159. Months Eleven & Twelve: Bring Me The Horizon
Vesvius
The Wicked God
After a split second's thought, you glance at Fontana and jerk your thumb back towards the ring. "You, with me," you order.
For a moment you think the kid's going to argue. His shoulders slump and he glances longingly at the chairs in front of the TV. But to his credit he doesn't say a word. Instead he gives you a sharp nod and jogs past you, joining the rest of your little group.
You wait until they're all in the ring before vaulting over the ropes again- because you can- and having a seat on the top turnbuckle. Once you're comfortable, you let out a sharp whistle. "Everyone line up wall-side!" you bellow. "Make sure there's at least three feet between you and your neighbors when you set up! We don't want any collisions- Weis! I said wall-side!"
The offending trainee nods so low that he almost bows to you and rushes to correct his mistake, taking up a spot on the side of the ring closest to the wall alongside the others. Once he's in position you let out another whistle. "Hit 'em!"
The trainees spring into action, leaning against the ropes and bouncing once before taking off in the enormous, over-exaggerated steps that Daybreak taught them this morning. Most are still pretty slow as they make their way across the ring. They're the ones that are counting their steps and focusing on moving in a straight line. You leave them alone; when they speed up, you'll step in.
It's the ones that have just taken off and started running that you focus on. "Melendez!" you bellow at an almost diminutive girl. "Hit the rope with your upper back! Just the top part! Ass away from the ropes!" She stops for a moment to reorient herself. When she starts up again, she's following your instructions, pivoting and bouncing off with only her shoulder blades.
One tiny thing fixed, one to go. "Fontana!" you holler at the second-gener. "Right arm! You grab with your right! Do not get them mixed up! You fuck your right and left up here, you're fucking 'em up everywhere!"
Fontana doesn't stop to make a correction like Melendez did. Instead he makes it midstride, reaching out and grabbing for the top rope with his right arm instead of his left like he had been doing. You nod at the change but then notice another thing. "Eight steps?! Really?! You need eight steps to get across this ring? Cut it down- Meester! The fuck's with that pivot point?! I could drive a fucking bus through that space! Hit the goddamn ropes!"
The next hour passes like that. You shout advice and instructions with only brief pauses for water breaks. By the time Daybreak calls for a switch, most of them have noticeably improved. Only most of them though; Stimpson is awful. You'll be shocked if she made it through the week. Fontana's made the biggest strides though. He's moving from cable to cable with confidence now, hitting the ropes with an easy stride that definitely wasn't there when you started.
Progress like that deserves recognition. Quickly, you scan the seven in front of you and pick out the other two most improved. "Melendez! Fontana! Shreve! Congrats! You weren't complete shit today!" You're pretty sure they actually swell with pride from that, and you hold back a chuckle. Is this how people react to Daybreak normally? If it is, it's amazing the boss walks from room to room instead of floating along, carried by the hot air in her head.
You don't get a chance to linger on that thought though. Daybreak sends over another seven pieces of fresh meat and you get right back to work. You yell and you curse and you do everything you can to make sure these trainees don't break their neck from hitting the ropes at the wrong angle. And then you do it again with the next group. And the next.
Finally, when your throat is rubbed raw and you're starting to deplete Daybreak's seemingly endless cooler of water, the boss blows her whistle. "That's a wrap for today, ducklings! Remember, same time tomorrow! See me before you go for your motel keys or you're going to have to find your own place to sleep!"
The trainees stream towards her, murmuring to each other like schoolkids. You don't follow them. Instead you hop off the turnbuckle and take a position wall-side, bouncing off the ropes. You're only going to get a minute to do your own thing before any of the new fanatics head towards the canvas to get some extra work in. You want to make it count.
And so you run the ropes, hitting them with some extra vigor. Once your muscles are starting to feel the burn, you hit them one last time and roll, winding up in handspring position before lashing back out at an imaginary opponent with a mule kick. Something in your leg twinges at the motion, so you spring back up shaking it. You frown as you glance down at the offending limb. It doesn't feel fucked up; more like you just put it through something it isn't used to.
