"So? What do you think of my house, Destiny?" Logan asked.
After moving into his new residence near the Animal Kingdom, Logan decided to give a quick tour of it to his shark whale girlfriend. It was a modest house with a garden and a little pool in the back. The living room was big, decorated with a huge TV, two small couches and a big one for at least four people, all of them being very comfortable. Next to the living room was the kitchen, filled with all the equipment Logan had bought at the mall the other day. His fridge was filled with enough food to last for at least two weeks. The table was large enough to welcome six people. Other than that, the only two rooms were the bathroom and Logan's bedroom. The latter had a computer, big puffy bed and posters of Logan's favorite movies, video games and wrestlers. There was also a basement, which Logan affectionately called his 'gaming section' due to it being where he stocked the numerous consoles and video games he owned. A locked door led to his most private room where he kept his huge collection of Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel merchandise - all of which he cumulated over the years.
"It's a very nice place!" Destiny answered with a smile. The whale shark was in her normal form, moving around thanks to the floating water ball that had originally been made for her by Jasiri, but that she had learned to make with her own water magic. "Do you like it here?"
"Yup! Living in a warm climate with all the things I love and close to all my friends is everything I need to be happy," the young man confirmed with a big grin, giving a kiss to his girlfriend's cheek. "So, what do you wanna do today? Watch a movie, play video games or go for a swim in my pool? Though I don't think it's gonna big enough for the two of us," he remarked, rubbing his chin. "We can also go see our friends at the Animal Kingdom if you want."
"Hmm... I think the last option would be the best. It's hard to play video games when you have no thumbs," Destiny said, showing her flippers with a giggle. "I'm sure the others will be happy to see us."
"Alright then, let's go!" Logan beamed, grabbing his aquatic girlfriend by the flipper and heading toward his house's door. By some strange coincidence, his doorbell rang at the very same moment. Opening the door, Logan saw nobody at first, before looking down and seeing a hornbill standing in front of his feet.
"Zazu?" Destiny said.
"In the flesh and old bones," the majordomo of the Pride Lands confirmed, not looking especially happy. "They cannot say I don't take my job seriously, finding the residence of someone who recently moved in. And I'm not as familiar in those cities as I am with the Pride Lands - my section of knowledge is limited to the edge of the Animal Kingdom. Beyond that, it's hard to navigate my way around."
Logan and Destiny exchanged a gaze while Zazu rambled on before looking back at him. "Okay, but why were you looking for my house, Zazu? Is there something you wanna tell me?"
"The correct response would rather be 'something to give you', young one." Snapping his wingtips, the hornbill made a letter appear out of nowhere and handed it to Logan. The young artist kneeled down and took it in his hand.
"What's this?" Logan asked, looking at the letter from every angle. There was a strange seal on the envelope.
"This is a job offer," Zazu explained.
"A job offer?" Destiny questioned.
"Yes." Logan opened the envelope, unfolded the piece of paper inside, and proceeded to read its content while mumbling it under his breath. Destiny tried to read over his shoulder. "The figures in charge of the Animal Kingdom, including the King of the Pride Lands himself, Simba, have decided to open up a pro wrestling school in the Animal Kingdom."
"REALLY?!"
"Yes. I am not sure to understand why, but young folks have a weird fascination with this peculiar form of sport," Zazu explained with dusting his feathers off. "Football and tennis are much more favorable disciplines, if you ask me. Regardless, the demand to open a pro wrestling school has been accepted, and we need trainers to teach the younglings who wish to learn. When this decision came, the chiefs have been made aware of your passion for the sport by the Dream Keeper, therefore decided to send you the first position offer."
Logan finished reading the letter at the same time Zazu's explanation ended. He looked up with his eyes open as wide as possible. "I can't believe it... I'm gonna become a wrestling coach... That's so awesome! Remind me to thank Gabriel a hundred times next time I see him."
"I take it you accept, then. Very well, the instructions are all on the letter." Zazu flapped his wings and took off to the skies. "I need to go now; the messages aren't going to be delivered across the Animal Kingdom on their own."
"This is amazing!" Logan beamed, practically jumping on the spot. "Do you realize, Destiny? I've been into wrestling since 2011, and now, I have the chance to share my knowledge with the new generation... Not that I'm old, but you know what I mean."
