[Mark Ward]

 Post all roleplays for this match here.

Limits: 1 roleplay per week, 10,000 max

Good luck!

[Austin James Mercer]

 A name only gets you so far…
New York City
6 Years Ago.

“Great work guys. See you tomorrow.” His body ached as he rolled his shoulder. Austin was wracked with pain as he turned and moved across the floor of the gym, his long brown hair wet with sweat. The other students all crowded together laughing and carrying on as friends. As buddies. A brotherhood. Austin shook his head never being a part of it. He heard them all, he heard the words. He knew they despised him, hated him.

Like I give a fuck.

The words moved through his mind and for a split second he turned like he was going to say something. They all stopped. They all stood and waited with baited breath. Then it hit him, a realisation. They were intimidated. Austin had used his last name. His father's last name. In New York and the east coast the name Mercer was god. He was the next generation of a family that had gone missing from the business they helped build 20 years ago. He rolled his eyes stepping away, this isn’t what he wanted. He didn’t need it. The dreams he had were his own not his families. Sure it was based in the love he had for the business and the lineage. But Austin was his own man.

He left them alone. His chest puffed out. He was the biggest, strongest. Most naturally gifted. But he also worked the hardest. He walked into the locker room throwing his shirt across the room into his bag before he grabbed a fresh one throwing it over his 6’6 frame. He stopped and looked around checking the area. Usually it was quiet, he heard the laughter, the coaches now joining in. Austin's hands shook, he could feel it, the headache. It was starting to come on like it did every day. He needed to stop it, to silence it.

He reaches into the bag sitting just inside the blue painted steel locker. He pulled out a small silver flask. A golden embossed M on the front. He breathed in sharply and unscrewed the top before bringing it to his lips. The sting and warmth of the alcohol hit his tongue as he took it down. He swallowed as much as he could as fast as he could resting his head against the shelf inside the locker.

Useless boy.

Your Father ran away.

You’ll be nothing.

You have no family.

They faded away. His body calmed. His hands stopped shaking. The lid screwed back on as a warmth came over his body and he shut the locker tight. He turned to find one of the other students looking at him. A smaller man, only a little younger. Austin looked at the locker then back at him before looking down. As he picked up his bag and walked by he heard him whisper.

“It’ll be ok….” Austin stopped mid step and turned his head with a small sigh and a nod of appreciation. He moved back out through the gym as the group still chatted happily about.

See, the ones that won’t engage me
Are the same trying to cage me
But I can’t sit still and I won’t be tame
When the lights go out
Better know your enemy
Because I’ve spent a lifetime shadowboxing with death
And we’ll dance with the devil ‘til there’s no songs left

The troubles with freedom.
New York, New York.
A year later

There was an awkward silence between them. Austin and Amy Mercer walked down the hallways of the small apartment building Austin lived in. He had no idea what to say, no idea how to act. And Amy felt the same, Austin carried a box of her things, she held onto the straps of her backpack that clung to her body, she looked around and seemed to jump at the edges of the walls as they twisted corners. Austin came to a stop at his door, his hands fumbling with the keys as he opened the door kicking it open lightly, the loud thud of his boot hitting the wood causing Amy to squeak and jump.

”Sorry Amy…” He smiled warmly as his sister swallowed hard and gave a small nod in his direction as she stepped through the doorway looking around. The apartment was modest but a lot nicer than the cramped room she had at the mental hospital. Austin set her belongings down on the kitchen bench as he shut the door lightly behind Amy. She stood in the middle of the room not sure what she should do. Austin smiled and opened a window before turning to her. ”You can sit down you know…” Amy chuckled a little and took the backpack off putting it down next to the couch before sitting down towards the side against the arm of it.

Austin sat on the chair next to it leaning forward. ”You don’t have to be so stiff Amy, this is home now. She took a deep breath and slowly sat back allowing her body to relax. ”Ok, so, down that hallway is the bathroom, the door right at the end is my room, and the one to the right is yours” She tilted to the side and looked down raising an eyebrow.

She bit her lip and pushed to her feet taking her backpack with her as she shuffled down towards the door, the wood under her feet creaking lightly as she reached out to grab the door handle turning it and pushing as the sunlight poured in from the window, a bed, pushed against the wall facing outward was already made as well as a few bedside tables and a TV cabinet with a TV and DVD player on it. A built-in closet was empty and ready to be filled. She took a sharp breath in and looked around as Austin stood and leaned against the doorway. ”Is this ok?” Amy’s lip trembled, her voice seemed to shake as she turned and uttered her first words to him since they left Briarcliff.

”This whole room is mine?. I have a window?....a window without bars?” Austin gave a small nod again, Amy stepped forward and got on her tip toes, her skinny arms wrapping around her younger brother's neck pulling him into a hug, her chest started to quiver as tears welled in her eyes. Austin smiled, squeezing her lightly as she started to cry. ”Thank you….”

A Dog should know it’s place

He was disgruntled. Angry. Frustrated. His large hands clasped together as Austin's voice boomed out. He was sitting on the end of a weight bench, a standard view for people when it comes to the six foot six monster.

