Post by VCO on Oct 31, 2019 1:32:42 GMT -5
That was an important day in Benny Stevens’ life. He was browsing the contents available for sale at a hospital gift store. One could tell that the man put effort into looking presentable - though his fashion sense isn’t exactly the most compatible one when we think about the surroundings. In fact, he easily stuck out from the rest.
He never cared, though. As for The Daredevil was there to finally meet his life mentor, Bobby Franchise.
There was a custom-made teddy bear in his hand which wore a red-and-white plaid suit - colors and style that matched Benny’s own suit. Stevens also held a balloon with a smiley face and a card that read “Get well soon...” followed by “Boobyieee!!!” written above dotted lines.
Benny then finally met the one who arranged the meeting outside the store: Zack Fantana.
“Ok, so, how do I look?”
Stevens asked as he showed his tag team partner the bear, the balloon, his own suit and slicked back hair. He had a shit-eating grin on his face.
Zack turned his head and stared Benny down for a moment.
“Like the nicest little boy at the Motherboy gala.”
Fantana’s eyes lingered on the balloon, even as he stepped away from the wall he’d been leaning against during the wait and ushered Benny away from the gift shop. It was clear that he had more to say, but he was hesitant to give Benny cause to waste any more time.
“But I’m sure Bobby could use the laugh.”
“The laugh?” Benny scoffed. “More like could use some freedom. I’m willing to bet you one K that Bobby is good enough to leave this fuckin’ place.”
Benny looked around and shook his head. He was never a fan of hospitals.
“Could’ve used that money a few weeks ago.”
“Let’s go, man. It’s about time I talked to the old man. He’s been watching us, right? If not, I can’t wait to tell him that we’re the Champions. Should we show him the titles? Nah, the staff won’t allow us to-. Actually, we should do it anyway. Wait, what if he doesn’t-.”
Zack noticed that Benny wouldn’t stop talking so he decided to interrupt the man.
“Ben. Slow down… Breathe.”
Benny was taken by surprise for a moment, considering the fact that that’s one of the mantras he learned from his father, which, obviously, Benny had told Zack weeks ago.
Stevens let out a chuckle but eventually took a few deep breaths.
“Ok. I don’t even know why I’m fussing… I’m ready, man. Let’s go then, shall we?” He then pointed forward.
“As long as you’re feeling presentable for the old man.”
Zack slapped Benny on the shoulder and continued to push the pace, just wanting to get this over with.
“Bobby might be wearing a gown, but you know it’s not an evening gown, right?”
Benny laughed.
“A funny sight, regardless. I might even snap a picture or two.”
The remainder of the walk to Bobby’s room lacked the traditional banter of a Dead End Friends conversation, instead replaced with a creeping trepidation as they journeyed closer.
They were about to finally reach the room’s entrance door; however, Benny stopped to stare at a window. He observed his reflection in it while he adjusted his suit’s jacket, though he was taking too long to do so.
“Zack, tell me, seriously… Is he bad, bad?”
Fantana slid his hand through his hair as if he was taking time to think of an answer that wouldn’t impact Benny negatively.
“Only one way to find out.” He then pointed at the door.
Benny took one last breath and went forward, a big smile on his face.
Soon enough, however, there would only be one smile in the room but even the balloon it was attached to didn’t make it far into the room, floating upward into the fluorescent lighting as Benny’s hand had let loose of the string.
“Bobby?”
Zack ventured forward before turning on a bedside lamp, intending to awake the man swaddled in blankets beside him.
Benny hesitantly inched forward. Even though Zack had just greeted the gaunt man in the bed as “Bobby”, Benny could hardly recognize the old grappler in his present state. It looked as though he’d lost some forty or fifty pounds since Benny had last seen him. All of the color had drained from his face, where skin hung loosely from his jowls, making him look his age in ways he never had before.
“Bob?”
Despite Zack’s attempts to wake him, the old man did not yet stir. The hum of the dialysis machine was the only thing breaking the awkward silence.
“This is bullshit.”
Benny paced back and forth. He was trying to contain himself, but his emotions were getting the better of him.
An object set on a table was enough to calm him down, though. A framed picture of the man himself standing by a healthy Bobby’s side. There’s a shiny white Cadillac parked behind them - a vehicle that Benny gifted Bobby in 2017.
He picked up the object and stared at it. Once he set it down, it became clear that seeing that picture inspired him.
Benny rested the custom-made bear beside the framed picture and walked toward Bobby’s bed with a purpose.
Stevens nudged him calmly.
“Bobby, come on, old man… The Vag’ Crushing Overlord is here. You don’t want to miss this lifetime opportunity!”
He let out a rather forced laugh while Zack simply watched.
“Bobby, Nancy would like to talk as well. Boobyiie let’s rooooooll!” Those last words were pronounced a louder than expected in a hospital, but Benny’s objective was clear: he wanted Bobby to wake up to a familiar voice and the stupid shit that its owner would say.
Zack rolled his eyes.
“As if that’s going to--”
Fantana stopped, looking at his hand as Bobby’s grip tightened.
