Prologue:
The unlikely team of Jack and Bobbie were once again victorious and now are moving onto the semi-finals of the Blast from the Past tournament. They are an odd couple for sure, but seemingly Jack is warming up to Bobbie and the two displayed at least good communication, if not outright teamwork their last time out. The sky appears to be the limit for this team, but they face another impressive team as they look to punch their ticket to the finals. Despite everything, the team chemistry is working out in Jack’s favor, at least inside the ring. Jack and Bobbie are proving to be quite the formidable team between the ropes.
Outside the ring, however, is a different story. Jack is not fond or not nearly as receptive to the more hands-on approach to the teamwork or team bonding. It’s quite clear that Jack sees this as nothing but a partnership for the tournament, but Bobbie might see it as something more than that. But given Jack’s history and lack of need for that kind of relationship, Bobbie’s had to work extra hard to break down that wall Jack has built. But... maybe Jack sees this, or maybe more as time goes on?
We’ll just have to see. --
Eilean Mor, Flannan Isles, Scotland
Two weeks ago This time it was Bobbie who was walking through the curtain first, and pumping her fist, very happy with her performance and the win garnered by Jack and herself. Bobbie took a minute to cool down, and that is when Jack walked by her, seemingly paying her no mind, focused more on the title belt on his shoulder. Bobbie had to reach out and grab him by the arm to stop him.
Bobbie: Well?
Jack: Well what?
Bobbie: Did I do enough this time?
Jack: Sure. We won.
Bobbie: “We?”
Jack: Yes, Bobbie. We.
Bobbie: So, we’re partners now, right?
Jack: We’ve been partners this entire time.
Bobbie: You don’t treat me like a partner.
Jack sighed and shrugged.
Jack: It’s nothing against you. You did good. So... that’ll do.
Bobbie: I won the match for the team.
Jack: I said: “That’ll do.” What more do you want from me?
Bobbie: A little acknowledgment would be nice.
Jack: I said it! You did fine! You listened.
Bobbie: Really? That’s all I’m getting?
Jack rolled his eyes.
Jack: You’re being dramatic again.
Bobbie: We won, and I won the match for our team. And the best you can do is “That’ll do?” I mean, I think after all this I’ve earned just a little praise.
Jack: Oh my god.... fine.
Jack extends his hand for a handshake to satisfy Bobbie. Bobbie looks down at Jack’s hand and then back up at him.
Bobbie: A... Handshake?
Jack: Yeah, what?
Bobbie: Come on, we’re partners, we’re beyond a handshake!
Bobbie goes in for the hug.
Jack: Nonononono...
Bobbie wraps her arms around Jack, who quickly pushes her away
Bobbie: Aww come on!
Jack: Stop. It! Just stop it! No hugs! We do not need to hug!
Bobbie: Come on! Don’t be like that. Get excited! We’re in the semi-finals!
Jack: You’re right. I am! I mean- We are!
Bobbie’s face lights up from hearing Jack actually acknowledge them as a team.
Bobbie: See! I knew it! I knew there was a nice guy in there!
Jack: If you want to call that nice.
Bobbie: Okay, it was nicer then you have been to me. Which is not nice at all.
Jack: I’m not here to be nice to you, Bobbie.
Bobbie: That doesn’t mean you CAN’T be nice to me.
Jack: I am going cordial. Because quite frankly...
Jack sighs.
Jack: I need you.
Bobbie: You... need me?
Bobbie gets a big smile on her face and Jack immediately shuts it down.
Jack: NO! Not like that! Jesus. I mean we’re a team and I can win this mixed tournament on my own. And I’d rather have you on side than hating me and not listening.
Bobbie: You’re acting like I’m a dog or something!
Jack: I didn’t... I didn’t mean it that way. I need a partner, and tonight... you proved to be a good partner. There. Is that good enough? Is that what you wanted to hear?
Bobbie perks up a little
Bobbie: It’s a start. I would have thought we’d be past this by now.
Jack: Well, don’t blame me. I’m not the one stealing cars and posing as someone signficant other!
Bobbie: I was trying to make it easier!