”I should be happy. I should be bouncing all over the place. Another week, another win. Andrea and I walked out with our hands and heads held high. And I want to make it very clear, Jack Russow is the future of this business. Just like I am. I mean I know that seems to be a bit of a weird thing to say. Saying I’m the future instead of the present. I’m already a three time world champion including once in this very company. But if you people think I have gotten to my potential yet, well you have another thing coming. So I am going to be honest here and tell you all...right now...with no ego involved…”

“Jack Russow is the future of SCW and Apex. These two companies that seem to be sharing talent. Jack is a champion here and I can see him being Sin City Wrestling world heavyweight champion and I can see myself and him butting heads for that title in the future.”

“He and Kate tried hard. They gave it their all.”

“It was an honor to face them, but the right team won. Andrea is the current champion of a division full of killers. And me. Well I have been making this title worth an incredible amount. Truth be told we have such a strong lineup of champions in SCW and the mens side. Myself, Jack, Ben...we are all representing this company and are doing it by being the best of the best. And that isn’t going to change anytime soon. No matter what Bill Barnhart thinks…”


Austin chuckles and shakes his head, he pushes up off the weight bench, his arms folding over his wolfslair shirt.

”And Bill Barnhart, the man who was able to earn a SCW Internet championship match. And how did Bill Barnhart earn it?. Bill earned his shot at me by defeating a returning SCW champion. Kristopher Ryans. Congratulations Bill. Really. I mean that. Kristopher Ryans is a man who has etched his name into the history books of Sin city wrestling and wrestling at large. And you were able to beat him Bill. You were able to get your hand raised over him and that should not ever be looked over so I can tell you mI am not, ever, going to underestimate you.”

“But with that being said, you take out that win, you take out the tag team win you had with your wife over Dustin and Amelia Holt, what have we seen from you?.”

“A three fight loss streak up until the ,match with Kris that earned you a shot at me.”

“Now, do you deserve a shot at me? Maybe. I will face anyone at anytime. I will put my title on the line against anyone at anytime. I am no coward Bill, I would have faced you, I would have faced Ryans. I would have faced anyone for this but as this title starts to mean more and more to people...oh excuse me…”

Austin moves over and reaches down pulling the Internet title belt out and over his shoulder.

”This title, at first was a championship that had been retired and brought back and it’s first champion needed to be a name, a face and someone who would fly its flag and take on all comers. And now, as I have made some defences and stood tall, with my pedigree added in it means that the Sin city wrestling Internet championship is perhaps the number two title in the company now, only just behind the Heavyweight title.”

“So really Bill, it is getting to the point where the title needs a better class of challenger. It needs someone who, instead of lucking into a title shot or accepts an open challenge, earns it. Through consistency.”

“There’s the word. Consistency. It’s what I have been through my career.”

“Through SCW ever member of Wolfslair has had that behind them. Alex, Alicia, myself and no Johanna. We have been consistent in our domination and excellence. It’s what has kept us afloat and bathed in gold. Think about it Bill. In Wolfslair we have held the mixed tag titles, the SCW bombshells title and the SCW world and internet titles. We have been the definition of consistent. And you? You haven’t been.”

“Not by a long shot.”

“You have had championship matches and shots against big names. And most of the time you stumble, you fall, you fail. And hey, I’m not saying that you can’t be internet champion, I’m not saying you can’t be whatever champion you want to be Bill. It’s obvious you’re talented. You’re a veteran and a giant, strong, powerful man. And you love wrestling just like the rest of us. But, look at me Bill. I am approaching my prime. I am a giant human being, styrong, athletic and a lineage in wrestling. I am one of the most prolific wrestlers in this company and in wrestling today. And at Into the void you will get a shot at a title I take great pride in holding. Good luck Bill...you’ll need it.”

[Andrew]

 F*CK YOU

OFF CAMERA

BILL BARNHART WAS CHEATED OUT OF ADDITIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS DURING HIS TIME IN ASYLUM WRESTLING ALLIANCE

We take you back ten years when Bill Barnhart worked in Asylum Wrestling Alliance. This incident took place toward the end of his time working with Asylum Wrestling Alliance. During the many years Bill worked there he earned the Triple Crown and Grand Slam so many times the other wrestlers were jealous. They complained that Barnhart was so successful earning Championships, and Triple Crowns and Grand Slams, that the only way Management, and others in the Federation, could prevent Bill from achieving more Triple Crown and Grand Slam awards was to conspire and resort to retiring some of the Championships and replacing them with other Championships. This happened when Bill was one Championship away from yet another Triple Crown or Grand Slam. By taking the Championship out of play, replacing it with another one, then refusing to assign Barnhart to matches for a chance to earn the new Championship to earn another Triple Crown or Grand Slam, they effectively shut him out by not even giving him a chance.

Bill:  Listen up! You in Management are bowing to the pressure of jealous wrestlers who are unable to earn the Triple Crown and Grand Slam. Instead instead of making them earn their Triple Crown and Grand Slam you change to rules to deny me. I will not tolerate this discrimination!

AWA Management:  I don’t know what you’re talking about. All we did was retire the Television Championship and replace it with a Championship with a different name. That means someone wanting to earn the Triple Crown can do it by winning the new Championship and two others and to earn the Grand Slam they would have to win all four Championships. What’s your problem with that?

