January 8, 2015

Fifty two building blocks are in front of them, fifty four if you count the two Jokers, and they have one task to do, stack them up. Granted, it wouldn't be easy, and the mere thought of competing in a ring in under a week in front of the live crowd in Connecticut would be a breeze in comparison. Matt and Nessa exchange a glance and they get to work, the camera focusing on the loveseat they're both sat upon in what appears to be a cozy hotel room, a roaring fire can be spotted in the corner of the screen. The SVW Pride championship, which appropriately enough, is Nessa's pride and joy, rests at the foreground of the table, in plain sight of the camera as a constant reminder that yes, you're watching a champion and yes, she deserves all your respect.

Matt: I gotta admit, this won't be easy, Nessa. It takes real dedication to put this much effort into something so fragile.

The Snarktopus lifts up a card, holding it to her face as she turns it from side to side.

Nessa: It's truly a marvel how something so…. miniscule… could form a foundation. But then, I suppose I'm just a bigger picture kinda girl.

He picks up a card and leans it against another, struggling to maintain the exact angle to keep the both upright.

Matt: Well you'd have to be, because in any big picture, any at all, this little exercise is so futile, that the fact that we're even doing this now seems obsolete, yet here we are. It's a bit of a familiar feeling, eh?

She follows his form, the tip of her tongue poking out between her teeth as she lines them up flawlessly.

Nessa: Wasting time? Absolutely.

Matt: It's only wasting time to those of us who can think of better things to do, it's easy to forget than some people only have these little things to cling on to, Nessa.

As he speaks, he grabs two more cards and lines them up next to the first triangle he was able to establish, although it wasn't easy. Gingerly, Nessa laid a card down flat across the top of the two pyramids, placing it just so.

Nessa: And I understand that, really, I do. Some folks in this business have no actual accomplishments, so they invent these fragile little… things… these pithy little moments of triumph to cling to.

Matt glances up at the camera as he gently places a card on top of the two points he's made.

Matt: Uh oh, I just had a terrible thought. What if the people at home don't understand what we're talking about?

Rolling her eyes, Nessa places another two cards to create another pyramid alongside her first two. She pauses for a second, admiring her championship before addressing the camera.

Nessa: Then I suppose we're going to have to bite the bullet and dumb it down a notch for the unwashed masses, won't we? I mean, it's obvious enough—

Matt: You know I made Ashley Chase tap out before, right? I've been dying to bring that up in casual conversation since the last time I mentioned it, which I think was an hour ago. Sorry for not bringing it up sooner.

She gently pats his knee.
Nessa: You're forgiven, darling. At least for you, it's nothing more than a footnote amid countless actual highlights.

Matt: Well yeah, I would never have my entire platform be based around one sole event like some people. That would be living in the...you know what I'm going to say, Ness?

Grinning, she stares at him, hanging on every word.

Nessa: I do. That would be living in…

She smirks.

Nessa: The Danger Zone.

Matt smirks when he hears Nessa say the words, it's so great to be with someone who gets you.

Matt: Precisely. No one wants to be in the Danger Zone, yet so many people find themselves there and it makes me just the tiniest bit sad, but then I realize that I'm not them and I feel better.

Wrinkling her nose, Nessa nods, sniffling a little bit.

Nessa: When I look at you, I feel better too.

As though catching herself, she clears her throat, sniffling again.

Nessa: People like Trashley need those little molehills, Matthew. It's quite unfair of us to whisk away those delusions and trample their mountains. We're just awful, terrible people.

He nods in agreement with her as he starts working on the second floor of the house, if you will. He has four triangles on the bottom and he's getting the first triangle on top.

Matt: At the same time, though, Nessa, we may just be doing them a disservice by not pointing out just how childish and irrelevant such events can be in the grand scheme of things, don't you agree?

Nessa: Of course. So we're caught between a rock and a proverbial hard place… but my addiction to the truth means I can't really keep my mouth closed. So, here we are, doing the world an important service…

She pauses again, reaching up to rub her finger briskly beneath her nose as though wiping away an itch.

Nessa: Trashley Chase must be exposed as the fraud that she is. Who better to do it than the most talented Pride Champion the company has ever seen?

He gently places the cards on top of the top of the previous ones, getting to the often elusive third story.

Matt: That's a very good point, Nessa. You are quite the talented woman, and really anyone would be a fool not to take your words to heart. Of course, some people are stubborn and need to have certain things hammered into them, as it were. I'm sure you've experienced that in your previous line of work.

Nessa: In my previous line… meaning journalism? Oh, absolutely. Some folks are just begging for a little hammering.

Matt: Phrasing.

He quickly interjects as he works on finishing up the third row of cards, helping Nessa with hers as well. She blushes, looking down for a moment before continuing.

