Post by Ace King on Oct 5, 2016 10:36:48 GMT -6
(Writer's Note: Thank you once again to Ruthless Aggression for the use of her character [which is why I waited to post this!], as well as to @xplode for being cool with me doing this!)
September 27, 2016
Backstage at Rumble in the Bronx
Hammerstein Ballroom
1:36 a.m. Central Time
The Hammerstein Ballroom is abuzz right now, as the 30-person Rumble in the Bronx is still ongoing.
In the backstage area, those who aren’t in the Rumble are glued to monitors to see how everything will unfold and who will earn a shot at the Undisputed Championship at WrestleFest in December.
Part of that group is Ace King, one of Friday Night Rampage’s newest signees. He’s watching the action intently, as this will serve as something of a scouting report for him before he heads for Glendale, Ariz. to make his debut against the returning JTC on October 7.
His nerves are about as frayed as anyone in the ring at the moment, though his heart sinks for a moment.
Nanako sees Luke Wolfe open for an attack, she charges at him but he sides steps and pushes her into Ruthann Park Hunter and knocks her out instead.
ELIMINATION: RUTHANN PARK HUNTER BY NANAKO GOZEN 32:48
Mystery Man: THE FORMER CHAMPION IS OUT! Ruthann Park Hunter has been eliminated by Nanako Gozen!
Colin Hanks: WOW I don't believe this!
Ace slowly takes his leave from the monitor he’s watching on to head for the gorilla position; as ‘New York, New York’ blares in the background, he catches a glimpse of his dear friend, Ruthann Park Hunter, in the distance. She’s walking in the opposite direction, so he picks up his pace a bit in an effort to catch her.
“Hey, Ruth.”
She stops dead in her tracks, then turns around slowly to see her old friend standing there.
“Oh,” she says with a bit of a stammer, “Hey.”
It’s still a bit awkward between the two of them; Ace slowly sidles up to Ruth as they take a seat on a nearby bench.
“That didn’t look like someone who was ready to be done,” Ace says in an effort to break the tension.
“It’s time,” Ruth concedes, “If I go any longer, I might just be glue and duct tape before too long.”
“Well, you know what I think of you,” Ace says with a nod, “If this is it for you in the ring, I just want to congratulate you on all you did to break down barriers and push the envelope.”
In a rare display of emotion, Ruth looks like she’s about to tear up, but Ace taps her shoulders to try and get her to stop.
“If this is it, it’s almost fitting that it ends here, right?” Ace asks. “I mean, there are so many great memories here for both of us. You’re the embodiment of this city and everything great about it, I won my first World Title just a couple blocks away at the Garden, and that’s where we…”
Ace’s voice trails off, remembering the current situation as Ruth shoots him the kind of glare he’d never seen out of her before.
“You don’t have to say it, I know,” Ace says with his hands up. “I’m just trying to help, I hope you know that.”
Ruth turns to him and closes her eyes; she’s about to say something, but a voice cuts her off.
“Mom?”
Both Ace and Ruth spin around to find themselves staring at Jason Park Hunter, Ruth’s son. Jason immediately turns his eyes to a puzzled Ace.
“What are you doing here?” he demands. “You know Dad would kill you if he saw this, right?”
“Dad?” a confused Ace asks, turning his gaze from Ruth to Jason and back again, scrunching his face up in deep thought.
“Oh, right,” Ace says, trying to play the situation off. “I’ve heard so much about you, but we’ve never actually met. I’m-”
“I know who the hell you are, Ace,” Jason snaps back, shutting down The Gambler’s attempt at a handshake. “I’ve heard the stories, but you should have stayed in CZW, because every inch of EWC is Hunter family territory.”
Sensing a bit of hostility, Ace gets up and looks Jason in the eyes. Before Ace can respond, Ruth stands up as well.
“Knock it off, both of you,” Ruth snaps, “Jason, we were just talking, it’s fine.”
Showing no fear, Jason slowly starts to back off, though his eyes never leave Ace.
“You’re not going to do jack squat here if I have anything to say about it,” Jason growls as he eventually turns his back and walks off, leaving Ace and Ruth alone on the bench once more.
“He’s a bit protective sometimes,” Ruth explains, which gets a soft laugh out of Ace.
“It’s fine, I was probably the same when I was that age,” The Gambler says, shaking his head with a smirk. “He’ll understand eventually.”
Ruth offers a faint smile, but remains quiet. About 30 more seconds pass before Ace clears his throat.
“Anyway, I’ll let you get going, as I don't want to cause any trouble,” Ace says, standing up from the bench. “But let me just say one more thing.”
Ruth nods as she looks up at Ace from the bench.
“Real talk,” Ace begins, taking a deep breath. “You broke down so many barriers, and you opened the door for so many people to get into the business; a lot of people owe you a debt of gratitude, myself included.”
At this point, Ruth starts to tear up, but Ace pushes on.
“You did so many things out there, but that’s not what impresses me most about you,” Ace continues. “For better or for worse, everything you did in that ring, for those people… All the championships you won… All the blood shed… All the work you put in when people weren't watching… You did it while staying true to you, and that’s a lost art in this business, so once again, congratulations on everything you’ve done. Professional wrestling needs more people like you.”
Ruth can’t control herself anymore; she stands up and puts her head on Ace’s shoulder for just a few seconds, allowing what her friend said to sink in before pushing herself off him. With a simple nod between the two, Ruth turns and heads for the locker room. Ace takes a deep breath before returning to the monitor with some of EWC’s backstage staff, awaiting the final result of the Rumble.