You guess it has been a while since you broke out the mule kick. You should remedy that next match. It's one of your better moves after all, and you're pretty sure you haven't broken it out on a bigger, non-N.E.W show yet. Maybe against Hugo? Nah, that's not for a few months. Maybe Jack? Whoever you decide to use it on, you're going to need to make sure you've got the move down again. And that's going to take a few more reps. You hit the ropes again and get back to it.
After your third time you become aware of eyes on you. When you stand up, you find a small group of trainees gathered at the ring apron and watching your every move with hungry eyes. A quick headcount tells you that there are six of them. Huh. Not a bad crop. Your after school club was just you, Jack, and Allie after all. Then again, this class has at least ten more people in it than yours did, so maybe the added fanatics aren't a surprise.
Fontana's standing at the head of them. When he realizes you've stopped, he jerks his head up in greeting at you. "Hey," Fontana says, voice surprisingly raspy for someone so young. "Thanks for all your effort today. We," he makes a gesture encompassing the whole group. "Really appreciate it."
You shrug off the praise. "I'm just doing my job," you answer as you slide out of the ring. "But no problem. Ring's yours. I'm heading out."
A few of them make surprised noises. "Wait," a tall girl named Hathaway almost yelps out. "You're leaving us alone? I thought we needed supervision down here."
Again, you shrug. "You probably do. I'd stick with the tape library if I were you. But if you decide to get in the ring, the boss'll be around. Stick to running the ropes though. If you do anything else Daybreak'll kick your ass out faster than you can say 'no refunds'."
Some of the eager beavers grumble, but the obligingly head towards the video setup. Not Fontana though. He sticks around as you head over to your stuff. "So," he starts as you grab your gym bag. "How long have you been wrestling?"
"About a year," you answer. "More if you count my own wonderful time at Horizon."
"Oh!" he exclaims. "You trained here too?"
"Uh-huh," you answer. "One of the nine to make it through the nineteenth class, and one of the…" A pause as you wrack your brain for what you remember of your graduating class. You, Allie, Jack, Leah, Naomi, and Caleb are still in the area, still working. Chloe's still doing the occasional weekend in the forest lodge, Nick retired after his family asked him to, and… whatever happened to Angelina? Last you heard about her she just got in a car and headed west. She might still be working, but she may have dropped it for the next shiny thing to catch her eye. "..seven, maybe eight still in the business."
You and Fontana chat for another few moments, with him trying to wheedle out some extra tips and pointers and you flat out telling him that he hasn't even learned to bump yet so your advice would be pretty pointless. Finally he gives up and glances over at the TV, where the other trainees are waiting for him. "Are any of your matches in there?" he asks.
...huh. Newbies studying your tape. The idea never occurred to you, but you guess it makes sense. The fresh meat probably wants to get an idea of what they'll be able to do when they're in your shoes. "I'm not sure," you ask, and look over at Daybreak. Your teacher's waiting for you at the base of the stairs with her arms crossed and her toe tapping. "Yo boss! Is any of my shit in the library?"
Daybreak snorts. "Check the 'Pain In The Ass' file," she answers.
You roll your eyes. "All you had to do was say no-"
"Found it!" a voice calls from the TV. "Hey, they're ranked! That's convenient!"
Your head snaps back to Daybreak so fast you think you've got a concussion. "Ranked?" you mouth.
Daybreak doesn't acknowledge your shock. Instead she glances at Fontana. "You better head over there if you want to learn anything," she orders him. "I need a word with your bestest buddy."
The kid doesn't linger after that. With one more shake of your hand, he trots over to the TV, leaving you and Daybreak alone. Once he's out of earshot you mutter "Ranked?" again.
"Yeah, it's on a one to five scale. One is a match that makes me wonder how you're able to get dressed in the morning, five is something that almost makes me proud I trained you. Now come on. No lingering around the impressionable newbies and fucking up their natural dynamics, no matter how much fun it would be for your ego."
The two of you head up the stairs and make your way to the living room, where Delilah's waiting. The little girl is frowning into a textbook that's almost twice the size of her. You chuckle and reach down, ruffling her hair and breaking her concentration. "Hey!" she protests. "I was- Martin! Hi!"
