#NightofSawyer (NOC RP 2)
Jul 22, 2023 13:35:29 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer and Dave D-Flipz like this
Post by Sam Sawyer on Jul 22, 2023 13:35:29 GMT -5
Before the news of Mercedes' death broke on Monday night, Joey knew something was up. Sam always answered his texts; if not right away then within twenty minutes or so. He spent the entire day waiting for a reply to the message he'd sent them at ten, trying not to worry. Then the news reached him, and the darkness was back. Not in him but all around him. He could feel Mason in the room with him, the hammer in his stomach. That pain was nothing compared to this. Sam is his best friend. He knows what their mom meant to them. But what hurt the most was that Sam wouldn't talk to him. Sam always puts everyone before themselves. They're the kindest, strongest, bravest person he knows, and their silence broke his heart.
Things just got worse from there. Tuesday and Wednesday came and went, nothing. Nobody could get through to them, not even their adoptive parents. The police did find Sam at a hotel in New York, and managed to return the stuff they left behind when they ran off, but they didn't get to talk to them or even see them. Riley, their boyfriend, apparently wouldn't leave them alone and kept coming back to knock on their door. Sam then disappeared and the police had to track them down to another hotel.
They weren't able to track down Mason or Ty. Everyone at Sam's old gym knew it was them.
They wanted the old Sam back. The Sam that made them, that made the gym, that came within inches of winning the X*Crown in their rookie year. They are hellbent on success, and when the X*Crown, the ultimate success, came within Sam's grasp again, it was the perfect time to strike.
But if that was their plan, it's not working so far. XHF and Tap Out haven't been able to contact Sam either, and they're in danger of losing their spot in the match.
Joey and the others have still been coming to the gym, more to hang out than to wrestle. They have the occasional match, but don't really feel like getting hurt anymore so it's been pretty tame. This Saturday, most of them are here: sitting around the room on mats or the ring apron. At this point they're mostly trying to chat about anything but what happened. Around two o'clock, somebody unfamiliar steps inside, wearing a suit.
Shane: Hey.
The man looks at Shane, not smiling.
Man: I'm Brian Lopez. XHF.
Nobody knows what to say.
Brian: You're all friends of Sam Sawyer?
Shane: Yeah.
Brian: Sam's still not talking. We're really running out of time now... is there anything any of you can do to help us get to them?
Shane: We've tried.
Brian: I bet you have, but... maybe... try harder.
Joey: What?
Brian: You're their friends. You want to respect their privacy, right? But if someone doesn't do something, they're going to lose their shot.
Kylie: Why can't you just wait? If they want to fight, they'll fight.
Brian: We need to know if they're in a fit state to compete. At their age they're lucky to be in this match to begin with, and after what happened, they need proper care. Everyone keeps telling us how strong they are. Tap Out, the fans with that hashtag. But they're sitting in their hotel, not talking to anybody... how are we supposed to believe that?
Joey: ... They'll be ready.
Brian: You don't know that, buddy.
Joey: I do. I know them... they'll be ready.
Reid: Maybe Sam just doesn't want to talk to you bozos. They didn't talk for a year, remember? That didn't stop FIRESIDE from letting them fight.
Shane: Brian... this is the biggest match of their career. They've been working for this every day, all day, for three years. They deserve this. And if they want to fight, even if they're in a bad state they can handle themselves. They can absolutely handle themselves. Please, let them have the match.
Brian: Get them to tell us that.
Shane: We've tried. I told you. There's nothing more we can do. They'll talk when they're ready.
Brian: Well if they're not ready by Monday, I'm sorry but I'm going to suggest to my boss that they don't compete.
Kylie/Danny: No!
Reid: No fucking way.
Brian: I understand how you feel, but-
Joey: NO!
Everyone turns to look at Joey. There's a fire in his eyes, now starting to glisten with tears.
Joey: You can't do that! You don't know what it was like. We know! We've been training with Sam forever, and we're telling you they'll be ready. They're smarter than all you idiots. They know if they're fit or not.
Brian: I'm not an idiot, I'm trying to look out for them. What would you do if you were me?
Joey: I... I don't know, but I can't just let you do this to them. Sam has never missed a match in their life. They just don't give up like that.
Brian: So it's normal for them to just ignore all of you like this?
Joey shakes his head and turns to look at Reid. There's a fire in his eyes too, and it seems to be urging him on.
Joey: No. But we haven't given up. I know it's a risk... but you're the XHF right? You're always taking crazy risks. If you don't listen to us, we'll fight you on it. We'll keep fighting you until next Sunday no matter what you do. That's how Sam made us. We've spent like a million hours in this gym, going through hell, never giving up, and we're not giving up now.
Kylie: No we're not.
Joey: So what do we have to do?
Brian: You could do what I asked...
Joey: How much time have you got?
Brian: Sorry?
Joey: Can you stay here all day?
Brian: Uh...
Joey: Watch us train. Watch us fight. We'll show you how much we want it.
Brian: How will that-
Joey: I don't know, but it's all we can do. You'll see what Sam taught us. How hard they pushed us. And you'll see... how much we want this for Sam. It's not just talk.
Brian: How long are we talking?
Joey: However long it takes... until you believe us.
Kylie: Joey... you'll burn yourself out. We haven't trained like that for...
Joey shoots Kylie a “shut up” look.
Brian: Look, this is crazy. You don't have to do this. You're the guy that got stabbed, right?
Joey: Yeah. I'm fully recovered.
Kylie and Danny look at Joey, confused, and Brian notices.