Bill:  What’s my problem with that? Are you serious? The problem is I’m the most successful wrestler in this Federation and I’ve won the Triple Crown and Grand Slam four times. Now that you retired the Television Championship and replaced it with another Championship you refuse to sign me for matches involving the new Championship. You know damn well I’ve earned the other three Championships and I only need the new one for my fifth Grand Slam. By you denying me a chance at that one Championship, while you allow everyone else including the permanent jobbers in the company, is flat out discrimination!

AWA Management:  If you want to continue to work here in Asylum Wrestling Alliance you need to accept the way things are. You might get a shot at the new Championship some day but not any time soon.

Bill:  What? F*ck you! I’m done with you and the wrestlers in this Federation! I’ll finish out my Contract with your company and then I’m walking away!

Put yourself in Bill’s shoes and ask yourself how you would feel and how you would react if they cheated you out of additional Championships for no other reason than everyone, including Management, were jealous of your success? Come on! Be honest! How the hell would you feel? Would you have a warm fuzzy feeling and a smile on your face and accept you were being discriminated against for being more successful than others in the Federation? If you say YES you’re a *bleeping* liar! You’d have reacted the same way Barnhart reacted back in his Asylum Wrestling Alliance days. He walked around flipping off those who screwed him out of earning more championships, more Triple Crowns, and more Grand Slams.

When someone who screwed Barnhart out of chances at championships happened to pass by Bill would, in addition to flipping them the middle finger, would tell them f*ck you! and continue walking away.

IRIS GETS GROOMED AND CUT TO THE QUICK

A scene comes on the screen where Bill and his English Bulldog Iris are at their home in Lawrenceville, Georgia. This situation took place before the Corona virus quarantine thing went into effect. We see Iris sitting on a towel on the Living Room floor. We see Bill on his knees and in one hand he has nail clippers for trimming the nails of Iris. The look on the face of Iris indicates she doesn’t enjoy having her nails clipped.

Bill:  How’s my baby girl Iris? Are you ready for a nail clipping?

Iris cocks her head and gives Daddy Bill a look that screams out WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT DADDY? Even though Iris is hesitant we watch as Bill reaches out and grabs one of the front paws of Iris and he gently caresses her foot to calm her down. Bill then takes the nail clippers and starts to trim her nails. Iris is doing well considering she is usually a butthead over things like baths and nail trimming. Bill finishes that paw and he takes the other paw of Iris in his hand. He has only one nail left to trim on that paw when Iris flinches causing her nail to push toward Bill at the exact time he is clipping her nail. This causes too much of the nail to be cut and it has caused the term CUT TO THE QUICK which means a dog’s nail was trimmed too short and hit the blood vessel and nerve inside the nail, also called the quick, and the nail of Iris is bleeding.

Iris:  *bark* *snarl* *growl*

Bill:  I’m sorry Iris but you shoved your paw forward just as I was cutting your nail and it caused me to cut too far and I hit the blood vessel and nerve in your toenail. Sorry, Iris, I’ll fix this for you.

Iris continues to whine but she seems to be more scared than physically in pain and the bleeding toenail doesn’t help her calm down. Bill tries to stop the bleeding but not having success yet.

Bill:  Sorry but applying pressure to your toenail doesn’t seem to be working quickly enough so I have to try the next thing on the list.

Bill reaches into his pocket and pulls out a styptic pencil that he has available if he nicks himself while shaving. The styptic pencil works well as it has aluminum sulfate which quickly causes the bleeding to stop. However the side effect of the aluminum sulfate is that chemical causes pain when it comes in contact with a cut.

Bill dips the styptic pencil in warm water and he approaches Iris with it. Iris tries to pull her paw away but Bill holds her still and dabs the styptic pencil on her bleeding nail. Iris yelps from the pain from the aluminum sulfate but after a short time the bleeding stops, Bill cleans the paw of Iris, and Iris is back to her normal self which means begging for food.

SOME DOGS ARE ASSHOLES. . .SO ARE THEIR OWNERS

We see Bill Barnhart taking his English Bulldog Iris on a walk in his housing development in Lawrenceville, Georgia. This event took place a year ago. Bill has Iris on a leash and they are walking down their street then they turn right on a side street. When they pass the fifth house on the right the owners of the house come out with their Pit Bull dog, named King on a leash. Even when King was a puppy he was an asshole going off on every dog in the neighborhood. Not too long ago a woman on the other side of Bill’s housing development was walking her two dogs. While she was walking her dogs the owner of King walked up that street. King, being an asshole, pulled so hard that he ripped the leash out of his owner’s hand and he charged the woman with her two dogs. The story the woman told was that she was unable to react quick enough to protect her two dogs and King bit them so badly that the total Veterinarian bill for emergency surgery on her two dogs to save their lives was $5,000. When asked if she sued the owners of King she replied that her and her husband are animal lovers. They said since the owners of King failed to keep him under control they should be prosecuted and made to pay the bills for the emergency surgery of their two dogs. But, she said, they discussed it and realized that the police department and justice system would punish King, and not his owners, and then he will be euthanized. They didn’t want King to get punished due to his owner’s stupidity.

