Episode 24: Hunters Graduation part 2
[wrestlers are starting to congregate around the center ring due to a buzz about a major announcement about to be made by the Director of New Talent, Jackie Sweets. Video cameras are set up and ready to stream this to the MWA‘s online site.]
(Stacy and Trinity see LJ leave the company of Barrett Brand and question his arrival)
Stacy- Dad? What are you doing here and with Mr. Brand?
Trinity- Yes dear, I think we’d both like to know. You told me you had business in Madripoor.
LJ- It seems we both have questions. I don’t think now is the time for recriminations Trinity.
Trinity- I think I have every right to be angry at you and I think you know why.
*****
(Mary Jane finds her way to a spot in the crowd next to her son Gabriel and Nathan Richman. She surprisingly spots Jared Baker not more than ten feet away. He nods politely, which she reciprocates. She may have to get a scorecard to keep track of the past wrestlers returning to help train the young superstars of tomorrow. Her son Gabe looks at her with obvious impatience)
Gabriel- Mom, how did it go with Stacy? Is she going to be alright?
Mary Jane- Gabe, you know I can’t talk to you about a patient. Stacy will tell you herself if she wants you to know. What I will say is she is a remarkable young woman. Mother approves.
Gabriel-Geez mom, way to make it creepy.
Nathan- Way to go MJ.
******
(Meagan Collins stands by watching her old tag partner as she still appreciates his abdominals even though what always made him attractive was never his body but simply the idea of having him. Next to her stands her daughter Laura who Meagan notices isn’t really watching the action but instead is laser focused on Tyler Scott as he seconds his friend Hunter in the ring.)
Meagan- Careful dear, you have a little drool showing.
Laura- I could say the same about you mother. At least I have my eyes on someone born in this century.
Meagan- Someday you will realize that some things get better with age. Jackie may not look like much to you, or anyone else for that matter, but appearances can be deceiving. On the other hand, your young man, Tyler, he’s nothing but a poor. How will he ever take care of you? As a wrestler? I don’t see it.
Laura- Maybe I don’t need a man to pay my bills mother.
Meagan- As the person who receives your credit card statement and then passes it along to your father each month I know better. I hope you’re using birth control dear, the last thing I need is for you and that trailer park trash to breed.
Laura- You don’t have to worry about me getting pregnant mother, we exclusively do Anal.
Meagan- I wish I had that option with you and Donald.
*****
There is a crowd gathered around the ring, coaches, students, graduates and a handful of Hall of Fame stars. Inside the ring Jackie Sweets and Hunter Lewis are getting ready for their match, Hunter’s final graduation test.
There’s an energy in the air as Hunter paces back and forth in the corner, running a nervous hand through his hair. Across from him, the ever-charismatic Jackie Sweets is looking calm and ready.
Sweets- Let’s go, kid.
They circle. Sweets moves first, a quick feint left, then a dip under Hunter’s arm, grabbing a waistlock. Hunter scrambles, reversing into a standing switch, but Jackie, with a smirk, drops low and rolls through, sending Hunter stumbling forward. A little applause from the crowd—Jackie taps his temple.
Lewis regroups, shakes it off.
They lock up again. This time Hunter shows a burst of strength, muscling Jackie back toward the turnbuckles. Sweets ducks low and slips behind again, but Hunter is faster this time—he hooks an arm and pulls Jackie into a tight headlock, wrenching down. Jackie tries to shoot him off the ropes, but Hunter plants his feet, dragging Sweets down into a headlock takeover. The onlooking crowd gives a small pop for the crisp transition.
Sweets- Tim taught you well.
Hunter doesn’t reply, he just tightens the hold.
The veteran works his way out with knees to the back, then whips Lewis off into the ropes. On the rebound, Jackie leapfrogs over him and then looks for a hiptoss; Hunter blocks! He counters with a hiptoss of his own, and follows it up with a sharp dropkick that catches Jackie in the shoulder and sends him retreating to the apron.
Jackie rolls back inside, nodding with real respect.
The next few minutes showcase that Hunter is not letting the legendary status of his opponent get to him and he’s keeping up with Jackie step-for-step. Arm drags into arm locks. Jackknife pins into roll-throughs. Jackie flies with a springboard crossbody, but Hunter rolls through for a two-count. Hunter misses a standing moonsault, but lands on his feet; only for Sweets to leap up like a young man and catch him with a snap DDT!
Jackie begins to press the advantage, and the experience gap becomes clear. He isolates a leg, working Hunter down with stiff kicks and a modified single-leg crab. Every escape leads to another trap. An STF, then a surfboard stretch. Hunter groans but refuses to tap, dragging himself to the ropes to force a break.
