Say Your Prayers
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 2:51 pm
Typically in a pro wrestling event where every match had a stipulation, you could expect some strange activity to go down. But perhaps nothing as strange as what happened during the night's handicap match. Usually these were standard fare. The handicapped party either resiliently fought to victory and overcame the challengers or was beaten unmercifully. It wasn't often, or perhaps ever, that the losing party attempted to set themselves ablaze afterwords.
But this was precisely what occurred after Brian Kendrick's match against Steve Austin and Dean Malenko. Other than slapping Austin across the face, Kendrick didn't offer up any kind of offense or even attempt to defend himself. He lifelessly went through the match and didn't even attempt to kick out during the match's lone pin attempt.
Within a brightly lit hotel room he seemed to remain in that catatonic state while seated in a corner of the room. He was unshaven and his messy hair was in even more of a state of disarray than usual. Luckily for him, there was someone present to attempt to shake him out of his worrying state of mind.
| Emma | Hey DJ! Turn it up!
Courtesy of a docked I-Pod on a dresser, The Space Jam theme song began to fill the room. This enabled the blonde Australian to dance in the only way she knew how. Without any kind of rhythm or reason. Despite this unique sight, it did little to move Kendrick who simply stared off into a corner of the room. A click caused the music to cease. Emma sighed heavily as her arms hung limply and she pouted terribly. Adam Rose, who was also present with his arms folded in a corner, shook his head.
| Adam Rose | The Space Jam theme didn't work.
| Emma | But he LOVES the Space Jam theme.
| Adam Rose | Everyone loves the Space Jam theme..
The Party God bit down on his knuckles
| Adam Rose | You should probably take your clothes off, love..
Emma's blue eyes slowly began to narrow
| Emma | You keep suggesting that and I keep telling you no.
After a scowl, her cheery disposition returned and she stepped over to Kendrick. After kneeling down, she placed hand on his cheek to further try to reach him.
| Emma | Hey. Hey there! It's okay! Everything will be okay! You don't have to set yourself on fire! You can set Dean Ambrose on fire! C'mon! Doesn't that sound like fun? Imagine the sounds he would make! "NOOOO! I'm Dean Ambrose! Please don't set me on fire! Gaaaaaah!"
Typically this would evoke some kind of response. A smirk. A twinkle in his eyes. But this time nothing came. Emma frowned.
| Emma | This is very bad. Play another song!
The next selection was Mystikal's "Shake Your Ass" and Emma complied with the title of the song. She bent over completely, practically sticking her head between her legs, and bumped against Kendrick with her read end. Very slowly, he lifted his head, the first movement he had made. Rose quickly turned the music off.
| Adam Rose | Oh! He moved!
| Emma | I did it! My butt did it!
Emma fell over from her awkward position looked up at Kendrick as he slowly rose to his feet. He held out his palms and looked down at them.
| Brian Kendrick | I..I..I saw..something..
Emma and Rose looked to another before slowly looking back towards Kendrick who was still gazing at his palms.
| Brian Kendrick | ..I..heard..something..I don't know what it is..I..I..I need..I need..
| Adam Rose | ..Yes?
| Brian Kendrick | ..Jesus.
This was absolutely the last thing either of his cohorts expected him to say and they looked on in stunned silence
----
Sure enough, this was not some sort of code or riddle. It was precisely as he had said. A means of salvation through religion. A guiding light. With the sun hanging brightly in the sky, Kendrick had brought himself a church. Emma had obviously tagged along as there weren't very many places that she wouldn't follow him. A dip in some holy water seemed like an appropriate way to handle this. A few droplets wasn't going to be enough to extinguish his sins, he figured. So near the back entrance of the church is the former World Champion had relocated. A series of steps led to a modest, pool like structure. Kendrick stood in front of it, dressed in a holy white gown with his hair tied backwards. A priest stood beside him, an older gentleman in glasses with pure white hair, the top of which was mostly gone.
| Priest | I assure you it's not too late to atone for whatever sins you feel you've committed.
| Brian Kendrick | Thank you.
