Death wish

"I didn't ask for this…"

Do you know when muscles you weren't even aware you had felt sore? Have you ever felt pain on every single cell in your body? Greg didn't even know his body could respond after what just happened… Christmas Eve of Destruction. Even if his bloodied and battered body would give "Passion of the Christ" a run for its money… That golden belt he brought home for Christmas meant that unlike Mel Gibson's movie, his story had a happy ending.

"Ending? It was just the beginning…"

Water pouring from the shower really made you feel the places where that C4 had gone off during the match's multiple spots… Luckily for him, water stopped stinging like a numbersigner a couple of weeks ago. Everytime he got in the shower and felt the water splashing over his bare skin, not only he felt the burning hot sensation, he could hear the voice of his mom on the backseat of his mind.

"For God's sake Greggie!!!!!!"

She wasn't on board with the carnage that went on that night. Greg had to talk her out of writing a complain to Mr. Wes Ikeda, regarding the perilous acts he put through his talents through. Hell, she didn't even go to the arena that night… She refused to see his son's self-destruction, for the sake of a spectacle…

"You can always try and call her Greggie!"

Right, going into a wrestling match with C4 Explosives, light tubes and electrified barbed wire was self-destruction, reckless and whatnot… But calling her was apparently what he should do. Greg couldn't count the nights he spend wondering what he should do about it… Certainly not call her.

"It's not like she changed her number!"

It was more like she was dead for him. For over a month, the only times her name came up during family conversations was when other family member's brought the topic up… Something that occurred extremely often, specially as Greg had been off the roads for a couple of weeks after his match with Zack Ryder… You could think it was a well earned vacation, but attempting to relax and spend time with his family turned to be burdensome when his personal life suffered such a blow…

Al Marasciulo: How long have I known you for, Greg?

A question that always made Greg chuckle. Both men were driving from the veterinary, where the family's Irish Setter Winston had a routine checkup… Taking Winston to the vet was a father-son activity both of them enjoyed ever since Winston was a little puppy. Greg was on the wheel, focused on the road while his father looked at him.

Al Marasciulo: That's right… Listen, I know you better than anyone. And I certainly don't like the way you have clammed up for the past few days… I understand you don't want to talk about her, but something tells me you are just waiting for her to come back in silence…

Trent?: Dad, its not that at all…

Al Marasciulo: She made a choice, right or wrong… You need to make yours, you need to stop looking at her through the rearview mirror, son. What do you need to let go?

Trent?: I don't know… A Reason?

Al Marasciulo: Knowing why she left is not going to change anything… Truth of the matter is she is gone.

Dad was right. No matter how much he refused to acknowledge her existence, let alone her importance in his life… The effort he made in trying not to remember was a painful and arduous task.

Trent?: You know something Dad? You're right.

Al's hand landed on his shoulder to pat Greg as he pulled over slowly into their driveway… As both men and the dog walked out of the car and turned towards their home, Greg couldn't stop noticing a Red Toyota Prius parked next to the curb in front of his house… Visitors? Mom would open the door and wave at them.

Sue Marasciulo: Greggie! Al! What guys took you so long? Come on in! I have a small surprise for you!

Yup. It totally looked like visitors. Sue hurried back inside, while Winston ran behind her. As Greg and his dad walked towards the door of their house a very familiar, succulent and mouth watering aroma filled their nose trills… Father and Son walked through the doorway and into the dining room, where the scent most likely came from… Mom was standing there with a platter on her hands…

Sue Marasciulo: Surprise!

Surprise indeed! Blackened chicken pasta and avocado… Not just any dish, but Greg's favorite dish! He could feel his mouth's salivary glands water, his stomach contract in anticipation.

Trent?: God! That smells so good!

Sue placed the platter in the middle of the table… The dish looked so delicious that Greg completely not noticed the two women sitting by the table… Both of them looked awfully familiar to him, but he wasn't sure who they were… One of them was about her mom's age, the other one most likely was her daughter… Al walked towards them and greeted them both, while Greg just waved at them, while revolving his hippocampus trying to find out where had he seen them before.

Sue Marasciulo: I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone…

Al Marasciulo: Honey! Then why is there just one bird in the platter?

Sue Marasciulo: I figured I could give Greggie his farewell dinner and have my good friend Aurora over!

