The Climb Part 1

[Mac Bane]

The Climb Part 1

{Arkansas}

Fall in Arkansas is quite a site, the turning of the leaves has begun and it decorates the trees with a vivid splash of color. It’s almost as if God took out his paint brush this morning and decided to have a little fun. The slight coolness of the morning has given way to more moderate temperatures as it rises to a very comfortable seventy degrees. Well it would be comfortable for the two men outside had they not been running like the devil himself was after them. The two men are of equal size with Bane being the more muscular of the two, but muscles or not he is just as winded as his friend as they finish the latest circuit of endurance training that Bane had insisted on.

“Are we having fun yet?!” Bane quips as they stop to catch their breath. Buck glares at him not at all amused and definitely not having fun. “Why are we doing this again?” he retorts. “Oh that’s simple my friend, you see our opponents this week are smaller and faster. And with that being the case and you having very little in the way of ring experience we need to increase your endurance as quickly as possible.” Mac and Buck slowly walk off the running allowing their bodies to begin the warm down process. Buck begins to get ready to run again but Bane holds up a hand forestalling the next circuit. “No sir take a break, it’s a long day and I need for you to be as fresh and focused as possible. Go on in and spend some time with your family, after today you won’t be seeing much of them for a while.” Buck nods his head in appreciation and goes on in his home. Mac grabs a towel from the banister that runs along the front porch burying his face in it and breathing deeply.

“It’s a hard but very rewarding life, if you’re good that is. A wise man once said that life is hard, it’s harder if you’re stupid.”

Bane finishes drying his face and neck with the towel and then flips it over the edge of the banister where it catches and he lets go allowing it to settle in its original place there.

“Our opponents this week…Zak Warner and Donald Deruty. I wonder if you boys are smart or if life will be hard. I did a little research on you both, both well decorated in the industry. I could go on about your various title reigns and how much I respect that but that would be back handed compliments and those are more insulting than actual insults so why bother with that? Not to mention that I am sure that you will impress us all with talking about it.”

Bane takes a glass of water from the same banister where his towel lays and takes a long drink allowing some of the water to run down his bearded chin and dribble down his chest. He sets the glass back down and leans back against the bannister before continuing.

“You see it’s all about perspective. Buck and I are here in this company at this time for one reason and one reason only…tag team gold. I don’t know if you two even know each other at all or if you have ever even teamed together. More importantly I don’t care if either of those questions is true. You see from our perspective, you are just in the way, at your size you are nothing more than a speed bump on our way to something bigger. Something vastly more important….establishing ourselves as the premier tag team in this company. There has always been a few things that have separated me and him from everyone else…talent and ambition, very simply stated we have it and most don’t!”

With his skin now dry, Bane slips his denim shirt back on and once again leans back against the banister.

“You see we will become the elite team in this company. We will take on all competitors, we don’t care how big or how small. It simply does not matter, because we will achieve our goals and the fans of this company and this show will have something to cheer about finally. And none of the guys in the locker room have to like us or the reasons we are here. What you are looking at is the future of the tag team division and your next tag team champions.”

Bane pauses as he hears Buck come back out onto the porch. Mac folds his arms over his chest and Buck continues his thought as he leans down resting his hands on the banister causing them to look like a two-headed deamon.

“You may not like it, but there is not a single thing you can do about it!”

The scene fades to black…