When Life Gives You Lemons

[The Losers]

The scene opens in the back stage area of WWG. Set up in the middle of the hallway is a small shelf. It seems to be made out of pieces of wooden found from various places. There is a small table cloth thrown over the front that has a small, faded flower pattern. On top of the cloth is a large pitcher of what looks to be lemonade with a few cups of next to it. Above all of this is a large sign held up by to posts on either side of the shelf. On the sign it reads "Lemonade: $50".

Sitting behind the shelf are non other than the former WWG Tag Team Champions Kid Genius and Tony Mann. As people pass by their lemonade stand they smile and call out after them...though nobody seems to be stopping to talk to them.

KG: Hey there everybody! Get your Loser Lemonade here!

Tony: If you have ever asked yourself "Why can't i ever find good lemonade made by former tag team champions anywhere?!" the answer is "Now you totally can!"

KG: That's right people don't be shy! Come and get it!

Tony: You'll be happy you did!

KG: And hey we'll even throw in some delicious Ice Cubes!

Tony: OOOoooooo tell them about the Ice Cubes

KG: With our patented systems we've took water, lowered its temperature until it became a solid, and now have it available to place into your drink for extra cool refreshment excitement!

Tony: WHOA! what a deal!

The two continue their sales pitch as people walk back and forth backstage. The Losers don't seem at all distressed that no one seems to be stopping to try their lemonade.

[Kira Starlight]

Rayven walked past the lemonade stand and stopped briefly to stare at the sign.

Rayven::
"At those prices, I better get a happy ending with it..."

[The Losers]

Kid Genius looked at Rayven with a puzzled face. Tony began whistling very "nonchalantly" while twiddling his thumbs.

KG: What?

Kid looked moved up to look at the sign and Tony's whistling got louder and more "non suspicious". Kid's eyes widened as he saw the $50 price tag and his head whipped around towards his tag team partner. Tony put his hands up/

Tony: ok now before you saw anything here's what i was thinking....

KG: it's supposed to be 50 cents!

Tony: yeah i know but hear me out. Why sell a bunch of cups for little money when we could just wait to sell one cup for a whole butt ton of money.

Tony smiled a sheepish smile as Kid Genius took his hand and ran it slowly down his face.

Tony: Hey it could work...i mean she was gonna buy one. And...i could totally handle the whole...

Kid Genius waved his hand at his friend to stop the words from coming out.

KG: please dear god do not finish that sentence.

He made a gagging sound. As he stood up from the table.

KG: i am going to go get another marker and fix this....Are you gonna be ok here by yourself?

Tony looked at Rayven standing in front of the stand. He imagined her taking the cup to her lips and slowly drinking the ice cold liquid.

Tony: um...

He tried a couple of times to stop thinking about it

Tony: um...

The Rayven in his mind began to be a little more liberal with the ice cubes in her drink.

Tony: UM...

KG: Do you want to just come with me?

Tony: no, nah, no i'm...i'm good i think i'll be good.

He put his hands on the shelf and interlocked his fingers.

KG: you sure?

Tony: um yeah...i think i'm just gonna keep sitting here for now.

KG: ok dude...i'll be back.

Kid Genius narrowed his eyes at his partner who smiled back at him and then he turned and walked down the hallway towards the suply closet that they had fashioned into their "Loser Lounge".

[Kira Starlight]

Rayven's gaze bounced back and forth between the two as they had this conversation almost as if she wasn't standing right there.  She rolled her eyes as KG headed off and then looked back and forth up and down the hall.

Rayven::
"Where's Sparkles at?  I bet she'd go halfsies with me..."

[The Losers]

Tony: Trine?

Tony looked around back and forth down the hallway.

Tony: oh i haven't seen her since our match.

The Comedian rubbed his jaw.

Tony: You...don't mess around by the way.

Tony laughed a little as his eyes flicked from the jet black haired woman in front of him and the glasses of cool lemonade. Then his head snapped back up with a questioning face.

Tony: Wait halfsies on what? Lemonade...or...Lemonade?

Raised his eyebrow.

[Trine Larsen]

Trine had been seated on the floor of the hallway, mostly just looking for a place that wasn’t swarming with other wrestlers, tech crews, or just general foot traffic. She’d been called in for a meeting with Hassan, but once it was over the appeal of sitting in her hotel room bored out of her mind hadn’t seemed very appealing. The pink rubber hand ball rebounded off of the opposite wall and she’d shifted to catch it, before the sound of footsteps in the hallway got her attention, and the blonde ended up taking a hit to the face instead.