Due to that incident with King nearly killing the two dogs of the woman in their housing development Bill is holding the leash of Iris in one hand and length of metal pipe in his other hand. He has done this since the incident with the woman and her dogs to make sure Iris doesn’t end up being attacked like the two dogs were. When the owners of King walked out of their house and King saw Iris he immediately got aggressive and tried to pull away from his owners to attack Iris.

Owners of King:  Why the f*ck you waving a metal pipe at King? He’s a good dog and wouldn’t harm anyone!

Bill:  What? I heard the story where you were walking King on the other side of our housing development. A friend of mine who lives on that side of the development said she was walking her two small dogs and King got extremely aggressive, charged her and her two dogs, pulling the leash out of your hands. King, being aggressive, attacked her dogs and nearly killed them. She told me the attack on her two dogs by King caused her a $5,000 Veterinarian bill for emergency surgery to save the lives of her dogs. If you allow King to get loose from you again, and he attacks me and Iris, I’ll whack his scull in. And for damn sure if you attack me for protecting myself and Iris then your skulls will be whacked in also. If you have a problem with the fact that you cannot control King and he attacks others then I will call Gwinnett Police and have you arrested. What’s it gonna be? Huh?

Owners of King:  Okay. We get it. You see we no longer have King on a rope leash as he is now on a heavy duty chain. Only myself and my husband walk him as our daughters are not big enough to control him. I promise you we will not allow King to go off on you or Iris.

Bill:  I think King needs a to attend a school of hard knocks obedience training to get him to chill . I will not stop carrying this metal pipe for protection until you can prove to me King is no longer a threat.

Bill turns and starts walking away from the family with King. He pulls on the leash to get Iris to get moving with him. Bill walks down the street grumbling to himself and promising he will protect Iris with all he’s got.

ON CAMERA

Narrator:  Bill Barnhart is sick of hearing insults from other wrestlers in Sin City Wrestling, from the fans, and from the media, that he’s ready to tell everyone off. So without further delay I  turn you over to Bill Barnhart to give it to you straight up.

The scene comes into focus with Bill Barnhart sitting at a desk in the broadcast studio at the Golden Ring Casino which is the venue where Sin City Wrestling will be holding their Into The Void IX event. Bill is overly casual in his attire today by wearing khaki shorts, black athletic shoes, and a black pull-over shirt. He looks into the camera to talk to the viewers.

Bill:  I’m here to give it to you straight. I’m Sin City Wrestling’s Internet Champion! Okay I admit, that as of this date and time, I’m not yet the Internet Champion. But for damn sure I’ll be Internet Champion on Sunday, June 7, 2020, at Into the Void IX, when I defeat Austin James Mercer. Austin I’m sick of you, those like you, and the disrespectful fans who support you. Let me start by telling you, Mercer, that I’m not the only person, entity, or thing, that detests you and flips you the middle finger. I’m going to have the Techs in the broadcast studio put up several graphics, one at a time, to show you that everyone, and everything, dislikes you and flips you off. Could you start running the graphics for me please?



Bill:  So, Austin, will you claim you’ll out-wrestle me? I DON’T THINK SO! HOMEY DON’T PLAY DAT! Will you claim you’ll physically hurt me in our match? I DON’T THINK SO! HOMEY DON’T PLAY DAT! Do you think you can defeat me and remain as the Internet Champion? I DON’T THINK SO! HOMEY DON’T PLAY DAT! No matter what you think, no matter what you claim, no matter how you feel, no matter who you hire to interfere in our match, no matter if you make the claim that you’re the greatest Internet Champion of all time I say I DON’T THINK SO! HOMEY DON’T PLAY DAT! You have to deal with what I think, what I claim, how I feel, and for damn sure I don’t need interference assistance to defeat someone like you!

Bill motions to the crew he is done with his comments for today. They place the camera into a slow fade to black and when the screen finally goes black they switch programming over to regularly scheduled programming from the Network.

[Austin James Mercer]

 Last night I had a real bad dream and you left me.
Last night I had a real bad dream, then you left me
Yeah, last night I had a real bad dream and you left me, baby
You didn’t have a single word to say, you just walked away., you just walked away.
Sit around waiting for the sun, fall asleep and left the nightmare come
Fog rolls in gonna block the sun.
I got enough hell for everyone
I’ve got enough hell...for everyone…

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
5 Years Ago

Daisie Dae stood in the hallway of the penthouse apartment, she sighed slightly, shaking her head she went to turn away, her long legs clad in black leather look leggings, a plaid shirt thrown over a vest top. She steels herself, turning back to the door and rings the bell. Immediately, she starts adjusting her outfit, pulling at her shirt and primping her hair, nervous for the first time in her short life as she waits… It only takes a moment for him to reach the door and swing it open, she smiles, a genuinely relieved smile when he doesn’t immediately slam the door in her face..

“Hey” Austin looked confused at Daisie, his eyes darting from side to side as he clears his throat nervously. “I wasn’t...I wasn’t expecting you.” He stepped back and held the door open for her trying to calm himself not sure as to what he was supposed to be feeling or thinking.

