Post by Carlson Rex on Oct 10, 2020 19:32:10 GMT -5
Carlson Rex shakes his head repeatedly. He is being helped to the back by trainers after the double clothesline double elimination. The trainers guide him to a much larger than normal area in the back. He passes the sequence of Concussion protocols, agreeing to report to the head trainer, and a medical facility, if he begins to display any symptoms. He walks to the back to the dressing rooms and locates his stuff. He turns his head to stretch his neck and discovers he is not quite alone. Seated on a metal chair, the folding kind, but not folded, is the Cross-Hemisphere Champion, Konrad Raab. He looks introspective and thoughtful. Carlson turns to his own gear, digging out the clothes he brought to change into to return to the hotel in Atlanta. As he pulls on his left sock, he hears motion to his left. He looks up and sees Konrad Raab, Cross-Hemisphere Title Belt around his waist, standing there.
Carlson: "You ok, Champ?"
The simple question seems to bring The Iceman from a fog, bringing his attention to the youth before him.
Konrad: "I will be."
Carlson stands up, instead of pulling on his Nike's, he offers a hand on Konrad, who looks at it a moment then takes it. A firm grasp, but without any real..spirit. Carlson tries to lock eyes with the Champion, who ducks the contact attempt.
Carlson: "Want to go grab some dinner? I have a rental car."
Konrad shakes his head, slowly.
Konrad: "That would be nice, but I got to be in Louisville, Kentucky on Wednesday for the tag tournament I'm in with another company, But, thank you for the offer, despite how I'm feeling about what happened tonight. Not one of my good days."
Carlson smiles, reaching for one of his shoes.
Carlson: "Give me a call sometime back in Chicago. We can grab a bite to eat and talk. I'd like to treat."
Konrad seems hesitant. He slowly lifts his left hand and pats Carlson on the shoulder twice and finally looks at him.
Konrad: "You know, I might do that over the weekend. See ya back in Chicago."
Konrad walks over to the door and opens it, leaving the dressing room. Carlson watches Konrad Raab depart, a look of concern on his face . He hears the bell sound for an elimination and turns his attention from the monitor midway down the corridor from the entryway to the entryway. To his dismay, it is Lucy Wylde who passes by the Gorilla Position, giving an incline of her head to acknowledge the greetings she receives. She spots Carlson and walks over to him, stopping a couple of steps shy of him.
Lucy Wylde: "Didn't expect to be back here so soon."
Carlson nods, turning to look at the receding form of Konrad Raab, headed toward the door to the locker room, which would require a hard right turn.
Carlson: "You aren't the only one who felt that."
Lucy Wylde watches Konrad Raab make the left turn and disappear from sight.
Lucy Wylde: "Yeah. It's a damn shame too. It looked like they were ready for him. I wouldn't be surprised if there was something to it. He's the Cross-Hemisphere Champ, after all."
Carlson: "Trust me. I know. I tried to take it from him."
Lucy Wylde gives Carlson a smile and reaches out to pat him on the shoulder.
Lucy Wylde: "That's not an easy belt to get. You'll get there, no doubt."
Carlson: "Sorry you got eliminated. I hope Kiseragi wins."
Lucy Wylde: "If it can't be me, he'd be my next pick to win it. But who knows how it'll end up... Either way, he'll get there again too... And for that matter..."
She pauses, which draws Carlson's gaze back to her.
Lucy Wylde: "So will I. As for you, two eliminations ain't bad."
Carlson: "Well, more like 2 and a half, since I got my brain scrambled."
Lucy Wylde: "Heh. That'll happen around here. Even the so-called 'best' of us get their brains knocked around in their skull. But it gets better with time and experience... I think."
Both of them chuckle.
Lucy Wylde: "Well, this has been fun. But I'm gonna go get cleaned up and get out of here before Joe gets eliminated. I wanna actually enjoy the rest of my night... See you back in Chicago, Carlson. Take care of yourself."
Carlson nods to Lucy Wylde, watching her walk past him, headed toward the back. He couldn't help but smile at her relaxed attitude and confident swagger. Some day, that swagger just might be copied. By himself.