"I sure do," Destiny giggled and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek. "When do you start?"
"In two weeks. They just have to add the final touches to the training center, and then the class will begin," Logan explained. "They gave me the list of training hours and the equipment that will be at my disposition. I can even bring a second to assist me during class if I want. Hey, would you like to be my second? I taught you enough to be fit for the job. That way, we can see each other whenever I will have to teach."
"Yes, that's a good idea." Destiny then grabbed Logan's arm with her flipper and pulled him away. "Come on, now, I'm sure our friends at the Animal Kingdom are gonna be happy to hear that."
Two weeks later, Logan and Destiny arrived at the place where they were scheduled to work. It was a facility called 'Disney's Wrestling Discipline Center' located in the middle of a clearing in the Animal Kingdom. The inside had four wrestling rings, open spaces to run or do other exercises and workout equipment like weights and exercise bikes. Going to the changing room, Logan pulled on his wrestling attire: a black short-sleeved shirt with 'X Artist' written in green on the front, black shorts that reached to his knees, black hand wraps and running shoes of the same color. Destiny, meanwhile, decided to change into her human form, becoming large and tall with white hair and a diving suit that was patterned to look like her whale shark skin.
"The great day has come," Logan remarked as he finished pulling the wraps over his hands. "It's today that we give our first pro wrestling lesson... You think it's gonna go well?"
"Of course it will," Destiny reassured Logan, patting his head with her large hand. "Just teach them the same way you taught me, and everything will be fine."
Inhaling and exhaling to relax, Logan smiled and gave a nod. "You're right, we got this!"
A few moments later, the young couple stood in the large training room with two tens of students whose age ranged from 14 to 20. And they weren't all humans; some of them were aliens from Star Wars or the Marvel universe, others were anthropomorphic animals, and there even were creatures and beings from all of Disney's properties. Right now, they were all discussing amongst each other, not paying attention to the two teachers.
"Alright, your attention everyone, we're gonna start the training day!" Logan announced. However, the students kept talking, not listening to what Logan said. "Huh, did you not hear me? I said your attention, please!" Once again, nobody stopped talking, causing Destiny to get annoyed.
"HEY!" the human whale yelled at the top of her lungs, slapping her hands together for a resounding CLAP! that echoed through the entire room. Silence fell down, the students all looking at the angry girl. "The lesson is starting! So zip it and listen to us, okay? Go on, Logan."
The young boy took a moment to get back from his girlfriend's reaction before nodding and turning his attention back to the students. "Hello, everyone. My name is Logan and this is my girlfriend and second, Destiny. We will be your coaches for your first day of training. Now, before we get to the physical stuff, we're gonna have a little explanation period. If you guys have any question or would like to get some explanation, go ahead. You can ask me anything; I'm a pro wrestling encyclopedia."
One of the students, a young girl, rose her hand. "Yes?" Logan asked.
"Yeah, I have a question. My father told me that wrestling is like other fighting sports such as boxing or MMA, but my brother always told me that wrestling is fake and that everything is already planned in advance. So, can you tell us if wrestling is fake or not?" she asked.
Logan let out a chuckle at this question. "I knew I would have to face at least one person asking the taboo question: 'is wrestling fake?'," he mumbled to himself before looking back at the girl. "To answer your question, if wrestling is fake, well... Yes and no," Logan responded, receiving confused expressions from the girl and some other students. "Let me explain: wrestling is a scripted sport with people trying to make it pass for a real one. When you see two persons in a match, they are not really seeking to hurt one another. These people are just athletes following choreographies, with the goal being to convince the audience that they are watching a competitive show."
"For some people, the fact that pro wrestling is not real means they cannot enjoy it and that it can't even be called a real sport. However, for people like me, it's exactly what makes it so fascinating; the idea of taking the elements of a competitive sport and trying to tell stories with larger than life characters played by athletes is unique and can be just as entertaining as any other shows on TV."
Another student, a Zehoberei from Guardians of the Galaxy, rose his hand. "Okay, but if wrestling is not real, and you don't actively seek to hurt your opponent, then does that mean there's no risk of getting hurt and that anybody can become a wrestler?"