Jack: Well, you didn’t. So maybe you could see how that is a bad idea?
Bobbie: Okay, fine. I will make it up to you.
Jack: By literally just showing up at the arena next time, ready to wrestle and not doing something dumb? Because that would make me very happy. That would in fact make up for everything you’ve done so far.
Bobbie: I’ve done way more good than bad! And that’s not even what I meant. You’ve just got to learn to trust me. The next trip, I’ve got it covered.
Jack: No, you don’t.
Bobbie: Yes, just trust me. Come on. Look, this is the only time I will ask you outside the matches to trust me. Just let me do this, and I know you won’t be upset.
Jack eyes Bobbie suspiciously. He doesn’t really want to trust her, but he knows that not having her onside would be detrimental to the team.
Jack: Okay, fine. I’m going to trust you this one time. If you do anything to piss me off, I swear to god I will never let you near me ever again. I don’t care if we make it to the finals. I am not going to tolerate this.
Bobbie: That’s all I’m asking.
Bobbie hops up off the anvil case she was sitting on, and then walks off, but not before slapping Jack across the ass.
Bobbie: Good job out there!
Jack instantly get pissed at this his anger boiling over as Bobbie disappears from sight.
--
Hoia Forest, Transylvania, Romania Jack was of course, not happy about the arrangement of tents. Bobbie’s was right next to his and Jack was of course miserable. In a rare instance since arriving, Jack unzipped his tent and was clad in fishing gear. He carried his pole and began walking into certain direction away from the campsite, out of view of all the SCW wrestlers and staff. He marched with his tackle box and lures. Bobbie happened to notice this, but only caught a glimpse of what, or who was headed off.
Jack soon realized there wasn’t a river or creek he could fish in this deep into the woods.
Jack: Really? What kind of forrest is this? How is there no water around here? This is stupid.
Jack just continued to march and finally came across the Tăul de la Gura Baciului fishing pond.
Jack: It’s about time.
Jack simply sat down, and begin fixing his lures and baiting his line. And once it was done, he cast the line into the pond and sat cross-legged to enjoy the peace and quiet.
Jack: See, this is all I needed. I’m going to make the most out of this dump camping trip. What? Do they think I was gonna sit there and make s’mores and sing campfire songs?
It wasn’t long before Bobbie, out of breath, stumbled out of the forrest and laid eyes on Jack.
Bobbie: Jack!
She called to him, and again began to run towards him, very much out of breath. Jack rolled his eyes as his peace and quiet was interrupted.
Jack: You better not pass out. I’m not carrying you back to the campsite.
Bobbie: I was... *huff* Just trying to find you *Huff*
Jack: Well, now you have. So you can go back to the campsite and tell anyone important that I’m still here and still alive.
Bobbie: I... whew... Okay, I was just worried about you. I mean, people get lost and die in this forrest. Haven’t you heard the stories?
Jack: I’m sitting here at a fishing pond. It’s part of the tour. I think I’ll be okay. You’re good.
Bobbie: I... I uh... I didn’t know you fished.
Jack: Yeah, I fish. Lots of people do. It’s not new.
Bobbie: I was just... I thought we were building trust here?
Jack: You purposefully had our tents put next to each other.
Bobbie: Well yeah, we’re a team!
Jack shook his head, he didn’t want to be mean to Bobbie. He knew she was trying her best to make this work, and he wasn’t making it easy. He was still so resistant to trust anyone.
Jack: We... are a team. I appreciate you coming to find me. But I’m okay. Just fishing.
Bobbie: Did... did you catch anything yet?
Jack: Not yet. But it takes time. You’re not going to just catch a fish.
Bobbie slowly made her way towards Jack and sat down next to him. Jack and Bobbie shared an uncomfortable silence as Bobbie tried to see what Jack saw, as he just gazed at the pond.
Bobbie: So... this is what fishing is?
Jack: Yeah.
Bobbie: It’s kind of boring.
Jack: It’s not meant to be instant gratification, Bobbie. It’s meant for reflection. Looking at nature and the water and seeing it for what it is.
Bobbie: Hmmm... I mean, I guess it’s lost on me in a haunted forrest.