Brian: I admire your guts, but I'm not going to put you through that. I'll ask my boss to give Sam more time, but I can't promise anything.
A small smile forms on Joey's lips.
Joey: Thanks.
With a sigh, Brian grins, still looking a little worried.
Brian: Thanks for your time.
They all stare at Brian as he walks off. After he leaves, Shane walks up to Joey and gently grabs his arm.
Shane: Well done, Joey.
Things just got worse from there. Tuesday and Wednesday came and went, nothing. Nobody could get through to them, not even their adoptive parents. The police did find Sam at a hotel in New York, and managed to return the stuff they left behind when they ran off, but they didn't get to talk to them or even see them. Riley, their boyfriend, apparently wouldn't leave them alone and kept coming back to knock on their door. Sam then disappeared and the police had to track them down to another hotel.
They weren't able to track down Mason or Ty. Everyone at Sam's old gym knew it was them.
They wanted the old Sam back. The Sam that made them, that made the gym, that came within inches of winning the X*Crown in their rookie year. They are hellbent on success, and when the X*Crown, the ultimate success, came within Sam's grasp again, it was the perfect time to strike.
But if that was their plan, it's not working so far. XHF and Tap Out haven't been able to contact Sam either, and they're in danger of losing their spot in the match.
Joey and the others have still been coming to the gym, more to hang out than to wrestle. They have the occasional match, but don't really feel like getting hurt anymore so it's been pretty tame. This Saturday, most of them are here: sitting around the room on mats or the ring apron. At this point they're mostly trying to chat about anything but what happened. Around two o'clock, somebody unfamiliar steps inside, wearing a suit.
Shane: Hey.
The man looks at Shane, not smiling.
Man: I'm Brian Lopez. XHF.
Nobody knows what to say.
Brian: You're all friends of Sam Sawyer?
Shane: Yeah.
Brian: Sam's still not talking. We're really running out of time now... is there anything any of you can do to help us get to them?
Shane: We've tried.
Brian: I bet you have, but... maybe... try harder.
Joey: What?
Brian: You're their friends. You want to respect their privacy, right? But if someone doesn't do something, they're going to lose their shot.
Kylie: Why can't you just wait? If they want to fight, they'll fight.
Brian: We need to know if they're in a fit state to compete. At their age they're lucky to be in this match to begin with, and after what happened, they need proper care. Everyone keeps telling us how strong they are. Tap Out, the fans with that hashtag. But they're sitting in their hotel, not talking to anybody... how are we supposed to believe that?
Joey: ... They'll be ready.
Brian: You don't know that, buddy.
Joey: I do. I know them... they'll be ready.
Reid: Maybe Sam just doesn't want to talk to you bozos. They didn't talk for a year, remember? That didn't stop FIRESIDE from letting them fight.
Shane: Brian... this is the biggest match of their career. They've been working for this every day, all day, for three years. They deserve this. And if they want to fight, even if they're in a bad state they can handle themselves. They can absolutely handle themselves. Please, let them have the match.
Brian: Get them to tell us that.
Shane: We've tried. I told you. There's nothing more we can do. They'll talk when they're ready.
Brian: Well if they're not ready by Monday, I'm sorry but I'm going to suggest to my boss that they don't compete.
Kylie/Danny: No!
Reid: No fucking way.
Brian: I understand how you feel, but-
Joey: NO!
Everyone turns to look at Joey. There's a fire in his eyes, now starting to glisten with tears.
Joey: You can't do that! You don't know what it was like. We know! We've been training with Sam forever, and we're telling you they'll be ready. They're smarter than all you idiots. They know if they're fit or not.
Brian: I'm not an idiot, I'm trying to look out for them. What would you do if you were me?
Joey: I... I don't know, but I can't just let you do this to them. Sam has never missed a match in their life. They just don't give up like that.
Brian: So it's normal for them to just ignore all of you like this?
Joey shakes his head and turns to look at Reid. There's a fire in his eyes too, and it seems to be urging him on.
Joey: No. But we haven't given up. I know it's a risk... but you're the XHF right? You're always taking crazy risks. If you don't listen to us, we'll fight you on it. We'll keep fighting you until next Sunday no matter what you do. That's how Sam made us. We've spent like a million hours in this gym, going through hell, never giving up, and we're not giving up now.
Kylie: No we're not.
Joey: So what do we have to do?
Brian: You could do what I asked...
Joey: How much time have you got?
Brian: Sorry?
Joey: Can you stay here all day?
Brian: Uh...
Joey: Watch us train. Watch us fight. We'll show you how much we want it.
Brian: How will that-
Joey: I don't know, but it's all we can do. You'll see what Sam taught us. How hard they pushed us. And you'll see... how much we want this for Sam. It's not just talk.
Brian: How long are we talking?
Joey: However long it takes... until you believe us.
Kylie: Joey... you'll burn yourself out. We haven't trained like that for...
Joey shoots Kylie a “shut up” look.
Brian: Look, this is crazy. You don't have to do this. You're the guy that got stabbed, right?
Joey: Yeah. I'm fully recovered.
Kylie and Danny look at Joey, confused, and Brian notices.
Brian: I admire your guts, but I'm not going to put you through that. I'll ask my boss to give Sam more time, but I can't promise anything.
A small smile forms on Joey's lips.
Joey: Thanks.
With a sigh, Brian grins, still looking a little worried.
Brian: Thanks for your time.
They all stare at Brian as he walks off. After he leaves, Shane walks up to Joey and gently grabs his arm.
Shane: Well done, Joey.