"You sure this is what you really want?", I asked Mina.
"Of course, you have no idea how long I have wanted to see American Wrestling!!", she said as we flew to the arena in LA, "I love the atmosphere, and the energy you get from being there!! I only went once though when my family came to visit our distant relatives."
"What made you like it so much?", I asked.
"Who doesn't like to watch grown men throw each other around!?", she laughed, "Boulder Johnson is my favorite wrestler!! Knocks the guys out cold, and beats them with a steel chair!! Stone Cold Cena is another great one too, with his Five Knuckle Shuffle and Attitude Adjuster!!"
'So the names aren't that different...neither are the moves.', I thought, 'My Dad really enjoyed wrestling too, he donated and setup charity events to help give back.'
Asking if she wanted to eat somewhere before going in, she insisted on eating the food inside. Using family connections I had gotten us ringside seating which made her all the more excited. Getting us hot dogs, fries, and soda I barely sat down before she was a quarter of the way through her footlong hot dog. Shaking my head I had no idea where all this food she ate went. The past year or so I had noticed she started eating a lot more when she came over.
Nothing changed at home for her thus I knew she was stuffing her face at my house since she couldn't get that many sweets, meats, and cheeses at home. Her mother was a stickler for eating a balanced, healthy diet so she pigged out at my place. I never said anything to her about it, but when I looked at her eating she always reminded me of a squirrel shoving food in it's mouth.
Seeing the usual bikini clad woman carrying the Round sign around, Mina covered my eyes saying I wasn't old enough to look. Going along with it since she was the one I was taking on a date, she only uncovered them when the fight began. Having played sports, and video games with her I thought I knew how energetic she was...boy was I wrong.
"Throttle him!!", she said jumping in her seat as she started shaking me, "Kick his butt Stone Cold Cena!!"
'She does realize that this wrestling is nothing more than acting...right?', I thought listening to her continue to scream.
Watching him throw the wrestler Night Monkey around, she kept shaking me as her excitement built up. When Night Monkey started turnings around she wrapped her arms around my head as she stood on her seat.
"Don't take that from him!!", Mina shouted, "Give him the old one two punch!!"
Sighing inside I found her far more entertaining than the wrestlers. Listening her switch her tones back and forth depending on who was winning all I could do was smile and laugh. Eventually Boulder Johnson came into the ring, and threw Night Monkey through the judge table.
"You're going down Cena!", Johnson shouted.
"Come on Johnson, are you just going to sit their like a pebble?", Cena jabbed.
"Don't take that from him!!", Mina shouted.
"Weren't you just rooting for Cena?", I asked.
"I was, but now that Boulder Johnson is hear I have to side with him.", she said like it was normal.
Watching the two full grown men go at it, Mina started bouncing around on her seat. Jumping on to my shoulders she sat there cheering her favorite wrestler on. Remaining there the remainder of the match I just relaxed and drank my Dr.Pepper. After Cena was 'Knocked' out by Johnson she went ballistic on my shoulders swaying back and forth with delight.
"Now then ladies and gentleman we have a very special event for you tonight. Our sponsors have offered the opportunity to meet one of tonight's fighters to one lucky winner in an all out brawl in the ring!!", the announcer said causing the arena to burst out in shouts of joy.
'I presume that the existence of Quirks made this change.', I thought, 'They'd never allow this in my world.'
"Clark you should enter!!", Mina said with excitement looking down at me, "You could wipe the floor with anyone here!!"
"Mina...I don't think that is the best idea. If you want I am sure I can-"
"Please Clark, if you do this I would be really happy!", she said, "I won't ask you to do anything ever again!"
'That's a lie, I guarantee that I will hear you asking for help with our book report come Monday.', I thought.
