Post by Austin & Todrick Ramsey on Sept 4, 2023 22:49:04 GMT
The scene is chaotic inside the Ramsey home. Due to their involvement with reality television, cameras were never in short supply in their home to capture all the moments they wanted you to see and all of the moments that they did not. Todrick is packing the twins' clothes into a suitcase in the nursery. She is so focused that she does not see that every time she puts something in the suitcase, Dominic takes it out and hides it under his toys. He thinks he is playing a game at his age, and when she finally slows down to pay attention, she does not find it amusing. She hadn’t exactly seen him do it, but Dominic was quickly becoming an expert at ensuring his older brother took the blame for his shenanigans.
Daniel was playing with Diana on the floor; he was supposed to keep the twins occupied while Toddy continued to prepare the family for the work/vacation to Barcelona, Spain. Austin had a match against Atara Raven in the Us vs. Them show where The Entity and a team of his choosing would go up against CCPE. Austin liked to think the Elite of CCPE was chosen based on their strengths and weaknesses. When she asked him why he believed he was chosen, he responded with why wouldn’t he be selected?
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “Daniel…”
Daniel knew his back was to her, and he rolled his eyes because he knew this tone well. He was about to get blamed for something he didn’t do. He looked over at Dominic, who refused to make eye contact and pretended that his toy horse was the most important toy in the world. Daniel could see the smile trying to stay off Dominic’s face, which pissed him off even more.
Daniel Ramsey: “Mom, whatever you are about to accuse me of, we both know I didn’t do it. We both know who did it. Can we just skip to the part where you say I didn’t see him do it, then I get upset and leave?”
Daniel’s back being turned was an advantage with Toddy; it was also a disadvantage to him as he had not seen his father enter the nursery. Austin glared at him but said nothing. He only noticed when Dominic ran over to his father, and Austin bent down to pick him up. They lock eyes, and both men refuse to look away.
Austin Ramsey: “Why do we keep having this conversation, Daniel?”
Todrick turns to look at them. She can see that Austin is annoyed, but she can also see that Daniel will not back down either. “It’s a good thing he is holding Dominic. I don’t see this ending well. I need to separate them quickly. We are on a deadline, and the Ramsey men are being disruptive once again.” Toddy snaps out of her thoughts and steps between them as Daniel stands up and faces his father. Never one to back down from a challenge, Austin puts Dominic down and takes a step closer to Daniel.
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “Okay, this doesn’t work for me. We have to hurry up and finish getting everything ready. The sprinter will be here soon, and we must get to the airport on time. Go to neutral corners; better yet, Daniel, please take your brother and sister downstairs and feed them. Austin, I have our suitcases packed, but I need you to put sleepwear into them because that’s all I have left to do. I also need you to check my purse and make sure the plane tickets and our passports are in there.”
Daniel Ramsey: “You trust him with those important tasks? Maybe he should feed the twins, and I can do those things. You expect him to pack you appropriate sleepwear? Come on, mom.”
Austin cracks his knuckles and smirks at Daniel. Toddy, taking no chances, slides her arm into his so she can stop any sudden movements toward Daniel. She looks at Daniel, elevates her voice, grips Austin’s hand, and enters serious mommy mode.
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “DANIEL, knock it off, and go do what I asked you to do. Yes, I trust your father to do the things I asked him to do. Now go.”
Daniel takes the twins by the hands and begins to walk out. Austin pulls away from Toddy in a flash, grabs the sides of Daniel’s face, and whispers into his ear.
Austin Ramsey: “One day, you are going to pop off at me at the wrong time, and she won’t be here. I’m keeping a running tab on all the moments like these. When I get you, hands will be laid, and debts will be paid.”
Austin kisses him on the cheek and smiles as he looks at Todrick, who is braced and ready for anything.
Austin Ramsey: “All good now, Babe. Right, son?”
Daniel desperately wanted to say something clever but saw that wild look in his father’s eyes. Austin was itching to fight, and Daniel knew it.
Daniel Ramsey: “All good mom, hope Dad keeps this same energy when he gets into the ring with Atara.”
Austin lets Daniel have the last word as he exits the nursery. Toddy takes both of his hands into hers.
