Chris Jericho walked into the locker room and shut the door, he slumped
down onto the bench with a long, heavy sigh. Christian got out of the
shower, towel around waist and noticed his tired, sweaty friend, panting as
he stared at the floor. He walked over to the fellow Canadian.
"Hey, what's up Chris?"
"Oh, nothing." Chris muttered between breaths.
"Fatigue?"
Chris heaved a few more times before replying, "Yea." Christian turned to his locker and opened it, pulled out a water, and handed it to his friend. Chris took it and drank thirstily, then put the cap on the now empty bottle. "Thanks." He'd caught his breath by now and was quiet, just staring off into space.
Christian could tell something was wrong with his friend, he sat down, "What's the matter, I know something's wrong here."
"Oh, it's nothing really." Chris shook his head. "It's just that, we go out there night after night, busting our asses and busting each other's asses just to entertain them, and they still aren't satisfied."
"Who, the critics?"
"No. The fans!"
"The fans?"
"Yea. Did you hear the reception I got out there?" Chris was panting again, not from exoustion but from frustration. "After all I did, did you see my match? It was amazing! And they go out there and jeer it, say it's not good enough. You know what, they don't know what they want!" Chris stood up and slammed an open locker shut. "Damit." He grumbled, realizing it was his, and went to open it, it was slightly jammed.
"Just calm down." Christian had put on pants as Chris had been talking, he was now putting on a shirt. "You know what I mean when I say this, but the fans are stupid."
"I know." Chris said coldly.
"Come on man, chill out." Christian sat down with wet hair. "They don't know what they want, they aren't that smart as far as knowing about wrestling as a company goes."
"Some of them do."
"Some, not all, and those some do appreciate what we do."
"Name one time a fan thanked you Christian, name once!" Chris was standing now, in a rage.
Christian stared up at him in shock, "Chris..."
"You know what, I'm outta here." Chris grabbed his bag and opened the door. "I'll see ya at the hotel." He slammed it shut. Christian sighed and shook his head.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the arena....
"Oh wow, did you see that last match? It was amazing!" One girl was talking to some other fans in the arena.
"Typical you'd say that." One guy replied and tugged on her shirt. "You're a Jerichoholic."
"Makes no difference." She straitened her 'sexy beast' shirt. "He may be portraying a heel, but it's just a storyline, he's a character, he's still a great wrestler, even if you fans hate him."
"You fans?" Another guy quoted. "Uhm, last time I checked, you were one of us fans too."
"Yea." The girl on his arm stuck her nose up.
"I actually know about the business of wrestling, it's not just an entertainment, it's a way of life. It's gonna be my way of life."
"Oh, so you're gonna tell me that you're trying to be a wrestler?" The girl laughed but her laughter was silenced as the Jerichoholic flexed her arm and thrust a fist into her face. "Ah!" She cowered and the two boys laughed.
"Come on man, let's go."
"Yea ok, see ya later, Jerichoholic." The three of them left the first girl, who stood proudly before taking her leave too.
Later on, outside the arena, it was night after the Raw house show, most of the fans had gone home, as had most of the superstars. But Chris wasn't so lucky, he was still in the lot with his struggling car, revving it and revving it to no avail.
"God damit, son of a bitch!" He slammed the dash, and it started. "Thank you!" He growled and pulled out of the driveway, and into a backed up line. He forcefully rested his head against his fist, elbow on the side of the door. "Aw dam stupid traffic!"
After a few minutes he got to the signal, on the side of the road were crowds of fans. The cheering 'woo's' became 'boo's' as they saw Chris drive up. But the jeering drowned out the one cheer from one fan girl who held a sign saying 'Jerichoholic #1 forever'. Chris ignored them, not even turning to look, and drove off. The fans diverted their attention like an automated robot to the next car and cheered, but the girl still stood there with her sign as she watch Chris's car peel onto the freeway.
At the hotel....
"Man I'm so tired." Chris groaned after parking his car, he had a clearer head now that he was away from the arena of fans. He went into the lobby to check in and get his card key.
"Just a minute." The lady at the desk went to the back room to look for his information.
Chris tapped his fingers on the counter waiting, when he was snapped out of his thoughts but a slightly shrill but very shocking, "AH!"
"Ah!" Chris whirled around, his heart racing.
"Oh my god!" It was the girl from earlier, of course Chris didn't know or recognize her. "It's you, oh my god, it's you."
"Yea, I know who I am fan girl, Chris Jericho, big whoop." He grumbled sarcastically. The girl was shocked and taken by the remark, her attitude changed. Chris looked at her and noticed the change in expression and realized how dry he'd just sounded. He sighed and his expression changed as well, "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just not feeling that great right now."
"Aw, I'm sorry."
"Yea, sure you are..."
"No, really! I'm like, your hugest fan, seriously man, I love you."
"Really?" Chris cocked his eyebrow at her, still only half looking at her half waiting for the lady to return.
"Yea, I've been a fan of you for years, through thick and thin, face and heel." Chris continued to look at her strangely, she was smarter than your average mark. "I don't mean to sound silly but this is a great honor and privilege to be standing before you today, I've been waiting for this moment for years, this is the best moment of my life!" That caused Chris to turn and look fully at her, she was complete with Chris Jericho shirt and sign, he was shocked for a moment so he just stared. "You know, I'm just jumbling my words and thoughts here, I'm sorry."
"No, no it's ok." The words came out without him thinking, he was still a little thrown off by this fan.
"I mean, you guys do so much for us and we can do so little back to repay you." Chris stared strangely at her, this time raising both eyebrows. "I know nobody really ever says thank you, so I want to be the first. Chris, on behalf of the fans I would just like to say thank you. Thank you for all that you've done, and all that you do. And not just you, to all of you." Chris continued to stare at this girl in awe, was she for real? She stared back up at him, she was finished pouring her heart out as much as she could.
"Here you are sir." The lady handed Chris his card key.
"Wow, thank you." Chris said to the girl who continued to look up at him. "Nobody has ever said that to me, and that's something we all really need to hear."
"No biggy." She smiled cutely.
"Yes biggy!" He shocked her, he spoke normally. "You have no idea how hectic I was feeling today, and you go and say all the right words, it's just amazing. Thank you."
"No, thank you."
Chris laughed a little and smiled at her, "So you wanna picture or an autograph or something?"
"Oh, yea sure, I mean if you aren't to busy."
"No prob." Chris asked the woman used the girl's camera to take a picture of her. Then he went to give her an autograph. "So fan girl, what's your name?"
"I'm Ashley."
"To Ashley." Chris read as he wrote. "Thank you for being my biggest fan. Your friend, Chris Jericho." He handed it to her.
"Wow, thanks. I know this might sound silly, but I'm trying to be a wrestler too."
"Oh really." Chris smiled. "Well I'm sure you'd be a great superstar."
"I mean, it's been my dream since I was a kid, and it all looks like so much fun."
"Heh." Chris's smirk began to fade. "It's not all kicks and giggles kid."
"Hu?" Ashley looked up at him.
"It's not always as fun as it seems, it's hard work, and even painful sometimes. You fans have it easy, you just sit there and watch."
"Nu uh, it's hard to be a fan. I wanna be a superstar just like you, but nobody ever gives me a chance. I don't think I'll ever be good enough, but it's just so cool."
Chris looked at her, "How old are you?"
"I'm 18."
"18 hu..." He put a hand on his chin and began to think.
"Why?"
"Ashley, I think I have a solution to both of our problems." He put a hand on her shoulder. "How would you like to trade spaces with me?" Ashley was in shock. "You can have a chance to live out your dream, and I can have a chance to take a break and be the one entertained for once."
"A...are you serious?" Ashley was still unsure, she didn't think she understood.
"Yea, we can hook you up with a training program with the other divas, ya know. One of the trainers owes me a favor anyway."
"So you really mean it, Vince would give me a chance?"
"Sure, I could use a vacation. So how about it, will ya do it?"
"Hell yea!" She cheered and jumped onto him.
"Great." Chris laughed with a smile.
"This is perfect!" They both said to themselves at the same time.
"Hey, what's up Chris?"
"Oh, nothing." Chris muttered between breaths.
"Fatigue?"
Chris heaved a few more times before replying, "Yea." Christian turned to his locker and opened it, pulled out a water, and handed it to his friend. Chris took it and drank thirstily, then put the cap on the now empty bottle. "Thanks." He'd caught his breath by now and was quiet, just staring off into space.
Christian could tell something was wrong with his friend, he sat down, "What's the matter, I know something's wrong here."
"Oh, it's nothing really." Chris shook his head. "It's just that, we go out there night after night, busting our asses and busting each other's asses just to entertain them, and they still aren't satisfied."
"Who, the critics?"
"No. The fans!"
"The fans?"
"Yea. Did you hear the reception I got out there?" Chris was panting again, not from exoustion but from frustration. "After all I did, did you see my match? It was amazing! And they go out there and jeer it, say it's not good enough. You know what, they don't know what they want!" Chris stood up and slammed an open locker shut. "Damit." He grumbled, realizing it was his, and went to open it, it was slightly jammed.
"Just calm down." Christian had put on pants as Chris had been talking, he was now putting on a shirt. "You know what I mean when I say this, but the fans are stupid."
"I know." Chris said coldly.
"Come on man, chill out." Christian sat down with wet hair. "They don't know what they want, they aren't that smart as far as knowing about wrestling as a company goes."
"Some of them do."
"Some, not all, and those some do appreciate what we do."
"Name one time a fan thanked you Christian, name once!" Chris was standing now, in a rage.
Christian stared up at him in shock, "Chris..."
"You know what, I'm outta here." Chris grabbed his bag and opened the door. "I'll see ya at the hotel." He slammed it shut. Christian sighed and shook his head.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the arena....
"Oh wow, did you see that last match? It was amazing!" One girl was talking to some other fans in the arena.
"Typical you'd say that." One guy replied and tugged on her shirt. "You're a Jerichoholic."
"Makes no difference." She straitened her 'sexy beast' shirt. "He may be portraying a heel, but it's just a storyline, he's a character, he's still a great wrestler, even if you fans hate him."
"You fans?" Another guy quoted. "Uhm, last time I checked, you were one of us fans too."
"Yea." The girl on his arm stuck her nose up.
"I actually know about the business of wrestling, it's not just an entertainment, it's a way of life. It's gonna be my way of life."
"Oh, so you're gonna tell me that you're trying to be a wrestler?" The girl laughed but her laughter was silenced as the Jerichoholic flexed her arm and thrust a fist into her face. "Ah!" She cowered and the two boys laughed.
"Come on man, let's go."
"Yea ok, see ya later, Jerichoholic." The three of them left the first girl, who stood proudly before taking her leave too.
Later on, outside the arena, it was night after the Raw house show, most of the fans had gone home, as had most of the superstars. But Chris wasn't so lucky, he was still in the lot with his struggling car, revving it and revving it to no avail.
"God damit, son of a bitch!" He slammed the dash, and it started. "Thank you!" He growled and pulled out of the driveway, and into a backed up line. He forcefully rested his head against his fist, elbow on the side of the door. "Aw dam stupid traffic!"
After a few minutes he got to the signal, on the side of the road were crowds of fans. The cheering 'woo's' became 'boo's' as they saw Chris drive up. But the jeering drowned out the one cheer from one fan girl who held a sign saying 'Jerichoholic #1 forever'. Chris ignored them, not even turning to look, and drove off. The fans diverted their attention like an automated robot to the next car and cheered, but the girl still stood there with her sign as she watch Chris's car peel onto the freeway.
At the hotel....
"Man I'm so tired." Chris groaned after parking his car, he had a clearer head now that he was away from the arena of fans. He went into the lobby to check in and get his card key.
"Just a minute." The lady at the desk went to the back room to look for his information.
Chris tapped his fingers on the counter waiting, when he was snapped out of his thoughts but a slightly shrill but very shocking, "AH!"
"Ah!" Chris whirled around, his heart racing.
"Oh my god!" It was the girl from earlier, of course Chris didn't know or recognize her. "It's you, oh my god, it's you."
"Yea, I know who I am fan girl, Chris Jericho, big whoop." He grumbled sarcastically. The girl was shocked and taken by the remark, her attitude changed. Chris looked at her and noticed the change in expression and realized how dry he'd just sounded. He sighed and his expression changed as well, "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just not feeling that great right now."
"Aw, I'm sorry."
"Yea, sure you are..."
"No, really! I'm like, your hugest fan, seriously man, I love you."
"Really?" Chris cocked his eyebrow at her, still only half looking at her half waiting for the lady to return.
"Yea, I've been a fan of you for years, through thick and thin, face and heel." Chris continued to look at her strangely, she was smarter than your average mark. "I don't mean to sound silly but this is a great honor and privilege to be standing before you today, I've been waiting for this moment for years, this is the best moment of my life!" That caused Chris to turn and look fully at her, she was complete with Chris Jericho shirt and sign, he was shocked for a moment so he just stared. "You know, I'm just jumbling my words and thoughts here, I'm sorry."
"No, no it's ok." The words came out without him thinking, he was still a little thrown off by this fan.
"I mean, you guys do so much for us and we can do so little back to repay you." Chris stared strangely at her, this time raising both eyebrows. "I know nobody really ever says thank you, so I want to be the first. Chris, on behalf of the fans I would just like to say thank you. Thank you for all that you've done, and all that you do. And not just you, to all of you." Chris continued to stare at this girl in awe, was she for real? She stared back up at him, she was finished pouring her heart out as much as she could.
"Here you are sir." The lady handed Chris his card key.
"Wow, thank you." Chris said to the girl who continued to look up at him. "Nobody has ever said that to me, and that's something we all really need to hear."
"No biggy." She smiled cutely.
"Yes biggy!" He shocked her, he spoke normally. "You have no idea how hectic I was feeling today, and you go and say all the right words, it's just amazing. Thank you."
"No, thank you."
Chris laughed a little and smiled at her, "So you wanna picture or an autograph or something?"
"Oh, yea sure, I mean if you aren't to busy."
"No prob." Chris asked the woman used the girl's camera to take a picture of her. Then he went to give her an autograph. "So fan girl, what's your name?"
"I'm Ashley."
"To Ashley." Chris read as he wrote. "Thank you for being my biggest fan. Your friend, Chris Jericho." He handed it to her.
"Wow, thanks. I know this might sound silly, but I'm trying to be a wrestler too."
"Oh really." Chris smiled. "Well I'm sure you'd be a great superstar."
"I mean, it's been my dream since I was a kid, and it all looks like so much fun."
"Heh." Chris's smirk began to fade. "It's not all kicks and giggles kid."
"Hu?" Ashley looked up at him.
"It's not always as fun as it seems, it's hard work, and even painful sometimes. You fans have it easy, you just sit there and watch."
"Nu uh, it's hard to be a fan. I wanna be a superstar just like you, but nobody ever gives me a chance. I don't think I'll ever be good enough, but it's just so cool."
Chris looked at her, "How old are you?"
"I'm 18."
"18 hu..." He put a hand on his chin and began to think.
"Why?"
"Ashley, I think I have a solution to both of our problems." He put a hand on her shoulder. "How would you like to trade spaces with me?" Ashley was in shock. "You can have a chance to live out your dream, and I can have a chance to take a break and be the one entertained for once."
"A...are you serious?" Ashley was still unsure, she didn't think she understood.
"Yea, we can hook you up with a training program with the other divas, ya know. One of the trainers owes me a favor anyway."
"So you really mean it, Vince would give me a chance?"
"Sure, I could use a vacation. So how about it, will ya do it?"
"Hell yea!" She cheered and jumped onto him.
"Great." Chris laughed with a smile.
"This is perfect!" They both said to themselves at the same time.