Blue eyes blinked as she shook the impact off, only to discover an all too familiar coworker on his way down the hallway. It figured the first time she had actually seen Kid Genius outside of the ring it was after nearly knocking herself out.

She wasn’t sure if he’d even noticed it was her at the other end of the hallway, or if he’d even bore witness to the handball backhand she had effectively given herself, but she played it off with an awkward wave from where she sat on the floor.

[The Losers]

Kid Genius saw the woman sitting down in the hallway and he felt his pace quicken. His feet did a little shutter step as he tried to figure out whether he should head back the way he came or keep going. He and Trine hadn't really talked at all in a while which...Kid...didn't like but he wasn't sure how he could change. It didn't help matter that they had been thrown in a match together. Thinking back to the match it was very...interesting. because up until that point he and Trine had never had any real physical contact. Then they went from zero to a hundred trying to score a pinfall on each other which require quite a bit of touching. He remembered not being sure whether he should pull his punches or not when dealing with her. He had no problem giving a Rayven a beating, though he kept hearing in the back of his mind his mother yelling at him not to hit a woman. But both him and Tony hadn't felt super cool about going up against their friend.

It was the business they were in and Kid guessed it was going to happen sooner or later but the match just seemed...like a punishment less than a chance for them to test their skill against each other. Kid couldn't really speak for Tony but it was a lot like he didn't even show up mentally.

KG watched as the ball she had been throwing bounced off the wall and hit her in the nose. He laughed a lot louder than he thought he was going to and she must have heard him because she turned and waved. Waved back and made his way over to her . He wasn't quite sure if he should put his hands in his pockets or leave them out and it donned on him that he hadn't been nervous like this for at least a month. it was scary...but in a fun way.

KG: Do you owe it money or something?

He said pointing at the rubber band ball as it rolled a little bit away from Trine. He smiled.

[Trine Larsen]

Trine laughed as she shifted to her knees, reaching out to grab the ball before it had managed to roll too far away, before getting to her feet.

It was strange that even while she spent most of their match angry that she’d been paired with Rayven, and even more upset that it was against Kid and Tony, for the first time in her career it had been painfully obvious how much physical contact this job took. Trine had never thought about it before, it was just what they did, and to a degree you knew where your hand had to go for that hold, but you didn’t think too much about it. It was work and hey, you’ve grabbed plenty of other peoples...bits…before in the name of pro wrestling.

The issue was every time she landed a blow it felt like punishment and every time she grabbed Kid it felt like her heart had been jump started with car cables and she just wanted to let go to make it stop. Not to say she disliked it all that much, just that…

Well, it was just...stop thinking about it. Just stop.

There was a brief moment where she wasn’t sure what to do with her hands as the realization kicked in that this had been the first time the two of them had been within a conversational distance of each other- that didn’t involve them being half dressed in ring gear and trying to pin the other. It was an odd feeling to try and fit back into the groove of a newly budding friendship no matter how natural it had felt before.

The blonde settled for snapping one of the outermost rubber bands, trying to sort of get her head straight and figure out what to say.

”Yeah….” she sighed and hung her head as if she was truly ashamed, ”It’s a long story. Lets just say I’ve had some pretty crazy weekends and leave it at that.”

She smiled looking back up to Kid Genius.

”So, do you make a habit of interrupting a rubberband ball pimp beatdown or just passing through?”

[The Losers]

Kid Genius smiled. There was a growing fear that Trine would be upset with him for not having talked to her in awhile but if it was there was no sign of it. Just the wonderful smile that he had come to grow so fond of. He held out his hand instinctively to help the former world champion to her feet.

KG: Aa a gentlemen i can't sit by and watch rubber band pimping to continue on these streets.

He said with a warm smile of his own.

KG: Besides i think a few more rounds and you'd have to be carried out on a stretcher haha so i figured i'd step in and help you out.

It felt natural for some reason. Sure there was a fair amount of rust on their friendship but it wasn't like it had disappeared forever. it's kinda just what happens when you're not booked on the same card for a while. Not to mention Trine heading back down to developmental to "find herself" which he had been meaning to talk to her about but every time he picked up the phone he just assumed to much time had passed and decided not to....or chickened out as Tony kept telling him.

[Trine Larsen]

”What would Central City do without you?” she teased, gently poking KG in the chest with a pointer finger, ”but seriously this thing is relentless. You pretty much saved my life. How will I ever repay you?”

It felt nice to be talking again and if she had been a hundred percent honest with herself, she was a little saddened that she didn’t phone Kid while she was away out of sheer stubborn will. The blonde kept telling herself if he ever called picking up wouldn’t be proving Gilbert right- it would just be polite. After all she wasn’t angry with KG so much as she was trying to prove a point to her once roommate.