She reaches up in a request for a hug, which you oblige. As you do you glance at the book. You can't tell much from just a look, but the pictures and words in it seem a little more advanced than you'd expect for an elementary school textbook. You say as much as you let Delilah go, and behind you Daybreak beams.
"Yeah, you're right," she replies, practically glowing with pride. "But little 'lilah here tested into honors science! She's way ahead of other kids in her grade!"
Delilah flushes and looks back at the book, clearly trying to hide her joy at her mom's pride and just as clearly failing. "It's not that big a deal," she mutters to her chest.
"Really?!" you reply to Daybreak, ignoring Delilah's attempted modesty. "That's great! Wow. I guess you've got a little smarty pants living here now, boss! Grats, brat! That's cool as heck."
This time her flush is something to behold, racing down the back of her neck and turning her into something that might be visible from space. "Not a big deal," she weakly says again.
You ignore her and ruffle her hair again before dropping down next to her. The brat throws your hand off and scowls up at you as she tries to fix her mop, but then her eyes widen as if she's remembered something. "Oh! Martin! How's your head? I heard you got a little messed up!"
"Fine," you answer. "I'm feeling good. Really. I'd have been able to have a match today if someone hadn't threatened to replace me down there."
"Someone's got to care about your stupid face, " Daybreak answers without shame as she has her own seat. "And it's definitely not going to be you, so I've got to do it. I'm not sorry, and you're not doing anything different tomorrow either. I'll run 'em through bumping. You just stand back and tell them when they're sucking. You're pretty good at that."
"Aw, come on!" you whine. "I'll wear the helmet!"
"No. Final answer."
You groan, but give in. She's not changing her mind. "Fine. I won't bump tomorrow. But I'm going to have to do a few soon. I've got a match Saturday and I want to make sure I still remember how."
Daybreak shrugs. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. You'll be fine. It's like riding a bike that messes up your spine. You should be good without the reminder bumps."
You just shrug at that and sit back, relaxing into the couch. Daybreak doesn't say a word either. She seems content to just enjoy the silence. That leaves Delilah to break it, and break it she does. "You're working soon? Who're you up against? Someone I know?"
"Yeah," you answer. "I've got Allie over in Philly. It should be fun. We've never had a one on one before, so I'm really looking forward to it."
At that, both McCarthys seem to relax. You glance from face to face. "What?"
"Nothing," Delilah answers, but there's relief written clearly on her face.
You reach out and poke her, grinding a finger into her cheek. "That sure doesn't look like nothing. Come on, out with it."
"It's nothing! Really!" she protests. When you don't let up, she sighs and bats your finger away. "Okay, fine. I'm just glad you're in there with Barbie. She'll make sure nothing happens to you in there."
Daybreak nods along with her daughter's words. "Yeah. Girl might crack her own skull, but she won't touch a hair on your head. I'm just happy to know that you'll make it through another match."
You glance from McCarthy to McCarthy, a confused frown on your face. "What, really? That's it? I didn't think you thought so highly of Allie's safety."
"Oh, I don't," comes Daybreak's unvarnished answer. "Girl's gonna mess up someone's jaw real quick if she doesn't figure out how to pull her punches. But she won't do that to you. She's going to be about as stiff as a tissue out there."
...you're really not sure how to answer that, and you're really not sure why they think Allie's going to treat you with kid gloves. After all, she's a pro too. She wants to have a great match just as much as you do. If she has to lay it in a little she'll lay it in a little. You say as much.
The reaction you get confuses you even more. Delilah just starts to cackle, and Daybreak rubs her forehead. "She won't," your teacher repeats. "Just… just trust me. She won't."
Before you can press any further, she changes the subject. "Speaking of my little proteges fighting each other, Horizon!" she says with a clap of the hands. "Are you going to make it to the show this month?"
You think for a moment and shake your head. "Sorry, no. I've got a really full dance card this month, what with the move coming up and my A.D.C shows starting up. I'm not going to be able to make 'em."
Daybreak nods as if she expected that. "How about next month?"
"Probably not," you reply. "It's more of the same."
Your teacher slowly nods and sits back, crossing her arms. "I see," she mutters ."No problem, I get it. How about after that?"
