A Festival and a Meeting (999 words)
Mar 21, 2021 0:43:53 GMT -5
Lissie Hope, Trey Bouchet, and 4 more like this
Post by Debra Monroe on Mar 21, 2021 0:43:53 GMT -5
HUGGALO FESTIVAL: VEGAS
A montage highlights it. Chocolate sculpting. Strawberry-milk chugging contests. Hug-Cuddle championships. BLM, Antifa, and Trumpers doing Hug-of-War. Sinbad the Black Dracula and Sidney Applebaum the Jewish Dracula delivering Seducer Hugs to hug-bunnies. Christian rappers Shaggy 2 Hopeful and Non-Violent Dave are there. More's shown.
Cut-scene, Debra on stage courting fans.
”Thanks for coming to this event celebrating my shot at the TV Title and Twiztid’s upset win over the man who was the downfall of all who entered the TV division! His victory proved all underdogs can put boots to booty with the best! He’s inspired me! Twiztid got so pissed about people getting his name wrong that he took it out on John Black so hard that I’m sure he’s gonna file a hate-crime against him. He’s hit his stride since then and I know Twiztid's gonna fight for his championship like it’s the last molecule of oxygen in a gas chamber. He doesn't wanna be a Lissie one-weeker."
Everyone cheers!
”So, allow me to address Twiztid personally.”
The crowd quietens.
”You’re not insane. I’ve seen what that is in people I warred against and in people I tried helping. I know what you are. Facepaint or not, you’re a hell of a competitor who inspires people, even if they’re a small demographic. You spent a decade piecing your dream back together, and now that you’re here you’re doing it right. You could’ve used the Carnival or Devils Gate to strengthen your chances in matches but didn’t.”
She doesn't drag up his demons from the pits. She’s been there, knows the struggle. Off limits.
”Respect. But, when the bell rings, I’m coming at you like a huggnado!”
And she'll bring pure Deb-A-Station to all his personalities and silence every voice in his head if needed.
”Because I wanna flip the script of this game. Everyone brings their opponents down for that mental edge, but that cheapens victory. It’s not dissimilar than exploiting a physical injury. I want to lift people up, not bring them down. Starting right now with you! JB, drop dat beat booooy!"
Bacchus chimp-flips onto stage and surprises everyone with catchy beat-boxing using his mouth as Deb raps to Twiztid..
“You’re not a pickle man
But God didn’t make a pickle plan
He made you a Twiztid man!”
Crowd “OOOOHs” her lit heals!
“You’ve been awesome since the day you were born
You’re creativity and art in human form!”
Shoulder shimmy.
Break dance finale. Cuts to Trey. He’s M.I.A. Oh no! Bacchus turns the spotlight skyward and sends out the Plex symbol. Trey emerges as Plex-Man, facepaint depicting stick figures plexing his nostrils. He break dances but can only do one move, but it’s a really GOOD move.
“GO TREY” chants! Group hug and bow!
____________
Debra hesitated before entering the wrestling gym. She knew things could go wrong, given the nature of the man she was meeting and the company he’s kept. Johnny and Trey had cautioned her, but they understood the importance of her match with Twiztid, not just for herself but also for Private Bailey. She breathed and thought happy things:
A Championship reign.
Another championship out of Philidor's reach.
A ceremony honoring Private Bailey, where she'll fasten Bailey's name on the belt instead of hers, and will use Bailey's countenance on the side plates. The bonus cash would go to Bailey's mom.
Spirited, she entered and ignored the trepidation pervading each step and soon found herself in his presence. His aura exuded force of its own, and his penetrating gaze pierced her when she approached.
”Debra.”
His crustpunk voice harsh'd her mellow.
”Downfall.”
She felt his eyes prowling, studying every micromovement as she entered the ring.
”Thanks for meeting me.”
She braved a handshake and smiled, but he folded his arms. To combat this, she level changed and swallowed him with the encompassing might of a Buddy Hug! Debra felt his arms drop but he didn’t reciprocate. Instead he launched her across the ring, where she landed against the corner buckles.
”Spare me your hug shit. We’re here on business, remember?”
Debbie nursed herself and nodded.
”Yeah. Like I said earlier, I need you to show me everything about beating Twiztid. You’re the only person who's beaten him one on one recently, even though he was your eventual downfall.”
She slung a cheeky smile out there, fishing for an ice-breaker moment on her wordplay. He didn’t bite.
”When you exchange blows with an opponent you feel what's in their heart, Debra. I’ve felt what’s in his heart. Last week felt different than before. I'll show you what I did right and wrong, but remember he’s evolving. There's no guarantee. You just remember what I get in return for this. Say it.”
”I’ll owe you a favor.”
”A big favor."
She sighed.
”Come on, it’s obvious what your favor’s gonna be. If I win the title, you cash in and fight me for it. We’re having a Rocky III moment here. I’m Rocky. You’re Apollo. Don’t you want it back?”
”Means the world to me.”
”That’s why you lost it.”
”What?”
”You were fighting for your ego.”
He muted. Strike while the iron’s hot, Debra!
”Fighting for your ego is easy. If you fail, the only person you confront in the mirror is yourself. When you fight for something or someone else and fail, you see your failure every time they look at you. It makes you fight harder. It’s why Twiztid’s fighting harder. I never wanna see those little girls with my debbie-do ponytails sad. I don’t deserve happiness, but they do. That’s why I’m gonna rock Twiztid like a huggicane.”
Downfall scoffed.
”The reason your pretty peepers are brown is because you’re full of shit!”
”Aww. I have pretty eyes?”
He huffed.
”The favor might be called next week, a month from now, a year. You’re my ace in the sleeve. My pawn. Now hush your paladin shit. You have me for the weekend. Make use.”
End.