Post by The Anarchist on Mar 16, 2020 1:44:21 GMT -5
"And STILL PCW Underground Champion..."
The first defense was officially in the books. Jason Willard survived High Tide in a match that was tougher than he expected. He felt like the pirate was underrated and his opinion wasn't about to change.
It was a weird feeling to know that not only was he competing in Underground matches, but he was the champion of the division itself. Announcements of "And NEW" blurred with "And STILL" with his name associated with carrying the title.
Willard had plenty on his mind after the show. Had the childish objects served more as a distraction, leading to him being off in his repertoire of offense and defense? Was his age starting to show? Was it adjusting to a new environment?
These questions surely had immediate answers, but they weren't of importance. He passed his first test and was feeling his body hating him for allowing such punishment to be inflicted. High Tide was a worthy adversary. Willard even admired the use of interference. As a career heel with more than his fair share of devious tactics deployed over the years, it was something he took no issue with.
He'd soon be in Santa Ana at the John Wayne Airport and then in Anaheim close to twenty minutes later. No matter how he was physically feeling, a special day was soon to arrive.
-----
At the stroke of midnight, he walked inside of his home. Nobody was in the living room. Just to confirm that, he uses the flashlight on his cell phone. Very carefully he peaks around corners. Slowly he works his way down the hall. He hears the sounds of a movie being played from Kristen's room. He knew it by heart and was drawn to listen on the other side of the door.
"NIGHT OF THE LEPRECHAUN CANNIBALS..."
A fist pump.
"2!"
That caught him by surprise. He wasn't aware a sequel got made. It sounded like the original, but wasn't. Ah, well. Some other time. His bedroom was within reach. Surely Destiny was expecting him to enter at any second. If he was going to surprise her, he had to play this right.
He retreats back to the living room and takes his time slowly sitting down. His body was racked with lingering pain from the match. Anyone who stepped inside of the ring could relate and should consider any form of relaxation a damn accomplishment.
That's when a pair of arms come from over the couch to wrap him up. "Gotcha!" Jason is startled by his wife's surprise, giving one of those Jack Tripper yelps in the process. Her giggles may as well be a birthday gift to herself. Jason should've expected something like this. The two had a penchant for this very thing. She owed him for the last one and easily evened the score.
"Yeah you sure did. Happy birthday!"
Destiny smiles and then slides over to sit next to him. "Thank you, babe! Heh, your heart is racing awfully fast."
"I wonder why?" He anxiously replies.
"You can come out now, girls. I got him!"
The children walk into the living room to have a laugh at their father's expense. Melanie is MIA, but that's attributed to her soundly sleeping in her crib. Jason decides to speak up.
"We all know what today is and we all know what we have to do."
Destiny wasn't going to escape this one. He had her as wrapped up as she had him. The four girls get close together like a glee club for the occasion. Destiny prepares herself for the inevitable.
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday Dear Mom/Destiny
Happy Birthday to You.
Destiny warmly accepts a hug from each of the children and thanks everyone for making her feel special.
"Before we have cake---"
"We have a cake? How'd you find one so late, Dad?" Asks Nancy with her twin, Lydia, right behind.
He looks at Destiny who shrugs. "Uh, ok. How about some ice cream?"
This is when Autumn takes it upon herself to start talking about the history of it as a replacement for the actual thing. After an eye roll, Kristen covers her mouth. "Is there even any stores open this late?"
Jason looks at his wife. She shrugs again. "I guess I wasn't in the mood for either."
"Not in the mood? Did you not see The Shining?? No cake and No ice cream makes Jack a dull boy?"
"Yeah, nice try. If you want to be Pinocchio, you should arrange a nose job!"
He laughs. "Ok, so you still have your memory intact. You're old, but haven't got THAT old...yet." She playfully bites him for the wisecrack.
"I think your mom is trying to tell me what she wants for her birthday."
"OK then!" Kristen blurts as a way of changing THAT subject. "Do you want us to see if anything is open, Mom?"
She declines. "No, no, it's late and I need to talk to your father about something. We can get those later today."
Jason looks a bit uneasy as he's sure he knows what the topic is going to be. Destiny moves herself off of him so he can hug his children before they allow some privacy. After they leave, he turns to face her.
"I see you won tonight. That's good."
"Yeah. It wasn't easy, believe me."
Destiny nods. "No match really is. Have you been told who you're facing next?"
"Amazingly, yes. I don't know how they decided so quickly, but it's Razor Blade."
"He's a former Underground Champion, right?"
"That's right. He shocked the world last August. The last time I faced him, I was World Champion."
Destiny looks over at the Underground title laying sideways against his bags. She gathers her thoughts before looking at him. "I may not support the division and what it stands for, but I'm happy to see you having success again."
"Last year was kind of rough, wasn't it?"