However, he never called and the longer she starred at her phone fighting with the idea of checking in the more anxious it made her feel.

[Kira Starlight]

Rayven seemed to ignore Tony's question and checked the lemonade stand to see if it was weight bearing or not.  She shrugged and hopped up to sit on it, then picked up the pitcher of lemonade and started to sip from it.

Rayven::
"Why would I mess around?  I get paid to kick ass.  And I don't care if it's yours, Trine's, or Trotter's.  It's what I do."

Another sip of the lemonade and she glanced down the hall where Kid had gone and could just barely make out him talking to some blonde sitting on the ground.  Must be Sparkles.

Rayven::
"What do you think they're talking about?  Surely not the glaringly obvious fact that they're into each other and should just get it over with already.  Seriously, they're like a couple of high school kids all nervous and sweaty palmed talking to each other."

[The Losers]

Kid Genius laughed a little as Trine poked him in the chest. He sunk in made a show of looking in pain.

KG: Well for starters you could take it easy on me the next time you kick my ass. I bruise like a peach you know?

He said before standing back up. He rubbed the back of his head and tried to focus on...something else besides the brilliant blue eyes in front of him. They caught him though and he let out a nervous laugh that he tried to turn into something else.

KG: or...maybe you can forgive me for being so...i don't know...distant recently? It wasn't on purpose i promise it was just that...you were back in Development and we were being shopped around a lot at house shows so we weren't on air as much and the time just kinda got away from me. I had thought about calling you like a hundred times and eve dialed a few but then i would get ner....

What in the hell was he doing?! The spike in his heart rate sent him into another nervous laughter which was so sudden it turned into a cough. He could feel heat rising in his face as he tried to figure out what he could do to salvage himself. He had flown deep into awkward territory and his own words had shot him down. If he didn't pull up now he would crash.

KG: Ner--ds! yeah i got a lot of nerds you know those boxes of candy with the little sugar rocks? yep got about a hundred or so boxes of them and they piled them right in front of my phone so..i had...to...eat them all...to reach it.

He heard the sound of crashing metal and explosion. and just as he thought he ejected from the awkwardness he found out his parachute was filled with lead. He took a breath in and smiled a defeated smile, not a whole lot to salvage there.

.................

Tony didn't exactly know what to say as Rayven jumped up onto their homemade lemonade stand. He thought about asking her to pay for the sips she was taking but then he also figure that he was lucky that she hadn't broken the pitcher over his head for his cheeky comment so he considered them square.

Rayven did make a point. All he had ever seen her do was hurt people. It was kinda hot but mostly terrifying...and kinda hot again depending on the day. Tony looked up at the woman from his sitting position an studied the curve of her back. His eyes traced her up and down and then rested at her face. She wasn't looking at him now but she was turned down the hall. For a moment Tony felt...bad for her. She looked sad and lonely. It was like because all she did was hurt people...that was all she had.

Rayven spoke up and asked about what was going on further down the hallway. Tony saw that Kid had stopped a long way off and was talking to someone. Rayven said it was Trine and Tony smiled.

Tony: um i'm pretty sure they already talked about it. or at least they were just about too before the zombies busted through the...

Tony felt a stinging pain in his forehead and realized he had cracked his head right up against the forth wall. He rubbed his temples and winced for a second. He felt the urge to carry Rayven to safety but as the pain subsided the feeling passed.

Tony: sorry...yeah um i don't know. hey it's tough for people to express how they feel sometimes. i mean it can't always be as easy as...

Tony waved his hand in front of a closed fist he brought up from the table. then with a flick of his wrist a dozen, cheap plastic, magic shop flowers appeared in his hand. He held him out to Rayven with a smile.

[Kira Starlight]

Rayven blinked and stared at the flowers for a moment before laughing.  Not the typical, sarcastic, "holy **** are you really that dumb" type of laugh normally expected from her when Tony would do something like this.  But a genuine laugh.

Rayven::
"Toneward Alexander Mann (that -is- his full name, right?), are you trying to tell me something?"

[The Wretched Nobody]

King Genius and Tony Mann turn to look at Rayven - the lights flicker and when they turn around Nobody has finally in fact, stopped to talk to them.

(See what I did there?)

₩retched Nobody> Samples?


The former Tag team Champions both shake their heads no, and Grace steps out from behind the behemoth and pulls out a stack of cash.