The three Marasciulos sat on the table, Sue smiled at the two women accompanying them.

Sue Marasciulo: Greg, don't you remember Aurora Marks?

She didn't wait for his reply, which made everything even more obvious.

Sue Marasciulo: Aurora went to college with me… She worked at the dinner downtown to pay for her tuition. When Aurora had graveyard shifts, you and I drove to her place and took care of her daughter Montana… Do you remember her?

Roughly. Greg gave a friendly look to the girl as if trying to tell her "sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about".

Sue Marasciulo: You probably were 4 years old… Montana was probably… How old are you sweetie?

The cinnamon-toned girl ran a hand along her mahogany colored straight hair… Her honey colored eyes squinted a little as in an effort to remember.

Montana Marks: I'm going to be 25 next March… So I guess I was… 2, 3 years old?

Sue Marasciulo: Greggie is turning 27 in March… That means he was 5, maybe 6? Greg, are you sure you don't remember Montana?

Trent?: Don't think so... I would remember such a cool name.

The girl let out a chuckle escape her lips.

Sue Marasciulo: You two used to get along really well… Anyways, once Aurora was done with college she went back to Bucks County, Pennsylvania… You were born there, right Montana?

Montana Marks: Yes ma'am!

Sue Marasciulo: Good! And do you still live there?

Montana Marks: I go visit mom from time to time, but I am living in Brooklyn right now…

Sue Marasciulo: That's nice dear… What is it that you do?

Montana Marks: I'm a full time actress in New York an LA!

Sue Marasciulo: That's really interesting sweetie… Isn't it bothersome to be on the road at all times?

Montana Marks: You get used to it… Flights between NYC and LA can get tiresome… You ever get tired of the road, Trent-Question mark?

Sue Marasciulo: Oh! Are you an EBWF fan?

Montana Marks: I watch whenever it's on! 

Sue Marasciulo: Oh! So you already know Greggie!

Greg gave his mom a look of "Are you trying to set me up with this girl?". Mom replied with a look that said "Why, is it working?".

Trent?: Yeah… Road… You kinda get used to the road…

Sue Marasciulo: Speaking of the road… Greggie, aren't you leaving tomorrow? I heard you talking over the phone… It was the point of this whole dinner! I know this is your favorite dish!

Sue knew he was flying to Wisconsin tomorrow… Not because she heard on the phone, but because he told her himself.

Trent?: Yeah, got to get back to work!

Sue Marasciulo: I guess there's no point in talking about my little world champion to you, Montana. You might even know more about him than I do…

Al Marasciulo: You know, Sue usually doesn't watch Greg on TV… She has a hard time whenever he gets bumped around in that ring.

The rest of the dinner went by normally… No more talk about Montana's life as an actress, no more talk about Mom's little world champion. Aurora, Al and Sue continued trading anecdotes back and forth, laughing and recalling the good times while they ate silently… More often than not, Greg found himself looking at Montana at the other side of the table… The girl with the awesome name would look back at him and smile.

Sue Marasciulo: I have a great idea! Montana, you're into sports right? Fitness…

Montana Marks: Yes ma'am.

Sue Marasciulo: Well, maybe next time Greggie is in town you two could get together and train or something? I'm pretty sure you would have a blast!

Montana looked at Greg over the table.

Montana Marks: That does sound like a good idea!

Sue Marasciulo: Great! Why don't you exchange numbers then?

Montana took out her calling card, scribbling upon it and sliding it across the table towards Greg. He grabbed the calling card and nodded. Mom smiled at him her facial expression said "See? I'm a fucking genius". Greg took another glance at what she had written upon the card:

"Is it too soon to ask for an autograph or tickets to a show? j/k".

---

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Stephanie McMahon had requested him to meet her at her office before the announcement of their match was made official. He somehow saw it coming… To be honest, he expected anything from the board of directors whom he has had nothing but a rocky relationship over the past months. He wore a black sports jacket with a black shirt underneath and gray pants, his hair was held up in a ponytail as usual. Arms folded, his face as expressive as the sphinx's… His lips would part slowly to reply... 

Trent?: Why wouldn't I?

Stephanie McMahon: Well, you are the EBWF World Champion… The Board of Directors just want you to know when you lose one of these matches you don't pop back on TV next week.