"I'd like to say yes, but unfortunately, it's not that simple," Logan responded with rubbing the back of his head. "While it's true that the procedure and outcome of every wrestling match is decided in advance, the risk of getting injured is still present. I'm gonna give you an example: in 2001, during a wrestling show, a pro wrestler named Sid Vicious attempted to perform an aerial move despite being a seven-foot tall giant. He ended up landing with all of his weight on one leg, causing it to snap like a twig. He had to use a cane to move around for a long time, and his wrestling career came to an end at this moment. None of this was planned."
"Pro wrestling is just as - and sometimes, even more dangerous than any other sports. I remember when I had my first match; it didn't even last five minutes, and by the end, I was short of breath. And a normal match usually lasts between 5 and 15 minutes. Some wrestlers can even have to wrestle for 30 or 60 minutes!" Logan kept explaining. "And I'm not talking about one match per month as they do in UFC; if you work for a big wrestling company and become a superstar, you're gonna have to deliver big matches multiple times a week - sometimes even during the weekend." Logan clapped his hands together to conclude. "So, yeah, scripted or not, you still have to be at the top of your shape to do pro wrestling."
A Zabrak from Star Wars rose his hand. "I have a question too. Do we have to become big and strong to find success in wrestling? Like those superstars with big muscles like stones?"
"Not necessarily," Logan answered with a shake of his head. "There are many wrestling styles that you will have the option to adopt based on your skills."
"Many styles?"
"Yup! For example, there is the powerhouse style. As you mentioned, wrestlers can be tall, big or have a lot of muscles that they use to dominate their opponents with ease. Sid Vicious, whom I previously told you about, was one of the best powerhouses of the 90s. High-flyers are very popular in lucha libre thanks to their breathtaking maneuvers and ability to soar around like eagles."
"Technical wrestlers might have the closest thing to real wrestling abilities with their multitude of rest holds and unique offense. Mr. Perfect is remembered as one of the greatest technical wrestlers ever. There are the submission experts who are masters in the art of winning by making their opponents tap out. Masters of the suplex possess a large arsenal of moves that involve lifting their opponents and slamming them on the mat - explaining why most of them, like Kurt Angle or Jake Hager, have an amateur wrestling background."
"Brawlers forget fancy moves and just let their fists do the talking for them. They are more like street fighters than actual wrestlers. An alternative to the brawling style is hardcore wrestling; these guys aren't afraid to bleed, feel more at ease with weapons and possess tremendous endurance against pain." Logan rubbed the back of his head. "Unfortunately, this kind of wrestling is reserved for adults; I'm not allowed to teach it here... There are also wrestlers who don't possess a peculiar wrestling style, but are still able to manage themselves."
"And all these are just the common wrestling styles in the business. It's possible for anybody to develop their very own way of wrestling. For example, Jeff Hardy is a risk-taker who wasn't afraid to put his body on the line to win. Jack Evans used to dance before getting in the ring and took the chance to mix his breakdance skills to his fighting style. But, maybe the most famous example, the Undertaker was a mystical figure with supernatural powers like being able to stand up like a zombie after sustaining a lot of damage."
"But why stopping on a single style when you can have many? One of the wrestlers I respect the most, John Cena, doesn't have a specific wrestling style, but he is strong enough to lift giants and is also good at winning via submission. Rob Van Dam was a martial artist, but his specialty was hardcore matches. And Bryan Danielson had a wrestling style mixing technical, high-flying, submission and hard striking - I allow myself to point out that it allowed him to deliver many 5-star matches."
"All in all, there are many ways to practice wrestling, and I'm here to help find what suits you all. Any more questions?" When he received head shakes from his students as a response, Logan grinned and slammed a fist in the palm of his hand. "Alright then! Enough with the chit-chat; it's time to move on to the actual training! Ready, Destiny?"
"You bet!" she responded with a nod and a wink.
Try to be best
'Cause you're only a man
The young girl was awkwardly striking a punching bag until Logan came to her and taught her how to correctly throw punches. She mimicked his moves correctly, making him nod and pat her shoulder.