"...I'm really not sure yet," you answer. "I'm going to have to see how the calendar shakes out. Why? What's up?"
Daybreak pauses before sitting up in her chair. "Well…" she says slowly as she gets her thoughts in order. "I was thinking about getting a little bit more ambitious with it."
Oh? That's news, especially considering you basically had to drag her kicking and screaming into booking her own show. "Really?"
"Yeah," she mutters. "We actually drew pretty well last month and made a tiny profit. Not much. Just a couple hundred. But it was money that I didn't expect to see. I've been talking to Hector and he's pretty sure that there's more cash out there that I'm leaving on the table. I mean, we didn't even sell concessions last time, and we haven't done one angle."
"So you're thinking of… making it like an actual promotion?"
Daybreak nods slowly. "Yeah. Kinda. Maybe. If I can get some key talent committed." She glances up at you. "And yes, that includes you, you nerd."
You reel back from the revelation that Daybreak considers you 'key talent'. That's probably the highest praise she's ever given you. Your instincts scream at you to say yes, that you'll definitely be able to make the show after next. But you can't let your teacher's praise lead you to making a stupid decision. After all, there's only so many days in a week, and you're not sure you can really commit to Horizon like Daybreak's fishing for.
At your hesitation, Daybreak nods approvingly. "I wouldn't be asking you to do this for free of course," she says teasingly.
...she now has your full attention.
"It wouldn't be much, but it would be steady," she continues. "And…" she glances down at Delilah. "Earmuffs, kiddo."
The brat obligingly slaps her hands over her ears. At your questioning look, Daybreak shrugs. "I don't want to spoil the plot for her," she explains. "Anyway. Like I said, there's a little money in it for you. And if you can promise you'd make it to most of the shows, I can tell you that I'd be building around you a little bit."
...she now has your full interest.
"I've got a few stories in mind," Daybreak adds. "They all depend on who else signs on. But you'd be featured. Sound good?"
Daybreak is offering you a deal with Horizon Wrestling (Schedule: 1 show every four weeks, starting next quarter (3 AP per show). Pay: 1 expense per show. Travel: she'll throw you gas money. Full merchandise control. You would be a featured talent, and likely wind up wearing a few hats behind the scenes knowing Daybreak. Duration: Until either you or Daybreak gets sick of the other). Do you take it?
[] [HORIZON] Yes. You probably would've helped out anyway. Money just sweetens the deal.
[] [HORIZON] It's promising, but you have some other terms in mind. (Write in negotiations. DC varies. Failing the DC exasperates Daybreak and has the offer rescinded.)
[] [HORIZON] You'll decline. You appreciate the offer and the faith it represents, but you can't really tie yourself to a minor thing like Horizon at this stage of your career.
You've got a match coming up with Allie at K.W.K this Saturday. Daybreak has brought it to your attention that Allie might hold back for… some reason. If she does, the match will probably suffer. But you know Allie, and you know she'll follow your lead when it comes to calling the match. Do you want to tell her to take it easy on you?
[] [KINGDOM] You'll tell Allie that you're going all out, both of you. This is your first singles match. You want it to be special, and as good as you can make it. And it can't be great if she's worried about your head.
[] [KINGDOM] You won't say a word to Allie and let her decide what she's comfortable doing. If she'd rather not punch you in the face then you're not eager to get punched in the face.
[] [KINGDOM] You'll ask her to go even easier on you. You're recovering from an injury after all, and you don't want to risk it any more than you have to. The match quality will definitely suffer but that's something you're okay with right now.
[] [KINGDOM] Write-In (QM approval required. Tag @Vesvius when making a write-in.)
-----------------------
Mechanic Changes
Skill Changes
Basics: Impressive 863/1500 -> Impressive 924/1500 (Horizon Training)
Safety: Impressive 599/1500 -> Impressive 623/1500 (Horizon Training)
Comedy: Average 250/500 -> Average 259/500 (Horizon Training)
Submission: Mediocre 165/250 -> Mediocre 176/250 (Horizon Training)
Relationship Changes
Prince Fontana: N/A -> Acquaintance. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and it looks like you made a good one. The second-generation trainee is at least a little grateful for the help. Let's see if it stays that way.
