The Expansion
The gym was packed. It was 9am on a Tuesday. The main floor had classes running, the gym had kids in there working out with Austin. The submission mats had two competitions going. The rings were full. Alex shook his head and sighed. He was happy, his baby had grown and he was looked at as a great trainer. But, things were getting more difficult. To schedule times and classes, but also allow his elite members, Alicia, Johanna, Austin, Miles, Lachlan, Kallie, Aiden, Dickie, Kerberos, Charlie...to train and prepare for matches or for their injury rehabilitation. He shook his head and sighed moving over towards the weight gym where Austin was.
Alex could see the annoyance on his face as he tried to keep it organised, make sure people who had never lifted weights before did it in the right way while also trying to get his own work out in. The huge upper body of Austin not quite getting a sweat going. Something Alex knew was important to Austin.
He moved back around to the grappling mats. A whole line of young girls stood around, watching as Charlie Jones, Alex’s sister who was recently taking time off from the wrestling business, just finishing up a few dates for Kingdom pro, demonstrated a submission hold on one of them, she groaned and tapped, Charlie letting go.Alicia had her arms folded over her chest staring off like she was distracted. Meanwhile Kallie was there trying to calm Johanna down, who clearly wanted to tear every single one of these new girls apart.
He chuckled.
The more things change the more they stay the same. Aiden stood in the ring with Lachlan and Miles talking as the new guys hit the ropes, the wrong way. Aiden shook his head as Miles went up to them to show them the right way. Lachlan rolled his eyes and looked over at Alex shaking his head. He got what Lachlan was trying to say and he gave a nod back. Wolfslair had become McDonalds. No longer a quiet concern, with the success and growth they had attracted attention and so many beginners, kids straight out of high school or college who had stars in their eyes and wild ideas….
That wasn’t what Wolfslair was supposed to be. But there was a spark. When the beginners and intermediate classes went home, or in the early hours of the morning. The pros would be at it. That was the real Wolfslair. The real group and meaning. And Alexs’ dream. But, to keep that dream alive and thriving he needed the new names and members, he needed them to pay their fees and work hard and learn.
”This looks serious.” Sonja broke the silence and concentration, Alex turned and gave her a small smile, his arms still over his chest as Sonya reached out and touched his shoulder lightly. ”Quite the little family we have here now.”
He smirked and shook his head. ”Little”
Sonja sighed and moved around next to him. ”It seems like maybe, just maybe, we’ll need more room.” Alex gave her a small nod bringing his hand up to his chin before he registered what she just said.
”More room?. We can’t really expand here, there’s not room on either side and we need the parking lot.” Sonja shook her head as the cogs were turning in Alexs’ head, he clicked on what she meant. ”Should we look for a bigger place? When we first found this warehouse...we didn’t think it would ever be this big.”
And it was true, when Alex and Sonja first conceived Wolfslair and looked around, they figured they would need a place fo twenty to twenty five members. But expanding out to double that had put a strain on things. Sonja cleared her throat and moved her phone around, the screen on a larger warehouse, a bigger piece of land, and an area closer to home and only twenty five minutes from here. He couldn’t help but laugh and smile turning to her. ”Always prepared aren’t you?”
”Not always...but I have put in a bid already…” Alex laughed again handing Sonja’s phone back to her, she turned heading back towards the office.
”Hey...what if I’d said no?” Sonja stopped and looked over her shoulder, a smile coming across her lips and a wink. Alex rolled his eyes and shook his head looking down and away. ”Right...stupid question…” She chuckled and moved into the office closing the door behind her as Alex threw his hands in the air looking over at Charlie. He motioned for his sister to come and talk. ”Hey...I have some news you might want to hear…”
The Bridge
”That was not easy for me..”
Alex held up the SCW roulette championship. A title that still had his nameplate on the bottom, a championship that as of the next Climax control he will have held for Seventy-seven days.
”I don’t just mean it wasn’t easy defending my title against two men at once. That is never easy. It’s never easy defending a championship period. It’s why we see so many people win them but lose them trying to jump over the first hurdle. When you win a championship, you become a target. People want what they can’t have. So they come at you, they chase you. And if you’re not ready for that responsibility? Well, you end up like the Barnharts facing Austin and Tempest last week. But, that still isn’t what I meant. It was easy to beat Caleb, easy to take him out and would have been easy one on one. I have no allegiance to him or what he wants.”
“I’m talking about facing Miles Kasey again. Seeing that kid come into this match and do all he could to take the title from me, and having to break his heart and keep it.”
“He’s a member of my gym, a good kid and someone with amazing talent who I can see becoming a star. And this setback will serve him well as he learns his trade and gains more and more knowledge. And I have always said, time and time again that you learn more from a loss than a win. So I hope Miles will learn from it, learn from his loss against Mac Bane too and become the professional wrestler and future champion we all know and hope he can be.”
Alex gives a small nod putting the roulette title over his shoulder moving around and stopping as he turns and leans against a nondescript white wall.
”But, the question remains, where do I go from here?.”
“I successfully defended my championship twice, and while I want to take the Roulette title to new heights I have to wonder, how?. How can I take what has been SCW’s “second” title and make it even more special? See this thing has been special due to the unique ruleset, some would say it’s a “gimmick”. We sign a deal to have a match, we spin a roulette wheel and we settle on a stipulation. It;s unique, it’s fun, it’s unpredictable. And it’s also hard to find a line of succession or contendership. And truth be told I don’t think I need one. I’ll face anyone at anytime.”
“I even have proof of that. My next opponent. Is the man affectionately known as The Troll.”
He sighs heavily, trying to hide his annoyance at having to face the man who has had the ire of most of the roster.
”But, this isn’t just about defending my title, is it Troll? See, last week you came out, during Miles’ match for the internet title, a match set up by Wolfslairs own licia lukas and you not only made your presence known, and interfered. But you cost Miles the title. He was going to upset Mac Bane, take that internet title and bring it to Wolfslair. You cost Miles that moment, that accolade. So now, you have been out in the ring with me. And that really isn't good news for you.”
“I get it though Troll, I do, you decide to use humor and outlandish things to mask your own insecurities. It’s happened for a long time in wrestling, shit Austins opponent this week, Bill Barnhart tries to do the same thing with his statements.”
“You’re really just harmless buddy.”
“I learned a long long time ago that people like you don’t know what you’re talking about. So they just flood the world with ridiculous bullshit. But this week, you have to get in the ring with me and feel what it’s like to go through real pain. A real fight. I’m a champion here, a legend in the professional wrestling world. And you? You’re just a sad little man who likes to run his mouth. But don’t worry Troll, I can’t end you and take you out of this business. Cause I made a promise to Miles.”
“I’m going to leave just enough of you to limp into a match against him, and trust me on this Troll...he’ll want his revenge…”
