In Conclusion | III | A boy's best friend is his mother

[The Anarchist]

OOC: Disappointed. Sorry guys.
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Two birds with one stone.

If one were able to read Seromine's thoughts in the present, that phrase could very well lead. After successfully dispatching Rick Majors for an undetermined length of time and casting aside nosy people like Joey Handy, Seromine could now tackle the two men who lay before him. One from the past and one from his future.

A malfunctioning cyborg he tried to help and a legend who he attacked for seemingly no reason (which is untrue). The problem with guys like Tyler Scott isn't what they convince themselves of after failing. It's a complete lack of gratitude. Seromine gave him two opportunities, two main events with two chances to win the World title.

How many chances did he have prior?

Tyler lost both in highly competitive efforts. Instead of chalking up the losses to his own deficiencies, he instead went on the attack against the only person who tried SAVING him. Rick Majors also decided to play the card of ingrate. Now look at him.

Then there's Grimm. Phinehas Grimm to be exact. The Hangtown Horror. He had practically done it all in PCW with the exception of winning the North American title. There are very few who would dare go out of their way to challenge him and even less who would dare choose to attack without provocation. Seromine fit into both groups now. Deep down he knew the enormous challenge that faced him and what he'll have to do in order to beat the red demon.

If one could ask Seromine about them, he would say one word: forgiveness. He forgives Tyler Scott for his faults, and not just ones caused by bad computer code and stripped wiring. He saw top shelf talent in him prior to sending Holden Ross out to lend a hand. Titles aren't everything after all and in fact, they are more of an albatross than an achievement. Still, Tyler Scott was not actually hand picked. He was a byproduct of the former Gabriel and his insignificant past.

Try wiping that from your hard drive.

Grimm on the other hand WAS chosen by Seromine. For how long, only he knows. The tape of that night actually tells two stories. For now, only one matters.

Seromine would have Holden Ross as his tag team partner. A man he put on the path to winning the Underground title. A man who destroyed his own father in order to remove that shadow from stinking up his young career. Unlike Rick and Tyler, Seromine knew Holden had his back. He knew that the self-proclaimed "Ambassador of Ultraviolence" was a human wrecking ball, willing to bring down the two pillars standing in the way at Trauma.

There was also the matter of unfinished business with Tyler Scott. After all. It took Rick Majors interfering for Holden to be defeated in the first place.

Seromine hadn't wrestled in some time. A fact not lost on him as he changes his thoughts inside Jubilee's Diner. Placed in front of him was a generous slice of warm cherry pie. He smiles at the waitress and offers a kind thank you. But something else catches his eye.

"What a beautiful name."

The waitress looks at the black name tag pinned on the left side of her sky blue shirt. Her name is Lucy.

"Thank you!"  She replies with obvious flatter.

Seromine's smile widens. "It's my mother's name." He digs the side of his fork into the dessert. "She's a beautiful woman."

"I'm sure she is."

Just as the waitress turns to walk away,  "You have a good day." Seromine kindly states.

"You have the same. Is there anything else I can get for you?"

He shakes his head and again digs the fork in. This time he's not making eye contact. She walks away from his booth, leaving him fixated on cutting through the gooey red filling. "I'm sure she is" he mocks, following with "I know she is" under his breath, unaware that she's no longer standing there.

Or perhaps he is aware and doesn't care.

The diner maintained a 1950's design. Metallic exterior walls, large paneled windows with neon signs affixed to them. Checkerboard flooring, red barstools and a litany of movie star portraits from the big names of the day. There was even a jukebox that offered up every well known hit of the era.

It was a favorite spot of both Seromine and Destiny.

"Hello Father!"

Seromine lifts his head up to see Kristen sitting down in front of him. A tight hug preceded it.

"What did you say?"

"I said Hi Dad. Mom said I'd find you here."

Seromine relaxes. "Oh, heh. I'm sorry pumpkin, I thought you said something else. Did you need something? Is mom alright? Did Timmy fall down the well again?"

Kristen steals helps herself to one of the cut up pieces of pie, much to the faux horror of her father. "Can't your favorite daughter come say hello without needing a reason?"

Seromine gives her a look of suspicion. "How much do you need and why?"

"Just a hundred dollars. I wanted to go to the mall and get a few things. A dress, some shoes, a tattoo, some makeup...you know, stuff."

Seromine smirks. "Tattoos can wait until September. You're almost eighteen. When your birthday comes, if you still want one, I'll take you myself."

Disappointed, but persistent, she tries for something else. "Can I have a piercing at least? You know, just to tide me over until then."

That elicits a laugh. "Sweetie, I wasn't born Monty Hall. This isn't Let's Make A Deal."

"I didn't make a proposal, Dad."

"Good. Because the answer is---"

"Would you like to see a menu?"

Madeleine the waitress has returned, seeing that Seromine is no longer dining alone. Like before, her tag draws his immediate attention.

"Dad?"

"Yes."

"Yes? You mean...I can get a piercing??"

He looks at his daughter and smiles. "Absolutely. Go ahead and read the menu. I have to make a call."

"To mom?"

Seromine takes out his phone from the right pocket of his black coat. "Yeah, mine. It's a beautiful day for it."