Carlson Rex turns his gaze down the corridor, the retreating figure of Lucy Wylde, former World Champion and determined to one day be again, disappearing in the hub-bub of workers and other members of the Roster, some gathering at monitors to watch the main event as it continues. Carlson does not notice, at first, the elimination of his other teammate, and Team Captain. He becomes aware of it when he feels a presence at his right shoulder. In the distance, Lucy Wylde turns left and disappears down a hallway.
Kiseragi: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, they say."
Carlson nearly jumps from his own skin at the silent arrival of Alex Kiseragi. He catches his breath, Kiseragi fixing a look on him that might show the slightest tinge of amusement.
Kiseargi: "Don't die on us before you discover your true potential."
Carlson blushes, catching his breath and looking around. Thankfully, everyone else seems intent on the Monitor near the Gorilla Position, not paying attention to the conversation.
Carlson: "I don't know what kind of potential I have, but it did feel good tonight to contribute. Being part of a team felt good."
Kiseragi nods sagely.
Kiseragi: "Learning to work together can help both the team and individual further themselves. Make themselves stronger."
Carlson nods.
Carlson: "I was really pulling for you and Miss Wylde out there. I'm sorry both of you got eliminated."
Kiseragi shrugs, putting a hand on Carlson's back and guiding him away, down the main corridor, the direction Lucy Wylde departed.
Kiseragi: "Without you, I don't know that we'd have made it. They got the jump on Konrad, but you leveled the playing field."
Carlson shakes his head.
Carlson: "I got knocked into next Thursday with that clothesline, when my head hit the mat."
Kiseragi: "The fortunes of war."
The pair sidestep an anxious looking trainer who is hauling a cart behind him with a couple of unmarked boxes on it, then continue.
Kiseragi: "I didn't pick you for my team because I thought you were disposable, kid. I picked you because I think you have potential. I'm looking forward to seeing how far you can go."
Carlson: "Maybe all the way to the World Title?"
Kiseragi has a laugh and pats Carlson on the back.
Kiseragi: "Keep fighting as hard as you can. You just never know. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to clean up before keeping a dinner engagement."
Carlson nods and watches Alex Kiseragi walk away his head held tall. A man who is not only proud of what he has accomplished, but of what he may, nay will, yet accomplish. Carlson works his way down the corridor, hangs a left to the Exit and departs the Arena, into the warm embrace of an Atlanta night.
= = =
Konrad Raab, Lucy Wylde and Alex Kiseragi appear with permission and input from their respective handlers.
Carlson: "You ok, Champ?"
The simple question seems to bring The Iceman from a fog, bringing his attention to the youth before him.
Konrad: "I will be."
Carlson stands up, instead of pulling on his Nike's, he offers a hand on Konrad, who looks at it a moment then takes it. A firm grasp, but without any real..spirit. Carlson tries to lock eyes with the Champion, who ducks the contact attempt.
Carlson: "Want to go grab some dinner? I have a rental car."
Konrad shakes his head, slowly.
Konrad: "That would be nice, but I got to be in Louisville, Kentucky on Wednesday for the tag tournament I'm in with another company, But, thank you for the offer, despite how I'm feeling about what happened tonight. Not one of my good days."
Carlson smiles, reaching for one of his shoes.
Carlson: "Give me a call sometime back in Chicago. We can grab a bite to eat and talk. I'd like to treat."
Konrad seems hesitant. He slowly lifts his left hand and pats Carlson on the shoulder twice and finally looks at him.
Konrad: "You know, I might do that over the weekend. See ya back in Chicago."
Konrad walks over to the door and opens it, leaving the dressing room. Carlson watches Konrad Raab depart, a look of concern on his face . He hears the bell sound for an elimination and turns his attention from the monitor midway down the corridor from the entryway to the entryway. To his dismay, it is Lucy Wylde who passes by the Gorilla Position, giving an incline of her head to acknowledge the greetings she receives. She spots Carlson and walks over to him, stopping a couple of steps shy of him.
Lucy Wylde: "Didn't expect to be back here so soon."
Carlson nods, turning to look at the receding form of Konrad Raab, headed toward the door to the locker room, which would require a hard right turn.