He was well aware of that… He has thought about the advantages and disadvantages of having such a 'crucial' Stipulation for the match up.

Trent?: All of a sudden, the same board of directors that wasn't sure a month ago if I should go over EBWF's youngest and longest reigning World Champion? I know it is not their fault that AJ took a run for her money when we were in the middle of something… But I was the one who was left with my head chopped off here, improvising. I think they could cut me some slack… Word around backstage says I am better off as the video game obsessed, easy going, gullible Trent Barreta… Others say I should never have won the strap… Some others say "He just needs repackaging". Repackaging? They sound like a stupid dad trying to teach their kids to ride a bicycle: "Just get your feet on the pedals and move them, kiddo!", good luck picking your kid from the floor a second later… Stephanie, I've given this serious thought… "Repackaging" doesn't come with a theme change nor with adding a punctuation mark to your name… I've been trying to reinvent myself every single night after those know-it-alls began saying I wouldn't last a week with the belt. To answer your question, yes I am aware of what happens when you lose a match like this one… Like it would make a difference if I lost to all people back there…

Stephanie McMahon: So, you really want to go through with this?

Trent?: Before I give you my definite answer… Let me ask you something something… What's up with Allen?

Stephanie McMahon: What do you mean by that?

Trent?: Well, you're on to me like it was my idea to make this match extreme… But he was the one who said "Jump", I'm just asking "How high?". You know, if he doesn't win tonight, he walks… Aren't you going to tell me what's the story behind that? Is he going back to TNA? Is he going to the WWE?

Stephanie McMahon: I don't think discussing someone else's contractual situation with you is…

He cut her off for a moment.

Trent?: ...Or is he just tired and cornered the board of directors and told them "Put the belt on me or I'm quitting"?

Stephanie McMahon: Look, I'm just following orders here… The board specifically told me to ask you if you were entirely sure you wanted to do this...

Trent?: Don't tell me two mid-tier guys have put the board of directors in a predicament… Let me get this straight, they don't want to lose Allen, but they aren't sure someone can take my place right now?

Wether she didn't have an answer or simply refused to reply was unknown. Stephanie remained silent.

Trent?: Yeah, haven't I stretched enough how much I HATE not being told things? I don't think I have… I'm not backing out of this, AJ Styles and Trent? are going to have a BURIED ALIVE MATCH… It's going to be a great match where me an Allen will bring the house down, like Randy and I did last month, one of us has to lose, so be it… I'm sure Allen is just as fine as I am with taking a fall… Would being buried alive hurt my image now that my popularity is at peak? Did that happen to the Undertaker?

Stephanie McMahon: But… You're not Mark.

Trent?: I know I am not Mark, you and every single 'big fish' in this place has made that clear to me… And for the record, my intention is not to be like Mark Callaway… I intend to surpass him, Raven, Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho, Sting… And I don't mind if I do it here, in Japan or in high school gyms, you hear?

He stood from his chair and walked out of Stephanie's office. If being the World Champion did not give him at least a little more weight on what he thought was beneficial for his character and at the same time good for business, there was no point in working there, and definitely no point in being World Champion… He intended to make sure if Stephanie, the board or even Wes Ikeda himself ever told him to step down for a reason that wasn't valid. As he walked towards the hotel room where he was staying, his phone vibrated… He wasted a couple of seconds dragging it out from his pocket, swiping his finger across the screen to check it…

Message From: Montana Marks.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm considering to buy that thingamabob event you're in… Promise not to get your ass kicked too hard? I'd hate to teach you Tae Kwon Do and make you pay me my money back…"

As if there weren't enough reasons to win the match...

---

Sigmund Freud used divans during his psychoanalysis, so that patients wouldn't have to face examinations while looking at psychoanalysts in the eye… It was just the coward nature of the human being, not being able to sustain the look on to someone else's eyes out of shame, fear, inferiority or any other kind of intimidation… Our patient for the day, was none other than Renee Young. Looking a lot more laid back than usual, she wore a a black dress and black heels… When I say laid back is because she was literally laying back on a red divan while she looked to the ceiling… Her hand held a microphone closer to her lips…

Renee Young: I still don't understand why…

The World champion's voice came from right next to Renee… He was resting comfortably in an armchair right next to her, like in Freudian analysis… Their eyes didn't meet. Trent? looked ready for his match, wearing black tights, black wrestling boots and the precious EBWF World Title draped over one of his tanned, nicely toned shoulders.