With his hands folded at his waist he took in the wind that blew through his hair.
| Priest | If there are any you would like to ask to be forgiven before you step in, now would be the time.
| Brian Kendrick | I..guess I'm sorry about the time I killed my bosses daughter's dog. To be fair, it was an ugly dog. And dog blood smells REALLY bad so I think I paid for that right then and there. And I guess I'm sorry I broke into John Cena's girlfriend's house. ..Was it his girlfriend? I don't even remember. And I GUESS I'm sorry that I'm going to kill that fucker Dean Ambrose in a few days.
| Priest | I..beg your pardon?
| Brian Kendrick | Yeah. Dean Ambrose. I'm going to kill 'em.
| Priest | I'm..not sure if I follow. I..don't know who that is? I don't believe you should..uh..kill him. I don't believe he deserves to die.
| Brian Kendrick | Didn't you just say you don't know him? Trust me. He deserves to die.
| Priest | And, perhaps, you shouldn't refer to him as a fu--..Uh..that word you used..
Kendrick sighed and nodded in agreement.
| Brian Kendrick | Yeah. You're right, you're right. When can I take my dip?
| Priest | Anytime you feel your ready.
After a long moment of silence, Kendrick pinched his nose and cannon balled directly into the pool, creating a large splash. Not precisely the way the priest was expecting him to enter. He resurfaced with his long hair soaked and unraveled, holding his hands to the sky
| Brian Kendrick | HALLELUJAH! Let the spirit run through me! Praise be onto me!
While he began to clap his hands as if he were in a choir, Emma finally appeared, dragging along a kiddy pool that was, presumably, filled with holy water as well. She was wearing arm floaties and carrying a rubber duck. She cannon balled into the small pool as well and waved frantically
| Emma | Brian! Hey Brian! Look! I'm atoning for all my sins too! Yay!
Kendrick gave a wide smile before his arms slowly dropped to his sides. The smile slowly faded and his head tilted it's way to the side. With little of his face that could be seen from behind his wet hair began to darken.
| Brian Kendrick | ..I don't feel anything.
He slowly looked back over his shoulder at the Priest with a completely eerie expression. The Priest had been distracted by the circus going on around him but now his attention was completely on Kendrick. Before he had time to react, the soaked wrestler snatched him by his ankle and drug him into the water. He began to hold his head down underneath the water as the man flailed and splashed about, trying to resurface. Kendrick looked completely dead and lifeless again and began to quietly mutter, despite the struggling going on.
| Brian Kendrick | I don't feel anything. I don't feel anything. I don't feel anything. I don't..feel..
He finally released the priest who shot out of the water and gasped for air. That was his main goal, somewhere between getting some distance from Kendrick who was back to staring into nothingness. After Emma sprung out of her kiddie pool, she hurriedly helped pull him out of the pool and the two quickly departed.
---
Night had fallen. Back at the hotel from the morning except that this time the camera was filming outside of it. It would appear as though Kendrick didn't take any time to apply a brush to his hair after his dip as it was dry now but something of a mess. With a cigarette in his mouth he sat beside a stone wall with his arm wrapped around Emma who's head was resting on his shoulder. Her eyes looked up to him with concern as he took a drag.
| Brian Kendrick | Dean Ambrose. I'm looking for something but I don't know what it is. And I'm kind of doubting I'm going to find that thing I'm looking for you in you. But I'm going to look and tug and pull and see if you've got what I need.
He flicked the cigarette aside and ran a couple of fingers along his chin
| Brian Kendrick | I get you, Ambrose. You're the big, new, hot thing right now. Girls like you. Guys think you're cool. You got that whole reckless vibe going on and you pull it off so naturally. No wonder you're so popular right now.
Idly, he began scratch and rub at a few strands of Emma's blonde hair
| Brian Kendrick | You're 29. Do you know what I was like when I was 29? I was god damn adorable. Everyone told me I was going to be the next Shawn Michaels and I believed them. But, oh, if you know anything about me, you're aware things didn't turn out quite that way. You're probably hearing that you're going to be the next me.
Kendrick looked to be both annoyed and amused by a comparison such as that.
| Brian Kendrick | Every time someone that comes around and is a little.."off" they get compared to me. And I can tell by looking you have had a rough life. I'm not a doctor or psychologist so I don't care what led you to being the way you are. I just know that little bastards like you and Solomon Crowe can take more punishment than the average man in tights so for that I'm grateful. Or pissed off. I'm not sure which yet. I don't feel like wasting a lot of time on you but if you didn't put up a fight I wouldn't feel very fulfilled. And at this moment in time I am VERY much looking for some kind of fulfillment.
Clenching his fists up tightly at the sides of his head, there was some clear frustration seeping through.
| Brian Kendrick | I could say that I'm looking to get revenge on you for getting past Stardust last week but, if I'm being honest, I just want to give you a reason to drag yourself to another bar. Except this time it won't be so you can get wasted. It's going to be so you can forget what I did to you.