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “You alright?”
Austin has a far-away look in his eyes. Toddy pulls him closer, and much like she does when they are in the wrestling arena, she whispers in his ear to pull him back from wherever he is. She used to use this before and during their matches, but whatever head trauma he suffered was only getting worse. She was having to do this more frequently. While she’d never admit it, this was becoming exhausting. She missed all of his personalities because this was their job, and it was a full-time job. In addition to being a wife, mother, wrestler, friend, daughter, and confidant to multiple people, this was exhausting.
This new version of Austin had been tapping into his dark and sinister side when it came to competing in the Event Horizon Division in New Frontier Wrestling, and while he was the champion, it was getting harder to pull him back once he finished his matches. That sinister side of him was gaining more control with each encounter. Austin sometimes felt like a ticking time bomb. She was scared to let him outside of her presence in public for fear of an incident he could not come back from happening.
He responded to her whispering, looked at her, and nodded. They sat down in the rocking chairs in the nursery, and he held her hand.
Austin Ramsey: “Sorry, Babe. He knows I don’t tolerate disrespect when he disrespects you. he is a good kid but constantly tries to slip it in. I don’t play that; no one disrespects you when I’m around. PERIOD!”
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “Honey, he’s 23, he is still developing. I know you two have had some tense moments, but give him some grace.”
Austin Ramsey: “I know, but I don’t want him ever to think it’s okay to disrespect you. I know that you can handle yourself, but isn’t that what I’m supposed to do as a father?”
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “I do appreciate you stepping up more versus joining in with the kids' shenanigans. You are a great father, and we wouldn’t be going to Spain if it was not for you. You are a provider for this family, and we are a team. Right now, I want to ensure you are 100% focused on the task at hand. Your star has been rising for several weeks, and this is your time. Show the world, Smash, and Atara that you are not to be overlooked as expendable. You said it yourself; Chris Page chose the elite of CCPE for this, and you were chosen. Do what you do best, husband.”
Austin nods and kisses her hand. He stands up and exits the room.
The parents are exhausted, the plane has landed, and the twins had given them hell on their first flight. It was not intentional; they were babies, after all. Now they were asleep, and Austin and Todrick were quite happy about it. Knowing that it was their first flight, Austin had sprung for a private plane to get them to Barcelona. It was a good decision because there was a lot of crying and screaming during the flight. Austin hated to see them in pain, but they didn’t know how to pop their little ears. He did what he could to soothe them.
It was essential to them not to have Daniel have to deal with the twins. The parents knew that while he got a sweet deal of free room and board and all expenses paid while he was in medical school, he still gave up much of his personal time to care for the twins when the parents were on the road. They had that conversation on the plane when all three of their children were asleep. Toddy believed that was a part of Daniel’s frustration.
The country was beautiful, and they had a reserved vehicle service that now whisked them to the Can Duarry Villa, also known as Happiness Can Be A Place. While Austin was here to work, he wanted his family to have a nice vacation. The villa certainly lived up to its name. It had everything and was close to the beach and a natural park. As the sprinter stops, Daniel grabs the twins and rushes inside to see everything their temporary home has to offer. Austin and Todrick watch as the attending staff take the bags into the house. They join hands and walk inside.
A few hours later, Austin is walking on the beach alone. He had made sure that his family was settled, but he did have a primary purpose for being there, and it was time to get to work. With the camera crew in tow, he walks barefoot and begins talking to the camera.
Austin Ramsey: “Hey Rockstars! I still haven’t gotten used to that after all this time. I suppose Maniacs might fit, but as husband and wife, Toddy and I share everything, so you all are my Rockstars, too!
I’m thrilled to be here in Barcelona, Spain, for what will be an excellent match for me and a killer vacation for my family. So, let’s get into it, shall we? I’m really glad that Chris Page picked me to be on the CCPE team for the Us vs. Them show. There are several reasons why I am excited about this match. The first is that I want to make Smash eat shit for his mishandling of my career while I was a talent on his roster. A few weeks ago, we had a confrontation about this on another server, and he had the nerve to brag about it.
