Despayre sat behind the desk in Synn's office, staring at the lit screen of the new XPS One 27 Touch computer Synn had just had delivered days ago. Under ordinary circumstances, the desk used by Synn for all of his work and business dealings would be kept free of clutter and remain immaculate, but now there were papers scattered about and brochures piled high. Despayre stared at the keyboard at the front of the monitor and with a cautious finger, plonked it down onto a key and then looked up.
He smiled at gave a light laugh at whatever it was that he was seeing. (If I told you all now, it would render quite a bit pointless in the tale that I am about to tell.) He looked down at the soft, plush form of Angel the teddy bear perched high on his lap, watching the screen along with him. A forefinger to his lips, Despayre then stretched his hand carefully toward the computer screen and wisped it across and a smile spread across his face when a voice emanating from the office door gave him a start.
"Joshua. What are you doing?"
Despayre glanced up and say the ample form of the house's live-in housekeeper, Theresa Aguilera, standing there and leaning in.
She looked around the office, and then noticed the clutter on the desk and she frowned slightly. "Does Synn know that you're in here?"
Despayre bit his bottom lip and nodded, not saying a word in response.
Theresa tilted her head to the right and raised her eyebrows in questioning.
"And he knows you're playing on his brand new computer?"
"I'm not playing." Despayre answered softly. "I'm
searching. And he knows."
He glanced back down at the computer and with both forefingers of both hands, he started to 'hunt and peck' at the keys, pausing only briefly at times to tap his lips in concentration. Theresa stepped back into the hall and made her exit, not bothering to close the door so as Despayre could be kept a close watch upon.
The front living room of the homestead was filled with members of the Sins stable; Despayre's "big brother" and tag team partner in Gabriel, Sxxxy Shane Boswell, Fantasia, Rage and, of course, the man himself; Synn. They were gathered together, not for business, but just as a casual get together. Their voices were soft (or as soft as Rage's could possibly be) as they spoke to one another when Theresa entered the room.
"Synn," She begun. "Did you know that Joshua is on your computer?"
Synn broke from his current conversation with Gabriel and turned to address her. He answered, "Actually, yes. I told him to find something that he might like as a reward."
"Reward?" Fantasia asked, leaning back against Shane's tree trunk legs.
"For winning the NWA titles." Synn emphasized. "I told him to pick something out as a reward and we could do it together. I figure he'll most likely want to go to Chuck E Cheese or play miniature golf." He shrugged. "Something like that."
"No fair." Gabriel smirked from his seat beside Rage. "Where's my reward?"
______________________________Synn led Despayre down the hallway of their home, a strong arm around the shoulders gently guiding the young man. It was early in the morning, just after they had sat down to breakfast. Despayre was still in his sleeping clothes but around his waist, he wore the NWA World Tag Team Championship belt. If the others in the team of the Seven Deadly Sins had found it difficult to get him to remove the SCW Tag team belt when he was one-half of the reigning champions, this time they found it damn near impossible. His eyes remained alight with the excitement of having won a championship again so quickly following the loss of the SCW gold. And not just any championship. The status of the NWA titles were not lost on Despayre. He knew the NWA world titles was something to be very proud of and the lineage was long and distinguished.
"I want you to know that I am very proud of you." Synn said calmly, leaning slightly down so that his 6'8" frame could address his 5'7" son easier. "Proud of both you and Gabriel. Neither of you allowed the loss of the SCW titles to weigh you down."
"Of course not." Despayre frowned in a mask of confusion. "The belts were pretty heavy so we were actually lighter without them."
"Indeed." Synn smirked and they came to a halt at the closed door of Synn's own personal office. "Which is why I wanted to give you a little reward for all your hard work."
"A reward?" Despayre's eyes lit up in the same apt, childlike fascination that a young one might experience when their parent expressed such pride in them. "What is it? Huh? I promise I won't tell me!"
