Ride or Die [Chaos Theory CD]

[Spike Kane]

Minutes after the match between The Dead End Express and the team of Nate Pierce and Spike Kane at Gods Among Men, inside the locker room Spike is sat with his back against the wall and is just staring out into space, he doesn’t look with it in more ways than one. Suddenly the doors burst open and in comes PRICE and Nate Pierce with a doctor in tow.

“Mister Kane, we need to check you over”

The voice of the doctor sounded almost muffled to Spike, but his stare never changed. He didn’t even seem to acknowledge the arrival of his teammates and the doctor. Instead Spike just continues to stare.

PRICE

“He took a pretty nasty shot to the head”

DOCTOR

“We’ll need to do a full concussion protocol”

Almost as if the words snapped Spike to his senses, like some kind of smelling salts, he comes to life and shrugs the doctor away from him.

SPIKE

“No”

For a moment it almost looks like Spike is about to try and fight the doctor off, when PRICE places his hand on Spike’s shoulder. Spike rounds and looks up at him, in an instant remembering the times they’d clashed, and how much pain they’d put each other through over the years. Just as Spike is about to reach up and remove PRICE’s hand, Nate places his on Spike’s other shoulder, and suddenly he is brought back to reality.

SPIKE

“Fuck…”

He slumps a little, and allows the doctor to begin checking him over, his attitude, rage, and posture all dropping. Spike slumps, defeated. PRICE and Nate share a look as the doctor begins to flash a torch, and move his fingers around asking Spike to follow them. Eventually he stands up and addresses Spike.

DOCTOR

“It seems like you’re alright, for now, but I’d like you to get another check up in a couple of days. I’d advise you don’t spend too much time alone, until you’re in the clear.”

Spike just nods, he doesn’t even speak but the Doctor makes eye contact with PRICE and Pierce, as if to let them know he’s putting them in charge of watching over Spike. After a couple of minutes the doctor leaves, and PRICE sees him out. Spike leans forward, elbows on his knees, and stares at the floor.

NATE

“Listen Spike….I’m sorry man, I know how much winning your 30th Tag Team Championship meant to you. I’m sorry I let yo-”

Spike shakes his head wildly, as he holds up a finger in Nate’s direction. He turns to look at him, and he looks dead serious.

SPIKE

“No. Just no. Don’t even”

Pierce doesn’t quite know what to say, he stutters for a moment.

SPIKE

“Just don’t Nate. You didn’t let anyone down, you haven’t let me down once - at all, since we were thrown together. You’ve been the driving force, you’ve been the determined winner….you’ve been carrying my ass.”

Now the room goes quiet as PRICE is surprised Spike would even admit something like that, and Nate is just shocked that Spike is saying it at all.

SPIKE

“God damn right I want that 30th reign. I honestly thought I’d be getting it with my brother, but we know how well that always goes. Cunt can rot in hell for all I care….then I thought it’d be with my homie.”

Spike points to PRICE who just smirks.

SPIKE

“But nope. Came up short again, like I keep doing, because it’s me Nate. I’m the common denominator, I’m the one holding us back, and it’s fucking killing me.”

Slowly Spike begins to stand up, as he rolls his neck to relieve the pain.

SPIKE

“I didn’t just get caught out, I got caught out with my own weapon….that’s not like me. Something is off, and I don’t know what it is….but you know what I do know?”

PRICE

“How to pour a Guinness.”

PRICE just blurts it out, and Spike gives him a quick look before the three of them each let out a laugh. Spike smiles, and takes a moment to breath.

SPIKE

“Well yes, but what I do know is….We got the number one contender for the Openweight Championship!”

He slaps PRICE on the chest who just smirks and shrugs, accepting the adulation.

SPIKE

“And we’ve got you Nate.”

Spike places his index finger right on the chest of Nate Pierce, who doesn’t look quite sure of what to make of all this, but Spike looks right at him.

SPIKE

“You wanted this. Not many people in the world actually want to team with me, especially with my track record of stabbing people in the back, but you….shit kid, you put in the work. You put in the effort, you went that extra mile, and you had my back…”

NATE

“Of course I did.”

SPIKE

“Lemme finish….you had my back, and I did not have my head in the game. I clearly haven’t for some time now. I’ve been distracted, stretched thin, and I expected my legacy to carry me forward, but I know now…this isn’t about the past. It’s about the future..”

He slowly gets to his feet, all thoughts of Spike needing medical treatment have flown away at this point.

