After a full day of training, Stephanie Campbell and Brandon Moore sit at a dining table in Outback steakhouse. After placing their orders, they share a cigarette and discuss the upcoming event that will encompass all things wrestling.

Believe me, Stephanie, the world will stop to watch that match, and everyone will hold their breath as Triple X, Brimstone, and even you are tossed over the ropes.

After you have tossed everyone else over the ropes and you and I are standing there alone together, I will have to be forced to knock your fat ass out.

No, listen to me, you are far from ready for this match.

What makes me so not ready? I’ve been ready for this since it was signed.

Physically yes, you are ready. But mentally, you don’t really know much about your opponents.

That may be, but it doesn’t mean that I can’t learn their weaknesses by Monday. Besides that’s what you’re here for. Give me a rundown.

Brandon leans back and closes his eyes thinking about the opponents.

At the top you have Triple X. He is very cocky, which you know can be a downfall.

Yeah but it can be a strength. Look at Thomas. He is the cockiest guy I know, and he is a hell of a wrestler. His cockiness gives him confidence which a strength. If you believe you can win, you can, or at least put up one hell of a fight.

Do you believe you can win?

Does Dusty shit in the woods?

Brandon laughs as Stephanie grins in spite of herself. Dusty was rapidly making a joke of himself around here,and it was hard to feel bad that he was going to come nowhere close to winning the Rumble.

Next you have Draven. Typical scary guy as Triple X pointed out. Mostly he likes to spout fire and brimstone poetry. He is the classic example of the guy who is all talk and no game.

But he beat the shit out of Dusty, and you and Thomas ran.

Ah if only television had odor sensors... Steph the guy had a hell of a case of gas. Amidst the laughing that Thomas and I were trying to suppress while he was beating the shit out of Dustman, Draven was farting incessantly. I had to get the hell out of there. That guy must have eaten some of Dusty’s cooking that morning and whipped his ass because it didn’t settle properly on his stomach. Jesus, it stank in that place. Poor Draven. Of course if he has gas the day of the rumble, you might as well consider yourself beaten.

They enjoy another good laugh as the waitress brings over the food. They each ordered Alice Springs Chicken. As they eat, they continue to talk.

So who else?

Its mostly the same thing with all of them. Brimstone, Death, Laxx. All those guys are the few of the basically no namers that have had the guts to step up and basically insult those of us who matter with trite words that you may not even have heard since you were swinging on the monkey bars with the third grade boys looking up your skirt. Death even says he gets most of his enjoyment from insulting other people, so he must have no idea what it feels like to be a champion.

Of course he then goes on about a star wars light saber... Damn, who knows what the fuck runs through that guy’s head anyway. I think I should wait until the pink elephants and purkle assholes start dancing around in the sky in his mind and then casually pull the Infraction before flipping his fruity ass out of the ring.

There you go. Find the weaknesses in your opponents and exploit them. That is the best advice I can give you. Oh and don’t go in there thinking you are going to win, go in there knowing you will.

Brandon goes silent to finish up his meal. Stephanie stares at him. He looks up with his mouth full.

What?

Didn’t you leave someone out?

Like who?

You.

The silence between the two of them at this moment is full of tension. Brandon puts his fork down and looks at her, then looks down at his food. He takes a deep breath and after some time, looks back up at her.

I’m going to be honest with you. In there, we are all equal, and I will look at you like I look at all of them. Another person in my way. I intend to be the world champion by the end of the next pay per view. I am not going to let friends, girlfriends, or anything come in the way of that. If it comes down to you and I, I will eliminate you, if I haven’t already. Can you handle that?

As Brandon stares at her seriously, she only smirks, then it turns to a smile of confidence.

Can you?

Brandon looks at her with a little bit of disbelief. She just gives him a look of friendly challenge and goes back to eating.

After the meal they head outside where Stephanie’s car waits. They head home for a little rest before they continue training later on today.