::Grace Brutal::Being the First man to hold Every Major Singles Title..... And the Tag Team Championships.... He doesn't really Neeeeeed to have a side job like some Losers.  And he should be given special preferential treatment - I mean he makes a better spokesman than anyone else here.  I mean, let's be real about this, Losers - The Wretched Nobody is the evolution of the business.  Bigger, Faster, More Dangerous AND he has the track record to back it up.

So rather than samples - how about some product testing?


The Wretched Nobody grabs the jug of lemonade nearest himself and begins chugging it - Grace stands with a look of superiority on her face. No one can be surprised at her willful disregard for the welfare of anyone, nor her desire to dissolve any placidity that exists.  As he finishes Nobody emits an intestine churning, tooth rattling, paint peeling, biological warfare ready belch of epic proportions - and commendable baritone quality.  Everyone in the hallway - wrestler and backstage employee alike has no choice but to take notice of the reverberating natural disaster unleashed in their midst.  What does surprise is his mannerly response....

₩retched Nobody> ....Excuse me.

[The Losers]

The look on Kid Genius's face is one of first shock and then annoyance. This kind of ting was starting to get very frustrating. One second he was at the end of the hallway and then without warning he was back at the lemonade stand with Tony.

KG: What the?

Tony: i know! i know i felt it too.

KG: Why do people keep doing that?! and why is always me?!

Tony shrugged. The effects of the shift in reality that occurred when one of the handlers on other side of the fourth wall did something without thinking always felt different. Each time there was a different taste in Tony's mouth...this time it was cotton candy so it wasn't so bad. but still it was the principle of the thing.

KG: it's getting played out.

Tony: well i mean if people don't read what's going on then....

KG: but how could they possibly miss it?! That make no sense! I was in a completely different section of the building having a separate conversation! Don't they see the problem with me just "suddenly" being over here back with you without any word as to how or why?

Tony: Dude you're preaching to the choir. For me i just don't like it when people move us around with permission. it's like...come on that's basic rules ya know?

KG: Exactly!

Tony: See watch this...

The Wretched Nobody and Grace weren't sure what was going on. they both looked at each other and then began picking their noses, then each others noses, and then pulled down their pants to reveal bright pink, poka dot pantaloons like one would see in a old cartoon. They tried to protest this violation of privacy but their words came out like the barkings of sea lions.

Tony: See! If we don't have boundaries people can just do that

KG: well...ok that's a little extreme.

Tony: well yeah...ok sure it was but still it's the principle.

KG: yep, totally agree on that one dude.

Tony: ANYWAY, let's go back and fix all this mess.

KG: mhmm. So let's push the clock back a couple of seconds here. Erase all this from inthen i'll go back to my conversation DOWN THE HALLWAY and you can stay here for when Wretch does his thing.

Tony: Roger that.

Both of the Losers snapped their fingers together

................

Tony, and only Tony seeing how the other half of the Losers was not at the lemonade stand, felt his heart flip for a second as he thought he actually got a genuine laugh out of Rayven. He half expected her to try and deck him but...that he was not expecting.

Tony: um...

For a second there Tony's confidence was shaken by the extra misprediction of Rayven's actions. He cleared his throat.

Tony: I have NO idea what you are talking about.

Tony shook the flowers and then threw them into the air. they fell onto the table and in his hand there were two tickets to a place called "Lazer-Rama". Tony smiled, he could still feel his heart pounding but he, unlike his best friend, was not going to let a perfect moment like this...

Suddenly the lights began to flicker and before Tony could locate the source of it they had stopped and The Wretched Nobody stood in front of him and the Lemonade stand. He asked if they had samples and Tony couldn't help but think that it sounded like what cancer would sound like if it was a person...just sick, dark and evil. Tony shook his head, although he really didn't know...He and Kid hadn't really thought about all of their marketing plan yet.

That's when Grace Brutal stepped out and started to talk. Tony remembered her from the corn maze a while back. She was still as pretty as she was...which was a pretty good helping of both by Tony's count. Before Tony could protest the monster man grabbed the jug of Lemonade and downed it like it was a half full dixie cup. Tony...wasn't even made that was impressive.

What came next though was more around the lines of mentally scaring. The Comedian could feel the blench in his teeth and the smell rolled over him like everything that could be rotten had gotten together to hold a rally behind his lips. Tony's eyes actually watering as he he heard the former champion excuse himself.

Tony: you....are....excused

He puffed up his chest...he didn't want to throw up in front of Rayven after all the good work he had gotten done so far. He opened is mouth and spoke through gritted teeth.

Tony: Well...i hope you liked the Lemonade....