It was Sunday, and the Dome at America's Center was all set up for Fanniversary. The first match on the card was a ladder match to determine the new Gateway Champion, after The Miz had cashed in the championship to earn a shot at Randy Orton's World Title. The title was already in place above the ring. Standing underneath it in the ring was one of the four men who would be competing in the ladder match – the Intrepid Traveler, Paul London. As he looked up, London gulped. His friend Billy Kidman, who London had invited to Fanniversary as a thank you for helping him take care of Gangrel, was stood in the ring with him, and as he heard London gulp, Kidman couldn't help but laugh.
Billy Kidman: What's the matter, Paul? You're not afraid of heights, are you?
Paul London: No!
London was too defensive in his response, exposing the truth. Kidman shook his head in disbelief.
Billy Kidman: So you expect me to believe you've travelled through space and time, dealing with vampires, dark wizards, orcs and tigerbears... but you're scared of climbing a ten foot ladder? Besides, haven't you wrestled in hundreds of ladder matches?
Paul London: Don't be ridiculous, Billy, orcs aren't real. And for the record, across my lifetimes, I have wrestled in 13,689 ladder matches. I was part of the first ladder match to take place on the moon, and let me tell you, not having gravity makes that harder than you might think. It's not so much getting up that you have to worry about... it's getting back down that's the real challenge. However, it's because I have wrestled in so many ladder matches than I'm nervous. I know how dangerous they can be.
Billy Kidman: But with all that experience under your belt, surely you know better than anyone how to avoid getting hurt?
London nodded, sadly.
Paul London: Of course I do. But it’s a case of balancing risk versus reward, I'm afraid. If I'm not prepared to risk getting hurt, than I won't have a chance of winning. After all, the men I'm up against tonight are fearless. Tommaso Ciampa is disturbingly violent, and will take full advantage of the fact that anything goes in this match. I have calculated that in order for me to beat him, there is a 46% risk of him making me bleed. And given the healing powers contained within my blood, it is important that not a drop of it goes to waste. As for CM Punk, he will be seen as the returning hero tonight, and the support of the St. Louis crowd will make him 15% more likely to succeed. As for Edge... well, we all know the ladder match is kind of his speciality. In the 31st century, no wrestlers are permitted to compete in a ladder match unless they have first studied Edge. The trainers of that era see his performances as an artform. The odds aren't in my favour, and there's a good chance I'll get hurt... but don't worry, friend. I'll be sure to give it my all.
Billy Kidman: That's more like it! As you said, no risk, no reward.
Paul London: Alas, it is true. And with Warfare Games taking place next week, I'm very much in the red zone right now when it comes to risk.
Kidman patted London on the back reassuringly, then the two men exited the ring as London explained the story of the tigerbear to Kidman.