SPIKE

“As long as we look out for each other? There’s nothing that can stop us. Our boy PRICE here is going to finally shut that Jamrocker fuck up…and we? You and I Nate? We’re going to get those tag team championships, even if we have to start at the fucking bottom and work our way up.”

NATE

“Works for me.”

PRICE

“Oh, I can’t wait.”

Spike now places a hand on PRICE’s shoulder, and a hand on Nates.

SPIKE

“Ride or die.”

The three of them all bump fists, and they begin to gather their things as they head out, just as they do, Spike rubs the back of his head and winces just a touch.

[Spike Kane]

OOC - This was posted as part of a Tapout rp - but the CD continues from the post above (chronologically)

Spike is sat in his locker room, he’s still dressed in his ring gear so it hasn’t been too long since he fought Aiden Merric, and came up short. Spike is sat with his elbows on his knees, and his hands buried in his face.

“You’re not good enough”

The voice was back again, just loud enough to echo in the back of his mind. As he heard it, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He was tired. He was beaten. He thought he’d got through this.

“You’ll never be good enough.”

The horrible part was that the voice was his own. The volume was rising, and he began to clench his fists, still over his eyes.

“Nobody wants you here. Nobody ever did,”

The sting of tears was in the corner of his eyes, and he gritted his teeth, trying his absolute best to shut it out.

“YOU SHOULD JUST KILL YOURSELF”

At once, it felt like there were a chorus of the same voice, screaming in his head, louder than his own thoughts here. Spike began to rock in his feet, eyes slammed shut, and began to slap the side of his head repeatedly.

‘Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!’

He thought over and over, trying to drown out the voice, trying to hear himself over the voices. With a roar, he rose to his feet and turned on his heel before punching right into the wall, breaking through the plasterboard.

Spike: SHUT UP!!!!

For a moment he stood, breathing heavily. It took him a moment to realise, but the voice had gone. He closed his eyes, and sighed.

PRICE: The fuck is up with you?

The voice of PRICE caught him off guard, behind Spike, in the doorway, was PRICE and Nate Pierce, Chaos Theory.

Spike: …just pissed I lost…again…

As Spike lied right to their faces, he could hear the soft chuckle of laughter in his head.

We open up now on a semi-glitzy Las Vegas hotel room, it has a balcony and the doors are open. Stood on the balcony, each with a pre-roll in hand, are PRICE and Spike Kane.

PRICE: So…you trust this dude?

Spike: Capone?

PRICE: No the other random ass tag partner you have.

Spike: No, Random is Long’s partner.

The two stop and look at each other for a moment, both giving the other a look of “are you stupid” but neither answers, instead the toke, and exhale.

Spike: Listen man….I have to be honest with you.

Spike looks down from the balcony at the dots below, before looking out over the Vegas strip.

Spike: ….I’m not doing good man.

PRICE just snorts, and almost laughs at Spike.

PRICE: Listen, a few losses ain’t shit, you know that!

Spike: I’m not talking about winning and losing matches dude, I’m talking about me. Like, up here, in the noggin….it’s happened before, and I’ve lost control.

PRICE: Like that time you crucified a dude?

Spike: …yes.

PRICE: Or that time you turned on Joe Everyman and ended his career?

Spike gives a “call me out why don’t you” look and PRICE smirks.

Spike: Yes!

PRICE: Like the time you cut off that prick Rob Diamonds finger?

Spike: For fuck sake PRICE, yes. We get the picture. I’m an untrustworthy scumbag who will stab you in your back and smile!

PRICE: You better have the balls to stab me in the front.

Spike: Says the guy who lured me into a match so he could show up and whoop my ass.

PRICE: You deserved it.

Spike stops and cocks his head to the side, before shrugging and nodding “fair enough” to PRICE.

Spike: I’m just…I don’t even know man, I’m trying to get ahead of it this time. I’m trying not to go down that dark path again, because after everything I’ve been through? I just don’t think I’ll come out the other side…

At this point, Nate has joined them in the hotel room, with several bags of take out food. He clearly caught the end of the conversation, and comes out to the balcony, and puts his arm on Spike’s shoulder.

Nate: You ain’t gotta worry about that anymore. We’ll be sure to pull you out and keep you in the here and now with us.

PRICE cocks an eyebrow, and gestures jokingly about how he was going to throw Spike off the balcony, but Spike looks at both PRICE and Pierce, and with a genuine, soft smile he speaks.

Spike: Thank you.

He tries not to show how much it means to him, because of his fragile ego, so he turns and goes back to smoking while taking in the Vegas view, and the camera fades