The scene opens out onto the main training room of the HWA Academy. (Hans): Michelle! She stops, turning back to face Hans, a look of apology on her face. (Hans): Training, jah? (Michelle): No…. I mean, I was going to, but…. No, I’m sorry, I don’t want to interrupt. He gestures to her to get into the ring, taking a step back as he does this. (Michelle): Are you sure? Hans nods to her again and she rolls into the ring, he goes to one corner where he’d left his water bottle, grabbing it and popping the lid, he takes a long drag from it as he walks back towards Michelle, by this point now standing upright in the middle of the ring. (Hans): Right, let’s see you do some of those drop steps and footwork, get warmed up. He makes a circling motion with his free index finger, the other hand still clamped around the bottle of water. (Michelle): Yes sir!... sorry, I mean Hans. As Michelle drops into position, beginning to mirror what Hans had been doing, Hans takes another drag of water, before heading back to the turnbuckle, placing the bottle down at its base before turning and leaning his back against the padding for support. (Hans): Right, switch to footwork, back up the ring and down, then back to the circling. As Michelle switches to doing the footwork, Hans continues. (Hans): So have you managed to see any of those films yet? Focused on her footwork, his unexpected question threw her off causing her to misstep. (Michelle): Oh fiddlesticks! Sorry! No, I haven’t yet…I’ve been a little, I guess a little preoccupied with things. You know… with Havoc and Erica and all that. We didn’t do anything to her sir… everyone was so nice. She came in the year after me, even before Sarah, she was one of us. Why would she turn her back on us like that? I don’t understand. (Hans): Do you drive Michelle? She looks at him funnily, still going through her footwork. (Michelle): Uh, yes... why? (Hans): Do you sometimes speed? He holds up his hands, palms open. (Hans): No judgment... and also, I'd be very impressed if you found somewhere you could in LA at rush hour... (Michelle): Well, when I started I would sometimes go over a 1 or 2 mph, but my dad taught me to use cruise control and I can set it at the limit and not go over. Hans smiles at the answer. (Hans): The reason I'm asking you, is because like the driver thinking they know a shortcut or diving up the inside on the way into a junction, they don't want to stay in their lane and get there anyway, they want to make it there quicker... they're ignorant of the other road users and thinking of themselves and sometimes that causes accidents when they're not paying attention. (Michelle): But she got her Visa, it’s what she was waiting for. She can officially compete now, what shortcut does she need? Alexis and Sarah are very upset, they wanted to go after and Sean and I went after them, it’s just a mess and I don’t know what to do to help anyone. Hans motions for her to stop, giving her a moment's pause as she stands upright, hands braced on her hips, a look of frustration and confusion in equal measure across her face. (Hans): Some people just like to draw attention to themselves Michelle. It's like the person who quits work and has the marching band play them out. He places a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. (Hans): You can't save everyone Michelle, especially those that don't want to be either. (Michelle): I know what everyone thinks of me. I hear the whispers. “She’s so naïve…She’s just a kid….She’s weak…. She’s so sweet but…” I know I can’t save or help everyone, and I don’t want to be a “but” at the end of peoples sentences. I guess that’s why I’m here to…”toughen up” as they say. I guess I just didn’t expect to have to do it out of the ring as well as inside. Hans nods at this, a sympathetic look crossing his own face as he hears her words. (Hans): That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try though Michelle, remember that. (Michelle): If I can be of service I'm glad to help. May I ask you a personal question? You don't have to answer of course, I understand its personal. Intrigued, Hans takes a few steps back, leaning against the ropes, arms wide. (Hans): Ok... shoot. (Michelle): Well, Sean and I are kind of… kind of dating now, you know? It’s something that just sort of happened. We really like each other, I think. How do you do it… you and Vanessa? How do you manage a relationship in wrestling and working together? Sean is such a great wrestler, he’s made such a big comeback over the years since his accident… I’m worried I might get in the way and I don’t want to do that to him. A hiss of air escapes Hans' lips followed by a shrug of his shoulders, the top rope vibrating as his arms rise and fall in motion with this. (Hans): Scheiße… He chuckles. (Hans): I wasn't expecting that... erm... He blows the air out his lungs, eyes going unfocused briefly, before he snaps out and focuses his attention on Michelle. (Hans): How do Vanessa and I do it? We just always have... He fumbles for words, knowing this won't suffice for what Michelle is asking. (Hans): … we came together in trying times... it's not been easy... but it's what forged us I'd say... her mutti, we're now on good terms, but that wasn't always the case. She had... she had the worst experience imaginable with who she was with before, Thane... I... I still struggle with that and so does she at times... He