#8 - Legacy

by KinZil Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:51 am

A near 240 mile journey brings Arthur Rose and Kendall Wolfe to CMV's Headquarters, not the original destination for the two counterparts.

Arthur Rose

I'm sorry we had to, uh....take a little "detour"....I got hungry.

Kendall Wolfe

I still don't understand why you had to take that guy's steak...

Arthur Rose

I guess when people are that hungry, they will do just about anything to feed themselves. Anything to survive.

Kendall Wolfe

.....Are you kidding me, right now?

Arthur Rose

Yeah. I was pretty damn hungry.

Kendall Wolfe

I can't believe you right now.

The two exit the car, with Arthur yet again offering assistance and Kendall gesturing otherwise. Him and Arthur entered the building. For Kendall, this was particularly essential, as this was rapidly transforming into a self mission to get once again into shape and to end up as healthy as possible. A middle-age man, clad in blue and with a smile plastered on his face, approaches the two men.

???

Ah, so this is THE Kendall Wolfe?

Arthur Rose:

Sure is. Kendall, I'd like you to meet Mr. Elmer. He works with talent recruitment to Fusion directly from the Headquarters. He was the one who signed me up all those ye- all those months ago.

Harold Elmer

Please, call me Harold. Now, Arthur, is this REALLY Kendall Wolfe?

Arthur Rose

Yeah, check all of his tattoos, his face, everything's as it sho-

Harold Elmer

No. You seem to have found a doppelganger, Arthur. This surely can't be Kendall wolfe, I mean look at him-

Kendall Wolfe

Come on now, wait a minute-

Harold Elmer

His clothes are more dirty than usual, he reeks of oil and rust, he's put on a few pounds-

Kendall Wolfe

Hey!

Harold Elmer

-Not to mention that he can barely walk. He's only been out of the game for a year-

Kendall Wolfe

Okay, I get it!!! I'm no spring chicken, but I'm Kendall Wolfe, damnit.

Arthur Rose

You see, Harold? He's the same old Kendall. Still got that fire, he's just more, uh...smokey, than usual.

Harold Elmer

I know who you are, Kendall, and I am a huge fan. WAS, a huge fan....of your work. SO. Arthur,
I have some paperwork for you to fill out that was handed to me just an hour ago. Something about a restraining order...?

Arthur Rose

Wow, dick....NOT you, Mr. Elmer. Where do you need me?

Harold signals to his senior office, to which Arthur obliges and heads over to. Elmer puts an arm around Kendall and aides him to a room arranged on the opposite side of the building. As they travel through the Central station of CMV Headquarters, Kendall looks to the walls in the foyer in which they are going through, where CMV developmental Graduates, previous champions, Hall Of Famers, Ascendance main eventers and more cover and shroud the peeling paint. The two arrive at the destination and stroll into the main office on the second floor, overlooking the gardens and neighbouring buildings. Kendall turns to see a mountain of merchandise assorted for the viewing eyes of the higher ups. Replica sideplates, t-shirts, tank tops, sunglasses, baseball bats and splendor masks cover the majority of the merchandise shrine. For the first time in a long time, Kendall is amazed at what is showed before his own eyes.

Harold Elmer

.....Do you like what you see?

Kendall Wolfe

Mr. Elmer, this is amazing! I mean, this has everything! My Splendor stuff, all of my rookie attires,
even the signture baseball bat! It brings back good memories, sir.

Harold Elmer

Memories. That's all you have at this moment, Kendall.

Kendall Wolfe

Well, yeah, we can't foresee the future, now, can we? I don't know what the future brings me,
but adding to this list of merch sounds pretty good right about now!

Harold Elmer

With all due respect, Kendall, I can foresee the future for you. It does not involve wrestling in CMV.

Kendall's smile is instantaneously wiped from his face, his eyes not widened by amazement, but by shock, like a figurative slap in the face.

Kendall Wolfe

What? You can't be serious, right? What do you mean, Mr. Elmer?

Harold Elmer

Do you really want to know?

Kendall Wolfe

Y-yeah.....of course.

Harold turns to look at Kendall, who is a deer in headlights. A heavy sigh of disappointment leaves the windpipes of Mr. Elmer, a look of empathetic helplessness emitted from his pours. Mr. Elmer removes his dry, scaly hands from his warm, dark pockets and takes a small step forward, his body standing still afterwards, his eyes looking
to embrace a hopeful Wolfe.

Harold Elmer

All of this merchandise.....it's like you. In the past. You are the past, Kendall. The present and future lies in the current main roster, and the kids down in developmental. Face it. This isn't 2016 anymore. Nobody's interested in portals or comic book villains or amulets anymore. They'll laugh at you for that, and they probably laughed at you when it was happening, but the point is this: this is the Reality Era. That isn't reality. Your chances of making a big comeback also fails to meet that criteria. It falls into fantasy.

Kendall Wolfe

Harold.....what is this all really about?

Harold Elmer

What it's always been about at CMV. Preserving legacy. YOUR legacy. We intend to put all of this merchandise, plus SO MUCH MORE from the CMV warehouse, up for grabs on the shop. You've been apart of factions, been the good guy, been the bad guy, won championships, formed friendships and enemies, won Rumbles, Ascended to greatness. You've done it all, Kendall! Now there's only one thing left to do. Reap the reward.

Kendall is taken aback by the proposition that was just laid out to him by Harold. Words nearly seem to escape him, the wind in his sails absolutely sucked out of him, a gut punch to remember.

Kendall Wolfe

Harold, with all due respect, with some time to heal and a few recoup sessions, I can still fight. You gotta give me another ch-

Harold Elmer

I'm not arguing on this, Mr. Wolfe! And with all due respect, you don't get to call me Harold.
Mr. Elmer is fine, thank you very much.

A knock on the door breaks the tension between the butting of heads, and Arthur Rose walks back into the fray with paperwork in hand.

Arthur Rose

Hey guys, you two getting on well?

Harold Elmer

Yes, perfect, just discussing some terms and conditions from Kendall's PAST contract. I believe Kendall was just about to leave.

The whole time, Kendall just stares at Elmer and makes no effort in attempting to disguise his scowl at the man who intends to rip away his career for good.

Arthur Rose

Kendall-

Kendall Wolfe

We're going to Genesis.

Arthur Rose

But I thought we agreed on Fusion-

Kendall Wolfe

We're going to Genesis, Arthur. Change of plan. Thanks for that VERY INFORMATIONAL business chat, Mister Elmer.

Harold Elmer

Much appreciated, Kendall. And please, come back any time.

Kendall Wolfe

Not on your life.