Agreeing to it I got in the group of contestants for the matches. Of course I was the smallest person in line height wise at barely three foot six inches. I was still growing so I knew I'd be taller eventually but right now all the other contestants could do was laugh. Suggesting I come back when I was eighteen, I told the announcer that I would be taking first place. Putting me in first with a giant seven foot tank of a man, the announcer said that only physical strength Quirks could be used. In addition there would be no killing allow...as if anyone assumed it would be.
"You're going down kid!! You can take that girl of yours back to mommy, and suckle on her breasts.", he jabbed.
"Maybe you should started working out more, curling cheeseburgers doesn't count.", I retorted causing Mina to die laughing.
"You tell him Clark!! Kick his butt!!", she shouted.
"Time to send you to beddy bye!", he said barreling at me.
"Time for you to see stars.", I replied.
Casually side stepping him, I swept his legs out from under him and helped him fly over the ring. Jumping out of the way the judges barely got away before becoming pancakes. Knocked out cold, the referee declared me the winner and sent me back to the line. My next opinion was a sunburnt woman in her mid forties. Already having had some work done on her it didn't take a rocket scientist to know what she was planning.
"Hey kid I will pay you two hundred bucks to forfeit.", she said.
Saying what I was thinking wasn't going to fly for a ten year old. If I was sixteen I would have definitely said it, but for now I went with no thank you. Clicking her tongue she went for an arm bar, but I just rolled over smashing her face into the mat. Just rolling back and forth till she was out cold Mina fell out of her seat laughing at the sight.
"You aren't even taking this seriously!", she shouted.
The professional wrestlers also seemed to agree with her.
"Hey Johnson, you see that kid in the ring?", Cena asked.
"Yeah, what about him?", Johnson asked drinking his water.
"Doesn't look like he is even breaking a sweat, and he isn't even a teenager yet. The judge said he was ten.", Cena replied.
"You are fucking with me right?", Night Monkey laughed, "No way he is ten, he's probably a midget in his early twenties."
"No I am really ten.", I said walking off the stage.
Looking at me then each other the men asked how I heard them.
"Super Hearing.", I said.
"Hey kid...you mind not telling anyone what I said?", Night Monkey asked.
"What did you say?", I asked.
"...I said would you mind-"
"Did you get the sense knocked out of you Monkey, the kid is saying he didn't hear anything you said.", Cena and Johnson sighed.
"Oh...", he said looking embarrassed.
"This not challenging enough for you?", Cena asked.
"Well they aren't professionals, just normal people.", I said.
"Hey referee, how about we just do a rage in the cage round?", Cena shouted, "We will take on the winner."
The other contestants immediately backed down, apparently they thought these wrestlers would kick their butts. They didn't take into consideration beating up their fan base was bad for business. The contestants could have had a photo the ages, but they chickened out.
"You game kid?", Cena asked.
"Of course, my friend wants Mr.Johnsons autograph and maybe a photo.", I said.
"What a good friend, your buddy is lucky to have a brave friend like you.", Cena laughed, "Alright referee, you good?"
"Mr.Cena, the owners didn't say that you could-", the referee started.
"It's fine, we won't do anything over the top.", he replied.
Deciding to not press the wrestler further he had the three wrestlers get on one side while I was on the other. Asking me if I was ready I nodded my head. Ringing the bell Night Monkey ran at me trying act like he was serious, so I played along. Sliding under him as he dived I used my legs to fling him into the audience. Crashing into the stands the crowd went wild.
"Wow Clark, that was awesome!!!", Mona shouted.
"The kids stronger than he looks...", Cena and Johnson said, "Whose your Dad?"
"Thomas Wayne.", I said.
"Wait...your Lampshade's kid!?", they laughed.
"You know my Dad?", I asked.
"We went to College with him before we dropped out.", they laughed, "Flexing our muscles was more entertaining than being a company CEO. How's your old man doing?"
"He's doing good.", I said.
"Since your his kid, we don't need to hold back.", they said changing their skin to different types of stone, "Let's see if you have his strength!"
"Excuse me gentlemen, you said you wouldn't take this too far.", the referee said.