Jack: It’s not haunted. People disappear in forrests all the time. There’s no vampires or anything of that other shit out here. It’s woods. There’s animals and it’s easy to get lost.
Bobbie: Didn’t you see that Blair Witch movie! That kinda stuff is why we’re here.
Jack: The Blair Witch was dumb. That one guy punted the map they had into the river for no good reason. Then he was just standing in a corner. No, I don’t care about dumb legends. If there was any truth or proof to any of it, it’d be a different story, but there’s not.
Bobbie: You’re a real party pooper. There could be ghosts, you don’t know!
Jack: I doubt it.
Bobbie: But you think they could be real, right?
Jack: I guess enough people have seen... something in their lifetime that makes them think that. I haven’t seen it.
Bobbie: But it could be.
Jack: Yes, it could be.
Bobbie: So, then this forest COULD be haunted.
Jack: It could be, but it isn’t.
Bobbie: But it..
Jack: Bobbie...
Bobbie: Sorry.
After another silence, Jack’s line finally gets tug. He stands up and starts to reel in whatever it is that he caught.
Bobbie: Whoa, you got something!
Jack: I’m aware of that! Come on you bastard!
Jack finally reels in a good sized fish, pulling it off the lure and insepcting it.
Jack: Nice. Very nice.
Bobbie: Wow... I can’t believe you caught that!
Jack: Good stuff there.
Bobbie: So... now what?
Jack: What do you mean, now what? This is dinner.
Bobbie: Wait, you’re going to eat it?
Jack: Yeah, gotta gut it and clean it, but that’s a good meal right there.
Bobbie: I don’t know.
Jack: What?
Bobbie: I mean, catching a fish in a haunted forest may not be the best idea.
Jack: Oh. My. God. For the last time the damn forest isn’t haunted!
Bobbie: I just think it’s not smart.
Jack: I’m not throwing it back.
Jack sets his pole down and opens his tacklebox, producing some newspaper and his hunting knife. He starts to gut the fish, noticing Bobbie has picked up the pole.
Bobbie: So... can I try?
Jack stops and sighs, he sets the fish on the ground and baits the lure for Bobbie with a worm.
Bobbie: Gross. Now what?
Jack: Just... cast it into the pond.
Bobbie: Just like this?
Bobbie does ending casting the lure into the pond correctly.
Jack: Yeah.
Bobbie: Now what?
Jack: You just wait. You may not get anything thought.
Jack resumes gutting and cleaning the fish. Bobbie is watching and grossed out.
Bobbie: Ew. What are you doing?
Jack: You have to clean the fish. Pull all these guts out. You can’t eat that.
Bobbie: Ew.
Bobbie then feels the tug on the line.
Bobbie: Oh! I got a tug!
Jack: A bite?
Bobbie: Yes, whatever!
Jack stops and helps Bobbie reel in the fish. Of course, when their hands touch, Bobbie gets fish guts all over her hands. She screams and is grossed out.
Bobbie: EW! EW! EW!
Jack: Calm down! Just wash it off in the pond. You’re going to make people think this is really haunted with you screaming like that!
Bobbie quickly washes her hands off and holds the fish on the lure.
Bobbie: So... now what?
Jack: Are you going to eat it?
Bobbie: No!
Jack: Then... throw it back.
Bobbie: I’m sorry little fishy!
Bobbie struggles to pull the fish off the lure, but does and watches the fish flop back into the water.
Bobbie: I don’t know if fishing is for me...
Jack: Well, more for me then. Come on, let’s go back to camp.
Bobbie: The sooner the better.
Jack: Gotta cook up this fish!
Bobbie: Gross.
Jack: Hey uh... good teamwork out there.
Bobbie gives a disgusted look to Jack.
Bobbie: Yeah...
--
On Camera:
Click Jack is seated, the Internet title draped over his shoulder.