For a moment you think the kid's going to argue. His shoulders slump and he glances longingly at the chairs in front of the TV. But to his credit he doesn't say a word. Instead he gives you a sharp nod and jogs past you, joining the rest of your little group.
You wait until they're all in the ring before vaulting over the ropes again- because you can- and having a seat on the top turnbuckle. Once you're comfortable, you let out a sharp whistle. "Everyone line up wall-side!" you bellow. "Make sure there's at least three feet between you and your neighbors when you set up! We don't want any collisions- Weis! I said wall-side!"
The offending trainee nods so low that he almost bows to you and rushes to correct his mistake, taking up a spot on the side of the ring closest to the wall alongside the others. Once he's in position you let out another whistle. "Hit 'em!"
The trainees spring into action, leaning against the ropes and bouncing once before taking off in the enormous, over-exaggerated steps that Daybreak taught them this morning. Most are still pretty slow as they make their way across the ring. They're the ones that are counting their steps and focusing on moving in a straight line. You leave them alone; when they speed up, you'll step in.
It's the ones that have just taken off and started running that you focus on. "Melendez!" you bellow at an almost diminutive girl. "Hit the rope with your upper back! Just the top part! Ass away from the ropes!" She stops for a moment to reorient herself. When she starts up again, she's following your instructions, pivoting and bouncing off with only her shoulder blades.
One tiny thing fixed, one to go. "Fontana!" you holler at the second-gener. "Right arm! You grab with your right! Do not get them mixed up! You fuck your right and left up here, you're fucking 'em up everywhere!"
Fontana doesn't stop to make a correction like Melendez did. Instead he makes it midstride, reaching out and grabbing for the top rope with his right arm instead of his left like he had been doing. You nod at the change but then notice another thing. "Eight steps?! Really?! You need eight steps to get across this ring? Cut it down- Meester! The fuck's with that pivot point?! I could drive a fucking bus through that space! Hit the goddamn ropes!"
The next hour passes like that. You shout advice and instructions with only brief pauses for water breaks. By the time Daybreak calls for a switch, most of them have noticeably improved. Only most of them though; Stimpson is awful. You'll be shocked if she made it through the week. Fontana's made the biggest strides though. He's moving from cable to cable with confidence now, hitting the ropes with an easy stride that definitely wasn't there when you started.
Progress like that deserves recognition. Quickly, you scan the seven in front of you and pick out the other two most improved. "Melendez! Fontana! Shreve! Congrats! You weren't complete shit today!" You're pretty sure they actually swell with pride from that, and you hold back a chuckle. Is this how people react to Daybreak normally? If it is, it's amazing the boss walks from room to room instead of floating along, carried by the hot air in her head.
You don't get a chance to linger on that thought though. Daybreak sends over another seven pieces of fresh meat and you get right back to work. You yell and you curse and you do everything you can to make sure these trainees don't break their neck from hitting the ropes at the wrong angle. And then you do it again with the next group. And the next.
Finally, when your throat is rubbed raw and you're starting to deplete Daybreak's seemingly endless cooler of water, the boss blows her whistle. "That's a wrap for today, ducklings! Remember, same time tomorrow! See me before you go for your motel keys or you're going to have to find your own place to sleep!"
The trainees stream towards her, murmuring to each other like schoolkids. You don't follow them. Instead you hop off the turnbuckle and take a position wall-side, bouncing off the ropes. You're only going to get a minute to do your own thing before any of the new fanatics head towards the canvas to get some extra work in. You want to make it count.
And so you run the ropes, hitting them with some extra vigor. Once your muscles are starting to feel the burn, you hit them one last time and roll, winding up in handspring position before lashing back out at an imaginary opponent with a mule kick. Something in your leg twinges at the motion, so you spring back up shaking it. You frown as you glance down at the offending limb. It doesn't feel fucked up; more like you just put it through something it isn't used to.