Daisie smiled slightly and shrugged, stepping into the room she turned to face him “Ay, well you weren’t answering’ my calls or nothin’ Merc...” she turns away from him and wanders into the apartment, wrapping her hands over her arms, almost hugging herself… “An’ since there seemed to be a lil somethin’ on yah mind… I figured I’d come by an’ see if we can’t get it all taken care of..?”

Austin scoffs and shakes his head breezing past her as the door shuts behind him. Austin thinks for a moment trying to put the words together. “Taken care of?...you mean talk or...something else?..cause I got to tell you Daze...I can’t scratch your itch right now…” Austin growls the last few words and folds his arms. “Maybe Gray Malone or one of the other guys can….”

Daisie shakes her head, turning to face him now “Really bothers ya tha I went to Cancun for a weekend with him don’t it?” she shakes her head again, obviously confused as she throws her arms up in her air “Why…. Why do ya care?!” she laughs slightly now “Ain’t like i’m eva gonna be more than a…. Friend.”

He laughed it off and ran a hand through his long brown hair. He sighs deeply and throws his hands out. “I don’t want to be second best, and I guess friends is all we can be...it’s all you want but...I can’t…”

He pauses for a moment and grits his teeth. “We can’t….scratch each others itches and be friends...so we can be friends but you’ll have to find others cause I will always want...more…” she nods slowly, looking everywhere but him now…“Ay, but did it occur to yah to even ask what I wanted?” she folds her arms over her chest tightly “Ya offered the job and then took it back… All ah said was that i’d been offered another job...not that I took it… Or even wanted it.” she shakes her head and takes a couple of steps back, turning away…

“Look, Sugah… ah ain’t here to fight, it ain’t my style…” she wanders over to the window and looks out onto the streets below as she pauses to collect her thoughts “And I ain’t here to fuck neither… “ Austin cleared his throat and stepped towards her a little “Then why are you here? You made it clear what you didn’t want, and I tried Daze….I don’t want to be that guy...I don’t want you tied down cause I know you don’t want it…”

He looks away and swallows hard, his hands clasping together. “You want to be able to do what you want when you want and some guys will always be ok with that...I’m...sorry I’m not...so I understand if this is where we part...just know that I care about you….I care alot…” She nods slightly and turns to face him, shaking her hair back with a small sigh… “I’m here because I wanna try…” she swallows hard, looking down at her feet… she shrugs slightly, uncertain in her words… “But.. I wanna work witchu an.. I think if there is anyone who can be just… One….” she glances up at him, the words barely coming out “Then it’s you.”

He gets closer, not yet touching her with an awkward grin. “I don’t want to force you into anything, but if you want to try...and if you need time I understand…” He grins and reaches out stroking her cheek before lightly kissing her lips. “Sorry..was that too….coupley?” She turns her face to his hand for a moment, closing her eyes a little before she laughs and turns back to face him once more… “I ain’t calling’ you my beau or nothing’” she leans in a little and hooks a finger into the belt loop on his jeans, leaning up on her tiptoes she kisses him softly, sighing to herself as she drops back to her feet….

“But I ain’t eva gonna do that to nobody else neither…” Austin just smiles and slides his hands around her waist before kissing her back, with a little extra passion than he ever kissed anyone else before. “I can live with that”

Present Day-Las Vegas Nevada

Austin stared ahead, his arms folded over his chest. He seemed to be lost in the past. He slowly tilted his head to the side. His eyes glued to a letter sitting on the desk. We were still in Las Vegas, but now it was a hotel room. He took a long drawn o0ut breath, his teeth grinding together. He didn’t even hear the door.

”Hey big man you ready?” Alex popped his head around the corner, Austin jumped slightly turning his back to the desk, his hand sliding behind him to take the latter and hold it. Alex raised an eyebrow ”You alright?” Austin swallowed and grave him a small nod.

”Yeah, I’m great. I’m just getting in the right headspace, head on down, I’ll meet you in the lobby.” Alex gave a small nod and closed the door backing away. A wave of relief went across Austin, he pulled the letter around and looked down at it. He hadn’t opened it to read it, he had just been staring at it for the last few hours. His mind flashed to Lisa, his wife, their kids. He had told Lisa to go to New York, to stay with Elena and Mark for a few days. And now this……

Austin shock his head and places the letter front down, his hands now on either side of it as he leaned down against the table, his mind rushing and aching. Austin let out a small growl and backed up. ”No...not now…” He muttered to himself as he grabbed his gear bag, he threw it over his shoulder. His eyes darting none last time to the sender name and address on the back of the eggshell white envelope. “Daisie Dae, 548 Lakewood Dr, New Orleans”

Dance for me clown

It had been a few days since Austin did any promotional work for Sin City Wrestling or Into the void. In fact he had been actively avoiding anything to do with the event. Taking a few days from training to recover before hitting the gym hard this week leading nto his Internet title match with Bill Barnhart. But today he had been brought into a room with Alex Jones.

Alex couldn’t contain his laughter, snickering as he led Austin into a media room just off the gym floor.l A television monitor set up, a promo already cued. Alex didn’t say a word, he just handed Austin the remote and backed up to the wall, Austin had pressed play then watched the travesty of stupidity that was Bill Barnhart.

