Hoppin’ Down The Bunny Trail: Part Two

[TheSouthernExpress]

Hoppin’ Down The Bunny Trail: Part Two

The camera opens inside the offices of Paramount Wrestling with Bunny Love sitting on a bench in front of the Paramount receptionist. She exhales loudly as she looks at the screen of her phone and the face of her father, ‘The Memphis Mouthpiece’ Tommy Love.

“I already told you, I don’t know where Xavier is dad…I’m out here in Daly City dealing with my own issues…”

She looks down at the Breach of Contract letter she received before Christmas but Tommy shakes his head.

“That’s all a bunch of corporate mumbo jumbo…a letter to get you all freaked out, it’s not your fault that Bobby and Jimmy called it a day and ran off into retirement…”

“I’m the one that signed the deal dad…me, I signed us to Paramount and the CW so…”

But Tommy doesn’t let her finish.

“You understand I’m trying to get Xavier into this Legends of the Ring Tournament right? I’m trying to get the kid back on track but he’s not returning any of my calls, Deimos won’t tell me shit and I figured YOU of all people would have his best interest at heart…”

Bunny curls up her lip, annoyed with her father.

“I HAVE XAVIER’S BEST INTEREST AT HEART!!!”

The receptionist looks up at Bunny and holds her finger to her lips as Bunny smiles and tilts her head ever so slightly to the side.

“It’s not my fault that he’s ghosting you…maybe you should call up Jamie and bitch him out about this, seeing as he turned on Xavier at WrestleFest…the truth is dad he’s barely talked to me on this break…”

That was a lie, in fact Xavier was back at her hotel right this moment but she wasn’t going to tell him that…

“Maybe you need to get you HOUSE in order before giving me shit…”

The phone on the receptionist desk buzzes and she lifts the receiver to her ear and nods as she looks at Bunny

“Ms. Love, Mr. Brock will see you now…”

“I have to go, I have my own career to worry about but if I talk to Xavier I’ll let him know about this ‘pleasant’ conversation and make sure he calls you back…”

She ends the call before her father can utter a word and she stands up, smooths out her skirt and picks up the letter from Nexstar Media Group and follows the receptionist down a hallway until they reach a door that reads: Chris Brock. The receptionist knocks on the door, opens it and sticks her head in.

“Ms. Love sir…”

She opens the door the rest of the way for Bunny, who enters the office as Chris Brock stands up from behind his desk and walks over to greet her.

“Bunny, it’s a please…sorry to keep you waiting, please take a seat…”

He motions to the chair in front of his desk as he walks back behind his desk and sits back down.

“What can I do for you?”

Bunny sits down and puts the letter on his desk and slides it over to him

“This is the letter I received last month that I spoke to you about…you said you needed to tie up some loose ends and we should ‘talk after the holiday’...well it’s the end of January so…”

She shrugs as he smiles

“Aw, yes…”

“I know I signed a three year deal with Paramount and the CW and still have one year left on the contract but with Bobby and Jimmy retiring…”

Chris smiles and stands back up cutting Bunny off

"I know you have to be absolutely freaking out right now, and you have every right to be Bunny, but I think I have a solution that will benefit you, Paramount, and EWC."

Bunny cocks her head, trying to figure out what Brock is alluding to.

"See, I'm not sure if you heard or not but the CW network was bought out by a new media company back in August and in October during the up fronts for the new season of Television, the new owners ousted the existing leadership core of the CW network."

Bunny nods, trying her best to follow along.

"The "loose ends" I told you about Bunny, was me making sure that I knew exactly what the status of Paramount Wrestling's contract was. I didn't want to be caught with my pants down and the show be on the verge of cancellation. So I went to our Lawyers and had them scour that contract top to bottom and in it, was the solution to this mess. As of right now, that contract that the CW is referring to in this letter is null and void."

Bunny's eyes go wide.

"When the network sold, it triggered a first right of refusal clause in the contract that EWC had with the CW Network. Because they did not consult us first on a potential buyout agreement of the network, Paramount Wrestling had the right to declare the contract terminated. I consulted with Mac on this and he agreed that the CW can... how did he put it... "Go fuck its self"

Brock and Bunny both laugh at that one.