You guess it has been a while since you broke out the mule kick. You should remedy that next match. It's one of your better moves after all, and you're pretty sure you haven't broken it out on a bigger, non-N.E.W show yet. Maybe against Hugo? Nah, that's not for a few months. Maybe Jack? Whoever you decide to use it on, you're going to need to make sure you've got the move down again. And that's going to take a few more reps. You hit the ropes again and get back to it.
After your third time you become aware of eyes on you. When you stand up, you find a small group of trainees gathered at the ring apron and watching your every move with hungry eyes. A quick headcount tells you that there are six of them. Huh. Not a bad crop. Your after school club was just you, Jack, and Allie after all. Then again, this class has at least ten more people in it than yours did, so maybe the added fanatics aren't a surprise.
Fontana's standing at the head of them. When he realizes you've stopped, he jerks his head up in greeting at you. "Hey," Fontana says, voice surprisingly raspy for someone so young. "Thanks for all your effort today. We," he makes a gesture encompassing the whole group. "Really appreciate it."
You shrug off the praise. "I'm just doing my job," you answer as you slide out of the ring. "But no problem. Ring's yours. I'm heading out."
A few of them make surprised noises. "Wait," a tall girl named Hathaway almost yelps out. "You're leaving us alone? I thought we needed supervision down here."
Again, you shrug. "You probably do. I'd stick with the tape library if I were you. But if you decide to get in the ring, the boss'll be around. Stick to running the ropes though. If you do anything else Daybreak'll kick your ass out faster than you can say 'no refunds'."
Some of the eager beavers grumble, but the obligingly head towards the video setup. Not Fontana though. He sticks around as you head over to your stuff. "So," he starts as you grab your gym bag. "How long have you been wrestling?"
"About a year," you answer. "More if you count my own wonderful time at Horizon."
"Oh!" he exclaims. "You trained here too?"
"Uh-huh," you answer. "One of the nine to make it through the nineteenth class, and one of the…" A pause as you wrack your brain for what you remember of your graduating class. You, Allie, Jack, Leah, Naomi, and Caleb are still in the area, still working. Chloe's still doing the occasional weekend in the forest lodge, Nick retired after his family asked him to, and… whatever happened to Angelina? Last you heard about her she just got in a car and headed west. She might still be working, but she may have dropped it for the next shiny thing to catch her eye. "..seven, maybe eight still in the business."
You and Fontana chat for another few moments, with him trying to wheedle out some extra tips and pointers and you flat out telling him that he hasn't even learned to bump yet so your advice would be pretty pointless. Finally he gives up and glances over at the TV, where the other trainees are waiting for him. "Are any of your matches in there?" he asks.
...huh. Newbies studying your tape. The idea never occurred to you, but you guess it makes sense. The fresh meat probably wants to get an idea of what they'll be able to do when they're in your shoes. "I'm not sure," you ask, and look over at Daybreak. Your teacher's waiting for you at the base of the stairs with her arms crossed and her toe tapping. "Yo boss! Is any of my shit in the library?"
Daybreak snorts. "Check the 'Pain In The Ass' file," she answers.
You roll your eyes. "All you had to do was say no-"
"Found it!" a voice calls from the TV. "Hey, they're ranked! That's convenient!"
Your head snaps back to Daybreak so fast you think you've got a concussion. "Ranked?" you mouth.
Daybreak doesn't acknowledge your shock. Instead she glances at Fontana. "You better head over there if you want to learn anything," she orders him. "I need a word with your bestest buddy."
The kid doesn't linger after that. With one more shake of your hand, he trots over to the TV, leaving you and Daybreak alone. Once he's out of earshot you mutter "Ranked?" again.
"Yeah, it's on a one to five scale. One is a match that makes me wonder how you're able to get dressed in the morning, five is something that almost makes me proud I trained you. Now come on. No lingering around the impressionable newbies and fucking up their natural dynamics, no matter how much fun it would be for your ego."
The two of you head up the stairs and make your way to the living room, where Delilah's waiting. The little girl is frowning into a textbook that's almost twice the size of her. You chuckle and reach down, ruffling her hair and breaking her concentration. "Hey!" she protests. "I was- Martin! Hi!"