When it was over Austin had sat there, his mouth open, his jaw near the floor as Alex just burst out into more hysterical laughter.

Part of Austin had wanted to tell Alex to shut up, part of him wanted to laugh too. But then, there was another part of the Internet champion. That was just really, REALLY angry. So now here he was, still sitting in the media room, an hour or so later. Having taken time to think, to work out if there was anything to say. He set up his iPhone to record, so he could edit and upload when he was ready, and slowly pressed record.

”You know. I always wanted to follow in the family footsteps the second I found out the lineage. Professional wrestling. Two words. It conjures up a lot of images. What exactly is Pro wrestling?. There’s humor, there’s sport, there’s drama, excitement. And some people have always thought of me as rather dry when it comes to the actual wrestling side of my life. That I take it to seriously. And that surprises many who know me outside of all this since I usually laugh and tell jokes. In between working out at the gym I sit with everyone and just...have fun…”

“But when it comes to this,to championships, big events and big matches...a switch is flipped. And I am the most serious, driven and focused person you will meet.”

“And it has served me well. In six years of being a pro, with a few breaks in between, I have been at the top of my game. The word potential faded away because unlike so many I was willing to grab the brass ring and not just hang from it, I pulled that thing down and made it into a damn necklace. And I have been wearing it ever since. I have collected world championships and scalps from some of the best professional wrestlers on this planet. “

“I’ve had wars with the best of the best.”

He slowly smiled and shook his head. The vision of the promo he had been forced to endure just played through his head. The phrase, that phrase echoing along with faded visions of Bill. “Homey don’t play that” circled in his ears, Austin swallowed hard and shook his head shivering as if going through some kind of PTSD Vietnam flashback.

”And you Bill. You have made a mockery of what we are about to do. And see, it’s a horrible feeling. You make yourself look like some kind of bearded dancing clown in some cheap attempt to be funny. It’s disrespectful. It’s stupid. ANd it has made me lose all respect I had for you. You remember that right Bill?. In my promo where I told you that I did respect you, you obviously watched mine since you decided to run your mouth about it…”

“Now, I could handle stupidity, ignorance, delusions, out and out lies and conjecture. This is the wrestling business we’re all used to that. Just look at Jake Raab for an example.”

“But, what I despise, what really makes me want to pull my hair out is unoriginality.”

“You decided to use a clown and a catchphrase to try and make yourself look halfway entertaining. You did it by ripping off a character and catchphrase from a thirty year old TV show. This isn’t In living color. This isn’t a variety comedy show Bill. When you boil down professional wrestling to it’s purest form it is about getting two people, who have conflict, whether that be personal or business, you give them time to explain said nconflict and describe the goals they have….and then let them fight…”

Austin shakes his head again and adjusts his shirt.

”Your entire promo, all of it, was offensive. You accused me of taking drugs, you discounted my entire career and in doing so shit on every single person who stepped in the ring with me. You disrespected me, Fenris, Senor Vinnie. You shit on all of them because you’re a delusional weirdo who thinks he’s funny when in reality it’s just sad. You stand there pulling your beard, walking that ugly dog around and think you deserve to be a champion?”

“Why Bill? Why will you be champion?. Cause you said I can’t beat you and that you will not lose to me?. How?. How will you stop me? How will you beat me?”

“That is what you should have focused on, the hows and the whys. Not baseless accusations about “amphetamines and...oh..wait..hold on...I’m getting a little parched…”

Austin reaches down and a popping top of a can is heard. Austin takes a long chug of na Mango Monster. Because Redbull is for pussies…

”That’s better, but why Bill? Why will you beat me and how?. You covered the fact you hate me, you hate the fans who support me, had a few pictures of things and people flipping me off and then did the clown shit. But as for the match itself...HOW BILL?.... HOW?....See, I am a champion Bill, I hold this title with pride, I held the Honor and SCW world titles with pride, everything I do is with pride and honor…”

“But you? What honor do you have? What skills do you have that will actually beat me? Cause, I’m not saying you can’t, you’re a big, strong, experienced bull of a man…”

“And I just did more PROMOTION for the actual match and yourself in two sentences…”

“But, I am a former champion, I’ve beaten the best, I’m a six foot six monster with a lineage in this business and athletic skills of a man half my size.I beat you in youth, skills, size, strength and athletic ability. I’m smarter than you, I’m better looking than you and at Into the void, when you drag your fat ass to the ring I am going to beat the living hell out of you and keep the SCW internet title because You….You Mr Barnhart...do not deserve it…”

[Andrew]

 YOU NEED TO LIVE IN THE NOW. . .NOT IN THE PAST OR THE FUTURE

OFF CAMERA

A scene comes on showing Bill Barnhart as a young boy in the backyard of his home where he grew up in Oakland, California. He and his father, Navy Chief Petty Officer William Barnhart, are having a discussion.

Bill:  Dad I want to be a police officer, fireman, or professional wrestler when I grow up.

William:  Son you need to live in the NOW and not in the past and not in the future.

Bill:  But shouldn’t we look toward the future and start planning for what we want to do?

