Andrew left the viewing room, smiling. His segment from last week had been even better that he’s hoped. In fact, it had even scared him once or twice! Now he was even more excited about his return. Even though he hadn’t wrestled for over a year, just being back in the AWE machine brought such a wave of nostalgia. This was truly where he belonged, and now he was single again, he didn’t have to feel that constant guilt of leaving a loved one behind. She’ll be happier with Brian, anyway. He’ll be around.
His happiness twinged with sadness, Andrew headed towards catering. With helping backstage wherever he could, Hector has forgotten to eat. This would be his second meal of the day, and it was late. He was famished!
Duncan was sitting in the men’s locker room, watching the show through his phone. His eyes widened when that creepy music played through the miniature speaker at the bottom of his phone. He had not got the memo that the one and only Hector was back. Immediately, the Brit set off to find the man himself, Andrew.
Almost bursting into the first place he looked, the cafeteria, he immediately spotted his quarry.
”ANDREW!!!” He yelled out before rushing over beside him.
”You’re back? Since when? What!?” He said in a rush. Duncan enjoyed the matches he had with Andrew before he had to leave the business temporarily.
Andrew recognised the voice and turned smiling to the direction it came from.
”DUNCAN!” the friendly Scot replied in a voice just as loud, before giving the smaller man a bear hug. When he let go, he chuckled, and grabbed an empty paper plate, ready to load up.
”I came back last week after finishing the shoot for my hype package, but I was tired so I didn’t do much. This week feels like my real first week back. It’s good to see you, mate! How’ve things been while I’ve been away?”Duncan happily accepted the bear hug.
”I missed the memo. Speaking of the shoot, think that went over with the crowd well enough for the return of THE Hector? ‘Cuz, between you and me, I sure as hell did.” Duncan replied, also getting a plate for his meal.
Andrew quickly finished the large mouthful of food he had sneaked in while Duncan was talking, and washed it down with some beer from a red plastic cup.
”I heard the cheers, and the silence, more importantly. That wasn’t the apathetic ‘nobody’s cheering or booing but they’re talking to their mates’ silence. That was true silence. It was the sound of half the audience literally making no sound. It was like a void!”Duncan grinned.
”That’s the best reaction Hector could’ve gotten. I prefer the noise myself.” He said, glad that he could discuss these things with an old friend. It was pretty cool how the contrasting reactions for different wrestlers achieve the same effect.
”What about the competition? Been out for a year and a half, that’s a lot of ring rust to shake off.” Duncan asked, quite cheekily. He was very aware of what Hector can do.
”Hey, I’ve been training for a month or two in preparation for this return. Plus I start back on the house show circuit starting tomorrow. Besides, I’ve never been the most fast or acrobatic wrestler. My skills are the kind of skills you don’t lose just by lack of practice.”Duncan chuckled.
”Many a chokeslams you have given me shows that you have skills that make up for that.” In ring, Hector vs Clayton would be quite a show due to the difference in wrestling abilities. Hard slobber knockers from Hector to quick, flashy combos given back by Clayton. The fans ate it up.
The crowd booed as Hector sat up before a cover could even be made from that devastating spear that had managed to even floor the large man, though Hector was staggering, and clutching his head, and the audience knew that this was telegraphing Hector’s own spear….thing. The commentary team also hyped this up with the first utterance of what would be the frame for every phrase used to cover this move since; ‘Uh oh! Chaos better watch out….because Daddy’s Home!’
In that brief pause, the lights started flashing, leaving the ring in alternating darkness and green light in quick succession, and in this window, Hector charged Clayton and performed a spear-takedown hybrid. With Clayton now down, Hector stalked around Chaos with slimy, snakelike movements that looked even more disturbing coming from the giant’s cumbersome and ungraceful frame, as if he was distorting himself somehow. He was toying with Chaos, waiting for him to get up when any sane wrestler who cared about winning instead of inflicting pain would have made the cover.
The Anarchist lied dazed, slowly swaying his head to convey regaining consciousness. He slowly turned over and began to try and stand up, managing to push himself up to one knee, panting and clutching his stomach from the shattering force of an almost 300 pound man. Clayton stumbled forward, falling onto both knees as he leant against the ropes, eyes wide at the crowd, clearly shook from the impact.
Clayton’s recovery was slow and cumbersome, almost how Hector moved in the ring, proving the kind of strength the Monster was packing. Clayton turned around and made a charge at his opponent. While Hector went to decapitate him with a clothesline, Clayton adeptly slid onto his knees and under the tree-trunk like arm. He planted his hands onto the apron and swung himself around, trying to perform a sweeping kick to down Hector once again, but to no avail. While he did connect, Clayton had to immediately pull back, exclaiming in pain as he clutched his shin that practically ricocheted off of the leg of Hector.