Synn reached over and grasped the door handle to his office and turned it, opening the door wide. The pair stepped inside of the room's confines and Synn answered, "I decided to let you pick it out yourself. I'm sure Angel can give you an idea or two on what you might like best."
Despayre nodded as Synn guided him around the edge of the desk and encouraged him to seat in the large, black leather office chair.
Looking up at his father, Despayre said, "He can. He always knows just what I'll like."
"Good." Synn said as he turned back around from a filing cabinet with a stack of papers in one hand, and a small sampling of different brochures in the other. He set them down on the desk in front of Despayre, and then reached around and switched on the computer. He said further, "Now, if you can't find something in these brochures you might like, you can browse around online a bit. When you find something you like, come and let me know. Okay?"
Despayre nodded and looked up at the monitor and blinked rapidly as it came to 'life'.
Despayre then glanced up at Synn and smiled.
"When we beat the Canadian Connection in the rematch, do I get another reward?"
The corners of Synn's lips turned upward in a smirk.
"Let's just get your first one figured out an then we'll go from there."______________________________"I'm just surprised you actually let him on your computer." Gabriel mused from his seat. "The last time he got online without any supervision, he hacked into an airlines reservation system and sent Nick Jones to somewhere in the Middle East."
"I remember." Synn said gently, the look on his face slowly growing from indifference to a smile that spoke of pride at Despayre managing to accomplish such a prank. Of course, to hear him tell about it, he was assured that it was a game he had thought he discovered. "Anyway..." Synn leaned over on the arm rest. "I'm sure Joshua will pick something simple. A movie or something that all of us can enjoy."
"You still haven't answered my question." Gabriel said with a coy, teasing tone in his accent. "What about
my reward?"
"We'll talk." Was Synn's only answer as Despayre appeared in the room, his attention focused intently on a small brochure in his one hand while he held Angel up to see it too with the other.
Synn asked aloud, "Find something so soon?"
Everyone's eyes turned to the little guy and he looked up with a smile and nodded. He offered the paper over to Synn's outstretched hand. Despayre cuddled Angel closely in his arms as he watched Synn take a look at the cover of the brochure and a frown creased the brow of the Sins's mentor. He looked around briefly at the others, and then at his son.
"This is an advertisement for camping." Synn stated.
"Uh huh!" Despayre nodded eagerly. "Angel and I never went camping before! We thought it'd be fun!"
Synn looked back down at the pamphlet and opened its pages up. While he looked at the contents, he said, "I thought you would want a DVD, or perhaps go to a movie or a trip."
"That would be a trip!" Despayre chirped delightedly. "It's not here, after all!"
"Boy has a point." Shane said with a smile, knowing full on well the discomfort Synn had boxed himself into a corner with.
Despayre nodded at Shane, then turned to Synn and, seeing the expression on his face, he appeared worried.
Despayre said, "What is it? You said I could pick whatever I wanted to do. I want to go camping."
"So I did." Synn sighed, closing the brochure. "And so you do." He looked up at Despayre and tapped the ad against his thigh. "Alright then, we'll go camping here."
Despayre's entire body seemed to freeze and then convulse in excitement at his father's agreement. He held Angel out at arm's length, looking into the teddy bear's eyes and he said, "We're going camping! Oh boy! Roughing it! Tents! Roasting marshmallows and weenies!"
"Not one word." Synn held up a forefinger to ward off whatever wise crack he knew was about to come from Shane's mouth at the previous statement.
"Have you ever been camping before?" Fantasia asked.
"No." Synn answered and shook his head in the negative. "I grew up in the city. If it didn't have a sauna and room service, I didn't stay there."
Fantasia smiled, "Well here's your chance to experience something new."
Synn said nothing as he just went back to perusing the pamphlet.
Shane said, "Yeah let's just hope it doesn't go the same way your first attempt at playing 'catch' with Despy here went."
______________________________"Are you ready?" Synn asked as he stood in the spacious back yard of his house, with Despayre standing right in front of him.
