OWiTB 7: In the Black (WMcW Post)

[T-Robosaurus Rex]

Previously on ‘Only Wrestlers in the Building’:
The Case Stalled.
Travis focused on his match with Ezra Wolf.

[=]

I didn’t see this coming in my wildest dreams, well not my WILDEST dreams, heh, but you catch my drift.

The Laconia is in the black! We have cleared our bills, and are even getting some minor repairs undertaken. Not only have we had a significant boost in income from various residents appearing on UGWC shows, it has had a knock on effect to the fortunes of other residents. A wave of nostalgia has hit the New Jersey Wrestling Scene and the likes of Camden Carrot, Phobos Timore and X-Bro 420 are getting more bookings than they have seen in years.

And on top of it all I’ll be making my third appearance of the year for UGWC, from having given up on my dream to one day hold a Championship for a Major Company many years ago, to be given the opportunity to compete at the very top once again, could lead to even my actual wildest dreams being fulfilled.

Being greeted by Deidre’s face (My Agent and Assistant whose age is‘ a ladies own business’) as I walked into the Laconia’s administrative office reinforced the fact that I hadn’t quite started living my wildest fantasies just yet.

[=]

Deidre: Why are you grinning like a loon?

WMcW: What? I can’t be happy that we are finally a profitable enterprise?

Deidre: Really? I thought we got all that out of our system yesterday?

Wrestley walks around to his desk, sits in his chair and places his feet on the desk with his arms crossed behind his head.

WMcW: This is the first time I’ve had the pleasure of walking through that door to start the day knowing our financial health is positive. And from your tone I suspect you disagreed with marking the occasion yesterday.

Deidre: You made me get hats and a cake!

Wrestley nods.

WMcW: It was an important moment! I’m not sure what I’m prouder about, proving you wrong that this model could work, or proving you wrong by not kicking Roberts out every time you suggested it?

Deidre: A bank balance of just over 50 dollars, actually after the cake and decorations it’s more like 20, is hardly worth more than a sigh of relief.

WMcW: We owe nobody anything for the first time in our existence, we can finally start working towards making the original vision of The Laconia a reality.

Deidre: We had money when we started this, well at least until the second day.

WMcW: How was I supposed to know a sink hole would open up and take out the entire east wing?

Deidre: I’m just saying we’re not exactly in a position to take things easy.

Wrestley shakes his head and stands up and starts to pace around their small office.

WMcW: You think I’m looking to take things easy? Just a few weeks ago I was looking at every possible way to avoid stepping foot back into a UGWC ring again. It was embarrassing!

Today I’m less than a week away from stepping into the ring with three of the very best talents competing in the Coalition at this time, and do you see me looking for someone to take my place? Do you see me staring anxiously at the door hoping for Todd the Intern to walk through it and tell me it’s all been a horrible mistake and I won’t have to face them?

Deidre: No, but…

Wrestley ignores her attempt to continue speaking.

WMcW: No, no, let me finish, you are the one that’s throwing accusations around, I think it’s only fair I get a chance to defend myself.

Deidre nods in agreement.

WMcW: Let me ask you a question, which of my opponents next week makes you think I’m looking to take things easy?

Is it Trent Steel? I admit I could certainly see him wearing a Wrestley McWrestleface mask, but not because I think he’s a fan, but because it’s a mask made out of my own face that he has carved off of my lifeless body. Seriously, that dude is one scary ass mofo. Maybe I can stay quick and optimistic and he aims his sadistic skills towards one of the others, but luck hasn’t always been on my side, has it?

When SEB ceased to the UGWC Chaos Champion some corners of the audience felt the title should be retired, no-one could imagine that anyone could follow what was arguably the greatest championship reign UGWC has ever seen. Enter The Avenger who has shown us that there might be others who can continue to carry the Chaos Championship at a level it has frankly rarely reached during its entire history. And if you hadn’t figured out the Chaos Champion tends to be proficient in inflicting imaginative forms of pain on their opponents, they don’t tend to be spiritual healers or meditation gurus, so I’ve got that to look forward to as well.

