OOC: Much love, and best of luck!
###Wednesday 9th April 2019 - Toronto Canada ###
My phone has been sitting on the charge in the kitchen while I work, mostly because it was sitting at 5%, and also because I didn’t want it to get covered in flour. That stuff gets everywhere. And after a memorable afternoon with my uncles, I am well aware that it’s pretty flammable. And as I have no wish to set my hands on fire, it’s staying out of the way.
Even if it has been pinging and buzzing with received messages. Usually I’d be all about answering them, but whoever has their pants in a panic trying to get in touch with me is going to have to wait, as these cookies won’t bake themselves.
When the cookies are in the oven, and the dishes are piled in the sink, I take a break. Because dishes suck. Wiping my hands on the towel that someone (Chris?) has left over the back of the one of the chairs, I grab my phone. Twelve missed messages on Whatsapp, all from Charlie, the medical student I met on the London train, who has turned into something of a penfriend.
Coming to you live from London, it's Charlie! Finally getting a chance to watch the show, and you're getting the live commentary.
Zoomies!
Oh splat, that looked like it hurt.
2 count! Terminator terminated.
Bugger bugger bugger, you're going to lose.
!!!Maybe not, I felt that knee!
Please tell me you're not knocked out?
Guess not! Bloody hell!
1
2
3
You got it!
You approve? I sent back. He must still be online, as his reply comes back quickly.
You. Were. Awesome. Course, I already knew that.
Flatterer.
Nah. Oh, my housemates say hi, they don't believe that I met you, or am talking to you. Idiots.
I laugh, and quickly snap a picture of myself, flour covered trousers and all.
???
Baking. Got a little out of hand.
Well, it stunned my lot. That'll last about 5 mins.
No classes today?
Afternoon break. Otherwise known as lecturer that reads the PowerPoint and doesn't actually teach.
He doesn't notice you texting?
You read Harry Potter? He's Binns. There could be a wrestling match right in front of him and he'd never notice.
...Makes me wish I knew someone in London to try that theory out.
A chance would be a fine thing. Anywho, I'll let you get back to your baking. I have an essay to work on. Look after yourself, and talk soon.
Later, Charlie.
I set my phone down again just in time as my timer dings. It's good to have a friend to talk to. I really need to reach out to more of the guys in Emerge, try and make a few more friends. Maybe bribery with cookies is a good way to start?
###Thursday 18th April 2019 - Toronto###
The pool is quiet today, mostly because Dad paid to hire the place. So there's just us here, us being myself, Dad and Uncle Chris. I need to up my training for EMERGE, and Dad and Chris are training for their Iron Man match in Global Championship Wrestling. I don't envy them, even the thought makes me tired. Maybe someday though.
The heating is cranked up in the building but the showers are freezing as I wash off before padding over the mats to the side of the pool. The water is still and calm. Rather than dive in, I sit on the side and lower my toes in, watching as the ripples start to spread. When they reach the far side, they rebound and cross over with the original. There's probably a metaphor in there somewhere.
The water is cold at first, but it'll warm up. I slide myself off the side, hissing as I submerge, letting myself sink fully under, closing my eyes against the first sting of the chlorine.
It's calm and peaceful under the water, but just floating is not getting me anywhere, and so I kick up to the surface. I've barely emerged when...
“Canonball!” shouts Chris as he darts out of the mens changing room, leaping into the air, curling up, and splashing down into the water. The shock wave smacks me straight in the face, and I have to make a grab for the side as I try to clear my eyes and nose.
“Asshole,” Dad pronounces from the side, hands on his hips, but the corners of his lips are curled up.
Chris surfaces, and grins lazily at Dad, starfishing out so he floats on the surface. “Heard it before, brother mine,”
“And you’ll keep hearing it,” Dad retorts, settling himself on the edge of the pool, and I’m amused to note that it’s exactly the same as the way that I entered. He slides into the water, submerges, and then pops up right beside Chris, who flails, startled, and dips underwater.
And of course, this starts a water fight between the pair of them, and I carefully paddle my way into shallower water, well out of the way of the line of fire.
No matter if they’re behaving like five year olds, or actually acting their ages, I do love them dearly. And they need a bit of a relax, especially considering everything that’s going on at the moment. I think I’ve really got it lucky at the moment. I have no freaky ninja’s chasing me all over the place, and I don’t have a family out for my blood, or someone looking for revenge.
I am sneaking under the radar, and loving it.
I settle into the routine of my laps while Dad and Chris continue their mostly horsing around as they transition into lengths. There’s a lot of flailing and surprise dunkings as they burn off steam, but they’re considerate enough to give me space to get my workout started.
And it feels good to swim, feels good to let my mind wander where it wants to. Of course, the thing that’s mostly on my mind is still dealing with the notion that Chris planted in my head all those months ago. Who am I?
I don’t think that I’m really any closer to getting a simple answer, but I don’t think that anyone else is, either. How can you know who you are, when who you are changes every day? But there is one thing that I’ve discovered. Ever since I signed with Emerge it’s felt as if I’m a stranger in my skin. I’ve been twitchy, clumsy, and not my usual self, as if I’m wearing an ill-fitting set of clothes.