Synn was dressed in a surprisingly casual manner of a sweater and jeans, while Despayre had on a warm jacket, jeans and -- a football helmet? Seated across the ways on the patio, was Angel with a set of pom-poms. In Synn's hands was a football. Despayre had wanted to do a little 'father-son' bonding time and when Synn gave him the free choice in how, it wasn't quite what he had expected. Synn had never played a legit sport in his life. He never found the time nor the desire. Oh he would watch the games on TV with the other guys in his stable, but playing it was another thing altogether. It was not an easy thing for him to admit that he was unable to do.
If it didn't involve two oiled up men in thongs, wrestling in mud, he didn't consider it a sport.
"Ready!" Despayre proclaimed.
"Alright, here." Synn tossed the football into his son's waiting arms. "You toss it first, and aim away from the windows."
Synn took off in a sprint across the yard and with a holler of giddiness, Despayre tossed the football...
...
The patio door slid open and Theresa looked up from the stove where she was stirring a pot.
"What happened!?" She exclaimed, setting the spoon aside and hurrying over to where Synn was staggering in, holding his bleeding nose where the football had struck it.
"I do not wish to discuss it!" Synn growled as he marched through the kitchen and further into the house to treat his now freshly broken nose.
Despayre was pale, paler than he normally was, watching his father exit. Theresa turned to him.
"What happened?" She asked.
Despayre tore his gaze from the hall where Synn had vanished and he shrugged. He said, "Football's not his cup of tea."______________________________"Who ever would have thought that there would be something you
wouldn't be very good at?" Gabriel laughed as the others gave smiles toward Synn who shook his head.
Synn sneered and mocked their joking at his expense. "Oh ha ha. Well if you think that's so funny, then there should be no reason why you all shouldn't be able to join us on this little excursion."
"Huh?" Rage's self-satisfied smirk fell and it was replaced immediately with a frown.
"Yeah!" Despayre beamed. "That'll be great! Camping with the boys!"
"Just the boys?" Fantasia asked. "No girls allowed?"
"Next time!" Despayre assured her.
Fantasia looked at Shane and gave him a smug smile, to which he answered by sticking his tongue out at her.
"Gabriel? Shane?" Despayre asked hopefully. "You guys will go, won't you?"
"Of course they will." Synn answered first, before either could speak up.
Gabriel sighed. "Why not? Never been before, so what the he-heck. get my mind off things."
"Sure." Shane nodded and said, "Never let it be said there wasn't something new I wouldn't try."
Synn was about to say something to that and Shane glared at him and cut him off. "Shut it!"
Despayre then turned to Rage and asked hopefully, "Rage, you'll come too, huh?"
"Aw man!" Rage started to say, making certain not to let Synn answer for him before he could do so himself. "You know I'd really love to. ... When were you going?"
"This Friday night!" Despayre answered proudly.
"
This Friday?" Rage gave a mocking expression of regret. "Dam-dang! I'm actually busy this Friday, Despy. If it was any other day..."
"Oh, how lucky for you!" Despayre smiled. "We're really leaving Saturday."
Rage clamped his mouth shut and all eyes turned toward him. Gabriel reached over and snatched the pamphlet from Synn's hands and then leaned back and started to leaf through it, saying, "A blind man in New Jersey saw that one coming."
______________________________Echo Canyon State Park
As much as Synn dreaded the concept of 'roughing it' as his son kept referring it to, he had the satisfaction that in a case such as this, misery had some company. All the men of the Seven Deadly Sins 'family' had agreed to accompany them on this little outing. It would appear that Synn was not the only one who was unable to tell Despayre the meaning of the word 'no'.
As the time had moved on, the group admittedly had second thoughts but one look at the excitement on Despayre's face and all objections fell silent, and they proceeded on with their plans. When Rage started to get stubborn, those 'puppy dog eyes' of Despayre's worked wonders on the "Sin of Wrath" like no other.
