Don’t Be Nice.
I have to tell myself that every day. Yet everyday it gets harder and harder to say that. I’m blessed beyond belief, and yet still I have to remind myself of the wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Don’t Be Nice.
Wake up. Shower and make myself presentable for the world, yet for what? All that’s going to come of it are people trying to drag me down to their level.
Don’t Be Nice.
Walk down into the kitchen, and see her smiling face. How could I possibly continue to front like I’m miserable? How can I for one second think that there is more to want. Fuck that, what I have is more than enough. When I look at her, even when she’s not paying attention, I smile.
Don’t Be Nice.
I’m reminded of the journey we both took to get here. The battles we had to endure from the outside. And for what, Because we are happy? That we have found someone else within this business that knows, and understands the pitfalls that come with it? Or is it jealousy?
Maybe it’s all in my own head, but I look at the landscape of Fight before me, and I see nothing but a bunch of assholes parading around as if they mean a goddamn thing to me. I see that Michelle gave birth? Maths is hard.
Congrats are in order, the situation surrounding it aside, it is a blessing. Also a thinly veiled Congrats to Brandon Moore. Let’s run the tape again shall we.
Shawn shows up at your behest.
You suggest Russian Roulette.
Shawn plays your dumbass game.
You claim we’d be unstoppable.
Shawn doesn’t help YOU break the pin and we “lose”.
Let me be clear Brandon, I could’ve broken that pin. I could’ve easily helped you. I made a business decision. Sorry I misspoke. I made an Industry decision. The great Brandon Moore, two time toxic tag team winner, bested by King Dipshit One and Two, all while Shawn watched it go down.
You are right to be angry. You are right to feel screwed. Brandon, I allowed you to get your revenge after the match. I sat idly by and watched. Remember you said it.
“You build the boards on which we play.”
And in one night, I proved that false. You were never running the game. You never even had a piece on the board. I told you I disrupt the established order. Some would say I bring chaos, but that’s not true.
I bring the flashlight capable of shining the light on the fallacy of man. Does that make me a god? No. Does it make me the devil? No. What it makes me, is right.
#ShawnIsAlwaysRight
Right with every word that comes out of my mouth. Right by my decisions. Right with all my actions. You’re fighting for your own ego and pride. I’m fighting for everyone that has had to sit by and watch a Brandon Moore promo and think to themselves….
What the fuck was that? This is the big bad bully? This is what people seem to think is great?
Bitch, you haven’t seen greatness yet, but don’t worry, you’ll have my full attention soon enough. However I’ve got to handle someone that I’ve already had the dishonor of standing across from.
This fucking Apathy Bitch again.
Why won’t you just fucking jump off of a cliff already? Seriously what is this place’s hard on for shitty one sided matchups? You couldn’t even do me the pleasure of stepping into the ring properly with me last time.
I fought through the masses. You tried to put me down, and yet….
Ta-Daaaaaaaaa
I’m still here. I’m still breathing. You are not capable of stepping up to me. You are nothing more than a footnote in my story here in Fight. Yet wait there’s more.
“Fuck your white picket fence…I won’t settle for anything less than an empire at my feet”
Really? An Empire at your feet? How you have so much hubris with so little to show, is beyond me. I’ve taken on the best this industry has to offer and come out on top more often than not, and you.
Well you….
Haven’t. I don’t see you as a Queen ready to lead. Hell I don’t see you as someone who needs my full attention, and yet here you are AGAIN. Mostly due to poor booking, but let’s spin this so it fits the overall narrative better, yeah?
The great Shawn Warstein gets an opportunity to right a wrong that happened several weeks ago and in doing so will show everyone that it doesn’t matter who you think you are. What you think you deserve. Or even who you bring with you. All it’s going to take is one King’s Crown and you’re done.
I’m not going out there with anything less than retribution on my mind. I told you there is no Cure for me last time. You’re going to find out that I’m the vaccine that is going to cleanse the Fight Tower of all of you.
Apathy I need one thing from you. I need you to actually show up. I need you to give it your all. I want you to Fight for something. I need you to show me that you’re worth my time. Show me that you’re more than what I believe you to be. I want you to make me eat my words.
You won’t. I know it and deep down you know it too. This is just another step towards the eventuality of everything. Know it. Bask in it. You are a pebble on a beach filled with thousands of them. Apathy, this time I’m going to prove my point the only way I know how. The way I’m most akin to. I’m going to violently eviscerate you in the middle of the ring, leave you as the martyr to your own little band of dipshits. When I’m done with you, there will be no apathy, no empathy.
Just Pity.
———Immediately Following Venom———
“Dammit Betsy!” I snarled as I grasped my jaw, a small trickle of blood flowing down to my chin. “Couldn’t have been a few seconds earlier?”