She reaches up in a request for a hug, which you oblige. As you do you glance at the book. You can't tell much from just a look, but the pictures and words in it seem a little more advanced than you'd expect for an elementary school textbook. You say as much as you let Delilah go, and behind you Daybreak beams.
"Yeah, you're right," she replies, practically glowing with pride. "But little 'lilah here tested into honors science! She's way ahead of other kids in her grade!"
Delilah flushes and looks back at the book, clearly trying to hide her joy at her mom's pride and just as clearly failing. "It's not that big a deal," she mutters to her chest.
"Really?!" you reply to Daybreak, ignoring Delilah's attempted modesty. "That's great! Wow. I guess you've got a little smarty pants living here now, boss! Grats, brat! That's cool as heck."
This time her flush is something to behold, racing down the back of her neck and turning her into something that might be visible from space. "Not a big deal," she weakly says again.
You ignore her and ruffle her hair again before dropping down next to her. The brat throws your hand off and scowls up at you as she tries to fix her mop, but then her eyes widen as if she's remembered something. "Oh! Martin! How's your head? I heard you got a little messed up!"
"Fine," you answer. "I'm feeling good. Really. I'd have been able to have a match today if someone hadn't threatened to replace me down there."
"Someone's got to care about your stupid face, " Daybreak answers without shame as she has her own seat. "And it's definitely not going to be you, so I've got to do it. I'm not sorry, and you're not doing anything different tomorrow either. I'll run 'em through bumping. You just stand back and tell them when they're sucking. You're pretty good at that."
"Aw, come on!" you whine. "I'll wear the helmet!"
"No. Final answer."
You groan, but give in. She's not changing her mind. "Fine. I won't bump tomorrow. But I'm going to have to do a few soon. I've got a match Saturday and I want to make sure I still remember how."
Daybreak shrugs. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. You'll be fine. It's like riding a bike that messes up your spine. You should be good without the reminder bumps."
You just shrug at that and sit back, relaxing into the couch. Daybreak doesn't say a word either. She seems content to just enjoy the silence. That leaves Delilah to break it, and break it she does. "You're working soon? Who're you up against? Someone I know?"
"Yeah," you answer. "I've got Allie over in Philly. It should be fun. We've never had a one on one before, so I'm really looking forward to it."
At that, both McCarthys seem to relax. You glance from face to face. "What?"
"Nothing," Delilah answers, but there's relief written clearly on her face.
You reach out and poke her, grinding a finger into her cheek. "That sure doesn't look like nothing. Come on, out with it."
"It's nothing! Really!" she protests. When you don't let up, she sighs and bats your finger away. "Okay, fine. I'm just glad you're in there with Barbie. She'll make sure nothing happens to you in there."
Daybreak nods along with her daughter's words. "Yeah. Girl might crack her own skull, but she won't touch a hair on your head. I'm just happy to know that you'll make it through another match."
You glance from McCarthy to McCarthy, a confused frown on your face. "What, really? That's it? I didn't think you thought so highly of Allie's safety."
"Oh, I don't," comes Daybreak's unvarnished answer. "Girl's gonna mess up someone's jaw real quick if she doesn't figure out how to pull her punches. But she won't do that to you. She's going to be about as stiff as a tissue out there."
...you're really not sure how to answer that, and you're really not sure why they think Allie's going to treat you with kid gloves. After all, she's a pro too. She wants to have a great match just as much as you do. If she has to lay it in a little she'll lay it in a little. You say as much.
The reaction you get confuses you even more. Delilah just starts to cackle, and Daybreak rubs her forehead. "She won't," your teacher repeats. "Just… just trust me. She won't."
Before you can press any further, she changes the subject. "Speaking of my little proteges fighting each other, Horizon!" she says with a clap of the hands. "Are you going to make it to the show this month?"
You think for a moment and shake your head. "Sorry, no. I've got a really full dance card this month, what with the move coming up and my A.D.C shows starting up. I'm not going to be able to make 'em."
Daybreak nods as if she expected that. "How about next month?"
"Probably not," you reply. "It's more of the same."
Your teacher slowly nods and sits back, crossing her arms. "I see," she mutters ."No problem, I get it. How about after that?"
"...I'm really not sure yet," you answer. "I'm going to have to see how the calendar shakes out. Why? What's up?"