The group had arrived early Friday morning, and now they were all standing around the rolled up tents that Synn had rented for the trip. The general consensus was that the vast majority of them wanted to use campers, but as stated before; what Despayre wanted, Despayre got. The only problem was... none of them knew how to set a tent up.
"Well?" Rage shrugged, frowning over at Synn. "Get it started. We ain't got all day!"
"Me?" Synn shook his head. "The only tent I'm familiar with involves my trousers."
Despayre blinked and glanced down at his father's jeans in stark confusion, then looked at Angel and shrugged.
Shane groaned. "Why do you always insist on saying things that burn their way into my memories?"
Gabriel looked at Shane and sized him up before he said, "Well you're the Sin of Pride. Nothing you can't do. So how's about you set the tents up?"
"Me?" Shane objected. "It was Despy's idea to come here. He can do it."
"Yeah, Despy." Gabriel leaned past Shane to look at his little buddy. "Think you can set up the tents?"
Despayre answered by shaking his head vigorously from side to side. "Nuh uh!" He said. "But I bet Angel can!" He looked at the teddy bear perched atop one of the rolled up tents. "You can do it, right?"
God help them but every one of the men looked to the teddy bear before they caught themselves and closed their eyes in 'shame'. Despayre huffed and put his clenched fists on his hips.
"What do you mean 'sprained pinky'?" Despayre said. "You get one of those every time there's work to be done!"
"So," Gabriel shrugged. "Now what?"
"Oh for fu...god's sake!" Rage stepped forward and grabbed the teddy bear. He handed it to Despayre and Rage started to undo the rolled up tents. "Just let me...!"
______________________________"Well, congratulations Rage." Synn said as he admired the three tents, perfectly erected up around their reserved campsite. "You did it."
"And it only took three hours." Shane added.
"Hey, can it limey!" Rage growled. "I didn't see you offering me any assistance!"
"Couldn't." Shane said, holding up his pinky.
"Don't give me that!" Rage barked. "The bear has the sprained pinky, not you!" Rage then quickly heard himself and what he had just said and rubbed a hand down his face.
"Where's Despy?" Gabriel said and they all looked around but he was nowhere to be seen.
"Joshua!" Synn called out, his voice echoing across the park. "Where are you!?"
"In here!" Despayre called back, from inside of the tent that he would be sharing with his father. It unzipped and the flaps flew open and Despayre crawled out in a raccoon cap and in his arms, Angel was dressed in an Elmer Fudd hunting jacket and cap. In Angel's paws was a toy rifle with a pop cap on the end, and in Despayre's was a fishing pole.
"What's all this?" Gabriel chuckled as he took in his little brother's getup.
"What? This?" Despayre looked down at his and Angel's outfits, then back up at the others. "Well, they're hunting clothes. We have to eat!"
Synn nudged a large chest with his foot, one of three, and said, "We brought food, remember? Hamburgers. Hotdogs."
"And marshmallows!" Despayre called aloud. "Can't make S' Mores without marshmallows!"
"Right." Synn admitted. "So there's no need for hunting or fishing."
Despayre's happy face went crest fallen and he cocked his head to the side and asked, "But, what about 'roughing it'?"
Synn answered, "I draw the line at slaughtering our own food."
"Aw fish sticks!" Despayre griped and dropped his fishing pole.
"Hey, no need for that." Shane said and he stepped up and picked up the fishing pole. He passed it over to Synn and smiled at the equally large and imposing man. Shane said, "Just because we're not out hunting wabbits, doesn't mean you can't have a little fun fishing with your old man."
"Old man?" Synn's eyebrows rose.
"Older than me." Shane smiled back at him.
"And you're older than us." Gabriel smiled, leaning shoulder to shoulder with Despayre.
"See?" Shane laughed.
Gabriel said, "Actually I was talking to you."