Trent?: Just do your job and act natural…

Renee rolled her eyes, she inhaled deeply and while laying back on the divan, she began her introduction.

Renee Young: Before our 30 man Royal Rumble kicks in, we will have two men putting everything on the line to get the EBWF World Championship… I'm alongside one of those men, Trent-Question mark. Now, neither you or AJ Styles have…

Trent?: Been buried? I think we have… Not literally but you get the point. 

Renee Young: How can you joke in a moment like this? I thought you'd be snapping out like…

Trent?: Like previous occasions, Renee? Is that your question?

Renee Young: Well, if I were you I would be pretty scared. But you seem pretty controlled.

Trent?: Yeah… I know what you are thinking… You are thinking I must be crazy to take such risk… A buried alive match… Right?

Renee Young: That is the first thing that comes to mind, yes.

Trent?: You, and the rest of the EBWF Universe have done nothing but point your finger at me for a while now… You're accusing me of not being myself… You're accusing me of having lost not only my north but my mind… You've called me deranged, hysterical, maniacal, unstable… But am I really?

Renee Young: Can I…

Trent?: Rhetorical question my beloved Renee… You are calling me crazy, but yet you're the one in the patient's spot tonight. But the real patient… The real person we are going to study tonight is AJ Styles… How sane is him?

Renee Young: He can get a little angry at times…

Trent?: Woah, woah, woah… Don't you spoil the fun for the rest of the people, Renee… Let's honor this man's career in the EBWF like he deserves it! After all tonight might be the last time we ever see him again… So, AJ Styles first gained notoriety around here when he won a Royal Rumble… He went on to become World Champion at WrestleMania… And of course, what goes up, must go down… Mr. Styles is no different, so a couple of months after his victory, he would lose the title. Until then it's a pretty normal story… The same has happened to people like Ted DiBiase, CM Punk and even Randy Orton… What everyone has failed to realise is that ever since that moment… Sunday March 25, 2012… AJ Styles has been continuously spiralling down, falling lower and lower each time, just to get a grasp of this…

The camera focused on Trent? as he held up the World Title over his shoulders rather proudly, before letting it rest over his deserving shoulder yet again.

Trent?: Allow me to elaborate, Renee… How did AJ Styles win his World Championship?

Renee Young: He beat The Miz at WrestleMania XI…

Trent?: And how was the relationship between Miz and AJ Styles back then?

Renee Young: At first they were pretty good friends…

Trent?: From the very moment I saw AJ Styles stand tall and proud over The Miz's knocked out body, I knew I had a potential enemy in AJ Styles… We've all witnessed, over and over again the instability of AJ Styles… Yet again, the EBWF universe insists I am the one who snapped. As far as I recall I have never given concussions to other wrestlers with chair shots to the head, unless it's stipulated in the rules… For example.

Trent? tilted his head back, as if trying to recall something.

Trent?: I have never stepped so low to ask other people like Kevin Nash and Paul Heyman to make me look good… And before you cue in blondie, Heyman was the one who looked for me, not the other way around! AJ's actions for the past year have shown nothing but desperation… I can smell it… That hideous, intoxicating scent... Unless is that cheap perfume you are wearing Renee. AJ Styles has demonstrated that he will stop at nothing until he becomes the World Champion again… Each and every single one of his attempts is not only more violent and extreme, but also as useless as the last… Now, almost one year later, driven by the same desperation that has turned him into an unreliable, aggressive monster… 

Trent exhaled loudly, running a hand along his hair to drag it back and away from his face.

Trent?: He comes to me with a request… It's more clear than ever… AJ Styles knows he has had COUNTLESS opportunities to become a World Champion, opportunities he has dilapidated… AJ knows his time is ticking away… He knows that every second he has spent away from the World Title is a second not worth living… He knows how it feels to be on top of the world, but he couldn't get back there, even if his life depended on it. For AJ Styles, being dead is as much of an acceptable choice as claiming back the World Title… Renee, I am just a man. Who am I to deny him his death wish?

Renee gulped.

Renee Young: Death wish?

Trent?: It is obvious you don't understand the magnitude of this match… Renee, did you know AJ has only one bullet left in his chamber because he wanted it to be that way?

