TAKE ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
The cameras are on the Enterprise Center staff parking lot as the tag EARLIER TODAY appears in the bottom left hand corner of the feed. Out from a large, black rental van steps three different cameramen dressed in gray with the red ‘ESPN’ logo on their backs. Their cameras are rolling as they hurry into different positions, only for Vickie Hall to emerge from the passenger’s seat and Jonathan-Christopher Hall to reveal himself from the driver’s.
Vickie walks a delicate, gingerly pace around the van as she stops at the end of it and sticks her arm out, waiting for it to be linked into by her Amazing Life Partner. However, the fumbling, almost goofball-like Jonathan-Christopher has a much more difficult go. He opens his car door but it bumps into the car beside it, clearly leaving a dent. Then Jonathan-Christopher pulls back the door but he yanks it too hard so he closes the door on his foot. The Forever Man lets out a little whimper but luckily he’s okay as he opens the door again and shakes away the pain. Next, Hall slips out of the driver’s seat and nearly lands face-first on the cement. Thankfully, the car beside him breaks his fall. He shuts the van door ever-so-carefully and this was successful… except his newly minted LOVE CONVOY jacket (and a clear knock-off of Nate Colton’s jacket) is caught in the door. Jonathan-Christopher tries to open the door again but it won’t budge. He tries for a second time… nadda. Frustrated, he places both hands on his jacket and pulls the coat out… realizing he’s ripped it straight through the right hand side. Jonathan-Christopher looks up into the heavens. He seems to pray before composing himself and making his way over to link arms with Vickie.
Vickie Hall: Where were you?
She tries to giggle playfully after.
Vickie Hall: I was waiting, my dear.
JCH attempts to explain what happened but he only fumbles out inaudibly.
Vickie glances into one of the ESPN cameras.
Vickie Hall: Story of my life (harmless chuckle) always waiting.
Nevertheless, the two walk arm-in-arm down the parking lot as the three cameramen run around into different configurations. Vickie looks up to her knight in shining armor.
Vickie Hall: And to think we’ll be filming all the way through the tournament!
She rests her hand on his bicep, as the duo approach the front of the arena. Jonathan-Christopher takes a deep breath before opening the door and inviting his woman inside. Once there, the cameras and the ReVival camera also follow.
…The walls are littered with soviet-style propaganda, announcing PRIME’s newest Universal Champion, Ivan Stanislav.
Concern and remorse slowly develop across Jonathan-Christopher’s face. He was, after all, the first stepping stone for Ivan to capture the championship. Hall lost to Stanislav, Stanislav won the number one contender match at Tropical Turmoil and the rest was history.
Vickie, however, doesn’t seem to interpret her surroundings the same. Instead, the look on her face…
Is utter fascination.
She halts their march towards the LOVE CONVOY locker room because she has fallen upon a printing she’s absolutely captivated by!
A striking duochrome poster of red and yellow. In the center: Ivan Stanislav from his broad chest upward, his eyes piercing, his expression stoic, all of him absolutely serious. Menacing. Confident.
At the base of the poster, words in solid, soviet-style font: “IVAN STANISLAV LOVES YOU.”
Vickie giggles mischievously as the ESPN cameraman zooms in to get a closer view.
Vickie Hall: Oh that Ivan. What a treat he is!
She takes back her ALPs hand as they wander off through the other posters, with Vickie in sheer amazement.
As the couple and their crew turn the corner, Vickie acknowledges one of the cameras in front of her. Meanwhile, the Revival feed stays behind. To the right is the initial Stanislav poster Vickie was so fixated with… and the duo with their team soon become small specs in the overall picture.
Vickie Hall: My man is ready for tonight. Who knows, maybe soon enough, we’ll have our own LOVE CONVOY posters all over this place, as well…
Nick Stuart: Jonathan-Christopher Hall versus Rich Patterson… is next!
Fade.
To the ring.