catches himself, apologetically waving one hand at Michelle as he carries on. (Hans): Nein, what I mean is, I struggle to know how to help her at those times. Another low exhale. (Hans): But I'm there for her. She's there for me. I don't stop her doing what she loves, I encourage it. When HWA folded, she took freelance jobs presenting and commentating, you wouldn't believe the sports she covered. She had podcast appearances and all sorts. The day I turned the spare bedroom into a recording space for her... A smile at the memory, Michelle can't help but match it. (Hans): Jah, you just do it because you want them to succeed. Her victories are my victories, mine are hers... I don't expect her to do anything for me but I know she will, just like I do for her. A final shrug of the shoulders. (Hans): I don't know what else to give you on that. (Michelle): Wow...that's really, really special. Thank you for sharing with me. I see Butch and Wisdom manage the business, doing their own things and juggling family too. You and Vanessa, and I wondered if one day Sean and I would be in the same boat, juggling our careers and trying to maintain a relationship. He's going on to great things, I just know, I can feel it. I need these lessons with you, to hone my skill and my instincts. (Hans): To make it work, you both have to be selfless. Communicate to one another... that's... scheiße… that's still difficult even now for us both at times. It will be the same for Butch and Wisdom... look at what happened last Havoc... He gestures at her, finger outstretched. (Hans): And you would not have gotten in Alexis and Sarah's way. I'm glad you sought out first aid for getting your head seen to, but if you hadn't, perhaps they would have found her before she fled. Michelle smiles, really appreciative of Hans' insight, his openness and willing to share with her. She feels invigorated and more determined than ever to "up her game" as she's heard. (Michelle): So about this footwork, let me give that another shot. (Hans): Jah, let's get to it. Once you're warmed up, we can start working on something that you can use on anyone. Moving off the ropes, he gestures for her to resume her stance as he circles round the edges of the ring as the scene slowly fades to black.
It’s mid afternoon, the place is awash with bodies and the noise that comes from those training at full pelt, the sound of the ropes being bounced off, turnbuckles clambered and mat’s being impacted.
The camera pans around slowly, taking in the scene as various wrestlers put themselves through their paces, individually or against the other. Some are known to the camera already, Sean Parker, squaring off against one of the newer Academy members, Jeremy and Matt sparring, talking through their upcoming match against Maniac and Bryan Deas. There, in another ring Sarah Callahan and Alexis Rose go through their routine, finally, the camera comes to one ring at the back of the room, a solo occupant going through a series of drop steps alternating with varied stances as he dances round the ring.
Hans ‘The Baron’ von Richtoven, sweat dripping from him, clearly having been putting himself through his paces doesn’t catch sight of Michelle Learner approaching the ring.
The latter comes to a halt by the side of the ring, as Hans begins a footwork drill, rapidly moving down the ring as if there was a ladder physically laid out onto the mat and not an imaginary one that he’s avoiding the rungs of.
Michelle looks as if she’s going to speak, but seems to think better of it, taking a backwards step and starting to turn around to leave.
Hans, reversing his course and repeating his steps back across the ring glances up, seeing her about to leave. He calls out to her, as he continues his way back across the ring.
Coming to a stop, Hans moves towards the ropes and looks down at her, catching his breath, gesturing to her and then towards the ring he’s in.
A few seconds pass before he speaks.
Such as, attention to what they're being taught by people who genuinely have their best interests at heart.
As she finishes, looking somewhat down at what she’s said, he responds.
But if you’re wanting to toughen up, jah, I can show you some new things since you’ve done well with what we were working on last week.
Besides, I need to blow the cobwebs off these as well, you can help me too, jah?
He looks at her for a few seconds, tongue prodding the inside of his mouth as he mulls the potential questions he could be asked over in his head.
At Havoc when Alexis and Sarah went chasing down Erica, they went without me. I know why… because they didn't think I was going to go beat her up like they wanted to do, and maybe they were right. I would have just gotten in their way. It's the same with Sean, I want to encourage him, like you said, but I don't want to be a distraction or get in his way. I need to be able to hold my own.
When it's a new relationship, it's the most intoxicating thing there ever is Michelle, don't start giving yourself away though. You have dreams, you're here to accomplish them, they are as valid and important as whatever Sean's may be. What makes it last is when you find a way for them to coexist and flourish.
Or perhaps you would all have ran around back stage like headless chickens… rather than it just being Alexis and Sarah…
I'd say you made the right call.
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