Betsy walked up next to Kasey and I, as we made our way down the Fight Tower hallway. “Oh brother mine, you’ll be fine. A few scrapes and bruises, ya big baby. It’s not even the worst thing you’ve ever been through.” Betsy laughs slightly. “And besides, where’s the fun in being there right when you need me?”
My blood begins to boil slightly. “Fun?!? You think that was fun?!?”
“Well….” Betsy stammers over her words for a moment, a rarity for her.
“You’re goddamn right it was!” I smile and sling an arm over Betsy’s shoulder. “This is all like we planned.”
“I’m not sure the plan went exactly as thought, babe.” The angelic voice of Kasey breaks through to Betsy and I, as we both turn towards her. As if we were actually siblings we share the exact same confused glance. “Well surely getting beaten down wasn’t part of the plan.” An exasperated look from Kasey as we continue down the hallway.
“You’re right.” I said as we reached the door to the locker room. “However we all knew the risks that were present. That’s why we constantly have to have the upper hand.”
“The numbers are always going to be against us.” Kasey stated as we opened the door to the locker room and walked inside. “It’s been like this since you and I started flirting. Everyone has had something to say about us and our relationship. I just want to know that you’re thinking this all the way through.”
Inside the locker room are a few couches, a monitor, a small fridge and a couple of lockers where all of our gear is, as well as a shower in the back. Betsy is the first to plop down on a couch, kicking her feet up on a coffee table situated between the two. Kasey and I follow suit, sitting across from Betsy.
“I know, it’s part of the reason why I’ve been on the offensive.” I lean my head back and place it on the top of the leather cushion. “I love every second of our time together, and I feel like I need to quiet the masses before things get out of hand and I do something stupid.”
“Again.” Betsy chimes in as I snap my head towards her. “Before you do something stupid again. Just put it this way brother, you’re not the friendliest of people, and you have an acute ability to get on people’s nerves.”
“Aww thank you.” I feign blushing and cover my heart. “That’s one of the nicest things you’ve ever said about me.”
I was punched in the arm by Kasey. “That’s not necessarily a good thing, honey dearest.”
“What do you mean?” I said while rubbing my arm before Kasey moved my hand and began rubbing it herself.
“What I mean is….” Kasey was immediately cut off by Betsy, a slight huff from her but she allowed Betsy to take over.
“It puts the people you care about in harm’s way.” Betsy leans forward placing her arms on her knees. “You have to know that right?”
“I mean— I” It took me longer than normal to process the information. I didn’t know how to react. Should I be angry? Concerned? Worried? So instead I chose what I always do. “No one is forcing anyone to be here.” Brash ego with a slight hint of dismay. There it is again, ‘Don’t be nice’ floating in my head. “There’s the door.”
“Shawn…” A gentle hand on my shoulder from Kasey. “We aren’t going anywhere. As much as you say it to yourself that you don’t need anyone, the Shawn I know. The Shawn I see daily, knows that’s not true. Just look who is in the room right now. I’ve been through the worst with you and we came out stronger, and Betsy has been the only person I’ve ever seen you put above yourself, until me that is.”
“She’s right, you know.” Betsy stands up from the couch and takes a seat next to me. “Brother you know what needs to be done, constantly, but for once you need to know this. You can’t say you planned chaos, all you can do is survive. That’s what all three of us and Dickie are good at. Taking on wave after wave and still standing at the end.”
“Fine. At Venom we will take the fight to them.” I hold out a fist for Betsy as our knuckles touch, I lean over and give Kasey a kiss on the forehead. “Until then Betsy…” Ringing true in my head, ‘Don’t Be Nice’.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah I’m a ghost.” Betsy walks towards the door pausing as her hand falls on the doorknob. “Call Raven dick.” As she opens the door a small envelope falls to the ground. She picks it up and looks it over. “Here, apparently the front office needs to contact you about your car’s extended warranty.”
Betsy tosses the envelope towards Kasey and myself. It landed right on my lap, highly impressive aim from Betsy, before I could comment on her skill the door was closed and she was gone.
“Wonder what they need this time.” I said under my breath as I began to tear it open.
“You’d think by now they’d have your number to text or call.” Kasey smiled and read the note at the same time.
“I never gave them my number.” I quickly responded while glancing over the note.
“I should feel honored then.” Kasey said while reaching the end of the note. “Why the hell would they ask YOU to do that?”
“I don’t know.” I sat there looking at the letter in pure bewilderment. “There are many other people way more capable than me.”
“Is there tho?” Kasey questioned. “Think about everyone else. You and I may have a few red flags, but everyone else is parading around with a full on color guard.”
