Journey to Wolfslair. Chapter 1: Japanese Odyssey

Journey to Wolfslair. Chapter 1: Japanese Odyssey

Aiden Reynolds always wanted to be a professional wrestler. A standard story. Most of the current generation of wrestlers had this as a dream. A goal, their future. This did not make him unique, this does not make anyone unique. What makes you unique as what you do once you achieve the first part of your goal. Aiden started his path at home in Australia. He worked hard traveling all around the country, occasionally to New Zealand.

But as he became more famous, as people started recognising his talent and skills, calls came in from all over the world. Europe, South America, Canada. But the one place to change his life forever, was his stay in Japan. The land of the rising sun is what took his career to the next level. But with it also became a moment to change his life forever, and mistakes that he would live to regret…

Three Years Ago

Aiden walked backstage at the tokyo dome, a huge smile on his face as he walked past a few other members of the roster. His short hair drenched with sweat as he made his way into the locker room with his tag team partner Kyle followed. The two looked at each other and smiled with a nod before fist bumping. Kyle grabbing a towel and clothes heading towards the showers. Aiden however needed time to decompress. He sat on the bench near his bag, his wrist tape wet and grey. He leaned back against the wooden locker looking over at the door. It was now all quiet, the crowd had been in raptures during their match. But now were back to their quiet respectful selves.

In the west, the crowd would be looked at as bored and not excited. Here the silence at the beginning was a sign of respect as they actually cared about the competition. Their voices raised as they got into it. Aiden threw a small towel over his head getting to his feet moving near the shower door yelling over the sound of the falling water. “I need some water….I’ll be back mate.” He heard a mumbled reply from Kyle as he moved. The hallway was now empty, everyone at the monitors near the entranceway to watch the next match.  

He reached the catering area opening the large fridge full of drinks taking a bottle of water and downing it right away before grabbing another one, the moisture from the outside dripping down onto his chest as he noticed he’s still in his wrestling tights. He couldn’t help but laugh as the few people around him stared, members of the media, guests and officials. All dressed nicely in business casual clothing. Despite it being the biggest night of the year it was warm, and comfort was needed. As Aiden turned he came face to face with a small, young, beautiful woman who let out a small squeak before moving her hair behind her ear. “Oh I’m sorry excuse me…”

“Oh no need to apologise darl, my fault, I’m a little out of it after the match…” He slowly smiled as he stepped back finishing his water. “My name’s Aiden...Aiden Reynolds.” He held out his hand as the young girl took it and shook, her eyes wandering across the large tattoo on his chest and down his ribs and midsection.

“I’m Etsuko, Etsuko Hashi…” Aiden smiled politely and gave a small bow before it clicked. Hashi, the last name familiar to him. The owner of the company. Aiden raised an eyebrow and looked over at the locker room door and then towards the gorilla position were the owner, her possible father was.  

“Are you?...” She interrupted leaning in close with a laugh.

“Yes and don’t worry my father doesn’t care if I socialise or talk to the wrestlers.” Aiden scoffs and folds his arms with a grin and a small look of relief on his face.

“Well I wasn’t worried about that….I mean...I’m not scared of anyone darl.” He puffed his chest out and made an overacted tough man face, Etsuko laughed and put her hand over her mouth as the crowd in the arena went nuts,

Aiden looked over at one of the monitors as a high spot happened. But it still wasn’t as loud as when he was out there minutes ago. “I watched your match…”

Aiden moved his gaze back on her with a laugh. “Don’t you watch all of them?” She shook her head with a small sigh.

“No, not all the matches excite me, I’ve been around this since I was a child. I have become numb to it, but you and your partner...you’re both very good...exciting…” She looked over at the monitor with a chuckle before looking back at Aiden. “I have to go….it was nice meeting you, I’ll keep watching your matches….” As she turned Aiden shot a smile, she turned back over her shoulder waving lightly as she reached her father who turned a corner, he hugged her tight and looked over noticing Aiden as he put his arm around Etsuko shooting Aiden a disapproving look.