"Huh!?" Shane whipped his head around to look at Gabriel and Despayre leaned up on his tip toes and whispered to Shane, "You're gonna get
old Shane!"
Despayre lowered himself back down and Shane turned his head away and ... whimpered.
______________________________The reservoir of Echo Canyon was over 30 acres and despite Despayre's desires, had no fish in it. It was used mostly for the scenic beauty and swimming by the campers. Though nobody was in the water, considering it was February. Despayre stood at the edge of the water, with Angel at his feet, and was fiddling with the fishing pole in his hands, while looking down at the bear as if it were giving him instructions -- and who's to say that it wasn't?
The rest of the group were seated up along the bank, sipping sodas as they were unable to bring beers into the park, and each one of them was watching with heightened amusement at Despayre who started having a heated one-sided debate with Angel.
"Fine!" Despayre said with a huff. "I'll do it your way!"
"Watch this..." Gabriel whispered to Synn. "You can practically hear the Looney Tunes theme music."
Despayre whipped the fishing pole back with one hand, then cast it as hard as he could! Problem was, the hook caught in his pant leg and tripped him up, resulting in...
SPLASH!"Joshua!" Synn yelled and he took off in a sprint to retrieve the boy from the water as Gabriel, Shane and Rage all rolled in hysterics!
Despayre splashed and sputtered as Synn helped him from the water and up onto the shore again. Despayre glared down at Angel and shook a finger at him.
"You did that on purpose!" He declared. "You ... you prankster, you!"
______________________________Despayre emerged from his tent, dressed in fresh, warm clothes and approached the others as they sat around at the picnic table while Synn worked the grill, getting their dinner ready.
"I'm hungry!" Despayre called out, then held the bear up. "Angel is too!"
"I take it you and Angel have patched up your differences?" Shane asked.
"Yeah." Despayre nodded, giving the teddy bear an affectionate nuzzle. "Teddy bears are just naturally mischievous. Can't blame them for staying true to their instincts."
Synn glanced back over his shoulder and said, "Well it'll be a little while before the grill is hot enough to cook on. Why don't you get a fire going in the meantime to roast your marshmallows and..."
"Weenies!" Despayre hollered. He then looked at the piles of fire wood and sighed. "How do we light it though? Oo! Can we rub two sticks together to do it?"
"You know, I actually managed to do that a few times." Rage admitted. He looked around at the others who stared at him in surprise and he shrugged. "No big deal. Just liked to experiment with dumb shi... stuff, like that."
"Angel can do it too!" Despayre said with confidence. "As a matter of fact, Angel says he can light a fire with two sticks faster than you can."
"Oh yeah?" Rage raised an eyebrow. "Care to make it interesting?"
"Like what?" Despayre asked.
Rage thought for a few moments, then said, "Loser has to do all the cooking for the remainder of this little camping trip."
"Deal!"
Despayre and Rage then proceeded to separate the fire wood into two piles in a designated area. Despayre set Angel by one pile of the fire wood, and Rage went to the other.
"Alright Despy," Gabriel said, drawing the little guy's attention over to him. "While your old man is getting the grill ready, and Rage and Angel are having their competition, you know what would be a good way to pass the time?"
Despayre stared at him and shook his head.
"How about you tell us all one of your patented stories?" Shane asked.
"There ya go!" Gabriel laughed.
"Oo!" Despayre's eyes widened. "And I know the perfect one!"
"Do tell..."
______________________________"Once upon a time there were two young nobles, named Sir Despayre and Sir Gabriel. These two brave men were known and beloved throughout the land, Sir Gabriel with the girls, and Sir Despayre with the teddy bears! They were more than just brave knights that fended away evil from across the lands, but they were also the very best of friends and the best at what they did ... wrestling!"