Hector practically no-sold that attack, and turned menacingly and slowly towards Chaos as if that kick had simply made him angry. He grabbed Clayton by the neck, and delivered a devastatingly high chokeslam. The slamming sound it made on the canvas could be heard even without mics. Hector then made the cover. 1...2...3Andrew chuckled and rubbed his head.
“Maybe I shouldn’t be so rough with them in future. We’ve already lost Drayden to the shelf. I don’t want to injure any other members of the roster. We’re all too important.”Duncan nodded but smirked.
”Hey man, it’s what the fans want. But you’re right, probably more now than ever…”Andrew sighed, then looked at his watch.
”Christ, I promised somer of the guys I’d help with the setup five minutes ago!” He cried, shoving the rest of the food into his mouth and waving as he ran off. There’d be time to chew on the way.
Manuel had turned up to his first AWE show- BACKSTAGE! If getting the phone call from the business that told him he got the contract wasn’t enough to hype him up, then this experience certainly did the trick. Getting to watch the wrestlers amongst the other wrestlers was fantastic! He was sitting at the back with some loose tracksuit bottoms and a white vest. It would be ludicrous to think anyone knew who he was. However, Manuel hoped that he’d soon be good friends with everyone at the business.
”Mind if I sit here? asked the voice of a man who, after asking permission, sat down without waiting for a response. The man was dressed in a grey sports sweater, and black gym shorts. Looking at his face, though, it would dawn on Manuel that this was Oscar Sullivan, or Oscar O’Sullivan, as he was known in the AWE. As if to confirm this obvious fact, he offered his hand and introduced himself as Oscar Sullivan.
Manuel was like a fan meeting his hero.
”Y-Yes, Mr Sullivan! Of course!” He said, words tumbling out of his mouth as he accepted the handshake.
”Manuel Hernandez. I… uhhh… hope to be in the ring with you one day, Mr Sullivan.” Manuel introduced back. This… is… awesome!
Oscar couldn’t help but chuckle and be humbled by seeing a seasoned wrestler marking out for him.
“I hope to see you in the ring too. I’ve heard nothing but good things about you.”If Manuel’s brain could be heard, he was squealing like a girl.
”Really? Th-Thank you Mr Sullivan! That’s… well.... It means a lot…” He replied. The luchador enjoyed this moment. Perhaps he could learn some great things from Oscar, but of course Oscar has way more time in the AWE world. League’s above El Fuego Diablo even.
”You don’t need to be so timid,” Oscar answered.
”You’re a season wrestler yourself, and I bet there’s a lot you could do far better than I could. Even so, you should probably learn some things about how things work in the AWE, and with Will on the shelf, I have a lot more free time backstage than I used to.”Manuel chuckled and smiled.
”Thank you Mr Sullivan, but compared to you and the other veterans here, I might as well be having my first match ever.” He joked a little. While Manuel truly did appreciate the compliment, he was also not delusional. It would be a tough, arduous journey ahead, but Manuel was willing to make every step even if the path was covered with shattered glass.
”I really look forward to learning the ropes of AWE, especially if I can learn from wrestlers like yourself.””That sounded like a request to be taught a few things,” Oscar replied, chuckling.
”I’ve admittedly never been an actual mentor before.”Manuel beamed but stayed humble and cautious.
”R-Really? You’d help teach me and mentor me? I don’t know what to say… that would be greatly appreciated if that’s the case.” The luchador replied. This was exactly the kind of start he’d need in the AWE.
”Sure,” the veteran replied.
”I should probably find out how much you know first. I might try and pull some strings, see if I can get some house show matches with you this week. I trust in your ability to wrestle well, but that’s only half of it. Maybe not even half of it. It’s all about the crowd. They like a story. Whether it’s storytelling in the ring, or promos, they need a reason to care about who wins and who loses a match. Even the purest of smarks, who claim to their friends that nothing matters but pure skill in the ring, won’t get invested in a hypeless match.”Manuel’s smile got bigger and bigger.
”Why.. That would be great, Mr Sullivan!” He said excitedly.
”I look forward to that chance! I promise I won’t waste it and you won’t regret it, Mr Sullivan.”
op2024
Carlyle
Luminous Beings
Half Pint
Xaltwind
Expendable
Noctis
The Otter
wintersoldier
TheMushroomLord