The match wears on. The crowd grows more vocal, rallying behind the trainee. Jackie starts playing the crowd more, even flirting with someone at ringside after a near fall. But when he turns back, Hunter springs to life, exploding out of the corner with a flying knee that levels the veteran!
Both men are down, breathing heavily. Hunter is up first, and he drags Sweets up. He fires himself up with a series of forearms, then hits the ropes. Sweets cuts him off with a knee to the midsection and goes for a Northern Lights Suplex…. Bridges…
ONE….
TWO…
No! Kickout!
Jackie wastes no time signalling for the Sweet Tooth. He waits for Hunter to get back to his feet, but the rookie spots it coming and dodges quickly! Waistlock. Jackie elbows out, spins… and EATS a superkick!
The room seems to inhale all at once and then whoops loudly.
Hunter scrambles for the corner, springboards off the second rope—Moonsault!
ONE…
TWO
NO! Jackie kicks out!
Hunter looks winded but determined. He drags Jackie toward the corner and starts to climb. He’s going high. Maybe too high.
Jackie, having been playing possum, springs to his feet and vaults up the ropes, catching Hunter with Hurrancurana that sends both men crashing to the mat! Sweets picks Hunter up and whips him to the ropes but the student reverses Jackie to the corner where he runs up the buckle and backflips off catching Hunter by the head and slams him to the mat for the Sweet Spot(Stylin DDT). Jackie covers as the ringside crowd expects that the match is over as the Sweet Spot is rarely kicked out of
1
Jackie grapevines the leg
2
The assembled crowd holds their breath
3…..No!!!!! Hunter just barely slides his shoulder out before referee Tristan Hull can hit the canvas. The ringside fans erupt! Sweets is frustrated, knowing that he may be a little older but that move was lethal for the majority of his career. His respect for Hunter continues to grow. Both are breathing hard and are slow to rise. Jackie quickly heads to the top turnbuckle and has Hunter in his sights for a Missile Dropkick. He hears a murmur in the crowd and feels a hand on his backside as John Patrick has climbed on the apron and pushes him off the top. Sweets lands on his back and rolls to his feet clutching his lower back.
Hunter turns to see Sweets hunched over slightly and in one fluid motion he leaps up, plants a foot on his back then elevates upwards and slams his leg down over Jackie’s head and neck, driving him into the mat as an excited roar comes from the crowd. STEP 2 GLORY!!! Hunter hooks one leg with his arm while grapevining the other with his leg. Tristan Hull slides in to check the shoulders and slams his hand on the mat…
1
2
3!!!!
Hunter has defeated the Dreamlover and the students and staff in attendance go wild!
Hunter kneels in shock as the moment sinks in. Tyler Scott rushes in and pulls him to his feet to congratulate him and Tim Worthington is just a few steps behind as Tristan raises Hunter’s hand as the cameras record the big moment which is being live-streamed on the MWA YouTube site and all other social media outlets. Larry Gowan embraces his star trainee.
Sweets is still on the mat staring at the ceiling and stirs as Clay, Lito and Rhiannon slide into the ring to check on him. They notice a disturbance just outside the ring as Gabriel Griggs and Nathan Richman are confronting Patrick over his interference. He pushes Nathan who has to be restrained by Mary Jane and Jared Baker along with Dr J who gets in his students ear.
Hunter notices a student interviewer and Mitch Weinberg, longtime MWA interviewer, are holding microphones and intend to get his thoughts. He is confused about what is going on with John Patrick who is now nose to nose with Gabe as Mary Jane is now holding her son back. Jackie’s older daughter Shea is now screaming at JP. Hunter asks what it’s about and Tim explains how things went down as Mitch and the student, Riley, get to him.
Weinberg- Hunter Lewis you have just beaten your teacher Jackie Sweets and have graduated from the House of Pain. How do you feel right now?
(Hunter grabs the microphone away from Mitch which is a big no-no professionally and Mitch is not happy about being upstaged)
Hunter(tired and breathing heavy)- Hey…..I don’t know….John Patrick…..I didn’t ask for your help…..I don’t win that way….that’s my dads way, not mine……Jackie, I’m sorry…..I didn’t mean for this to happen. I’m better than that. I’m not accepting this outcome…..I’ll be here tomorrow at 6 am trying to…..to earn my graduation!
(The assembled crowd cheers as John Patrick throws his hands up in frustration. He mouths the words, “you’re making a mistake”. Then Jackie comes over and gestured for the microphone which Hunter hands him)
Sweets-Hunter, you’re welcome here anytime but it won’t be as a student! It’s as a graduate! You earned this……I had my doubts but you proved me wrong…..you proved that you are absolutely ready for the next step.