Jack: You know, maybe, just maybe... I didn’t give this whole stupid tournament thing as much thought as I needed to. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise, you know? I mean, think about it: I say all the time I’m the Face of this Franchise. I say I am the best, and I say nobody can stop me. And as many people as they lined up over and over again, I’ve turned them away, I have proven my points time and time again. I have shown I am everything I say I am, and yet, I still wasn’t given the chances that everyone else has. I began to wonder just how many mountains I would have to climb, and at this point, how times I have to climb the damn mountain itself, before I get ANY sort of respect around here. They say it’s earned, and not given, and I say... I HAVE earned it. Two-time and current Internet champion. Two-time World champion, and now, on the cusp of the Blast From the Past finals.
And boy oh boy, did they make that round as stupid hard as possible. They throw the Internet champion at me round 1 Round 1! And what happens? I beat him. Again. And I took his title. Then, they put the damn Cowboy in front of me again. The guy they really want to be the man, and I beat him. Again. And now, they throw Calvin Harris in front of me? Calvin Harris? Again?
You know, most people who have this kind of run in a tournament might think the deck is stacked against them. Hell, most people in my position would be thinking this is some kind of revenge tour or something like that. Jack Washington taking revenge on everyone who has beaten me or wrong me. It would be that great comeback story they write movies around. It would such a great plot. If the person it was about, wasn’t ME.
You see, I haven’t beaten these guys, so this was their shot at cleaning the slate. This was THEIR chance at revenge. And thus far, two have failed. Miserably, I might add. It’s like, I know the brass is shitting their pants now, knowing how close I am. And now I have just one more step to the finals and then what? Then what will there be as an excuse? Then what god damn hoop will I need to jump through? I’ve been sitting here making history this whole tournament and collected gold I didn’t even need. And you can bet your ass when this tournament is over, I’m the winner, you can take this stupid Internet title and do whatever you want with it. I won’t need it. Oh no, I have my eyes on one goal, and one goal only! And now, all that’s left is just one final hurdle, and then it’s the finals. And really, it doesn’t matter who I face. Well... let me take that back. It doesn’t matter who WE face in the finals. Jack holds up a finger and even a small grin crosses his face.
Jack: Yes, Bobbie, as much as you annoy me, as much as you drive me up a wall with your stupid antics... you have earned my respect. Now, this DOESN’T by any means, by any stretch of the imagination, make us friends. We are not friends. we never WILL be friends. For now, we have reached this... level of, I guess respect. Because you came through in round 2. Now, granted, I could have taken the Cowboy, but when you listened to me, when you followed my lead and dammit, we won.
I say this again, because it bears repeating: Don’t let it go to your head. I have to say that I’ve... actually never been in the semi-finals, and I’ll bet you haven’t either. This is not the time to slow down and smell the roses or whatever. We didn’t come this far, to come this far. Look, you have Dawn Warren. Another one of the the dumb fangirls to worry about. This is about focusing up and understanding the assignment that we have right now.
You did exactly what I needed you to do and now we’re here. I will call a spade a spade. You picked up the win for our team and there’s nothing I can do but respect that. But you see Bobbie, I’ve been down this road before. Not just in the ring, but in life. You wanna know why I don’t trust any of these people? It’s because people let me down. But right now, right now, you’re earning a small amount of trust, because you did listen. We have one last thing to do and then, we’re onto the finals, where... I will consider this partnership done and dusted.
And, begrudgingly, I appreciate your efforts to make this an easier partnership. I do. Obviously, you go overboard all the time and try a kill an ant with a machine gun when it’s not necessary. You don’t have to do that. I don’t need you to do that. I need you to focus on what lies ahead. If you do that, I am confident we can pick up the win. I mean, you think Dawn Warren and Calvin Harris are even trying to get along or be a team? You think they’re bonding somewhere? Of course not. If nothing else, you have helped to strengthen the... the team. Again, that’s all we are, Bobbie. Don’t get any more ideas in your head that anything else is going to happen. But you know what, we need to use that. We need to let it be known that there is no stronger TEAM in this whole tournament. I think we’ve proved that so far, and now, all we have to do is do it a couple more times.
And then we will never have to speak about this whole thing ever again.