A few weeks later

“You’re seeing her again aren’t you?” Kyle stood behind Aiden, his arms crossed over his chest with a less than pleased look on his face. Aiden seemed to ignore him barely acknowledging his best friend and tag team partner. Kyle seemed to pace a little behind Aiden as he struggled with his tie, a straight black number that he seemed to get frustrated with. Kyle sighed and stepped forward, spinning AIden around shaking his head. “You Aussie lads I swear to fuckin god…”

Kyle looped the tie and did it up tight slapping AIden upside the head. Aiden just scoffed and turned around surveying the look. His hair was short on the sides and back a little extra length on top that he spiked but moved to the side. A five o’clock shadow on his face as he moved his hand up to rub his thumb and forefinger across it, his bright blue eyes shining as he wondered if he had time to shave. As always Kyle seemed to know what his friend was thinking before he had to say it.  

“She likes you a bit fuzzy mate….” Aiden laughed and raised his eyebrows. Of course Kyle was right, this was their third date on on his and Etsuko’s second she had remarked how his stubble made him look more manly and dark. Something she liked ahead of the super polished and clean shaven asian men her father set her up with. Aiden straightened his buttoned up white shirt and pulled the collar down over the tie doing up the cufflinks on his black jacket.  

He gave a nod to himself and turned around with a smirk. “How do I look?. I don’t scrub up bad eh?. I think Etsuko will like it. I don’t look like a bloody westie….” Kyle just stood there with an eyebrow raised. The slang did not translate. “Ahh right...uh a bogan?” Again Kyle just slowly shook his head. “Um...ok a right tosser…”

Kyle laughed and gave him a nod. “Ahh I get it...yeah you do usually dress a bit naff..”

Aiden turned his nose up looking a little confused. “What?”

“Don’t worry about it mate.” He gave his friend a nod and went back to the doorway leaning against it with his arms folded. Aiden did one last cheek going over his hair, the shirt his teeth, everything he could think of even smelling himself.

“Well. Off we go...don’t wait up old boy…” As he moved around Kyle and towards the door his friend whistled to get his attention.

“Uh..romeo...you might want to put pants on….”  

Aiden stopped and looked down seeing his bare legs and his black boxers, he looked up and shuffled back with a nod standing next to Kyle. “Thanks Mate”

The saint and the contessa.

It is the start of a new dawn for Aiden Reynolds. The Australian star has found a new home in Project honor. Not only backing up his best friend and tag partner Dickie Watson but also preparing to break out and settle down after many false starts in WWH, DIVISION, Iconic and Apex wrestling.

“Well would you look at that. First match in Project Honor and Aiden bloody Reynolds is in the MAIN EVENT. Now, you can make all the excuses in the world for this. You can run your mouths and say that it’s cause I’m riding on Dickie’s coattails, you can say yes cause Project Honor is still a young company, you can even say it’s cause they made a bad decision. But the fact remains, I’ve been here less than a month and I’m already making waves and one hell of an impact. But, while I’m entertaining in front of a camera many are asking, am I any good in the ring? Well, take a good long look at what you have in front of you ladies and gentlemen. Six foot tall, six pack abs, toned, tanned, movie star good looks and a natural athlete. Roll it all together and you have the complete package.”

“There’s a reason why Dickie wanted me as his tag partner. A reason why he looked at me and wanted me to back him up. It’s cause the lil skinny Brit ain’t stupid. He’s got a smart head on his shoulders and he knew that having me beside him was a ticket to success just like I did with him. See Dickie is like an angry terrier. He’s small but he’s vicious when he wants to be. And me?. Well to be honest I’m like a pit bull. I’ll chase you down, sink me teeth in, and tear you apart. All the while looking un-fucking-believable.”