But after facing Jenni, Kelsai and Ryan for the Spirit Title, everything seems to have settled. I feel comfortable in my skin again, as if I’m meant to be here and doing what I do. I still get flashes of being the Imposter, but they’re fading now, and are easily dealt with. It feels...good.
The only noise in the pool now is the slap of skin on water, and the sound of the water hitting the sides of the pools. The three of us have settled down into our routines and our workouts. I’m the slowest of the three, but Dad is pacing me every fifth length or so, checking in. Playfulness burnt off, Chris is sliding through the water with a sort of grim determination.
It felt good to get the victory over Tyler, but not getting the win. What felt good was realising that I had ring awareness at the right time, and my instincts knew exactly what to do when I needed them. That’s the sort of thing that only experience teaches, and if anything, it shows just how far I’ve come since I started out. Tyler was a hard match, he really had me reeling, but I was able to come out on top, and that means the world. I can’t even begrudge his attitude afterwards.
I can feel my body starting to feel the effects of the exercise now, and I know that this will be my last length, unless I want to do something as undignified as drowning. I go for a sprint finish, turning sharply, kicking off hard, and powering down the length as hard and as quickly as I can. Out of the corner of my eye I catch sight of Chris, who has apparently decided that this means he needs to race me.
I would grin, but then I’d swallow water and that’s not a good idea.
My fingers brush the side just seconds after his do, and he shoots me a thumbs up before he makes his turn and starts back up the pool. I haul myself up onto the slippery tiles, feeling the air bite into my skin, cold after the accustomed warmth of the pool. I head for the changing rooms, throwing a thumbs up of my own towards Dad, before I’m out of sight.
With the two of them still training, and no one else here, I can afford to linger in the showers for longer that I usually would, stripping the chlorine from my skin and my hair, before swathing myself in my bath sheet.
My body feels good, that sort of quiet, warm ache that means that you’ve done a good job at your workout. My mind is aware and awake, but still drifting from thought to thought. It’s a nice feeling. I’ve missed being comfortable in my own skin.
I dry, dress, and repack my bag with casual quickness. I can still hear splashing from the pool, and we still have thirty minutes left on our time limit before the pool opens again to the general public. I must remember to thank Dad again for this.
Which reminds me, I need to remember to thank Yvonne Knight after our match at the next Emerge. I mean, the woman is a major name, ring rust or not, and I get to step toe to toe with her. I’m sort of looking at it as a great training opportunity, as well as another chance to strut my stuff. At least now I feel like I’m actually more on her level than I would have been when I first started out.
There’s a bottle of water in the vending machine with my name on it, and I park myself on the floor to rehydrate, while I wait for Dad and Chris. I think tomorrow they have me joining them for a run along one of the running trails in Toronto. Probably the waterfront (Chris), or the park (Dad). Either way, it’ll be good. Wonder if Dad will convince anyone to join us.
Maybe I should reach out and see if anyone else wants to come with us. Kelsai, maybe? Or Sabs? Actually, I’ll wait till after the next show. Yes, that’s a little bit of pride talking, Gwen, you don’t want any potential new friends to see you blowing like a tired horse. Get a bit better before you invite spectators.
That’ll be something to look forward to. Right now, I’m ready to head back home and see what the rest of the day has planned for me.
###
REC
So..looking back, I might have come off a bit cocky last time with all my proud declarations of how I was going to do in the match against the T-1000 himself, Tyler Jackson. But I wasn’t feeling in any way arrogant. I was feeling...right, I suppose is the only way to put it. And I did it. I went out there, and I did what I wanted to do. I showed that I belonged in that ring, I belonged in that match, and in the end, I got the victory.
He could have taken me, he nearly had me down and out a couple of times, and he stood a better than average chance of beating me. And somehow, I clawed it back and pinned him. Watching the replays, I can see how I did it, but in my head and my heart, I’m still not quite sure how I pulled it off. Either that or I’ve not worked out how to convince them yet. And still haven’t, even at the time of recording this, weeks after the match itself.
But we don’t get much time to reflect on ourselves, although Emerge is generous enough with their timing, and now I have to prepare for my next match against Yvonne Knight. Side note, me and Sabrina Bello are opponent swapping. She gets the T-1000, and I get Yvonne Knight. Small side note, but it’s been making me giggle.
Yes, I know, small things amuse small minds, I’ve heard that quite a few times in the past few days.
Now, everyone seems to feel that it’s a bad thing to let another wrestler take up space in your head, especially when it’s your opponent. I’m not quite sure why that is, and I’m a little bit afraid to ask. You know, wrestling needs something like the NoStupidQuestions subreddit, because I have so many questions, most of which are probably stupid. I could ask the family, but sometimes you want answers without a side helping of gentle and loving mockery.
Okay, back to headspace. Yvonne Knight has been in the back of my mind since the match was announced, just lurking there, reminding me that I have to face her. While I’m training, while I’m scouting, even when I’m trying to relax in my favourite book, I know that my mental construct of her is there.
But I’m not afraid to face her.
Quite looking forward to it, actually.
Here’s hoping that I have the same reaction in a few days time.
/REC