Let me tell you something, it’s mismanagement of talent that led to you closing your doors. You had your picks of who was “your” shining star, and you pushed them to the moon. While I appreciate you pushing my wife, you only did it because of the fan power she brought to your company. She pushed you into circles you otherwise would not have been noticed in. You also knew that she was a part of CCPE, which meant that all eyes would be on her; you needed that attention. To a weak opportunist like you, keeping her featured was a no-fail mission.
I showed up each time you put me on your card when others did not. I went out there and performed time and time again, and how was that loyalty repaid? You just quit booking me all together. You ignored me and the talent that I possess. The fact that you challenged the best in the game when you have proven to be one of the worst in the game is utterly laughable to me. I will take great pride in putting one of the final nails in the coffin you ordered for yourself. The truth is, you’re fucked; you know it, we know it, the world knows it. This is your last-ditch effort to show that you are somehow still relevant in this game. How many others have tried to take down CCPE and failed? Do you think you are the exception with your band of misfit toys?
You expect me to take you seriously when you sent the biggest misfit toy of all in my direction? First of all, you have no idea if Atara Raven will even show up; how many times has she hyped up these big moment feels over the years and then was a no-call, no-show when it was time to lace up the boots? While I will absolutely despise winning the match because Atty has the attention span of a seven-year-old and gets distracted by any object, shiny or dull, I’ll fucking take it because it is one more point for CCPE. It is one more failure on your part to select quality talent for a team that you are sitting at the head of.
Will Atty focus on me or one of her petty beefs with people like Joe Montuori? She just had the opportunity to win the tag team titles with JMont, but she couldn’t pull herself together to be an equal part of the team. She just showed you how well she works when she is a part of a team, yet here we are. You didn’t fix the glaring mistake that you knew was a terrible choice. You somehow confuse your ability to severely underestimate me with what I am able to accomplish when I step into the ring.
My star has been rising for the last few months in companies where I have been competing. While I may not be a champion everywhere, I’ve pulled some excellent ratings. I had the entire WGWF roster all wanting to be involved in my story about flowers. When was the last time that anyone was checking for an Atara story? Her most extraordinary claim to fame is her beautiful daughter and being James Raven’s wife. She isn’t even Atara anymore; she is literally just known as Mrs. James Raven. I know what it is like to be married to someone whose legacy and following are more remarkable than yours, but I don’t give up and disappear when it is convenient for me. I continue to grind, make waves, and push my own star forward while supporting my wife and her choices.
We have our team ventures, but we have our separate experiences as well. That’s why when Atara has her moments at The Velvet Rabbit, where she literally begs James to form a tag team. If that happens, all she has to do is sit back, ride his coattails, and mooch off his name and legacy. This is who you sent to challenge the New Frontier Wrestling Event Horizon Champion? The same guy who is ½ of the two-time WGWF Tag Team Champions and ½ of the OPW Immortal Tag Team Champions before the doors closed; no one ever took those titles from us, by the way. The same guy who has been in the main event numerous times in multiple companies. This isn’t Austin Circuit 2019, which is the version of Atara that you are hoping to get during Us vs. Them, but we all know that version of Atara is long gone and never to return. Atara lost herself. Who knows if it was because of James or becoming a mother? Both of which are hard, especially being a mother. I get that now that I have added parenthood to the list of things I juggle on a daily basis.
I’m sure she gives it her all, but she hasn’t realized that the time for her to be an elite competitor has passed if something doesn’t change. It isn’t going to change with this match, either. Does she even know this match is happening? She certainly hasn’t advertised it in any way; come to think of it, has any of your team? As usual, CCPE is doing all the work and using our star power to give you the edge that you clearly don’t have. If she doesn’t show, you have no one to blame except yourself. Unlike Chris Page, you don’t have a team comprised of the best in the world. You need to have team meetings, team practice, anything to give you some type of chance. We don’t need that because we consistently prove that we go out there and get the job done in any situation we are thrown in. You have a team comprised of players who make it to the dance but fail to win that crown when it matters most. You have a couple of runners-up who are constantly hoping the crown winner cannot perform their duty so they get a moment in the sun.