(The crowd chants, “you deserve it”. Jackie allows them to serenade Hunter with chants of “Let’s go Hunter” and “you’re a graduate” before addressing the young man again)
Sweets- You’re damn right he deserves it! But let me say something else. I can’t believe I’m saying this but don’t be mad at John Patrick.
(The crowd boos but Jackie shakes his head. He gestured for JP to join him in the ring which he does. Patrick looks confused at the move)
Sweets- Hunter, I’m gonna be straight with you. I had concerns about if you were ready and so did Larry and Doc. But John Patrick assured us you were ready. I don’t like that guy. He’s a putz!
(Gabe and Nathan along with Lito try to get a “Patrick is a putz” chant going but it falls apart quickly with a disapproving look from Barrett Brand)
Sweets- But he wasn’t wrong! He listened to our concerns about how you react in the ring and he put you in a position to overcome your weakness and you did it. He may have had ulterior motives, hell I’m sure he had ulterior motives but he did what we couldn’t and you passed your final exam. Congratulations!
(Jackie pulls Hunter in for a hug and they share some private conversation. Jackie raises the young man’s hand and the crowd gives Hunter a standing ovation. As he soaks in the cheers Jackie goes to leave the ring. Tim Worthington stops him and the longtime friends share a hug before Tim rejoins the celebration with Hunter. Once again Jackie slides out of the ring and goes to leave but John Patrick cuts him off and they have a private conversation away from the rolling cameras)
Patrick- What was that?
Sweets- What do you mean? I said what I said. You set him up to react accordingly when I was vulnerable. It was the same thing Larry, Doc and I were talking about. You listened and figured out how to make it happen. The kid owes you. I might have beat him otherwise. But he earned this. You helped. That’s all it is.
Patrick- But you didn’t have to say that. Your Godsons wanted to kill me. So did Lito but I expect that from him. In a few words I went from a pariah back to possibly having the respect of these kids. You didn’t have to do that.
Sweets-Maybe I just see that your way and my way don’t have to be at odds. You were hoping Hunter would kill me or at least hurt me so I wouldn’t be 100% for the PPV, but I can’t be mad about that. I might have done the same. It’s crazy that today is only Monday. See you tomorrow for more fun and games?
Patrick- Maybe I will take a few days, head home for a bit. I’ll deny I said this but what you did was gracious. I can’t say I would have done the same.
Sweets- Oh I know you wouldn’t. Vampires don’t have the same moral code that we mere mortals do.
(Jackie tries to wink but he has never been able to so it comes off as some odd blinking like Morse code)
Patrick- What is that? What are you trying to do? Are you having a stroke?
(Sweets shakes his head and heads out of the ring to give Hunter his moment as all the students are gathered around him. Jackie gingerly heads towards the locker room and as he gets to the hallway he finds Clay, Kitty Sinclair and his wife Starlett waiting for him. Lito Kruz and Dr J saunters up to complete the group)
Starlett- A little warning would have been nice Jackie.
Sweets- What? I knew Kitty would call you when I asked her to get the camera crew ready and to send Mitch and Riley down. Thanks Kitty.
Kitty-Part of my job. But if you had won and we live streamed that we would have looked stupid not to mention the cost. What if you had won?
(In unison they all laugh, except Jackie who is genuinely hurt by their lack of faith in him. But he reads the room and decides to be humble)
Sweets- We all know how good Hunter is. That kid will be World champion someday. I was never going to beat him at my age.
Clay-Yeah, you’re right. You were lucky he didn’t cripple you.
Lito- Yeah. You made so many mistakes. You used to be a wrestler right? I haz forgotten. Too much spoiled spam in my diet.
Dr J- Yeah like you ever had a chance Skip.
(Sweets is angered by the good natured ribbing)
Sweets- That’s enough clownshoes! We get it, I’m old. Still beat all you moflickies back in the day. Starr just let me shower quick and we can get lunch, maybe I’ll take the afternoon off.
Starlett- Ok sweetie, I’ll be up in Kitty’s office.
(Starlett kisses her husband and goes upstairs with Kitty and Stephen Clay. Once they are out of sight Jackie collapses to the floor. Lito and Dr J check on him)
Dr J- Shit! You ok Skip?
Lito- I should get a defibrillator maybe? This could be the big one. Stay away from the light Sweetsy.
Sweets- Get me to an ice bath you idiots!!!
[Fade out as they carry him to the locker room]
Leave a Reply