“That is what you are all gonna have to deal with now. You see, Dickie just by himself was able to win the top championship in this place, he did it with only a little bit of moral support from me in the background. Imagine how he’s going to be now he has physical backup standing there ready to go. The truth is, he’s already great, now he’s gonna be unstoppable. He is, after all the most dominant champion that PH has had in its company and it’s very short yet, storied history.”

“After all we can’t all hold championships for two months and not actually defend them can we?”

The smartarse winks and shrugs while looking at the camera. He’s short cropped brown hair spiked up with whatever product you decided to steal off of Dickie this week. He folds his arms over his chest and sits back, dressed in a black T-shirt sporting the logo of the Australian rock band AC/DC. Fuckin legends MIRITE?

“I know I know, I’ve been here about five seconds and I’m already taking potshots at someone. But before I get into talking about our opponents this week let me just remind you all that as a tag team Dickie and I walked in and already took one pair of tag titles, with very little time to prepare, and very little effort if I’m honest. They were championships that we would’ve kept and taken to a higher prestige level if the company that was responsible for them wasn’t so fuckin inept.”

“Hopefully that isn’t the case here eh?”

“But, here I am moving on appeal. And the first match that I get in this company with the team with one of my best friends, and the champion, against two fairly big names in this company. Colton Saint and Contessa Floran. Now from what I’ve seen both of them have the talent to be something special in this company. Contessa especially. And I’m not just sayin that cause she teamed with the amazing Elena DeDraca, I’m not just sayin that cause she’s got incredible...assets. Nah, I’m saying that cause I have a great eye fur talent and I can already tell Contessa is gonna be someone me and Lil D have to keep an eye on!”

“Don’t call me that Aiden..”

Aiden blinks and gives a half hearted thumbs up to Dickie who is presumably off camera.

“Lil miss Tessa..i can call you that right love?”

He pauses and nods like he’s actually going to get a fucking answer to his stupid question.

“You are an impressive specimen. You came in and beat Beryl Weir, you beat Red Riit and as I said you and Elena teamed up and gave a smashin to Josiah Scott and Jay Jones!. In fact the only match you’ve lost was the Warriors rising championship match with Zane and Riot. Three, and one. And that one loss was in a title match. And now here you are in the main event going against the grain champion and his plucky, incredibly handsome tag team partner. You have talent, it’s just a shame that you’re gonna get another loss because not only facing the grand champion and his partner like you also have a giant albatross handcuffed to your feet holding you down.”

“Yeah I’m talking about you Colton…”

“And I understand what a lot of people are gonna think. You’re gonna sit there and wonder how I can pick on a guy who is going through some personal shit, how exactly am I going to pick on someone who is actually held a championship in this company. Well, you see Carlton…”

“It’s Colton...you just said his name right bef-...fuck it..”

Dickie stops mid sentence when he realises that Aiden is just staring ahead

“You see mate, if there’s one thing I can’t stand in this world, it is someone who has an ego and believes themselves to be better than they really are. And it’s not that you are talented, because you are mate you really are. But you’re just not as talented as you believe yourself to be. See you want to championship, in fact you got a championship that really could’ve taken you to different places in the world. The “X-factor” championship. The name says it all, it’s a championship the kind of says you have that intangible qualities that people are looking for a star, that championship says you have “it”. It says that you are dynamic, that all eyes should be on you. Well actually the championship sounds more like it should be around my waist. And unlike you Colton, I’d defend it…”

“I mean mate, sixty eight days...sixty eight and not once did you put that thing on the line and when you eventually did…”

“You dropped it faster than panties do when women hear my accent…”

“You consider yourself to be an outlaw, but when you were standing there ready to throw down and draw, well you pulled from the hip, ran your finger over the steel of the trigger, yanked back on the hammer and...you shot blanks… it was embarrassing mate. And here’s the deal, you and contest I don’t have any chemistry, you don’t have any past, you just to people who happen to be talented being forced together against myself and Dickie. The grand champion, his former tag champion partner and the main event of proving ground...and to be honest...you’re going to see a star in that making….”