That empty sort of vacant look returned to his eyes.
| Brian Kendrick | Anything to drag, cut, cast, curse, or tear out THIS feeling..
For someone who was typically so showy and ostentatious, the promo ended on a far more pessimistic and ominous sort of tone.
But this was precisely what occurred after Brian Kendrick's match against Steve Austin and Dean Malenko. Other than slapping Austin across the face, Kendrick didn't offer up any kind of offense or even attempt to defend himself. He lifelessly went through the match and didn't even attempt to kick out during the match's lone pin attempt.
Within a brightly lit hotel room he seemed to remain in that catatonic state while seated in a corner of the room. He was unshaven and his messy hair was in even more of a state of disarray than usual. Luckily for him, there was someone present to attempt to shake him out of his worrying state of mind.
| Emma | Hey DJ! Turn it up!
Courtesy of a docked I-Pod on a dresser, The Space Jam theme song began to fill the room. This enabled the blonde Australian to dance in the only way she knew how. Without any kind of rhythm or reason. Despite this unique sight, it did little to move Kendrick who simply stared off into a corner of the room. A click caused the music to cease. Emma sighed heavily as her arms hung limply and she pouted terribly. Adam Rose, who was also present with his arms folded in a corner, shook his head.
| Adam Rose | The Space Jam theme didn't work.
| Emma | But he LOVES the Space Jam theme.
| Adam Rose | Everyone loves the Space Jam theme..
The Party God bit down on his knuckles
| Adam Rose | You should probably take your clothes off, love..
Emma's blue eyes slowly began to narrow
| Emma | You keep suggesting that and I keep telling you no.
After a scowl, her cheery disposition returned and she stepped over to Kendrick. After kneeling down, she placed hand on his cheek to further try to reach him.
| Emma | Hey. Hey there! It's okay! Everything will be okay! You don't have to set yourself on fire! You can set Dean Ambrose on fire! C'mon! Doesn't that sound like fun? Imagine the sounds he would make! "NOOOO! I'm Dean Ambrose! Please don't set me on fire! Gaaaaaah!"
Typically this would evoke some kind of response. A smirk. A twinkle in his eyes. But this time nothing came. Emma frowned.
| Emma | This is very bad. Play another song!
The next selection was Mystikal's "Shake Your Ass" and Emma complied with the title of the song. She bent over completely, practically sticking her head between her legs, and bumped against Kendrick with her read end. Very slowly, he lifted his head, the first movement he had made. Rose quickly turned the music off.
| Adam Rose | Oh! He moved!
| Emma | I did it! My butt did it!
Emma fell over from her awkward position looked up at Kendrick as he slowly rose to his feet. He held out his palms and looked down at them.
| Brian Kendrick | I..I..I saw..something..
Emma and Rose looked to another before slowly looking back towards Kendrick who was still gazing at his palms.
| Brian Kendrick | ..I..heard..something..I don't know what it is..I..I..I need..I need..
| Adam Rose | ..Yes?
| Brian Kendrick | ..Jesus.
This was absolutely the last thing either of his cohorts expected him to say and they looked on in stunned silence
----
Sure enough, this was not some sort of code or riddle. It was precisely as he had said. A means of salvation through religion. A guiding light. With the sun hanging brightly in the sky, Kendrick had brought himself a church. Emma had obviously tagged along as there weren't very many places that she wouldn't follow him. A dip in some holy water seemed like an appropriate way to handle this. A few droplets wasn't going to be enough to extinguish his sins, he figured. So near the back entrance of the church is the former World Champion had relocated. A series of steps led to a modest, pool like structure. Kendrick stood in front of it, dressed in a holy white gown with his hair tied backwards. A priest stood beside him, an older gentleman in glasses with pure white hair, the top of which was mostly gone.
| Priest | I assure you it's not too late to atone for whatever sins you feel you've committed.
| Brian Kendrick | Thank you.
With his hands folded at his waist he took in the wind that blew through his hair.
| Priest | If there are any you would like to ask to be forgiven before you step in, now would be the time.
| Brian Kendrick | I..guess I'm sorry about the time I killed my bosses daughter's dog. To be fair, it was an ugly dog. And dog blood smells REALLY bad so I think I paid for that right then and there. And I guess I'm sorry I broke into John Cena's girlfriend's house. ..Was it his girlfriend? I don't even remember. And I GUESS I'm sorry that I'm going to kill that fucker Dean Ambrose in a few days.
| Priest | I..beg your pardon?
| Brian Kendrick | Yeah. Dean Ambrose. I'm going to kill 'em.
| Priest | I'm..not sure if I follow. I..don't know who that is? I don't believe you should..uh..kill him. I don't believe he deserves to die.
| Brian Kendrick | Didn't you just say you don't know him? Trust me. He deserves to die.
| Priest | And, perhaps, you shouldn't refer to him as a fu--..Uh..that word you used..
