Lina: A Comic Book Fantasy
Oct 28, 2010 19:16:46 GMT -5
Post by unimportantguy on Oct 28, 2010 19:16:46 GMT -5
A hole-in-the-wall deli somewhere in San Francisco, people crowding the door in their rush to get in before the end of their lunch breaks. We see a familiar redhead practically swimming in an oversized navy blue USMC sweatshirt, her infamous tattered Chuck Taylors for once replaced with practical Doc Martens. She juggles a couple of sandwiches and bottles of soda as she slips sideways between the various college kids and office workers nearly blocking the entrance.
Lina: Heads up, comin’ through! Jeez, people, move your asses, huh?
Lina pauses beside a hulking, dark-haired man in jeans and a leather jacket, a forest-green cashmere scarf looped incongruously about his neck. To anyone who paid attention to Lina’s work outside of OG-Joshi, it would be easy to recognize Nate “N-Trio” Mitchel, the current Sierra Wrestling All-Stars World Champion. He’d been slouched lazily, waiting just beyond the milling lunchtime crowd, but jolts to life as she shoves one of the sandwiches unceremoniously in his face.
Lina: Here. Told ya this was a great place, right? This many people can’t be wrong.
Nate grunts, accepting the sandwich with a grudging scowl. He and Lina both ignore the scattering of tiny patio tables and chairs outside the deli, in favor of wandering away from the lunch rush crush to continue their conversation.
N-Trio: Never did like the idea of lettin’ women buy me stuff...
Lina: It’s a sandwich, Nate. Now eat it or give it here and I’ll eat the damn thing.
Lina makes a grab for the sandwich, but Nate immediately yanks it away, holding it above his head until she gives up. He favors here with a roll of the eyes.
N-Trio: Why are we even having this conversation, Red? It’s not like we’re friends or anything. Hell, it’s not that long ago, I was dropping you on your head.
Lina: Look, Nate...you started out curtain-jerkin’ for some no-name indy fed in the middle of nowhere. You came from nowhere, with nothing, and now people love y-...well, they love to hate you.
N-Trio: Hey, whoa! I didn’t come from nothing.
Lina: [raising her hands in a gesture of surrender] I didn’t mean it like that! Look, you busted your ass to make it up the ranks; you went from the worst sort of irrelevance to the fuckin’...
She searches for a word.
The pinnacle of SWA. So, ya got any advice for us punks still climbin’?
Nate favors her with a dubious look, shrugging.
N-Trio: Look, I dunno what to tell you. I spent years getting told I was trying to be Triple H; wasn’t until I started acting like I was that people started figuring out I wasn’t.
Lina’s shoulders sag, her expression starting to turn pained.
Lina: Nate, I’m not talking about persona...
N-Trio: Are you sure? Okay then, you tell me. Why can’t you beat Eris? Why don’t the fans give you any respect?
Lina: (Defensively) What are you talking about? The fans love me! Maybe a little too much...
N-Trio: I'm not talking about love here, I'm talking about respect. People who respect you don't interfere in your matches.
Lina: I-
N-Trio: Look, Lynn, I, uh... I don’t really know how to put this delicately, so I’m just gonna come out and say it. You keep trying to live in some...some sorta comic book fantasy world where the good guys always win, and the bad guys get their asses beat. But sometimes, you can’t be the hero. Sometimes, you just have to be the stronger one, or the faster one, or the smarter one. Sometimes, at the end of the day, you just have to be the winner.
Lina: Dammit, I can’t just change who I am...
Nate shrugs again, pausing to punch the button for the crosswalk signal as he tosses the last bite of sandwich into his mouth.
N-Trio: Whatever, Red. Look, I got a meeting with the bookermen to get to, so why don’t you think about what I said? Thanks for the sandwich.
The light turns; Nate offers a halfhearted wave as he strides off, leaving Lina to her thoughts.
Lina: But... I’m supposed to be the hero... aren’t I?
Lina: Heads up, comin’ through! Jeez, people, move your asses, huh?
Lina pauses beside a hulking, dark-haired man in jeans and a leather jacket, a forest-green cashmere scarf looped incongruously about his neck. To anyone who paid attention to Lina’s work outside of OG-Joshi, it would be easy to recognize Nate “N-Trio” Mitchel, the current Sierra Wrestling All-Stars World Champion. He’d been slouched lazily, waiting just beyond the milling lunchtime crowd, but jolts to life as she shoves one of the sandwiches unceremoniously in his face.
Lina: Here. Told ya this was a great place, right? This many people can’t be wrong.
Nate grunts, accepting the sandwich with a grudging scowl. He and Lina both ignore the scattering of tiny patio tables and chairs outside the deli, in favor of wandering away from the lunch rush crush to continue their conversation.
N-Trio: Never did like the idea of lettin’ women buy me stuff...
Lina: It’s a sandwich, Nate. Now eat it or give it here and I’ll eat the damn thing.
Lina makes a grab for the sandwich, but Nate immediately yanks it away, holding it above his head until she gives up. He favors here with a roll of the eyes.
N-Trio: Why are we even having this conversation, Red? It’s not like we’re friends or anything. Hell, it’s not that long ago, I was dropping you on your head.
Lina: Look, Nate...you started out curtain-jerkin’ for some no-name indy fed in the middle of nowhere. You came from nowhere, with nothing, and now people love y-...well, they love to hate you.
N-Trio: Hey, whoa! I didn’t come from nothing.
Lina: [raising her hands in a gesture of surrender] I didn’t mean it like that! Look, you busted your ass to make it up the ranks; you went from the worst sort of irrelevance to the fuckin’...
She searches for a word.
The pinnacle of SWA. So, ya got any advice for us punks still climbin’?
Nate favors her with a dubious look, shrugging.
N-Trio: Look, I dunno what to tell you. I spent years getting told I was trying to be Triple H; wasn’t until I started acting like I was that people started figuring out I wasn’t.
Lina’s shoulders sag, her expression starting to turn pained.
Lina: Nate, I’m not talking about persona...
N-Trio: Are you sure? Okay then, you tell me. Why can’t you beat Eris? Why don’t the fans give you any respect?
Lina: (Defensively) What are you talking about? The fans love me! Maybe a little too much...
N-Trio: I'm not talking about love here, I'm talking about respect. People who respect you don't interfere in your matches.
Lina: I-
N-Trio: Look, Lynn, I, uh... I don’t really know how to put this delicately, so I’m just gonna come out and say it. You keep trying to live in some...some sorta comic book fantasy world where the good guys always win, and the bad guys get their asses beat. But sometimes, you can’t be the hero. Sometimes, you just have to be the stronger one, or the faster one, or the smarter one. Sometimes, at the end of the day, you just have to be the winner.
Lina: Dammit, I can’t just change who I am...
Nate shrugs again, pausing to punch the button for the crosswalk signal as he tosses the last bite of sandwich into his mouth.
N-Trio: Whatever, Red. Look, I got a meeting with the bookermen to get to, so why don’t you think about what I said? Thanks for the sandwich.
The light turns; Nate offers a halfhearted wave as he strides off, leaving Lina to her thoughts.
Lina: But... I’m supposed to be the hero... aren’t I?