"You can say that again. That's part of why I was afraid to see you in the division."
"And now?"
"I don't know. I guess I've adjusted." She changes the subject. "Your gimmick is still ridiculous, though!"
He laughs. "Is it?"
She nods.
"The thing about it is that it's something my mother and I can bond over. We've always been close and this has brought us closer. I'm all she's got and...well, to be perfectly honest, I'm having fun again. I didn't know what would happen after my injury. After Seromine."
He continues.
"What I say and do has a psychological effect. It makes people feel confused, feel repulsed, giving me an advantage before the bell even rings."
"I get that and can see that, but---If your opponents are repulsed, what do you think we are?"
"You can always change the channel."
She shakes her head. "I'm going to go to bed. You can do whatever you want." There was a hint of resentment bubbling to the surface. No eye contact was made as she left the room.
But there was a sigh.
-----
Jason steps outside to make an important phone call. It's a pleasant fifty-six degrees. He has to gather his composure before dialing the contact. As the line trills, he puts his bags and title into his car.
"Hi Mommy! Did you see me win my match tonight?"
He knows that she not only did, but has it recorded and catalogued away in her personal library of his matches spanning his entire career. Still, they enjoyed having these moments together. Lucy's voice is so excitable, it can be heard like it were on speaker. Jason gets into his car and turns the radio on, but the volume down.
"Why of course I did, dear! What kind of Mother would I be if I didn't? Goodness no---I'm afraid that simply wouldn't be acceptable. That would make me a bad Mother! And we both know that I'm not, don't we?"
"You could never be! Never, ever, ever! You're the best Mommy anyone could ever have in the entire universe!"
"You're too sweet. Just remember that nobody else has me but you! Oh I'm so happy about that! When will you be home? It's awfully late out and the lights are on."
"Soon, Mommy. When I get there, would you please read me a story? You know how much I enjoy it when you do."
"Of course I will, darling! Which would you like me to read?"
There's a pause. He wants to say Clifford Gets Put to Sleep, but doesn't. Even though she would comfort him through the sad parts. "Umm---I don't know. You pick! You always know just the right one to read."
He can feel her smiling over the phone. It eases his physical state faster than any treatment ever could.
"I'll have one ready for you! Hurry home, my precious child. Mommy has missed you all day!"
"I'm on my way. Toodaloo, I love you!"
"Toodaloo, I love you too!"
Each one makes a kissing noise after that. He ends the call and soon everything appears distant in the rear view mirror.
The first defense was officially in the books. Jason Willard survived High Tide in a match that was tougher than he expected. He felt like the pirate was underrated and his opinion wasn't about to change.
It was a weird feeling to know that not only was he competing in Underground matches, but he was the champion of the division itself. Announcements of "And NEW" blurred with "And STILL" with his name associated with carrying the title.
Willard had plenty on his mind after the show. Had the childish objects served more as a distraction, leading to him being off in his repertoire of offense and defense? Was his age starting to show? Was it adjusting to a new environment?
These questions surely had immediate answers, but they weren't of importance. He passed his first test and was feeling his body hating him for allowing such punishment to be inflicted. High Tide was a worthy adversary. Willard even admired the use of interference. As a career heel with more than his fair share of devious tactics deployed over the years, it was something he took no issue with.
He'd soon be in Santa Ana at the John Wayne Airport and then in Anaheim close to twenty minutes later. No matter how he was physically feeling, a special day was soon to arrive.
-----
At the stroke of midnight, he walked inside of his home. Nobody was in the living room. Just to confirm that, he uses the flashlight on his cell phone. Very carefully he peaks around corners. Slowly he works his way down the hall. He hears the sounds of a movie being played from Kristen's room. He knew it by heart and was drawn to listen on the other side of the door.
"NIGHT OF THE LEPRECHAUN CANNIBALS..."
A fist pump.
"2!"
That caught him by surprise. He wasn't aware a sequel got made. It sounded like the original, but wasn't. Ah, well. Some other time. His bedroom was within reach. Surely Destiny was expecting him to enter at any second. If he was going to surprise her, he had to play this right.
He retreats back to the living room and takes his time slowly sitting down. His body was racked with lingering pain from the match. Anyone who stepped inside of the ring could relate and should consider any form of relaxation a damn accomplishment.
That's when a pair of arms come from over the couch to wrap him up. "Gotcha!" Jason is startled by his wife's surprise, giving one of those Jack Tripper yelps in the process. Her giggles may as well be a birthday gift to herself. Jason should've expected something like this. The two had a penchant for this very thing. She owed him for the last one and easily evened the score.
"Yeah you sure did. Happy birthday!"
Destiny smiles and then slides over to sit next to him. "Thank you, babe! Heh, your heart is racing awfully fast."
"I wonder why?" He anxiously replies.