Kendrick sighed and nodded in agreement.
| Brian Kendrick | Yeah. You're right, you're right. When can I take my dip?
| Priest | Anytime you feel your ready.
After a long moment of silence, Kendrick pinched his nose and cannon balled directly into the pool, creating a large splash. Not precisely the way the priest was expecting him to enter. He resurfaced with his long hair soaked and unraveled, holding his hands to the sky
| Brian Kendrick | HALLELUJAH! Let the spirit run through me! Praise be onto me!
While he began to clap his hands as if he were in a choir, Emma finally appeared, dragging along a kiddy pool that was, presumably, filled with holy water as well. She was wearing arm floaties and carrying a rubber duck. She cannon balled into the small pool as well and waved frantically
| Emma | Brian! Hey Brian! Look! I'm atoning for all my sins too! Yay!
Kendrick gave a wide smile before his arms slowly dropped to his sides. The smile slowly faded and his head tilted it's way to the side. With little of his face that could be seen from behind his wet hair began to darken.
| Brian Kendrick | ..I don't feel anything.
He slowly looked back over his shoulder at the Priest with a completely eerie expression. The Priest had been distracted by the circus going on around him but now his attention was completely on Kendrick. Before he had time to react, the soaked wrestler snatched him by his ankle and drug him into the water. He began to hold his head down underneath the water as the man flailed and splashed about, trying to resurface. Kendrick looked completely dead and lifeless again and began to quietly mutter, despite the struggling going on.
| Brian Kendrick | I don't feel anything. I don't feel anything. I don't feel anything. I don't..feel..
He finally released the priest who shot out of the water and gasped for air. That was his main goal, somewhere between getting some distance from Kendrick who was back to staring into nothingness. After Emma sprung out of her kiddie pool, she hurriedly helped pull him out of the pool and the two quickly departed.
---
Night had fallen. Back at the hotel from the morning except that this time the camera was filming outside of it. It would appear as though Kendrick didn't take any time to apply a brush to his hair after his dip as it was dry now but something of a mess. With a cigarette in his mouth he sat beside a stone wall with his arm wrapped around Emma who's head was resting on his shoulder. Her eyes looked up to him with concern as he took a drag.
| Brian Kendrick | Dean Ambrose. I'm looking for something but I don't know what it is. And I'm kind of doubting I'm going to find that thing I'm looking for you in you. But I'm going to look and tug and pull and see if you've got what I need.
He flicked the cigarette aside and ran a couple of fingers along his chin
| Brian Kendrick | I get you, Ambrose. You're the big, new, hot thing right now. Girls like you. Guys think you're cool. You got that whole reckless vibe going on and you pull it off so naturally. No wonder you're so popular right now.
Idly, he began scratch and rub at a few strands of Emma's blonde hair
| Brian Kendrick | You're 29. Do you know what I was like when I was 29? I was god damn adorable. Everyone told me I was going to be the next Shawn Michaels and I believed them. But, oh, if you know anything about me, you're aware things didn't turn out quite that way. You're probably hearing that you're going to be the next me.
Kendrick looked to be both annoyed and amused by a comparison such as that.
| Brian Kendrick | Every time someone that comes around and is a little.."off" they get compared to me. And I can tell by looking you have had a rough life. I'm not a doctor or psychologist so I don't care what led you to being the way you are. I just know that little bastards like you and Solomon Crowe can take more punishment than the average man in tights so for that I'm grateful. Or pissed off. I'm not sure which yet. I don't feel like wasting a lot of time on you but if you didn't put up a fight I wouldn't feel very fulfilled. And at this moment in time I am VERY much looking for some kind of fulfillment.
Clenching his fists up tightly at the sides of his head, there was some clear frustration seeping through.
| Brian Kendrick | I could say that I'm looking to get revenge on you for getting past Stardust last week but, if I'm being honest, I just want to give you a reason to drag yourself to another bar. Except this time it won't be so you can get wasted. It's going to be so you can forget what I did to you.
That empty sort of vacant look returned to his eyes.
| Brian Kendrick | Anything to drag, cut, cast, curse, or tear out THIS feeling..
For someone who was typically so showy and ostentatious, the promo ended on a far more pessimistic and ominous sort of tone.