Post by Austen Blackwell on Mar 6, 2018 8:55:26 GMT -5
The Pacific Ocean was a second home for Austen Blackwell. It was where he would spend endless nights sitting under the stars trying to figure life out. It is where he met up with his soon-to-be-wife Mercedes Carter. It is where Austen would watch his cousin, Robbie, surf. It is where Robbie and his girlfriend Stacy have a house. So on and so forth, the waves of the Pacific were the calm to the storm that revolved around Austen. Between learning about his real mother and that he had a half-brother, things had changed immensely in two years. The same Ocean would play witness to the upcoming wedding between Austen and Mercedes, as Hawaii will be the location. And it would be fitting that the beach is the exact locale for their marital vows to be spoken. For these two, The True Heart and The Sweet Heart, life was about fun. It was about enjoying life and each other, it was about enjoying the Ocean, loving great music, and just being in love. Some understood it, while others did not. Mercedes was the hurricane that Austen needed to make life enjoyable, and Austen was the stability that Mercedes needed. The ying to each other’s yang.
As if the beach and the Ocean were already two points of important to Austen before Mercedes, more now than ever they were. In West Coast Genesis, Austen had fallen from the clouds of being someone to fight for the South Bay Championship to being fifty-fifty for the most part and feeling lost. The entire debacle with The Nite Stalker has thrown Blackwell off of his game, and just messed with him. Once a positive person, Austen would question himself over and over. He even would push forth an alliance with James Pridmore, a man most of the roster did not care for and boyfriend to the drama queen Julianna DiMaria. Pridmore and Blackwell were tormented by Stalker, and it was on them to make him pay once and for all. It was an alliance not of want, but of need. Sometimes, we need to do things that are not the norm.
Austen looked towards the upcoming match with Ryuji Takahashi. Father of Tamaki, the child he and Melina Wilson parent. Austen knew Tamaki well, and even gave the youngster a couple of shirts. Austen and Melina were friends, and had tagged together. They had a unique friendship, but it was one of respect for each other. This match with Ryuji, it would be another test in respect for Blackwell as he sat on the beach alone. He had watched the waves roll in and out. Mid 40 degree temperatures in the early morning, Austen wore a hoodie but with shorts and some sneakers.
Austen: They say respect is earned, not given. I would agree to that. I think respect is something you work towards. You may want to respect someone, or you respect them for the things that they have done in their life, but to truly respect someone you need to maintain some sort of relationship to them. A sort of connection. Ryuji and I have just that; a connection. Tamaki is a great little dude. And his mom, Melina? She and I have great respect for each other. So way before you even joined the company, Ryuji, I knew of you. And was always told great stuff. I’ve seen exactly the same; nothing but good stuff. As far as WCG goes, I welcome you with open arms. I know that you’ve been here for a hot minute, but we have yet to really cross paths. We face off Saturday night in Santa Rosa. I am not going to promise a win or tell you that you aren’t good enough. On any given day, it comes down to who the better man or woman steps up to the plate. For you and me, this is going to be a fun match. I would love to shake your hand to start the match. And no matter the results, I want to shake it at the end. Looking at some of your tape, you and I match up quite well inside of the ring. I was not able to find too much in the way of accomplishments, so perhaps being as young as you are, we have that in common. Looking to push our careers forward and to develop ourselves into stars. We are both hungry and that only means we gotta turn up the intensity to the max. You and I will need to push ourselves to our limits. Show the fans and the entire roster just why we deserve more eyes. Why we deserve shots. And why chances should be taken on us.
He reaches for a handful of sand, letting it slowly escape through his fingers. As the sand falls, so does his head as he realizes the number of chances that he has had and how he has come up short. Ruby Lance. Danielle Basch. Two ladies that Austen was on a similar level with, but he failed over and over to get over that hump.
Austen: Putting our skills to the test, this is our chance Ryuji. And it would be great to show your little man just how two competitors can battle and still come out on the outside in a positive manner. It is not always battling with someone that you do not like. It is not always about disrespect or trash talking. Let’s set a great example for Tamaki. This match is going to be fun, and who knows? Maybe you and I can share some hang out time. Perhaps you, the little guy, and I can hang out and just chill. I know that Melina would like that, since she and I have tagged as well. And in the future, I would be honored to tag with you as well, man. So good luck Saturday. It is going to be fun. I cannot wait to tear the house down.