"You can come out now, girls. I got him!"
The children walk into the living room to have a laugh at their father's expense. Melanie is MIA, but that's attributed to her soundly sleeping in her crib. Jason decides to speak up.
"We all know what today is and we all know what we have to do."
Destiny wasn't going to escape this one. He had her as wrapped up as she had him. The four girls get close together like a glee club for the occasion. Destiny prepares herself for the inevitable.
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday Dear Mom/Destiny
Happy Birthday to You.
Destiny warmly accepts a hug from each of the children and thanks everyone for making her feel special.
"Before we have cake---"
"We have a cake? How'd you find one so late, Dad?" Asks Nancy with her twin, Lydia, right behind.
He looks at Destiny who shrugs. "Uh, ok. How about some ice cream?"
This is when Autumn takes it upon herself to start talking about the history of it as a replacement for the actual thing. After an eye roll, Kristen covers her mouth. "Is there even any stores open this late?"
Jason looks at his wife. She shrugs again. "I guess I wasn't in the mood for either."
"Not in the mood? Did you not see The Shining?? No cake and No ice cream makes Jack a dull boy?"
"Yeah, nice try. If you want to be Pinocchio, you should arrange a nose job!"
He laughs. "Ok, so you still have your memory intact. You're old, but haven't got THAT old...yet." She playfully bites him for the wisecrack.
"I think your mom is trying to tell me what she wants for her birthday."
"OK then!" Kristen blurts as a way of changing THAT subject. "Do you want us to see if anything is open, Mom?"
She declines. "No, no, it's late and I need to talk to your father about something. We can get those later today."
Jason looks a bit uneasy as he's sure he knows what the topic is going to be. Destiny moves herself off of him so he can hug his children before they allow some privacy. After they leave, he turns to face her.
"I see you won tonight. That's good."
"Yeah. It wasn't easy, believe me."
Destiny nods. "No match really is. Have you been told who you're facing next?"
"Amazingly, yes. I don't know how they decided so quickly, but it's Razor Blade."
"He's a former Underground Champion, right?"
"That's right. He shocked the world last August. The last time I faced him, I was World Champion."
Destiny looks over at the Underground title laying sideways against his bags. She gathers her thoughts before looking at him. "I may not support the division and what it stands for, but I'm happy to see you having success again."
"Last year was kind of rough, wasn't it?"
"You can say that again. That's part of why I was afraid to see you in the division."
"And now?"
"I don't know. I guess I've adjusted." She changes the subject. "Your gimmick is still ridiculous, though!"
He laughs. "Is it?"
She nods.
"The thing about it is that it's something my mother and I can bond over. We've always been close and this has brought us closer. I'm all she's got and...well, to be perfectly honest, I'm having fun again. I didn't know what would happen after my injury. After Seromine."
He continues.
"What I say and do has a psychological effect. It makes people feel confused, feel repulsed, giving me an advantage before the bell even rings."
"I get that and can see that, but---If your opponents are repulsed, what do you think we are?"
"You can always change the channel."
She shakes her head. "I'm going to go to bed. You can do whatever you want." There was a hint of resentment bubbling to the surface. No eye contact was made as she left the room.
But there was a sigh.
-----
Jason steps outside to make an important phone call. It's a pleasant fifty-six degrees. He has to gather his composure before dialing the contact. As the line trills, he puts his bags and title into his car.
"Hi Mommy! Did you see me win my match tonight?"
He knows that she not only did, but has it recorded and catalogued away in her personal library of his matches spanning his entire career. Still, they enjoyed having these moments together. Lucy's voice is so excitable, it can be heard like it were on speaker. Jason gets into his car and turns the radio on, but the volume down.
"Why of course I did, dear! What kind of Mother would I be if I didn't? Goodness no---I'm afraid that simply wouldn't be acceptable. That would make me a bad Mother! And we both know that I'm not, don't we?"
"You could never be! Never, ever, ever! You're the best Mommy anyone could ever have in the entire universe!"
"You're too sweet. Just remember that nobody else has me but you! Oh I'm so happy about that! When will you be home? It's awfully late out and the lights are on."
"Soon, Mommy. When I get there, would you please read me a story? You know how much I enjoy it when you do."
"Of course I will, darling! Which would you like me to read?"
There's a pause. He wants to say Clifford Gets Put to Sleep, but doesn't. Even though she would comfort him through the sad parts. "Umm---I don't know. You pick! You always know just the right one to read."
He can feel her smiling over the phone. It eases his physical state faster than any treatment ever could.
"I'll have one ready for you! Hurry home, my precious child. Mommy has missed you all day!"
"I'm on my way. Toodaloo, I love you!"
"Toodaloo, I love you too!"
Each one makes a kissing noise after that. He ends the call and soon everything appears distant in the rear view mirror.