On the road
Off Camera
Columbus Ohio.
5 Years ago
The rumble of the engine wasn’t enough to keep her awake. Amy Mercer sat in the passenger seat of the car Austin had bought the day they left their father's office. The ugliness inspiring him to take Amy on a road trip. Even though Christian had given a nod of understanding when Austin had threatened him and told him he would leak it all. He didn’t trust his father to keep his promise and stay away from them. Austin reached down and shifted gears. They had left in a rush only grabbing essentials while he finished paying for the car, they just started driving, going from New York, through the city, down through New Jersey, turning west to cut through Pennsylvania before crossing over to Ohio.
The signs pointed him through to Columbus. A place he had never been but always wanted to. And most importantly, somewhere far from his father's influence.
He went onto the on ramp, turning quickly to a small motel just off the turn, the sun had started going down and while it wasn’t yet winter the cold air of late October was getting into the car, Amy was huddled under a large jacket and Austin made his way out to the small pay window. His large six foot six frame still making him look intimidating despite the fact he hadn’t yet put on the muscle mass we now associate with the world champion. This was a younger Austin.
Still with long brown hair, still the strong jawline and piercing eyes. But not the arms or shoulders. He cleared his throat as the small balding man behind the glass sighed and tilted his head. ”10 an hour or 50 for the night…” A line he had obviously said time and time again, it was delivered in a robotic, monotonous way. ”Cash only” Austin gave a nod and pulled his wallet out fumbling through the notes to pull out a 50 sliding it through the slot, in return he got a key with a number attached to a small plastic identity square. Asutin cleared his throat and gave a small nod. ”I’d want to spend the night with her too” The guy laughed, Austin turned to see Amy was awake and leaning against the car.
”That’s my sister dude…”
There was an awkward silence, Austin scoffed and turned walking towards Amy, she rubbed her eyes and gave her brother a small smile as he held up the key getting closer, he opened the back door retrieving the bag before slamming the door shut and locking the car. ”Come on, we’ll stay here the night, eat, recharge, then tomorrow we’ll keep going. He shot her a warm grin and looked over to their room leading Amy there. But before they got there she stopped and yelled out.
”Then what?” He stopped and turned with an eyebrow raised, Amy moved towards him now she had his attention and shook her head. ”Where are we going Aus?.” He went to answer, but as he opened his mouth nothing came out. The truth was there wasn’t a destination. He just started driving, he saw the turn to go to Columbus, to drive through Ohio. But there was no plan, no idea. No final stop. Amy looked into his eyes and shook her head moving closer to her “little brother”. ”We can’t just run. We can’t just keep driving. You have a live, I was rebuilding mine. And I don’t feel right taking you away from that.”
”We needed to get away, Amy, I don’t trust Dad.” She smiled and got closer, her hand grabbing his as they stood in the parking lot.
”Maybe we need to actually talk and start trusting each other. Cause running won’t do any of us good.” She took the key from Austin and moved to the door opening it and walking in. Austin shook his head and swallowed hard looking over at the now dark sky, he cleared his throat and followed Amy closing the door behind him.
Winning attitude.
On Camera
New York New York
Before the cruise.
”I said it before and I’ll say it again, winning is a habit.”
Austin smiles and looks up through his long brown hair, his boyish grin looking less arrogant and more easy going and “cheeky”. His arms fold over his large chest as he took in a deep breath.
”I stood backstage waiting to go out there and face Jake Raab with my title on the line and even though there was a chance he could beat me, the chances were slim to none. I said it, I said that for Jake to walk out of Climax Control with the SCW world heavyweight title it would be a case o0f me beating myself. It would be me making a mistake. And being cocky or overly arrogant is that mistake. See there is nothing wrong with having confidence, confidence in yourself or your abilities.But when you start to believe that you’re unbeatable and no one poses a threat, well that is when you get into trouble. And even though I know I am bigger, stronger, smarter and better than Jake Raab...I also know that flukes and accidents happen.”
“In wolfslair, we know that and overcome it.”
“Alex knows it. Alicia knows it. The other members of our gym know it. We walk into this building and we leave our fucking egos at the door and simply aim to get better and as a group that is what we do and it is a mindset to become a winner and a champion. It’s a mindset my father had started to instil in me. It’s a mindset that takes you from a good wrestler to a great one. That takes you from someone people just know in the moment to being a legend. That is what we do at the gym, we create legends.”