Daybreak pauses before sitting up in her chair. "Well…" she says slowly as she gets her thoughts in order. "I was thinking about getting a little bit more ambitious with it."
Oh? That's news, especially considering you basically had to drag her kicking and screaming into booking her own show. "Really?"
"Yeah," she mutters. "We actually drew pretty well last month and made a tiny profit. Not much. Just a couple hundred. But it was money that I didn't expect to see. I've been talking to Hector and he's pretty sure that there's more cash out there that I'm leaving on the table. I mean, we didn't even sell concessions last time, and we haven't done one angle."
"So you're thinking of… making it like an actual promotion?"
Daybreak nods slowly. "Yeah. Kinda. Maybe. If I can get some key talent committed." She glances up at you. "And yes, that includes you, you nerd."
You reel back from the revelation that Daybreak considers you 'key talent'. That's probably the highest praise she's ever given you. Your instincts scream at you to say yes, that you'll definitely be able to make the show after next. But you can't let your teacher's praise lead you to making a stupid decision. After all, there's only so many days in a week, and you're not sure you can really commit to Horizon like Daybreak's fishing for.
At your hesitation, Daybreak nods approvingly. "I wouldn't be asking you to do this for free of course," she says teasingly.
...she now has your full attention.
"It wouldn't be much, but it would be steady," she continues. "And…" she glances down at Delilah. "Earmuffs, kiddo."
The brat obligingly slaps her hands over her ears. At your questioning look, Daybreak shrugs. "I don't want to spoil the plot for her," she explains. "Anyway. Like I said, there's a little money in it for you. And if you can promise you'd make it to most of the shows, I can tell you that I'd be building around you a little bit."
...she now has your full interest.
"I've got a few stories in mind," Daybreak adds. "They all depend on who else signs on. But you'd be featured. Sound good?"
Daybreak is offering you a deal with Horizon Wrestling (Schedule: 1 show every four weeks, starting next quarter (3 AP per show). Pay: 1 expense per show. Travel: she'll throw you gas money. Full merchandise control. You would be a featured talent, and likely wind up wearing a few hats behind the scenes knowing Daybreak. Duration: Until either you or Daybreak gets sick of the other). Do you take it?
[] [HORIZON] Yes. You probably would've helped out anyway. Money just sweetens the deal.
[] [HORIZON] It's promising, but you have some other terms in mind. (Write in negotiations. DC varies. Failing the DC exasperates Daybreak and has the offer rescinded.)
[] [HORIZON] You'll decline. You appreciate the offer and the faith it represents, but you can't really tie yourself to a minor thing like Horizon at this stage of your career.
You've got a match coming up with Allie at K.W.K this Saturday. Daybreak has brought it to your attention that Allie might hold back for… some reason. If she does, the match will probably suffer. But you know Allie, and you know she'll follow your lead when it comes to calling the match. Do you want to tell her to take it easy on you?
[] [KINGDOM] You'll tell Allie that you're going all out, both of you. This is your first singles match. You want it to be special, and as good as you can make it. And it can't be great if she's worried about your head.
[] [KINGDOM] You won't say a word to Allie and let her decide what she's comfortable doing. If she'd rather not punch you in the face then you're not eager to get punched in the face.
[] [KINGDOM] You'll ask her to go even easier on you. You're recovering from an injury after all, and you don't want to risk it any more than you have to. The match quality will definitely suffer but that's something you're okay with right now.
[] [KINGDOM] Write-In (QM approval required. Tag @Vesvius when making a write-in.)
-----------------------
Mechanic Changes
Skill Changes
Basics: Impressive 863/1500 -> Impressive 924/1500 (Horizon Training)
Safety: Impressive 599/1500 -> Impressive 623/1500 (Horizon Training)
Comedy: Average 250/500 -> Average 259/500 (Horizon Training)
Submission: Mediocre 165/250 -> Mediocre 176/250 (Horizon Training)
Relationship Changes
Prince Fontana: N/A -> Acquaintance. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and it looks like you made a good one. The second-generation trainee is at least a little grateful for the help. Let's see if it stays that way.
Last edited:
