Chapter III: Accepted Again?
Finally, Thursday came after getting the plane ride to Cleveland from Toronto. I'm backstage in the old Gund, now known as the Quicken Loans Arena® with a TV, sitting in a chair, dressed in a suit jacket and black pants combo, with many things on my mind:
"Will I mess up?"
"What's going to happen???"
And the most important question a pro wrestler asks himself before returning to the ring after a while…
"Will I ever be accepted again?"
Gwen takes a seat next to me, she's lookin' really nervous, well, hey, so was I when I started competing!
"How nervous are you?" I asked her. She looked scared.
"It's just…I've never done this in front of a large audience!" She said.
"Don't worry, don't pay any attention to the crowd when it doesn't matter." I tried to help. She got a little less nervous, around 25% nervous, I would say. I looked at my gold watch…it's 9, it's time for the show to start.
The screen goes dark…
Music starts playing…
A Video montage plays…
Then after the montage, a live showing of the packed Q® cheering as the pyro goes off on the stage…
After the pyro, the announcers start speaking.
"Welcome to Thursday Night Action! I'm Nick Doup alongside Chris McMahon. We're live from Cleveland, in my home state of Ohio, and Chris…I can't wait!"
"Well Nick, don't wait any further. We have to find out who's returning to the ring tonight!"
Chris walks into the ring, a microphone in hand, time for me to head out!
"Well we promised you guys a surprise return of a certain superstar, someone that needs no introduction, he is the man that's done it al here in the TND. Ladies and Gentlemen put your hands together for…Cody Michaels!!!"
My music plays, the crowd instantly loses all silence. I bet there wasn't a soul sitting or quiet! We walk out, Gwen and I, to the ring, the crowd is just screaming louder than any thing I've ever heard. My thoughts quickly dismiss the thought of being forgotten.
"Well, that answers the question of me being accepted as a fan favorite. Heh."
We get into the ring, I hug Chris, my longtime pal, and he shakes Gwen's hand, he moves to get me in the middle for my shining moment.
"Missed me?" I chuckle a bit. The crowd is chanting "HBK" at this point. "You haven't missed me as much as I missed all of you." The crowd cheers.
"I'm back, baby!" More cheers.
"So, that's right, "HBK", Cody Michaels, is back on TND, in the town of Rock n' Roll, Cleveland!" The crowd gets extremely loud.
"And I'm here for one thing only…that coveted TND title, and I know Duncan's in the hospital, and Duncan, I speak for all the boys and girls in the back, and all the TND fans when I say…we respect you. But Trent Hart…" Boos started taking over the cheers. "…Trent Hart, that was a pathetic display you put on after that historic match of yours…"
The "Hitman's" theme plays and the boos start flooding the entire arena. He's wearing the signature leather jacket and pink shades, and both the TND Tag Team Championship belt, and the TND World Belt as he walks to the ring with his brother Owen (R.I.P. Owen James Hart 1967-1999), wearing the other Tag Belt. He gets in the ring, and in my face. He tears the microphone out of my hands.
"Cody, it seems you have a respect problem." Boos were a lot getting louder… "What I did to Duncan has nothing to do with you." I stood my ground. I grabbed my mic back.
"You're having a respect problem?" I laughed. "Last Sunday, I watched as you betrayed your fans, something I would never do. That's what I'm having a problem with." He looked like he didn't give a damn.
"Trent, this may see a little weird, but… I respected you. If I never got hurt, I might have lost to you for the TND belt, and it would be okay, because, I know now that it will never happen." The crowd cheers for me again. He looks to Gwen. The hateful eyes of Gwen met the false caring eyes of Trent.
"Hey Gwen." He spoke. "I haven't seen you in a while. So you decided to trade down? That sucks. Hey…" I was just about ready to hit him. "…I'll give you another chance." He drops his face, down to Gwen's height and then…
SLAP!!!
Gwen slapped Trent hard in his face, staggering the "Hitman" into his larger brother.
"You are going to pay for that you little…" He threatened his hand up to slap her and I grab the attacking palm and fingers.
"…You never touch my friend Gwen ever again…You got that?" I screamed at him. Gwen looked touched, touched that I would do anything to defend her.
"It's none of your damn business!" Trent screamed back.
"It is now." I dropped the mic, stepped back and hit Trent with a little Sweet Chin Music…
The "Hitman" staggered back and knocked himself and Owen out of the ring. My theme plays as Owen carried his KO'd brother Trent back to the locker room. I wanted a piece of the "Hitman", and the TND gold he carries around his waist.
A Hour Later…
I sat down in a chair, thinking (and hoping) I got all of that kick, and really, Trent deserved all of it. Hitting a girl (or threatening to in this case.) is numero uno on my "pet peeve" list.
I think I did that for something else, something other than a business relationship or a favor for a friend, but maybe, it was for… love?
I decided to hold off the thought until later as I watched the rest of the show.
After the Show…
After the show I headed to the locker room, said goodbye to the boys, and headed to find Gwen. I felt a poking on the shoulder. I turn around and see her, looking kind of sad, but I didn't notice.
"Hey Gwen." She looked less than nervous as I talked to her "Ready to go?"
"Yeah…" She spoke like something was wrong.
"What's wrong?" I asked her caringly.
"I… I never did get a chance to repay you for defending me like that…" She pulled my neck down to her face and kissed me on the lips. Those thoughts got back into my brain.
"Maybe it was love."
That was a longer chapter, but it's only my third to really break the "1,000 words" mark. The next chapter will be the next week on Action, with Cody Michaels and "Stone Cold" Duncan Austin taking on the Hart Brothers for the TND Tag Team Championships. I hope to hit it sooner and longer. See you on the next chapter "Gold".