask questions. So run in a zig zag to dodge the bullets.
The pair share a laugh as the last call for boarding is heard over the speakers. Giving Devlin his rather cocky smile, Connor pushes his way out of the terminal and into the open humidity of Ottawa and towards the first class car of the train to Montreal. Boarding the train, he winks at the attendant as he pushes through the doors and towards the seats. Finding his seat by the table setup near the front of the train car, he pulls out a small laptop and sets it on the table.
Suddenly the voice of the engineer of the person in charge can be heard faintly over the speakers as Connor settles in. Beside his seat, the attendant is standing as she checks over the train passengers. Turning to offer Connor a smile before moving to the galley and beginning the prep for the trip, she disappears through the curtain. Not even thinking, Connor smiles back with a flirtatious nod which makes a small child point at him and say something to her father who looked up at the dark haired wrestler and nods conspiratorially in some kind of brohood bond.
Looking down the train, Connor notices that there is barely anyone near him and decides to record something in preparation for his match. People in big matches need to promo you know. It makes sure that people still know you exist, and it gives them a small warning that you are coming and you mean business. And since this was the finals of a number one contender tournament, maybe just maybe Connor should say something just to prove that he is taking it seriously…Okay, who am I kidding, Connor is taking it about as serious as a pretty girl remaining faithful to the person who brought her to the prom.
Once the laptop is open and Connor presses the power button, he is joined by the attendant once more who hands him a small warmed package as the whistle of the train is heard and the soft thrum of the wheels turning and the view of the building disappearing as the train pulls out of the station.
Opening the warm damp lemon scented towelette and rubbing it along his face with a smile of contentment before brushing it between his hands and then setting it to the side, Connor sees the screen light up. Seeing it, he opens his webcam and then slouches slightly in his seat affecting a look of nonchalance as he smiles for the camera and begins to speak.
Connor Murphy: Powering up my laptop today ready to lose myself in the world wide web and all I can think about is Sunday night at Climax Control. Now I know that well I ain’t the one that people are wanting to win this match and I am sure that our illustrious champ is whining and hiding away from the world as we speak. Yeah yeah I may not post on it but I got my Twitter account exploding with all the twits and tweets. I tell you, it is like a f*cking soap opera. Enough of the boo f*cking hoo for sobbing out loud.
Turning slightly sideways and pulling his feet up to rest on the seat, he contemplates the view out the window as he thinks about what he wants to say.
Connor Murphy: You know, I am sure that people are talking about me and how I came out of nowhere to shine bright and flame out before I get to the big prize. Hell that is what I have been thinking also. I mean come on; I am the winningest challenger never to win a title here in SCW. Except the tag titles and trust me, which shocked the shit out of me too. Everyone including me is expecting me to fail at Climax Control.
That thought forces Connor to fight past a look of self-contempt and once more address the webcam.
Connor Murphy: I find it ironic though that I have said I don’t want the title but here I am fighting for it or at least this week fighting for a chance at fighting for it. But you know maybe it is fate. Maybe I was meant to challenge for the heavyweight title. It’s funny really. I don’t want to face Dmitri for the finals but I am because I love going out to that ring and beating people up week in and week out. Don’t get me wrong, I take my share of lumps in the ring and I know that Dmitri is going to be adding a few more.
Confident now, Connor is about to address the webcam but before he can, the attendant moves towards him and addresses him with a slight French accent.
Train Attendant: Votre billet monsieur…your ticket please.
Connor rummages in the bag sitting near his feet and produces his ticket which is checked and logged by the attendant. She smiles as she moves off and Connor again speaks to the camera.
Connor Murphy: I don’t really pay attention to anything that my opponents have to say because it is always very negative even when they are complimenting me so I say f*ck it and just walk to the ring ready to fight. And this week is the same because I really didn’t want to have to deal with the blah blah blah of his mumbo jumbo that is more a philosophy lesson than wrestling promo. He just drones on and on and on which from listening to it, I am going to need a lot of coffee for the match. And speaking of…
The creak of the trolley can be heard as the attendant wheels it along the aisle. As she approaches Connor, he sits up and orders a mixed drink that the attendant makes then sets on the table alongside a small packet of mixed warmed nuts. Smiling his thanks, Connor toasts her then sips at the drink before once more addressing the camera acting like it had caught him at something as an afterthought.