September 27, 2016
Backstage at Rumble in the Bronx
Hammerstein Ballroom
1:36 a.m. Central Time
The Hammerstein Ballroom is abuzz right now, as the 30-person Rumble in the Bronx is still ongoing.
In the backstage area, those who aren’t in the Rumble are glued to monitors to see how everything will unfold and who will earn a shot at the Undisputed Championship at WrestleFest in December.
Part of that group is Ace King, one of Friday Night Rampage’s newest signees. He’s watching the action intently, as this will serve as something of a scouting report for him before he heads for Glendale, Ariz. to make his debut against the returning JTC on October 7.
His nerves are about as frayed as anyone in the ring at the moment, though his heart sinks for a moment.
Nanako sees Luke Wolfe open for an attack, she charges at him but he sides steps and pushes her into Ruthann Park Hunter and knocks her out instead.
ELIMINATION: RUTHANN PARK HUNTER BY NANAKO GOZEN 32:48
Mystery Man: THE FORMER CHAMPION IS OUT! Ruthann Park Hunter has been eliminated by Nanako Gozen!
Colin Hanks: WOW I don't believe this!
Ace slowly takes his leave from the monitor he’s watching on to head for the gorilla position; as ‘New York, New York’ blares in the background, he catches a glimpse of his dear friend, Ruthann Park Hunter, in the distance. She’s walking in the opposite direction, so he picks up his pace a bit in an effort to catch her.
“Hey, Ruth.”
She stops dead in her tracks, then turns around slowly to see her old friend standing there.
“Oh,” she says with a bit of a stammer, “Hey.”
It’s still a bit awkward between the two of them; Ace slowly sidles up to Ruth as they take a seat on a nearby bench.
“That didn’t look like someone who was ready to be done,” Ace says in an effort to break the tension.
“It’s time,” Ruth concedes, “If I go any longer, I might just be glue and duct tape before too long.”
“Well, you know what I think of you,” Ace says with a nod, “If this is it for you in the ring, I just want to congratulate you on all you did to break down barriers and push the envelope.”
In a rare display of emotion, Ruth looks like she’s about to tear up, but Ace taps her shoulders to try and get her to stop.
“If this is it, it’s almost fitting that it ends here, right?” Ace asks. “I mean, there are so many great memories here for both of us. You’re the embodiment of this city and everything great about it, I won my first World Title just a couple blocks away at the Garden, and that’s where we…”
Ace’s voice trails off, remembering the current situation as Ruth shoots him the kind of glare he’d never seen out of her before.
“You don’t have to say it, I know,” Ace says with his hands up. “I’m just trying to help, I hope you know that.”
Ruth turns to him and closes her eyes; she’s about to say something, but a voice cuts her off.
“Mom?”
Both Ace and Ruth spin around to find themselves staring at Jason Park Hunter, Ruth’s son. Jason immediately turns his eyes to a puzzled Ace.
“What are you doing here?” he demands. “You know Dad would kill you if he saw this, right?”
“Dad?” a confused Ace asks, turning his gaze from Ruth to Jason and back again, scrunching his face up in deep thought.
“Oh, right,” Ace says, trying to play the situation off. “I’ve heard so much about you, but we’ve never actually met. I’m-”
“I know who the hell you are, Ace,” Jason snaps back, shutting down The Gambler’s attempt at a handshake. “I’ve heard the stories, but you should have stayed in CZW, because every inch of EWC is Hunter family territory.”
Sensing a bit of hostility, Ace gets up and looks Jason in the eyes. Before Ace can respond, Ruth stands up as well.
“Knock it off, both of you,” Ruth snaps, “Jason, we were just talking, it’s fine.”
Showing no fear, Jason slowly starts to back off, though his eyes never leave Ace.
“You’re not going to do jack squat here if I have anything to say about it,” Jason growls as he eventually turns his back and walks off, leaving Ace and Ruth alone on the bench once more.
“He’s a bit protective sometimes,” Ruth explains, which gets a soft laugh out of Ace.
“It’s fine, I was probably the same when I was that age,” The Gambler says, shaking his head with a smirk. “He’ll understand eventually.”
Ruth offers a faint smile, but remains quiet. About 30 more seconds pass before Ace clears his throat.
“Anyway, I’ll let you get going, as I don't want to cause any trouble,” Ace says, standing up from the bench. “But let me just say one more thing.”
Ruth nods as she looks up at Ace from the bench.
“Real talk,” Ace begins, taking a deep breath. “You broke down so many barriers, and you opened the door for so many people to get into the business; a lot of people owe you a debt of gratitude, myself included.”
At this point, Ruth starts to tear up, but Ace pushes on.
“You did so many things out there, but that’s not what impresses me most about you,” Ace continues. “For better or for worse, everything you did in that ring, for those people… All the championships you won… All the blood shed… All the work you put in when people weren't watching… You did it while staying true to you, and that’s a lost art in this business, so once again, congratulations on everything you’ve done. Professional wrestling needs more people like you.”
Ruth can’t control herself anymore; she stands up and puts her head on Ace’s shoulder for just a few seconds, allowing what her friend said to sink in before pushing herself off him. With a simple nod between the two, Ruth turns and heads for the locker room. Ace takes a deep breath before returning to the monitor with some of EWC’s backstage staff, awaiting the final result of the Rumble.
