“I think that I am really getting a hang of this balance act. You know training to win fights AND enjoy life to its fullest”
Aleksei Koji is moments away from taking a very long drink from a very big beer bong held up by his Samoan grill master. It is a hot summer day in California and even though it is only mid-afternoon the party has already started. Aleksei is wearing black swim trunks with purple tribal patterns on top. His top hat is on the ground nearby and he is surrounded by alty looking folks wearing little clothing.
“Ok hit me.” he yells the the bring the bong forward. He chugs it all down, sputtering a little afterwards and staggering back. The crowd cheers him on and he holds up his arms in victory. He smiles big. The DJ playing on the roof of his camper transitions to another song and the party keeps going. This is how it has been for days after his win on Climax. Aleksei is not even sure what day it is but he knows he is having a hell of a time.
Aleksei starts to pick up the beat of the next song and decides to go into the crowd. The Horde has shrunk some since his last victory mostly because for some people the party has to end sometime. People have jobs to return to. Many of the folks that watched him win last week were New York fans that needed to head home. But Aleksei has picked up fans in California.
One of the new additions was a tattoo artist named Zoya who had become too attached to Aleksei. He could see her now in the crowd, dancing. He made a quick turn hoping she did not see him and danced while he made his escape. When he got out of the crowd he ran right into his sister and instantly prepared to defend himself. Most times when he was visited by his sister it lead to pain for him.
Karina was not dancing of course. She was watching the crowd like a bear watching a stream full of salmon. Like at any moment she would leap in and dispatch the weakest in the group.
Aleksei: What are you doing here?
Karina: Looking for you. I am been following you.
Aleksei: That is creepy. Why can’t you be sweet and nice? You know some guys are lucky enough to have little sisters that don’t stalk them.
Karina smiles but otherwise ignores the comment.
Karina: You have a match coming up for the Roulette Title.
Aleksei: Yeah...pretty fucking epic right? I was worried though because of that thing that happened at the brothel...was that in Puerto Rico? You know where they said I couldn’t go back to the country.
Karina: That was the Bahamas and also Dubai I believe.
Aleksei: See, thats why it is good to have you around. So I am all set. Title match here I come.
Karina smacks him in the head and Aleksei curses in Romanian.
Karina: You are not all set. You are just drinking all the time. Are you having a drinking contest with Casey Williams or are you trying to beat him in a wrestling match?
Aleksei: STOP...hitting me. and also with the trying to relax da? I drank all the way to California and won my match last week. Also why do you even care?
Karina: Because I am tired of people thinking we are a joke. You got lucky last week and you won’t be able to coast into your match with Casey like that. I will not allow another Koji to lose a title chance.
Aleksei: You’re not going to like hobble Casey or something right? Because that guy is kind of having a rough month.
Karina: No...I am going to do something worse. I am going to train you.
Aleksei looks at her a moment while the thought has time to get absorbed into his brain. He then lets his mouth hang open a moment as he glares at her. He knew better to fight his sister on something when she gets that look in her eye, but it didn’t mean he was happy about it.
Aleksei: Fuck no....I think on second thought just go hobble Casey. or...I don’t know go beat on Kittie.
Karina chuckles. She turns around grabbing her motorcycle helmet.
Karina: I am done with Kittie...you are my next victim.
Aleksei curses again and look up to the heavens. He then sighs, closing his eyes to listen to the music again. He turns back into the crowd and starts dancing.
***************************************************
When we return to Aleksei days have passed. He appears to be sitting on a counter in a storefront after hours. The lighting is dim but behind him are several shelves that show different bottles of tanning lotion. In bright fluorescent purple a sign reads “TANTASTIC”. Aleksei looks to be wearing sweat pants and a black a-shirt. He looks worn down and entirely too sober. His eyes keep looking off camera anxiously.
Danny (off camera): Why are we here again?
Aleksei: Because this is the last place Karina would think to look.
Danny: How did you even us in here?
Aleksei: Its all about finding the right lady. The you make her happy.
Aleksei grins in the dim light.
Danny: You know she is going to find you.
Aleksei: I know, but maybe I can cut this promo quick before she does. She says I have no time for promo. She is crazy.
Danny: Yeah but I bet you win that match.
Aleksei gives one more nervous glance. Then hops off the counter. He starts to pace a little bit, like he often does when he gets to talking.
Aleksei: I will have to keep this quick because I am on the run. Something has happened to that crazy sister of mine. She is obsessed with this match I have coming up. She is like a woman possessed. She is worried about our family name which is strange because most of the time she couldn’t care less.
Me I care more about my extended family, the Horde. But I can’t deny the power a legacy can be. Sometime between getting set on fire and nearly being broken in half in New York I realized that I was at the front of something bigger than myself. These fans, their passion is addictive. I care about them but Karina will settle for nothing less than victory.
Aleksei think’s he hears something and ducks down. The camera zooms in on him, huddled under the pink counter of TANTASTIC.
Aleksei: The thing is this match has all the makings of being an epic classic. A match to define both of our careers, Casey. Two titans meet in the ring, on PPV for the title that defines the SCW. The last time we met, there was an annoying Brit keeping us from greatness. He brought his thug to cheapen our battle. He brought himself, and of course that made things less epic.
Every time I got close to throwing down with you. Every time I thought we could give the fans the battle they wanted, Kennedy got involved. But not this time. This time it is just you and me. Brute force will collide with brute force. Who knows what fate will throw in. Fate might decide the match will be hardcore, then it can be like New York all over again. Or maybe they will let us bring out tables again and we can have the match that was meant to be.
Aleksei shrugs and pulls out his flask. He takes a swig and then dives behind the counter thinking he heard his sister. Danny scrambles to find Aleksei who is taking another swig. He chuckles and looks at the camera.
Aleksei: The thing is Casey. I do like you and I do respect you. Your this huge, slightly crazed, dopey beast and I respect that. But this is a match and one of has to win. The thing is that you are riding pretty high right now with your title reign, I mean hell your the freight train of pain! I bet you think you can knock down anyone that comes your way. Except you have never really faced me. Not on your own. Not one on one.
And to be fair you won’t be doing that at Lord of the Rings. You will be up against me in the ring but I have a Horde behind me. We have our own momentum friend. It started when Jamie, Mr Lucca and I put it all on the line at King of the Death Match. There in New York a bunch of crazy, loyal fans came together. Hell some of those people are still traveling with us and will be there when I kick your ass in Puerto Rico.
Truth be told in a straight up fight we are pretty even. But we won’t be alone. We will be in a strange place and you won’t have many friends. But I am going to have a horde of fans screaming my name! They want me to win. The world wants to see me be champion, Casey. Its nothing personal. They like you, like I said you’re likable. But they love me man and I don’t know why. But they do and I am going to win this one for them.
The door crashes open at the front of the store.
Aleksei: And I am going to win it for my sister. Because to be honest Casey. I am more scared of her then I would ever be of you. Now Danny I want you to run right at her so I can make my daring escape.
Danny: You have got to be kidding me...
Aleksei leaps up and make a run for it. We see Karina leap over the counter after him as the scene fades.