William:  What I meant by my comment to live in the NOW and not in the past or future is that you cannot change the past as you can only learn from the past. You cannot predict the future so you waste time looking far off into the distance only to find out the things you wanted to become or accomplish are not around any longer or you changed your concept of what you want to accomplish. If you stay in the NOW, and work on what you’re doing now,  the other things will fall into place.

Bill:  Okay. Thanks.

William:  Before you run off to play let me tell you a story. When I was growing up we all wanted to be a fireman or police officer. None of us walked around stating we wanted to be a teacher, or a trash collector, or even a Sailor in the United States Navy. Even with me looking into the future it was the NOW that caught me. The Vietnam War was raging and the Draft to forcibly enlist people into the Military was in full swing. I took that NOW moment and realized I needed to take immediate action. I knew if I waited I would probably be drafted into the Army and end up as Infantry in Vietnam getting my ass shot at. What I did was to go to the Navy Recruiting office in downtown Oakland and enlist in the Navy. Here I am today as a Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy. When I joined the Navy I figured it was just going to be a four year, or shorter, enlistment due to the Vietnam War. But the war came to an end and I enjoyed my work in the Navy so I remained on Active Duty in the Navy to see what might happen. I kept plugging along and kept getting promoted and now I’m at the Chief Petty Officer level. I hope to make it to Master Chief Petty Officer and retire from the Military soon. So, son, always take the NOW and make the best of it. Don’t get caught up with the past or future and in the process totally ignore the NOW. You never know what will be so accept the NOW and work with it and in the end what you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to accomplish will come to be.

Bill:  Wow! Heavy stuff Dad! Thank!

ON CAMERA

Narrator:  There’s a saying that goes IT IS NOW OR NEVER and today Bill Barnhart will be discussion the NOW of things.

The scene comes into focus at the Golden Ring Casino . We see Bill Barnhart standing near the wrestling ring where he’ll face off against Austin James Mercer for the Internet Championship at Into the Void IX. Bill is wearing attire much different than we normally see him wear. Barnhart is usually very casual in his attire but for his presentation today he is wearing a light gray casual business suit, black dress shoes, a white dress shirt, but he is not wearing a tie.

Bill Barnhart:  There is a saying that goes IT IS NOT WHAT YOU KNOW THAT MATTERS, IT IS HOW YOU DO IT THAT COUNTS.  There is another saying  that goes IT IS NOW OR NEVER.  And there is a third saying that goes <ii>YOU NEED TO LIVE IN THE NOW. . .NOT IN THE PAST OR THE FUTURE. I’m going to discuss those three concepts today.

Bill walks around the ring one time and returns to where he started his comments.

Bill Barnhart:  Many wrestlers tend to only talk about what they have done in the past. What anyone has done in the past, although it is forever in the history books, has no bearing on the here and now except to let people know what you once were able to accomplish. What is happening now is what is important. How you perform now is what is important. What you did yesterday, last week, two weeks ago, a month ago, a year ago, or years ago, is not relevant to what is now.

Bill climbs the ring steps and ducks into the ring. He crosses the ring several times rebounding off the ropes until he stops in the middle of the ring.

Bill Barnhart:  This is the wrestling ring where I will face off against, and defeat, Austin James Mercer, to become the next Sin City Wrestling Internet Champion.

Bill walks to a corner and exits the ring. He walks down the ring steps then walks over to the table where the commentators present their comments on the matches. Bill takes a seat at the table.

Bill Barnhart:  This is what you are going to hear on Sunday, April 7, 2020, at Into The Void IX. You’ll hear the announcers announce LADIES AND GENTLEMEN HERE IS YOUR WINNER OF THIS MATCH, AND THE NEW SIN CITY WRESTLING INTERNET CHAMPION, BILL BARNHART!!!

Bill stands up from the announcing table and walks to stand in front of the ring where he will face off against Austin James Mercer for the Internet Championship.

Bill:  Austin I wish to present some concepts for you to take into consideration. While I discuss these items the people working the broadcast studio will place on the screen an appropriate graphic to illustrate my point. Are you ready? Even if you’re not ready you’re still gonna get my presentation. Austin from what I’ve observed you think you’re like the monster Godzilla. You think you are big and strong and indestructible. Although Godzilla was a pretty good monster there was one monster he was not able to defeat and that was Mothra. Even during those times when Godzilla was able to inflict damage on Mothra in the end Mothra’s children hatched and attacked and took out Godzilla. I am Mothra to your Godzilla. You see, Austin, although you’ll bring all you’ve got to our Internet Championship match I’ll cut you so-called Godzilla self down to where you are so small and insignificant you will look like the Geico Insurance Company Gecko.

Bill:  The best case scenario is to put your opponent’s King in check to where no matter where the King moves it is still in check. That’s called a CHECKMATE as your opponent has no moves left while their King is in check. I’m the brilliant Chess player and you’re the novice who’ll make mistake after mistake after mistake until you have lost more than fifty percent of your wrestling abilities, which is the same as losing a majority of your Chess pieces, while I still have the majority of mine. Simple stated:  CHECKMATE!  You lose!

Bea picks up the Chess board and Chess pieces and places them in a box. She excuses herself and she calls Iris to join her as she returns the Chess equipment to the other room. Once Bea and Iris are out of sight Bill continue with his comments.