Carlson: "You aren't the only one who felt that."
Lucy Wylde watches Konrad Raab make the left turn and disappear from sight.
Lucy Wylde: "Yeah. It's a damn shame too. It looked like they were ready for him. I wouldn't be surprised if there was something to it. He's the Cross-Hemisphere Champ, after all."
Carlson: "Trust me. I know. I tried to take it from him."
Lucy Wylde gives Carlson a smile and reaches out to pat him on the shoulder.
Lucy Wylde: "That's not an easy belt to get. You'll get there, no doubt."
Carlson: "Sorry you got eliminated. I hope Kiseragi wins."
Lucy Wylde: "If it can't be me, he'd be my next pick to win it. But who knows how it'll end up... Either way, he'll get there again too... And for that matter..."
She pauses, which draws Carlson's gaze back to her.
Lucy Wylde: "So will I. As for you, two eliminations ain't bad."
Carlson: "Well, more like 2 and a half, since I got my brain scrambled."
Lucy Wylde: "Heh. That'll happen around here. Even the so-called 'best' of us get their brains knocked around in their skull. But it gets better with time and experience... I think."
Both of them chuckle.
Lucy Wylde: "Well, this has been fun. But I'm gonna go get cleaned up and get out of here before Joe gets eliminated. I wanna actually enjoy the rest of my night... See you back in Chicago, Carlson. Take care of yourself."
Carlson nods to Lucy Wylde, watching her walk past him, headed toward the back. He couldn't help but smile at her relaxed attitude and confident swagger. Some day, that swagger just might be copied. By himself.
Carlson Rex turns his gaze down the corridor, the retreating figure of Lucy Wylde, former World Champion and determined to one day be again, disappearing in the hub-bub of workers and other members of the Roster, some gathering at monitors to watch the main event as it continues. Carlson does not notice, at first, the elimination of his other teammate, and Team Captain. He becomes aware of it when he feels a presence at his right shoulder. In the distance, Lucy Wylde turns left and disappears down a hallway.
Kiseragi: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, they say."
Carlson nearly jumps from his own skin at the silent arrival of Alex Kiseragi. He catches his breath, Kiseragi fixing a look on him that might show the slightest tinge of amusement.
Kiseargi: "Don't die on us before you discover your true potential."
Carlson blushes, catching his breath and looking around. Thankfully, everyone else seems intent on the Monitor near the Gorilla Position, not paying attention to the conversation.
Carlson: "I don't know what kind of potential I have, but it did feel good tonight to contribute. Being part of a team felt good."
Kiseragi nods sagely.
Kiseragi: "Learning to work together can help both the team and individual further themselves. Make themselves stronger."
Carlson nods.
Carlson: "I was really pulling for you and Miss Wylde out there. I'm sorry both of you got eliminated."
Kiseragi shrugs, putting a hand on Carlson's back and guiding him away, down the main corridor, the direction Lucy Wylde departed.
Kiseragi: "Without you, I don't know that we'd have made it. They got the jump on Konrad, but you leveled the playing field."
Carlson shakes his head.
Carlson: "I got knocked into next Thursday with that clothesline, when my head hit the mat."
Kiseragi: "The fortunes of war."
The pair sidestep an anxious looking trainer who is hauling a cart behind him with a couple of unmarked boxes on it, then continue.
Kiseragi: "I didn't pick you for my team because I thought you were disposable, kid. I picked you because I think you have potential. I'm looking forward to seeing how far you can go."
Carlson: "Maybe all the way to the World Title?"
Kiseragi has a laugh and pats Carlson on the back.
Kiseragi: "Keep fighting as hard as you can. You just never know. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to clean up before keeping a dinner engagement."
Carlson nods and watches Alex Kiseragi walk away his head held tall. A man who is not only proud of what he has accomplished, but of what he may, nay will, yet accomplish. Carlson works his way down the corridor, hangs a left to the Exit and departs the Arena, into the warm embrace of an Atlanta night.
= = =
Konrad Raab, Lucy Wylde and Alex Kiseragi appear with permission and input from their respective handlers.