“And I am well on my way to becoming a legend”
Austin pauses and smiles wide rolling his shoulders to loosen up a little as a few of the students and trainees walk behind him.
”SCW is where my name has gone from having potential to being a top guy, and I didn’t do this by cheating or kissing ass, I have become a top guy and one of the leading lights in wrestling by being a champion, by walking down to that ring and facing anyone that they have asked me to face. I didn’t want to face Jake Raab because I personally believed he didn’t deserve a title shot after all the bullshit he’s spouted, but SCW management, Mark and Christian, they wanted me to. They told me to. And I do my goddamn job. And as we get ready to board the Sun princess for Summer XXXtreme I know my new job is to go into that ring and face Senor Vinnie…”
Austin gives a small nod calming down with a sigh.
”First off, Vinnie, congratulations on your engagement. I’m sure your wedding on the cruise ship will be amazing and you’ll be able to celebrate your love for Valora. But that is where your celebrations stop and where my congratulations end and my condolences begin.”
“See Vinnie, I know you earned this shot, I know that you are above the average names in SCW and in any other time you’d be a champion here like you have been in other places but you have the unfortunate task of being in SCW while myself, Alex, Fenris and Ty are all here.”
“You earned a shot at me, you earned a shot at the title…”
“But it’s a story we have all heard before. And truthfully, it’s one that is getting a little old.”
“Vinnie wins a title shot, Vinnie says he’ll win, Vinnie looks back at where he failed and has decided that he will be better. But Vinnie fails at the last hurdle. And why is that Vinnie?. Why do you get to that final rung on the ladder, reach up for that brass ring only to fall to the mat in a crumpled heap?. If we look at your physical attributes you're damn impressive man, I mean you’re the first guy I’m getting in the ring with who is physically bigger than me, but has that really helped you?”
He raises his eyebrows and waits for an answer that just won’t come, a scoff under his breath yet again before he continues.
”Did it help you against Fenris?, Did it help you against Alex or in your mixed tag match last week?. What is the point of being a damn monster when you’re simply...not. You have this aura about you that screams unstable but you don’t turn that to your advantage. Do you think I’m afraid of you?. Do you think you intimidate me?. Because you don’t Vinnie. I don’t look at you and wonder if I can stand up to you on a physical level. Because I know you can, I don’t look at you and think myn physical health or wellbeing is in danger because despite all your threats and the way you try and put yourself forward as a hardcore bad ass you just don’t have the accolades or wins in SCW to back it up…”
“It’s all about consistency Vinnie.”
“See, no matter what match I have coming up, no matter the opponent I still put the same amount of effort into my preparation and what I do before it.”
“I eat the same, I train the same, I study and read up on my opponent, I watch tape, I put the same effort into cutting promos and getting ready, whether that match is against Fenris or Ty, or against Jake fucking Raab, no matter what Vinnie, I put in the same effort. Maximum effort. Can you say the same?. Can you honestly say that you put the same amount of [preparation, care and foresight into your match with Alex or the mixed tag match against Culture shock as you are against me?”
He again pauses waiting for an answer that will obviously not come.
”If you look in the mirror and say yes then you are lying to yourself. See I know that against me you will put in more effort, you’ll promote the match, you’ll have alot to say, you’ll do your due diligence and actually research and say something more than the usual fake spiel. But is that really the kind of champion we want Vinnie?. Is that really who you want to be?. That is what you did against Fenris and all that did was expose you and I am willing to bet you’ll make the same damn mistake against me and run your mouth for hours thinking that you’re getting in my head when...truth is...you’re not…”
“You don’t need to Vinnie.”
“You’re a fucking hulking monster who can get in the ring and use your brand of violence to get to this point right now but then, when the bright lights are on and you’re in the center of that ring with someone who won’t buckle to that pressure you end up shrinking away and you go from a monster...to a child.”
“I’m not saying you can’t beat me or have no chance because the truth is you’re better than Jake, better than alot of guys actually. Hell you’re better than your matches against Alex and culture shock show. But, are you better than me?. In that ring, are you better than Austin James Mercer?”
“I don’t see it. But I will still prepare the same way, I will still get mentally ready and I will still treat you like the egit threat you are, because that is what a champion does….”