Renee Young: I understand he wants to be World Champion again but…

Trent?: But why risk it all in a single match against the EBWF World Champion? I've heard it all… Some  guys like how these belts turn you into chick magnets… Some others like how each of these belts adds a good few zeroes to your bank account… Some others because it's tangible proof that you are the best. You'd have to ask AJ Styles what is the real motive behind wanting to be the EBWF World Champion at all costs… 

Renee Young: Well, you've demonstrated you'd do anything to become a World Champion in the past couple of months as well… Why don't you tell me why?

Trent?: It's quite simple actually… Same reason why I've proudly held each and every single championship belt through out my career. I'm pretty sure the first thing you notice when you turn to the wrestling business are belts… Golden huge buckled belts with leather straps with different names and different colors… Now, I'm going to let you in on a little secret about the championship belts, Renee: They are not going to defend themselves, they are not going to become prestigious by themselves… Without me holding them… They're just worthless, oversized pieces of jewellery if they don't belong to a worthy holder… A worthy holder is someone who is willing to overcome every single obstacle, decimate every single opponent now matter how bigger or faster… Someone willing to defend the title in every venue, under every circumstance… Someone who won't submit, who won't surrender…  Someone who will only let go off the belt the day they take it off from his cold, dead fingers…

Renee was sitting up, looking at Trent? who seemed to be really into what he was saying.

Trent?: I've been on both ends of it Renee… I've been on top of the world… And I've been as low as you could ever imagine… I can't blame AJ Styles for wanting to be World Champion and I can assure you I would do the exact same thing if I were him, simply because there is no nobility in being a loser! 

Renee Young: Why pick a stipulation where whoever loses not only ends up as you said "a loser" but also… Well…

Trent?: Because I can't and I won't tolerate failure… That's how I deal with my problems, Renee… I have to face a killer, known for his ruthless aggression? Good! I choose to face him inside an electrified cage with explosives and barbed wire all over it and I'll show you there's a new killer in town! I get challenged by someone who wants to beat me and is willing to put his career on the line? GREAT! Let's put both of our lives on the line to make it more interesting! Listen to me and listen to me well… I don't just 'deal' with my problems… I get in their f*cking face and show them who the boss is! And my intention is to teach the world to do the exact same thing. You don't just deal with your problems… You get right in their face and in this particular case, you bury them alive.

Renee looked at Trent? whose lips were curved up in a machiavellian smirk.

Renee Young: Neither of you have experience on these kind of matches… In fact there have only been  a handful of these and...

Trent?: Of course we both have experiences on these kind of matches Renee… We might not have shovelled dirt to cover our opponents… But we definitely have that 'fight or flight' circuit deeply wired into our brains. We know that only one of us can walk out the winner… Scratch that… Walk out alive from this match. Other than, we have both been part of No-holds-barred matches before… For example, AJ Styles seems to be fond of using steel chairs to crack his opponent's skull open; on the other hand, I have become quite a fan of barbed wire as of late… I'm glad we both are going to be able to exploit our abilities, both athletic and hardcore… Once my superiority is clear to AJ, once his body gives in to the punishment, I intend to drop him inside that hole… I will jump in there as well and I will  RAM handfuls of dirt down AJ's throat WITH MY OWN HANDS! I will make sure his death wish comes true slowly enough for him to realize how much of a mistake it was to challenge me and bully me just like Zack and Curt attempted to… Did he think I was going to go soft on him because he would lose his job if he loses to me?!?!?!?! Was he expecting me to feel sorry? I feel sorry, I feel sorry his career didn't end up sooner Renee… I'm sorry he is going to F*CKING CHOKE with every shovel full of dirt I will shove inside his mouth… Until he regrets the moment he dared to challenge me for my World Title.

Trent? took the World Title from his shoulder and showed it proudly to the camera.

Trent?: I'm sick and tired of the "Blood, sweat and tears" speech everyone gives ever since the times of Hulk Hogan… Last month I literally bled in that ring… I haven't seen any other EBWF superstar pull such a feat. And until someone is willing to put his life on the line to become the next poster boy… This belt will continue resting over my shoulder, you can take that to the bank… Tonight I will bury you AJ, I will bury you six feet under alongside each and every single doubt the EBWF has about me.

Trent pressed two fingers against his chest, pointing at himself as the scene faded to black.