Okay, maybe that’s too harsh. I guess... this has been an experience if nothing else. Jack shakes his head, shifting his focus
Jack: So anyway, let’s move on to one Calvin Harris. You back again, bro? Did you not get the lesson taught to you last time? I get it, I’m sure the brackets got shuffled or something. They really want you to be a big star around here, and they want to move me out. And you look like some other asshat that I used to beat up, but now you’re the guy. You are the guy they want. Now, you’re already on their bad side because you lost already to me one on one. So, they are putting most of their eggs in your basket.
Not all of them. They still have the ringers they brought in to try and make this last ditch effort, should you fail.
And trust me, you will fail.
You think that all of sudden you’ve got what it takes to beat me? You think that you’ve learned enough to beat me now? Or, are you going to try and rely on Dawn to carry you? I mean, you and I both know that’s your best chance to succeed. But while your partner is a wild card, I know that Bobbie and I are on the same team. You have to hope against hope that Dawn isn’t daydreaming while I’m beating your ass.
The thing is, you had your shot against me a little while back and you failed. So this fits perfectly with all the other times an opponent I’ve already handled comes back for revenge. I know that last loss still leaves a bad taste in your mouth, especially after you went ahead and embarrassed yourself by posting a picture of your punk ass kid drawing a picture of me.
It’s still weird to me that your kid was drawing my picture and not yours, and that you chose to post it. See, if I used social media like all these other clowns, I might do some shit like that. But you know, I don’t have to. I use it like every other person. To promote themselves. Because that’s what it’s for. Now of course, you have the dumbasses who just post terrible opinions and shout them like they are fact. No, I just make people pay attention to me. They see it, they know it, they recognize exactly what I’m about and who I am. And all of them know I am what I say I am. I don’t post stupid pictures that my kids drew. That’s what a refrigerator is for. That way nobody else sees how terrible it is.
But beyond that Calvin, I don’t remember what you said before, nor do I really care. I beat you before, and I know I will beat you again. It’s just that simple. Those that doubt me have a lot invested in you, so I have to ask you the same question I asked of Alexander Raven and of the Cowboy:
Are you going to able to live with yet another loss to me?
Because let me tell you, the others took it a lot better than I expected. Maybe it’s just that I always back up what I say. Maybe they are finally getting me my respect. I’ve earned it over and over again, and I will expect the same from you. You got all poo-poo faced last time like you were expecting a different outcome. I know you wanted to win and everything, but no matter who I am put up against, the result is pretty much the same. I show everyone, including my opponent, that I am everything I say I am. I talk the talk and walk the walk. The amount of titles I’ve won in basically what.... 3 years? Nobody goes on that type of run. The top two championships in the company. Being at the top of the mountain time and time again? That’s ME. That’s what I do.
And really, you know that’s not what you do.
You flat out said that you didn’t want to go after the world title and fight the other stupid Harris boy. So, I guess that begs the question why you’re even here? Why are you in this tournament? Why are you fighting so hard to win? Did you just join up here in order to provide a warm body? Did you want to help your female partner get a title shot and you can just gracefully bow out?
Or did you reach down in between your legs and just now realize you have a set of testicles? Have the past two matches pumped you up to the point where you believe you CAN win the world title? Did this just pop up recently? Because it boggles my mind as to why you’re sitting here thinking you’re going to win the world title when you didn’t even believe in yourself not two months ago.
But, you know what? You don’t even have to worry about it Calvin. No, after this Sunday, you can breathe a big sigh of relief that you don’t have to fail in the finals, you can fail in the semi-finals and it means just the same. I mean, you can try and prove me wrong about this whole thing, but let’s just be honest, I am the one who proves people wrong.
I have been proving people wrong since day one. That’s why I am where I am. They doubt me, and quite frankly, they still doubt me, because they don’t want me to be where I am. But after I beat you, scatch that, after Bobbie and I beat you and Dawn, you, like everybody else, will show me the respect I have deserved for a long time.
So, really, in the long run, I’m doing your ass a favor, Calvin. Removing you and all false hope you have of getting to the top of the mountain. Because that’s where I belong. So just be you, and be happy to be there, and don’t take this ass whoopin personally.
It’s for the best. Jack shoos the camera away as we cut to black.
Click. Face Of The Franchise.
