Post by Austen Blackwell on Dec 1, 2017 2:39:43 GMT -5
Phoenix: Danni LeBlanc just shoved Austen breaking the count! No way! This match continues!
With both Ruby and Austen down, Danni is slow up to her feet. She looks at Austen and charges forward hitting a Shining Wizard that knocks him out. Austen is down on the mat as Danni looks back at Ruby. Austen positioned near the corner as Ruby is on her back off to the side of the ring. Danni heads up to the top rope in the corner. With Ruby on the ground, Danni climbs to the top rope and looks at the crowd. As she points down at her opponent with one hand, she gives a thumbs down with the other, then takes off into the shooting star senton she called Riptide. She connects with it and lands hard onto Ruby as Danni makes the cover.
Phoenix: This could be it!
ONE!
Phoenix: Blackwell is still out cold.
TWO!
Phoenix: We are about to have a new champ-
THREE!
DING DING DING
Phoenix: She did it! Danni LeBlanc is the new champion of the South Bay!
With both Ruby and Austen down, Danni is slow up to her feet. She looks at Austen and charges forward hitting a Shining Wizard that knocks him out. Austen is down on the mat as Danni looks back at Ruby. Austen positioned near the corner as Ruby is on her back off to the side of the ring. Danni heads up to the top rope in the corner. With Ruby on the ground, Danni climbs to the top rope and looks at the crowd. As she points down at her opponent with one hand, she gives a thumbs down with the other, then takes off into the shooting star senton she called Riptide. She connects with it and lands hard onto Ruby as Danni makes the cover.
Phoenix: This could be it!
ONE!
Phoenix: Blackwell is still out cold.
TWO!
Phoenix: We are about to have a new champ-
THREE!
DING DING DING
Phoenix: She did it! Danni LeBlanc is the new champion of the South Bay!
The scene opens as Austen Blackwell is sitting on the couch watching a replay of the South Bay triple threat match. Mercedes heard the audio of the ending play over and over four or five times. He found himself in a trance, not sure what he could have done better. He had it, but Danni was ever the opportunist. Mercedes walks into the living room and grabs the tablet out of his hands.
Mercedes: Babe what are you doing? You need to stop watching this.
Mercedes sighs, as she looks at him, shaking her head. Austen looks back up at her.
Austen: Hey! I was watching that!
Mercedes: Yeah, and why? You are torturing yourself by watching it babe. Why keep doing that?
Mercedes goes to sit down, but still not giving him the tablet back.
Austen: I was preparing for my match with Danni. I never was good enough to beat Ruby. And now? A repeat of the same with Danni. I just… I just can’t…
Mercedes shakes her head.
Mercedes: Babe you need to stop this. You are good enough, I know it. You just need to believe it yourself.
Austen lowers his head.
Austen: I am 0-3 in title matches. How is that good?
Mercedes: Just because you didn’t three times, does not mean you are not good enough. Just means it’s not the right time. Your time will come when it is time.
Austen looks up towards her. He was showing a vulnerability that she had not seen since the issue with his father originally began.
Austen: How can you have such blind faith?
Mercedes shakes her head.
Mercedes: It is not blind faith Austen. I am saying this from my job view, not from the fiancee view. You need to believe in yourself, and I do not see that right now.
Austen: Maybe my dad was right…
Mercedes was shocked by him saying that.
Mercedes: Austen do not think that. He was not right. He is a bitter man who doesn’t know his son.
Austen was obviously in a dark place, and it was getting to him.
Austen: Maybe I should take a step back and reevaluate my career.
Mercedes: You would still need to go to the shows Austen since I am Assistant GM. Just stop thinking too much about it. You are letting your mind get the better of you.
He looks back at her, and then the tablet.
Austen: Can I watch the match one more time?
Mercedes: Why Austen?
He shrugs but says nothing.
Mercedes: Austen…. Come on babe. Why are you letting this get to you?
Austen: I just. Ruby moved up to NGW. Danni won the South Bay title. You? You are an Assistant GM. I have not accomplished anything. And I feel like I am floundering.
Mercedes: You are not floundering Austen. Think about it this way, if you had won, it would be Danni without the title. Would you think she was floundering?
He shakes his head ‘no’.
Austen: I guess not.
Mercedes: What’s different between her, and you then?
Austen: I am me. She is her.
He shrugs.
Austen: I am critical of myself I guess. This is the first thing I ever thought I was good at. And I am not.
Mercedes: Austen you are good. If you were not good, you would not be getting the shots in the first place.
Austen: I guess so.
He gives up on the idea of the tablet.
Austen: Want to get something to eat? I am hungry.
He sulks his way over towards her.
Mercedes: Are you going to cheer up some?
She looks at him as she wondered. He again shrugs.
Austen: Sure.
“They say that you can learn a lot from a loss. Well, I should be the most educated man in the South Bay. Losing the ladder match that Ruby won at Hype 004. Ruby beating me one-on-one at Hype 005. And then two weeks ago.”
Austen lowers his head.
“But I persevere. I have to. It is the only way I know.”
Austen is obviously a bit shaken up from his recent losses.
“I could not get it done. I was not ready enough. I could not with the title on the line. Luckily, this weekend I face Danni without the title on the line. Lucky? Yes. Because it takes the pressure off. Maybe the pressure has been too much. I just need to reset. To refocus. And to relax. It has been a lot. And the best thing for me would be to concentrate on what I can control. Not what Ruby did. Not what Danni is doing. But what Austen is doing. I need to pull back some. I need to concentrate. I cannot let things like the pressure get to me. I might be the True Heart, but I feel like I’ve put so much heart into things that it has created some pain for me. I see Ruby up in NGW. Danni has the title. And me? I am still here. Without a direction.”
He shakes his head as the video cuts off. This was not the same positive Cali Boy. This was a very distraught Austen Blackwell.