How about Matt Knox? Given the other two, this must be the opponent that makes you think I’m on the verge of sleepwalking through my day to day activities, yes? Cause what is he apart from the winner of this year's Global Challenge? Y’know the most challenging tournament in the sport today, just ask Jason Cashe. One of the very few people on this roster that can give Alan Wallace genuine food for thought in his second title defence? I mean he didn’t win ALL of his matches in the Global Challenge, so I’ve got that going for me, right?

Which of them is it, huh? Which one of them looks like ‘taking it easy’ to you? I mean ignoring the fact I have to face all three of them at once anyway.

Deidre: You’ve made your point, but I was really referring to the management of the Laconia..

WMcW: You think I don’t know that? The only reason I stepped foot back in the ring was for this building and its residents, you should know that as it was your idea. You think I want to get my ass kicked by three of UGWC’s finest? Because given their high calibre there’s a very good chance that will happen. But do you remember the patch I got you to sew onto the side of my new mask the other day?

Deidre: The weird eagle that doesn’t match your aesthetic at all? Yes, I remember.

WMcW: That’s the logo of the gym 3 blocks over, the owner has promised to give residents of the Laconia free access to their facilities if I appear on UGWC programming with it on. Until we can finance a real gym for the building, this is a huge step towards our goal of making this place a breeding ground for future professional wrestling stars. Sometimes profit is acquired through means other than cash, Deidre.

Deidre smirks.

Deidre: You have an answer for everything today, don’t you?

She then chuckles.

Deidre: Fine, keep the goofy grin for today, you’ve earned it.

WMcW: I sure have.

Deidre: And you have a really nice smile, and I want to make the most of it before those three guys knock your teeth down your throat next week.

Wrestley sags down into his chair and sighs.

WMcW: Yeah.

[=]

That’s the problem with success isn’t it, the risks that come along with it?

At least in the ring I am only taking risks with my own body. Deidre’s not wrong, after Synergy I could well come back disfigured in some way, seriously Trent Steel is in the match so I’m not getting swept up in hyperbole. And it’s not just him, the Avenger could knock me into another dimension, and Matt Knox could kick me unconscious. But despite those risks, it’s easier than what I have to face in my undertakings with The Laconia.

My decisions relating to the Apartment building affect the hopes, dreams and livelihoods of so many people, and I’ve put all my eggs into the UGWC basket.

Deidre also isn’t wrong when she says our financial position isn’t as good as it could be, and the foundations everything is built on are less than stable. But I’ve made the decision to roll the dice now, to strike while the iron is hot, and go for broke.

It could all go horribly, horribly wrong, but this is the first taste of success we have had in years, who knows when this may or might end, I have to take the risk, don’t I?

So that makes me different from the rest of my opponents on Monday. I’m not going down the tired path of claiming that I am fighting for something bigger than them, that’s not at all what I’m saying, but of everyone in the match at Synergy, despite the high chance of being mutilated, I’m probably the only person who wants to be there.

Only one us can walk out as the victor, and I hardly imagine any of the others are too keen to have this match hit their momentum this close to Alchemy.

Trent Steel got his win back from Ezra Wolf, he’s hardly going to be eager to follow that up without another success, a one on one match to assert his dominance would probably have been preferable. He might be able to console himself by taking a part of my body home with him as a trophy, but I’m not sure that will satisfy him.

The Avenger has Ezra Wolf in his near future, having to go up against 3 others, one of whom is likely a psychopath, just two weeks before that defence probably wasn't his ideal match preparation.

And Matt Knox is weeks away from one of the biggest matches in his career against one of UGWC’s Legends, as far as opponents to prepare himself for Vain I’m not sure a Flippy Optimist, an Extreme Sadist and the Saviour of Multiverses, were exactly what he had in mind.

Each of them will be desperate to win, a loss could be a major setback for any of the three, but for El Flippy Loco? Not so much. Just being in the ring with these household names is a success for Wrestley McWrestleface and the only thing I am desperate for is a continued relationship with UGWC. So as long as I am able to walk out of the arena that dream can stay alive.

And if I can’t, at least Travis Roberts is looking focused again, as long as he doesn’t get distracted by something unimportant everything should be fine.

[=]

Meanwhile, down the hall in Travis Roberts’ apartment, Travis and his ‘Nephews’ are talking

Travis: Pierce said I was what?

Samuel: Umm, forgettable…

Joseph: And disappointing.

Travis: Oh he did, did he?

[=]

Shit.