The same could be said for The Entity, the runner-up of folded wrestling companies. It’s why you hide your identity because you already know you are a failure, and you don’t want that to be attributed to your laundry list of bad life decisions. Picking Atara because she has the last name Raven was a mistake that you will have to live with. You did not learn your lesson, the lesson that caused you to close your business, and went with a name and hoped it would carry you across the finish line. We are all big names in CCPE; we don’t have to rely on that like you do. Do you get it yet?
Atara, should you choose to get out of bed and show up for our match, I won’t make it easy. Any trace of the friendship that we share will not be apparent. I’m not Joe Montuori; I am focused on the match and not the fellowship in any way. You are the enemy from bell to bell and will be treated as such. Your stick of “I’m the best because of my past” is not going to get you through this contest at all. You always present as if you are better than me; well, this is your chance to prove it. If only your skills in the ring were as slick as your mouth, you’d be lethal. The only thing deadly about you is your attendance record. I don’t even know why you still sign contracts and get people’s hopes up. It’s a joke at this point; you are the joke that no one is laughing at anymore.
It probably is for the best if you don’t show. Your preparation for this match, as well as any of your recent others, leaves a lot to be desired. I used to respect you, but you let Sonya Benson come into your house and make a mockery of you and your entire gimmick and said nothing. Who are you? Where are you? I want you to begin a new chapter with this match, but it is so hard to have faith in you when it comes to anything other than dancing on a pole at The Velvet Rabbit. That is where you spend most of your time these days. When was the last time you went to the gym? Ran wrestling drills? Did anything other than drink with friends and talk about how the Greeks invented everything? One thing the Greeks didn’t create is this pending ass-whipping I have in store for you.
Every time I step into a ring, I am focused and going to perform with everything I have in me. Will I win every match? Fuck no, but I will ensure that everyone that paid for a ticket or tunes in from their device of choice gets their money’s worth. I hope you can do that for Smash. He needs a win right about now, but this show isn’t that. Hopefully, he finally learns how to manage a brand under Chris Page’s supervision after we demonstrate, once again, that it isn’t about a name but the name and the talent when the dust settles on Us vs. Them. You get to be a part of that lesson when I score a point for Team Page. Get your shit together, Dove. Let’s see if you still have it or if this should be your retirement match. We know this is Smash’s last stance; will it be yours as well?”
Austin waves off the camera and keeps walking down the beach.
The following day, Austin and Todrick are up early. They are having a light jog down the beach.
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “Penny for your thoughts?”
Austin Ramsey: “I don’t regret anything I said yesterday. There were no lies in any part of what I said, and I really want to stick it to Smash. I’m not underestimating Atara in any way, but she is a shell of her former self these days. When she is on, she is on, but when was the last time that on switch was flipped up?”
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “Baby, Smash had a lot of stuff going on inside and outside of the business. He…”
Austin Ramsey: “I love you, Baby, but fuck Smash. You can’t make me understand anything about why he treated me the way he treated me. FUCK SMASH!”
Todrick knows to avoid pushing the issue, and there was no reasoning with Austin about this. It wasn’t worth the fight. She was grateful to Smash for all he had done for her career. She’d ensure Austin was on board if they ever worked with him again.
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “Well, enough about Smash. Are you concerned that you may have offended Atara with anything you said?”
Austin Ramsey: “No, why would I be? It’s the swift kick in the ass that she needs. No one is willing to tell her any of that shit. For the sake of peace at home, James can never say any of that to her. I care about her, and I hate to see her like this. This is the only way I know to be a friend to her. Besides, does she ever hold back when it comes to me?”
He had a point, and she wasn’t going to tell him how to cut his promos. He had his style, and she had hers. They also had a joint style that complemented each person well. Austin had to do what was best for him as he was the one competing in this match. Perhaps he had a point; maybe this was precisely what Atara needed. Maybe it would help both Smash and Atara professionally.
Austin Ramsey: “I see that beautiful brain over there is hard at work. Why don’t we shift gears? Let’s draw one of those big heart things and our names inside it like we see in all those vacation photos. Besides, I want the entire world to know that you are my lady, and my heart belongs to you.”
Austin pulls her close to him and wraps his arms around her. He tenderly kisses her as the scene comes to a close.