Nessa: That being said, I'm sure all of you know what I meant. If your entire existence, if your entire line of reasoning is based off one fluke event in which you actually had help to accomplish that little feat you're so proud of…

She pauses, sniffling again.

Matt: Oh, did I mention that I made Ashley Chase tap out, before? I can't remember if I've mentioned that Ashley Chase tapped out at my hands on Aggression, back in July. It's kind of a big deal.

He adds as he finishes up the third row, looking proud of both his words and his work.

Nessa: It is a big… ahhh…

She stops again, bringing her hand up to rub under her nose again before finally composing herself.

Nessa: It is a big deal, Matthew. Far bigger than her claim to fame. After all, you did it on your own merit, with your own stunningly impressive skills. You didn't have the courtesy of a run-in from Leona...

He's looking over at her with a look of slight concern on his face, staring right into her eyes.

Matt: Ness, are you okay?

Nessa: I think so. Sorry… I'm just a little distracted tonight for obvious reasons. I don't understand how the rest of the world wants so badly to shut you up when I just can't get enough of hearing you talk.

As she speaks, she finishes her side of the third row, being very, very careful to place each card perfectly.

Nessa: As my first match of 2015, continuing in this ongoing trend of excellence that began when the Pride Championship landed around my waist, I'm going to beat Trashley Chase in the middle of that ring. I'm going to take a page from Matthew's book and shut that idiot up once and for all.

Matt: Actually Ness, my book invites others to shut me up, what you're suggesting is just a public service for everyone. You may need to study a bit more.

He winks at her, getting the final two cards off the table and bringing them up towards the top.

Nessa: I meant making her tap out like a little bitch in the middle of the ring, sweetie. You know. Like you did. In July.

Stone looks genuinely impressed at that.

Matt: You know a submission move? I'm impressed, I was unaware you could do that. I mean, it's a good strategy, as I was able to make her tap in my match with her, you know.

Nessa: I know that headlock. Sorta. It'll probably need a little more work. Hmmm… I guess I'll have to settle for kicking her teeth down her throat.

She looks thoughtful, her nose twitching slightly before she sniffles again.

Matt: Another fine strategy. So, even though the foundation is shaky, we have proven that something good can come of it. This beautiful structure that we've built here together, from the ground up mind you, is proof that even the most asinine principle, the most ludicrous claim such as creating a structure out of playing cards is possible. Who knows, maybe Ash..err...Trashley could prove that she's capable of winning a match against you without help. Maybe Mika will be able to go a week without jumping up and down waving her arms trying to get your attention and maybe, just maybe, Misty Whitmore should be the Pride Champion right now. However, we don't live in any of those realities, we live in this one and the plain fact is that you are simply better than Ashley. If I can beat her, via tap out by the way, then you certainly can.

He hands Nessa one of the final two cards to complete their structure.

Matt: Shall we do this, together?

Nessa: Of course.

She sniffles as she takes the card from his hands.

Matt: I hope you're watching, Trashley, get real close to the monitor. It's alright, Nessa and I can take a moment here to allow you to inch closer, get a real good shot of the symbolic high point of your career. Are you there, yet? Yes? Good. You've been spending the better part of the past year gloating about a win over the flawless specimen that sits beside me in, I'll say it, a glorified handicap match and everything you could get in this match? The title opportunity on a win? That's all built on this one night where all the cards fell your way, so to speak. So please, bask in the glory that could be.

Matt brings the card remaining in his hand at the top, slanting it at a perfect twenty seven degree angle to await for Nessa's. The Snarktopus takes a deep breath, placing her card alongside Matt's so that they form another perfect pyramid.

Nessa: Enjoy this, Trashley. This is a snapshot of—

The sound of the sneeze that erupts from her is so explosive that it destroys the sound on the video for a moment. With a look of horror on her face, the entire house of cards is blown away save the single queen of hearts she still has gently pinched between her fingers. The Pride championship remains though, symbolically leaving the only sense of credibility left standing. Looking up at Matt, Nessa seems quite apologetic.

Nessa: I'm so sorry, Matthew. I should have told you that I have a terrible allergy to mediocrity.

Matt looks slightly amused by Nessa, despite the ringing in his ears now as a result of her nasal interjection. He looks down at all the hard work he had put in and can't help but smile at the circumstances.

Matt: Well, folks, there you have it. If you build your entire career on something as weak as one fluke win, it'll just crumble when Nessa Wall is around. It just goes to show you that credibility, hard work and the best effort you put forward, like Nessa here has, is nothing to sneeze at.

With that amazing punchline, Stone turns to Nessa as she still looks on to him and gently presses his lips to hers. We fade out on the two of them beginning to embrace, shifting to the final shot of the championship before black.