“Benny?” the old man coughed, barely opening his eyes.
“I’m here, Bobby.”
Bob lifted his head, albeit quite slowly.
“Took you long enough, bitch.”
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“There's a moment
In your bones when
When the fire takes over
Blood is running
Heart is pumping
As the battle gets closer...”
The song, which is “Unstoppable” by The Score, is suddenly cut. The screen is black. The silence is no more, though, because a well-known voice in the VPW circle begins to speak.
“Songen. Shitsuke. Words that, at first, sounded hollow to me.”
Finally, the scene fades in.
Benny Stevens finds himself sitting on a dark green couch. The Daredevil is usually one who comes up with metaphors in his videos, so we find the simplicity of the scenario odd.
“It’s true… I came into this place about two months ago, and despite bolstering those very words as my motto, I still had doubts.” Benny smirked as he looked up, reminiscing a memory. “Well, of course.”
He picks up his phone and types on it. Seconds later, Benny reveals its screen to the camera for us to see a picture. It dates to 2016: Stevens appears to be talking to his mentor, Bobby Franchise, while wearing one of his “iconic” dresses. Both standing in the middle of a wrestling ring.
“I really was a fuckin’ mess.” He let out a laugh that was rapidly suppressed once he looked at something in front of him, specifically, to his left.
“There was something that needed to be fixed in my life… No matter how hard I tried to tell myself that things were going well, the reality was always there showing me otherwise. Bobby Franchise helped me through that.”
Stevens leans forward in order to reach an object on the floor. He lifts it up - the VPW Chimera Tag Team Championship title belt. Benny doesn’t seem exactly impressed as he looks at it.
“Some would carry this thing around as if it was an external phallus. Now, I’m not trying to look like those edgy idiots that act like they don’t care about Championships. I do care… Just not like most of you do.”
Benny nonchalantly throws the object somewhere to his right. Then he looks back to the camera and speaks while motioning with his hands.
“The titles. My partnership with Zack...” He glanced to his left. “This whole stint so far, it stands for a second chance. I’m experiencing a second chance in my career. Better yet, a second chance in my life, and that title is but a consequence.”
He simply chuckles.
“I had a chance to make things right, and I fully went for it.”
Benny looks into the camera with fire in his eyes. It’s almost as if his body was emanating his newfound confidence, resolve.
“I’m more focused than ever now!” He folded his hands. “And speaking of so, the task at hand is none other than the 7 Pillars Pay-Per-View show...” A brief dramatic pause was taken. “Anastasia Hayden and Lisa Seldon.”
“The Hellcat Spangled Death Squad.”
He takes a deep breath, facial expression showing enthusiasm.
“I could just go ahead and waste your time by meticulously listing the amount of accomplishments that both Ana and Lisa have piled up throughout their careers. It’d be a waste of time simply because we all know what’s up. Lisa? World Championships. Deathmatch Trophies. Ana? The 4CW Championship. I watched her win the NJFC Global Championship, too. They are arguably amongst the best single wrestlers in the world today, now put those two as a collective and we have the epitome of tag team wrestling.”
He wags his finger.
“I’m not talking about NSFW tag. Team. Wrestling. No, I’m talking about the kind of tag team that will be a real challenge to anyone that stands before them - a challenge to us, just like the Zombies were. They won’t fuck around. Those are individuals that WILL take what they intend to wherever they choose as their next destination. I mean, depending on how 4CW's Fright Night unfolds, Zack and I might be sharing the ring with the newest 4CW Champion on Sunday!”
Benny snaps his fingers and points at the camera.
“Thing is, while you two are quite experienced as a team, Zack and I are going to this show with a big chip on our shoulders. We took the L at Honor Bound, but since then, we’ve been on a roll. You see, we left America as pretty much forgotten men with a new story to tell, and we are coming back as Champions. The Dead End Friends and Hellcat Spangled Death Squad, together, are accomplishing something that hasn’t been seen on the Battleground Network in a long fuckin’ time… Tag team wrestling being taken to new heights, like it used to be.
Well, like it was supposed to.
We now have a chance to make people remember that there’s true beauty in two individuals putting their personal goals aside to team up and build a legacy.
As one.
As one.
I plan to make the most of this chance, and I’m sure Zack is with me.
Battleground Network. 7 Pillars, New York. Dead End Friends versus Hellcat Spangled Death Squad. VPW Chimera Tag Team Champions versus UB Battalion Champions.
Ladies, let’s dance and make some more history.
We deserve it.”
Benny winks before getting up to his feet. He picks up the camera and directs it toward the area which he was looking at with concern earlier. The reason of such lies asleep on another couch: Zack Fantana. There’s a smart TV hanging on the wall and the screen shows a paused video of a relatively old Union Battleground show.
“HEY!”
The shout awakes Zack abruptly. He sits up quickly and looks at Benny, baffled. Stevens just laughs as the man begins to come to his senses.
“Time to get back to work, good bud!”
“Dick hole.”
The scene fades amongst the sounds of laughter.
“You'll remember when I say
We can be heroes everywhere we go
Keeping us down is impossible
We're unstoppable.”