And a man's gotta learn to take it
Try to believe
Mtoto from The Lion Guard, in his human form, tried to stand in the candle position, but couldn't find his balance. Logan came to keep him in position until he felt it. Then, he gently stepped back, revealing that Mtoto could now stand, not without difficulty, but still managed to do it. Logan gave him a thumb's up.
Though the going gets rough
That you gotta hang tough to make it
History repeats itself
Try and you'll succeed
Destiny turned back into her whale shark form, lying down on five students as they did push up with her weight. Seeing this, Logan crossed his arms and shook his head.
Never doubt that you're the one
And you can have your dreams!
You're the best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
Taking it to the ring, Logan showed the students how to take a bump, falling down with slamming the mat at the moment of the collision to make it seem more impactful. With the demonstration being done, he instructed his students to try it, which they did to mixed results.
You're the Best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
You're the Best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
Dewey punched a punching bag until he decided to stop as his knuckles were aching. Logan arrived and saw it; he decided to give the young duck some wrist taping to protect him from the pain, encouragingly tapping on his fist with a smile.
Fight 'til the end
Cause your life will depend
On the strength that you have inside you
Ah you gotta be proud
Starin' out in the cloud
When the odds in the game defy you
The young human male student fell down on his rear end, tired from the training. Logan handed him a bottle of water with a smile, letting him know he was proud of him. He took the bottle before Logan announced break time, causing all the students to happily collapse on the floor. Logan and Destiny exchanged a gaze before bursting out laughing at this.
Try your best to win them all
And one day time will tell
When you're the one that's standing there
You'll reach the final bell!
After the break, the Zabrak student was doing sit-ups from a metal bar, clearly trying to do his best. Logan came up, placed his legs on the bar, told his student to follow his rhythm, and started doing sit-ups too.
You're the best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
You're the Best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
You're the Best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
Destiny showed the students how to deliver chops - the only part of a match that could be REAL. A student gave her a little chop on her chest to little effect because of her size. When she chopped the student, however, he was sent flying across the room and into the training equipment, causing her to look in horror.
You're the best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
You're the Best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
Logan instructed Dewey to catch him into a sleeper hold for practice. The young duck was certain to actually be in control of the situation, but Logan then grinned and simply flipped him over his shoulder and slammed him hard on the mat. Dewey understood he still had a lot to learn.
You're the Best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
Fight 'til you drop
Never stop
Can't give up
Til you reach the top (FIGHT!)
You're the best in town (FIGHT!)
Logan and Destiny ran with their students across the gym to practice their cardio. Most of them seemed tired, but still determined, which impressed the young Disney Defender. He kept running ahead with energy and passion for the rest of the song.
Listen to that sound
A little bit of all you got
Can never bring you down
You're the best!
Around!
Nothing's gonna ever keep you down
You're the Best!
Around!
The training session soon came to an end. All the students were tired, covered in sweat and had their muscles aching. They all waved goodbye to their coaches as they left the facility, Logan and Destiny doing the same.
"Phew! What a day! I didn't feel this tired since my first day of training with Sora and Riku!" Logan exclaimed, using a towel to clean sweat from his face.
"I just hope that poor kid won't have a mark after the chop I gave him," Destiny worryingly remarked, drinking water from a bottle. She then looked at her boyfriend with a smile. "So? How did you find our first day as coaches?"
Logan placed the towel on his shoulders, watched the students walking away... and then smiled. "It was a lot of work, but... it was all worth it. I'm really looking forward to the next session!"
Author's note: Did you think this story was over after only two chapters? Nope! I just have been busy with school starting again, but this story isn't over yet.
Logan and Destiny have obtained new jobs as pro wrestling coaches. As you probably guessed from the Saving the Disney Universe chapter where Logan fought Baymax and Stitch alongside Destiny, pro wrestling is my most favorite sport. Since their adventures saving the world with the others are over, I decided why not making pro wrestling their new full-time job? I might also use some wrestling concepts for matches or competitions in the future.
If you guys have any suggestion for future chapters of this story or would like me to use your OCs, feel free to ask. The worst that can happen is me saying no.
Except that, I wish you all a merry 2022 year, guys! Stay safe and have fun!
Song(s) used in this chapter: 'You're the Best Around' by Joe Esposito