"Oh yes, they traveled too all of the Kingdoms to compete in the wrestling matches, but none were more challenging than the land of His Royal Highness, King Batee and that of the NWA! See, Sir Despayre and Sir Gabriel slew all the evil challengers that wished to do them harm in the land of Sin City. No matter what vile beasties and oafs that came their way to attempt to strip them of their titles, none came close. Not until they were opposed by not one bad guy combination, but TWO! Sir Despayre and Sir Gabriel fought bravely, but in the end, the decision was rendered and the bad guys won.""Scary stuff, huh!?"
"Ah but fear not, sayeth the noble Synn, father of Sir Despayre and mentor of Sir Gabriel! Thy titles will once again come to thee as a part of your storybook destiny! But for now, there are other lands in need of champions. Ones that would do them proud and to fend off the darkness from enveloping the land."
"Oh the darkness! It went by another name, known as the Canadian Concoction.""Despy, I think their name is the Canadian Connection."
"Uh, who's telling this story?""Sorry. Carry on."
"Thank you. Now where was I? Oh yes!"
"The dreaded shadow of darkness known by the names of Rey and Crippler reigned across the land of King Batee, who was unable to do anything to save his good people, until he heard of the brave exploits of Sir Despayre and Sir Gabriel! So, he called unto them to venture from across the lands and to do battle against these villainous fiends and free his people from their reign of tyranny!"
"Sir Despayre and Sir Gabriel had all the tools to accomplish everything they intended, and gladly accepted this as but another quest to prove their worthiness of being champions of the land, and of the people. ... Yes Angel! And of teddy bears too! Can I finish please?"
"*ahem* The dastardly Crippler and Rey saw the threat of our heroes, but thought little of it. Their reign gave them false hope and they believed our two brave knights were not worthy of the battle that soon loomed. Sir Despayre and Sir Gabriel however knew that all they needed was that one opportunity to face these fiends, and the glory would be theirs!"
"So, the battle field was set in none other than their own lands of Sin City. Yes! the foul villains actually traveled to land that was not their own to attempt to humiliate the brave Gabriel and Despayre in their own territory! They laughed and they boasted, but in the end, they fell down in defeat! Sir Gabriel and Sir Despayre stood atop the hill, triumphant with the fallen Crippler and Rey scurrying back to their own lands!"
"Ah, but the tale ends not yet, because the shadows continue to embrace the light! The defeat in the land of Sin City did not spell the end of the threat of Crippler and Rey! Oh no, for they are two mighty foes and they went to the King and demanded they again be given a chance to draw the land into their shadows! Yes, they wished to do battle once more with our heroes with the hopes they could render Sir Despayre and Sir Gabriel's golden reign a short one. Crippler and Rey implored with King Batee, and the King, being kind of heart to any and all -- even the bad guys apparently -- gave them their wish."
"The decree was sent to Sir Despayre and Sir Gabriel about a new quest known as Wrestle Classic! The stakes were high, our heroes knew, because now that the villains tasted blood, they would fight all the harder to taste it again, and draw the land again into their naughty grip!"
"But fear not, sayeth I! Because Sir Despayre and Sir Gabriel will not falter! They will do unto Crippler and Rey what they had done since their time together had first begun. They will conquer, one and all. Whomever would see these two done away with, would fall. One right after the other. And the golden reign of our brave knights, begins in the land of NWA, at Wrestle Classic 2013!""Shit!" Rage bellowed and all heads turned to see the big man jump back in surprise as the glowing embers of Angel's fire sparked up into a dazzling flame. Despayre beamed with pride as he got up and scooped the teddy bear up into his loving arms and carried him back over to Shane and Gabriel who stared with incredible awe at the fire Rage was gawking at.
Shane looked at Gabriel from the corner of his eyes and mouthed, "How...?"
Gabriel leaned over toward Despayre and whispered, "Despy, buddy, how exactly did Angel manage that?"
Despayre glanced over at Rage before he leaned over to Gabriel and whispered, holding up a tiny charred stick, "Well fortunately, Rage didn't say one of the sticks couldn't be a match."
