FIFTEEN PERCENT TO FIFTEEN THOUSAND

Nick Stuart: We are mere minutes away from our Five Star Title match featuring FLAMBERGE and the champion, Rezin. But first we have a special interview with Angelica Brooks. Angelica?

The camera switches to Angelica Brooks, who is smiling with a microphone in her hand. 

Angelica Brooks: Thanks, Nick. I’m pleased to introduce our guest. PRIME roster member, former Intense champion…Jonathan Rhine.

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

The cheering is intense as the shot of Angelica moves to the left, replaced by a shot of Jonathan Rhine, sitting in a small office. He has wireless earbuds in, and the shot is wide enough to show him in his wheelchair. He hears the cheers and smiles.

Jonathan Rhine: Thank you Angelica. 

Angelica Brooks: Jon, this is your first time on PRIME television since the heinous attack on you by your tag team partner, Paxton Ray. I asked this question to Shweta a few weeks ago, and I know it’s not an easy one to answer. But how are you doing?

Jonathan Rhine: I’m great, actually.

There’s a pause, and Angelica furrows her brow a little. Jonathan chuckles.

Jonathan Rhine: Okay, I mean. Not great. There’s…a lot that I’m dealing with, and obviously things could be better. But I talk to Shweta about this all the time. It makes no sense to let those negative thoughts fester. So I’m trying to be positive. 

Angelica Brooks: That part is nice to hear, at least. So, I don’t know if it’s too painful for you to watch ReVival…

Jonathan Rhine: No it isn’t. I watch every episode.

Angelica Brooks: Still?

Jonathan Rhine: I just love the sport so much, and so many of my friends are there. I have to support them. 

Angelica Brooks: Well that was what I was going to ask. One of those friends, Jared Sykes, had a very interesting challenge for Paxton Ray. We have a clip here.

—-

The camera briefly switches to a shot of King Blueberry in the ring, his energy building.

King Blueberry: So consider this a courtesy, Paxton, granted it’s one you sure as hell don’t deserve. You’ve got six weeks. Six weeks to kick back, relax, do whatever it is you do in your free time. You don’t need to come here lookin’ for me, because before the year is over I will find YOU!

—-

We come back to Angelica and Jon.

Angelica Brooks: Now, as a close friend of Jared, I’m curious about your thoughts.

Jonathan Rhine: That’s pretty troubling to hear him say.

Angelica Brooks: So I take it you agree with Brandon Youngblood that he shouldn’t be seeking out Paxton Ray.

Jonathan Rhine: Oh, no. I don’t agree with that at all.

Angelica doesn’t drop the microphone or anything, but her mouth drops a little.

Angelica Brooks: I don’t understand, Jonathan. You just said it was troubling to hear those words.

Jonathan Rhine: Yes, I was troubled to hear him want to go to the mud pits to challenge Paxton. That’s Paxton’s home turf. It’s not safe. But I 100% endorse Jared getting his revenge on Paxton in a wrestling ring. Because there aren’t that many in the entire world better than Jared Sykes in a ring. I just wish that was possible. 

Angelica Brooks: Are you saying that you disagree with Lindsay Troy’s decision to fire Paxton Ray?

Jonathan holds his hands up.

Jonathan Rhine: I would never question Lindsay’s business decisions. I just think that Jared wants to teach Paxton some lessons that I can’t anymore, and I’d love to see him do it.

There’s a beat as Angelica tries to compose herself.

Angelica Brooks: I see. That’s an interesting response. I would have thought as someone who…felt the effects of Paxton’s wrath, that you wouldn’t want to see your friend meet the same fate.

Jonathan Rhine: There’s a difference between me and Jared, though. Jared will see it coming.

Angelica Brooks: Well, thank you for your perspective. Before we let you go, I have one more question. You said you’ve been watching, which means you’ve also seen the attacks from The Love Convoy. What are your thoughts on them?

Jonathan Rhine: I think they’re trash, and hopefully Jared and Justine can take care of them soon. But there was actually something amazing that came out of the last attack and I just want to highlight it. It was so good to see Nate Colton, Coral Avalon, and Brandon Youngblood come down to help him. Too long we’ve let the monsters of the wrestling world get away with breaking the rules, with hurting people. And I was happy to see people standing against that united force. I really hope that will continue to happen in PRIME.

Angelica Brooks: I do too, Jon. Finally…what does your recovery look like? Would you like to update us on your progress?

Jonathan smiles and raises both hands again.

Jonathan Rhine: Look ma, two hands!

Angelica gives a polite chuckle. 

Jonathan Rhine: Seriously, it’s a slow process. I can move my head, wiggle my hands, flex my arms. The only issue is these.

He grabs his left thigh, lifts it, then lets it crash back down.

Jonathan Rhine: The doctors in Las Vegas were very clear: I’m never going to walk again. And if I were the type of person who just accepted things, that’s where it would end. But that’s not me, Angelica. So I asked a second doctor. And a third. And a fourth, and fifth, and I came back to New Orleans and talked to every specialist I could. And I said “I don’t give up, I am going to walk again, and I need someone to help me.” And I finally talked to a specialist down here who tells me that I have a fifteen percent chance of walking again. 

Angelica Brooks: That’s better than never.

Jonathan Rhine: Much better. And I’m going to tell you this, and everyone else watching tonight, including the man who put me into this wheelchair. When it’s Jonathan Rhine, “The New Life,” putting his mind to it and giving it everything he has? That fifteen percent may as well be fifteen thousand.

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

Angelica grins.

Angelica Brooks: Well the PRIME audience is happy to hear that, and I am too. Best of luck on that fifteen percent, Jon. We’re all pulling for you.

Jonathan Rhine: Thank you, Angelica. 

Angelica Brooks: Back to you, Nick and Richard.

The camera cuts to ringside, where our commentators are smiling.

Nick Stuart: Thanks, Angelica. I have to say after the last part of that interview, I’m ready to run through a wall.

Richard Parker: Me too, Nick. It was almost inspirational enough to make me ignore the fact that Jonathan Rhine wants to feed his friend to The Bayou Butcher!