Bill:  Well, Austin, it won’t be long before we step into the wrestling ring, I defeat you, and I’m crowned as Sin City Wrestling’s Internet Champion. I know what you’re thinking and that is you will try to make the bogus claim that you  are the greatest wrestler around and there’s no way I can defeat you. You are likely to make the claim of defeating a few of the top name wrestlers in Sin City Wrestling who other wrestlers were not able to defeat. You are free to make that claim, Austin, but I counter your claim with the statement that EVEN A BLIND SQUIRREL FINDS AN ACORN OCCASIONALLY.  The fact that you got a few lucky wins over other wrestlers doesn’t mean you’ll get a lucky win over me.

There is a commotion from the other room and when Bill looks over, and the cameraman focuses his camera in that direction, we see Bea Barnhart and their English Bulldog Iris, run out of the other room, into the main area of the hotel room, and both are dressed as Cheerleaders and both have pom poms to go with their outfits.

Bill:  Uh, Bea, what in the world are you two doing? I know you always think I do odd things and now you and Iris are coming on camera as Cheerleaders?

Bea:  We’re here as Cheerleaders to cheer you on in your match against Austin James Mercer for the Internet Championship. And, no, you don’t get to stop us from our Cheerleader performance. Ready to do this Iris?

Iris:  Woof!

Bea and Iris start dancing and jumping around and waving their pom poms while Bea gives the cheer.

TWO, FOUR, SIX, EIGHT!
WHO WILL BILL ANIHILATE?
AUSTIN JAMES MERCER!
AUSTIN JAMES MERCER!
YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

Bea:  Well?

Bill:  And to think I get teased for some of the stuff I do and say. Thanks for the cheer. Now please get changed back to normal.

Bea:  Okay. But don’t be surprised if I show up as Manager for your match against Mercer for the Internet Championship dressed as a Cheerleader and so does Iris.

Bea and Iris run into the other room and quickly change back to normal attire and return into the main area of the hotel room and take seats on the couch with Bill. We notice when Bea returned into the room she was holding a small piece of paper in her hand.

Bill:  Whatcha got in your hand Bea? Your congratulations speech you’ll give after I defeat Austin James Mercer and become the newly crowned Sin City Wrestling Internet Champion?

Bea:  Nope! It is a prescription I’m giving to Mercer for his match with you. It not only contains the ingredient BILL BARNHART it also gives the side effects of having a match against you. Want to know what the side effects are?

Bill:  Sure. This should be amusing.

Bea begins reading the side effects on the prescription.

Bea:  Warning. Having a match against Bill Barnhart may contain some, or all, of the following side effects. Black eyes, bleeding mouth, cuts, scratches, bruises, concussion, and possibly dislocated or broken body parts. Accept this prescription by stepping in the ring against Bill Barnhart cautiously, make sure your medical insurance is current, and consult with your Doctor before stepping into the ring.

Bill:  Just when I thought I’ve heard everything. Speaking of hearing everything I’d like to direct some comments to Austin James Mercer. Austin I find it extremely amusing and revealing when an opponent cannot think of anything intelligent to say to me, or about me, so they result to calling me names like kids do in Elementary School. They would call the kid with glasses FOUR EYES. They would call the short kid an ELF or DWARF. They would call the not-so-good-looking kids ugly and that they look like a Troll. The other insults were even more pathetic. You know the ones like YOUR MOTHER WEARS ARMY BOOTS or YOUR MOTHER HAS A MUSTACHE. So here’s the deal Austin. Are you honestly that pathetic, and that scared knowing I’ll defeat you for the Internet Championship, that all you can do is stand before the camera and hurl lame insults at me? I stood before the camera, with my comments aired to millions of viewers, and I talked about my wrestling career, my abilities in the wrestling ring, and how I stood up to not only my half-brother Chris Shipman but to Satan also. The only reason I talked you down is that you don’t deserve to have others talk you up.

Bea:  Well stated Bill.

Bill:  Well, Austin, I’ve run down everything I needed to run down leading up to our match. Very early in my wrestling career I worked a short time in a Mexican wrestling federation. As you know most wrestlers in Mexico wear a mask as they don’t see wrestling as an honorable sport as we do in the United States. One of the benefits of wearing a mask, other than hiding your true identity from your family and friends while wrestling, is that you can hide a lot of the facial features that usually indicate you are in fear or pain or both. But your eyes are showing through the mask and one thing humans cannot do is hide the fear their eyes show. I quickly learned to know how my opponents were doing by reading their eyes. Watch you spew forth your nonsense leading up to our match I could read the fear and hesitation in your eyes. When any wrestler enters a match with only a small percentage of hesitation and doubt they have lost the match before the match starts. Never once in my wrestling career have I come into a match where I had doubt on my mind and our match is no different. Your time as Internet Champion is over on Sunday, June 7, 2020, at Into the Void IX. Have a nice day Mercer! Ha ha ha!!!

Bea informs the cameraman this presentation is done. The cameraman calls into the Network to let them know this information. They ask him to wait until they give him the signal to cut his camera feed and he waits. After a short time they tell him to cut his camera feed and he does and our screen goes black.