Connor Murphy: Where was I? Oh yeah, talking about Dmitri and the fact that he is like a rather boring professor that you are stuck with first thing in the morning. Making you think while putting you to sleep. I hated that in college and I hate it still. Listen Dmitri…
Connor points one finger at the camera with the hand holding the drink.
Connor Murphy: I don’t care about the fact you are a vampire. I don’t care that you have lived for centuries and are the living embodiment of a figment of a demented imagination. That’s kinda how Despayre told me that Ben Jordan was a figment of my imagination because we all know that there are no such things as Cockneys which I have never figured that one out because thanks to Ben Jordan and our little drinking championship, my liver keeps threatening to go on strike.
Connor Murphy: So Mr Nosferatu, I don’t really care that you are a vampire, ghost or werewolf. The only thing that I am going to care about in that ring is beating the hell out of you and leaving you a smudge on the canvas. You need to realize that just because you seem to think that you are this unbeatable creature that no one has any chance again I am going to lay down and let you beat me. And if you think that then you are going to realize that underestimating me will be the one mistake that you are making that is going to cost you more than you are willing to pay.
Connor takes a large swallow of the liquid in his glass and then sets it to the side as the attendant once more moves along the aisle. Connor for the most part ignores this movement as she asks about what he would like to eat and then sets a tray beside the laptop.
Connor Murphy: Dinner is served but I ain’t done talking about this match. So forgive me now but I ain’t going to wait to eat… So let’s continue shall we?
Connor opens the appetiser on the tray and begins to nibble on the veggies and cheese as he speaks.
Connor Murphy: Everyone is talking about how they think that you got this match locked Dmitri and maybe you do but am I going to make it easy for you? Hell no. And will I do everything I can to win the match, hell yes. But win or lose I ain’t going to go down without a hell of a fight. Because when people talk about how I won’t get it done or that I don’t stand a chance, do you know what that does to me? I starts a fire in my guts that isn’t indigestion. It is the burning desire to prove people wrong. I’ve had it all my life and when that starts to burn, that is when I get in the ring ready to burn everyone around me with the flames of my desire to prove them wrong. And you Dmitri are sadly going to be the latest victim of that desire.
Connor’s fist clench as a vicious smirk crosses Connor’s face as the attendant puts a cup beside Connor’s dinner tray and then fills it with a dark liquid. Looking out of the window, Connor can see that the sun is closer to setting and rolls his neck before addressing the camera one last time.
Connor Murphy: I am stepping in the ring this week with bad intentions Dmitri. What that means for you is that I am out to prove that I deserve the shot at Jimmy Two Aitch more than you.
Connor holds the serious look for as long as he can before he breaks out in laughter.
Connor Murphy: Damn I am getting better at that. I bet you if anyone was really watching, they would think that I was being serious. The only thing that I am going to be serious about in our match is that I am seriously going to kick your dead ass all over that ring and there are only two things that you are going to be able to do about it is nothing and like it. Jimmy Two Aitch and you and everyone else in that locker room is ready for me to fail. And I am sure that there are those that think they know that I ain’t deserving or worth even being in the match this week or advancing to the title match in my hometown at Violent Conduct Three.
Connor smiles.
Connor Murphy: That’s right, my hometown and that is reason enough to beat you Dmitri. Just so I can kick Jimmy’s ass all over my hometown. Could you picture it? Me winning the SCW Heavyweight title in my hometown? Wait…don’t say a thing and jinx it. I just have to get through this week and face you one on one Dmitri and kick your ass in my home country.
Connor Murphy: Let me just say Bonne Chance Dmitri because you are going to need all the luck you can muster this week when you step in the ring with me. I am coming for the win and the number one contendership against Jimmy Two Aitch
With that comment, Connor reaches across the laptop and presses stop on the record button and shuts down the laptop to eat dinner as the scene fades out.