"So you don't have to worry about that legal letter you got, Bunny. I have taken care of it for you. I do, however, need to inform you that the contract moved over to being owned by Paramount Wrestling, as well as the rights to The Southern Express Television show. . So now you have one year left on an exclusive deal with Paramount Wrestling to be a manager. So you better have a tag team ready for the season premiere, because the World wants to see what you come up with next."

Bunny’s eyes widen

“By Feburary 22th? That’s…”

She looks down at her hands and starts counting

“24 days…I have 24 days to find a NEW TAG TEAM???”

Chris smiles at her and nods

"Oh yea, I have total faith in you Bunny…”

A look of concern flashes over Bunny’s face…

"But you don't even have a new network for Paramount yet?!"

“Ah yes, I totally forgot to fill you in there. You are the first roster member to be told this but as of the right now, Paramount Wrestling and Season 2 of The Southern Express show will air exclusively on Apple TV + and the EWC Network. We're going 100% digital Bunny! tell Jimmy and Bobby that they better get their asses out here to Cali for filming of season 2 because I also got them Executive Producer credits for the remaining life of the show."

Chris stands up and motions towards the door.

“I don’t want to keep you any longer, I know you are a busy lady but I’m excited to see what you come up with on February 22th when you kick off the season at the Cow Palace, right here in Daly City…”

A still shocked Bunny stands up and nods as she walks towards the door

“Ok then…24 days…”

But before she knows it she’s standing outside on the street looking up at the Paramount offices, her attention to the moment comes back when she hears the ringing of her phone. She pulls it out and sees it’s Xavier…she begins to tell him what just happened as she walks back to the hotel, the scene speeds up to where she’s standing face to face with him…

“Then he said I ‘better have a tag team ready for the season premiere, because the World wants to see what you come up with next’...that’s 24 days away Xavier…where the fuck am I going to find a tag team in 24 days…”

She looks at him in a panic but he holds out his hands

“Listen, I’m done with tag team after your brother fucked me…besides Sam isn’t ready to come back yet…”

“What about your idiot cousins, what’s their names…”

“Perdido and Abando…NO!!! I’m not owing Villano a favor…”

“What about Tlatoani and one of his sisters…”

But once again Xavier shakes his head

“I think the EWC is at its limits with the Volando’s Bunny…”

“You’re not understanding this Xavier…I’M SCREWED HERE!!!”

But as she starts to freak out he slowly smiles

“You know…I might know a team…they were former tag team champions in fact…they also had a pretty historic run as champions…”

Bunny’s face brightens as Xavier smiles at her

“Really…”

“Oh yeah, in fact they were the longest reigning champions in their company as well…”

“Just like Bobby and Jimmy…”

“Yeah, sort of…they didn't’ have the number of defenses but they were champions for over a year…”

“Do you think they would sign with me…I mean, a team like that, they must have options right…”

Xavier shrugs at her

“Well, times have been tough for them…you know how the business is, their company closed and they were left hunting for other means of employment…”

“What are they doing now?”

Xavier slowly rocks his head back and forth as he pulls out his phone…

“Well one is a valued member in the restaurant business and the other…”

Xavier hits play on his phone…

“Has a podcast…”

Bunny’s mouth drops open, the excitement she once had rushes from her body as she listens to the familiar voice of Deimos…

“And listen, I told her, sweetheart of course I’m the one that gave you crabs, I’m a former professional wrestler and no I didn’t tell you beforehand because I’m what you call a HEEL in the business, a bad guy…the ones your mother warned you about and while I’m being honest I took pictures of your feet while you were sleeping and sold them on FeetFinder…”

“ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!?!?!”

“What, you said you wanted him out of the house…he needs a job and you need a team…seems like a win/win to me…call him, it will do wonders for his podcast…”

Xavier shrugs his shoulders and turns away from her as she holds his phone with a look of dread on her face.