“Lesser of two evils I guess.” I begin to tap my foot against the ground feverishly. “Should I do it?”
“What could it hurt?” She grabs my right hand and begins to caress the top of it. “Worst case you do what you do best.”
A crooked smile comes across my face. “And what’s that?”
“No-sell it.” She pats my hand. “Let’s get cleaned up and get home.” She gives me a wink as she stands up and heads towards the showers in the back of the room.
“Shit you ain’t gotta tell me twice.” I hop over the coffee table and other couch, falling over the back. I kip up to my feet and brush myself off before disappearing into the showers.
———The Next Afternoon———
Inside this conference room is a table set up in the front, out in the masses there are several reporters. Each one with a pen and pad in their hand, several recorders are set up on the table. I pace behind a door, as she has been this entire time Kasey is standing with me.
“Ready?” She says while trying to keep me focused.
“I don’t want to do this.” I said while cracking my neck.
“Well you heard what they said.” A quick kiss on my cheek.
“Yeah I know, the most well known member on the roster needs to start acting like the face of the company.” I said while smiling and making my way towards the door. Sensing something amiss Kasey grabs me by the arm, not in a forceful way but more of an attention garnering fashion.
“You okay?” She said in the most sincere of tones.
“Yup, just gonna go out there and get this over with the best and most efficient way I know how.” I smile and step out into the room.
Cameras flash, and a huge banner on the wall says ‘Fight! NYC Media Scrum’, as I take a seat and pass a note to the moderator. He quickly looks it over and nods, giving me a thumbs up. As he walks to the podium a hush falls over the room.
“Mr. Warstein has asked that you keep your questions brief and to the point. He doesn’t care if you’re a lifelong fan or jerked it to posters of him; just get to your question and move on. Thank you.” The moderator looks around the room as a man stands up while raising his hand. “Yes you. Go ahead.”
“Thanks.” The reporter meekly responds before clearing his throat. “You’ve been all around the industry, what’s it like standing in the ring with one of the greatest of all time in Brandon Moore?”
I stare at the man blankly and furrow my brow. I take a deep breath into the microphone in front of me and give the man a quick shrug and roll my eyes as over dramatically as I could muster.
Apparently they thought they were going to get an actual answer because they were silent for a bit before I waved my hand for the next question. Another basement dweller stands up.
“With the recent actions of certain members of the roster against you, are you prepared to go to the lengths they are in order to secure your spot?”
I raise a hand to my chin and drum my fingers across it. I lick my lips and lean into the mic again. Once again not saying anything, just an unassuming shrug. Once again the idiots wait longer than you’d expect, but after a point towards them another one stands to his feet.
“Why are you here if you’re not going to answer any questions? We were told you were going to be open and dare we say it, personable.”
The Mountain Dew chugging virgin was right. I need to say something. With a deep breath and exhale. I once more lean into the microphone. “I’m only here so I don’t get fined.” The call back to NFL Legend Marshawn Lynch gets a slight chuckle from the group. Once again another reporter stands up.
“So with Toxic Tag in the rear view mirror, no one on the roster could match you dollar for dollar. When the bidding opens, are you going to take a crack at Dickie should he retain?”
There it is. The question almost no one wants to hear right now. Why would anyone ask that question? We are in the fight of our lives right now. Trying to stake a claim in a new company filled with so many people that have been up and down the roads together. We are the outsiders looking in, we are trying like fuck to keep our own heads above water, and they ask if I’m going to take a shot at Watson. Before answering them I took a glance at the doorway, peering inside I caught the faintest glimpse of golden blonde hair and fiery red hair around the corner of the door jam. The truest of smiles fell on my face. I know what’s next, but let’s make sure to keep them waiting. “I’m only here so I don’t get fined.”
“Thank you for your time Mr. Warstein.” The moderator stands at the podium and gives me a quick wave. I walk away from the table and into the back. Standing there waiting for me, as usual, is Kasey.
“Well that was something.” She said while grasping my hand as we walked out into the lobby. “So are you ready for Apathy?”
“Are you ready for Korrupt?” I said without thinking.
“I think so.”
It’s been a minute since I’ve seen this side of Kasey. For as long as I’ve known her, she’s exuded nothing but confidence. It is one of the many many things that make her irresistible to me. I honestly don’t know how to respond to her. She must’ve noticed my hesitation. “I just don’t know.” She sighed heavily.
“Well if I may offer a bit of advice?” Normally I keep my thoughts on her career to myself. She’s one of the best in the ring, even if she doesn’t see it herself. We both stop and we lock eyes. She gives me a slight nod. “It’s way easier said than done, but…”
“Don’t be nice.”
Fade to Black