"Kid don't worry about holding back, we went toe to toe with your old man in college.", they said.
'You wouldn't be saying that if you knew I could one flick you unconscious.', I thought.
Cena dove in first. Since they were using Non-Strength Quirks, I wasn't going to hold back as much on them. If they wanted to be as stupid as my father sometimes was, I was going to beat them up a bit.
"Be careful Clark!!", Mina shouted, "They are really strong!!"
Catching Cena mid-air, I spun him around using his own force and threw him into Johnson. Knocking the wind out of them the two men took a second to get up. Rushing me at the same time they wore the same smile my dad had when his invention blew up on him.
Coming home covered in soot with some burn hair mixed in, my mother always sighed when he came in like that. She'd lecture him about how he should take more care with his appearance. He would laugh, and say that it was his badge of pride. My mother would just sigh in response, and push him to into the bathroom to clean up. This happened at least once a week if not more.
"You two idiots wear the same smile my Dad has.", I stated.
"Where do you think he learned it?", they laughed.
Jumping over them, I came down with an elbow drop taking them ring a notch. Coughing up a lung of air the two men were momentarily stunned allowing me to put Cena in a triangle choke. Taking me seriously now they put in effort to take me down. Side stepping their attacks with ease, I usually tossed them onto the matt with a heavy thud. Watching from her seat, Mina began to realize how strong I was.
The fight she saw on the news between Muscular and I was one thing, but she had seen these two men throw around tanks in many movies. Even her father had told her how strong they were yet she was sitting there watching me toss them like children in our martial arts class. Seeing it in person was completely different for her. The vague memories she had of her only other match just didn't compare to this.
"Who is that kid in the ring!?", people started shouting as they started chanting for the wrestlers facing me.
Hearing them, Mina started cheering for me loudly.
"You can do it Clark!!", she shouted, "I know you can do it!!"
Giving her a smile, I nodded my head and lifted the two men off the ground. Throwing Johnson to the side I proceeded to do one of the few wrestling moves I actually knew, Tombstone. Sticking Cena's head between my knees I dropped straight down onto the knees with my knees. Adding some downward force the ring collapse, and Cena was really out cold.
'Oops...I haven't actually wrestled someone before. I hope I didn't seriously injure him.', I thought.
"Wow ladies and gentlemen Stone Cold Cena is out cold!!", the referee shouted hanging on the one of the posts for solid footing, "This is simply incredible!! This young man is treating these men like toddlers!!"
"Haha you certainly inherited your father's strength!", Johnson laughed, "I admire that spirit of yours, don't ever lose it!"
"My mother said I should...she says it will get me in trouble.", I said.
"Oh...then listen to her.", he quickly said.
"But you-"
"Just trust me, just do what she says and ignore me.", he said with a petrified look, "Your mother is...a very strong woman."
"Did something happen that I-"
"Let's not bring up the past...", he said with a scared look.
'She must have done something really bad to them...', I thought, 'I know mom can be a bit overbearing sometimes, but I didn't think she could cause a bulky guy like this to sweat bullets.'
"Anyways kid, let's finish this with the next move!", he said with a grin.
"Alright.", I said.
Rushing at me shoulder first, I redirected upwards when he was about to crash into me. Grabbing his pants by wear a belt should be, with his legs over my shoulders, I used the other move I knew...Last Ride.
"We end this here have a fun trip on your own, Last Ride!", I said slamming him back first into the ring mat completely leveling the ring and sending the referee flying into the judges on accident.
Looking back at Mina she looked at me completely dumbfounded. She hadn't completely expected me to win, but when I did she didn't know how to react. Her childhood idols were just between by her bestfriend, and he wasn't even looking winded.
'Was Clark always this strong?', she thought, 'I...I never realized how strong he is. It's kind of cool, I am friends with such a strong person!!"
Throwing double peace signs with a big grin on my face, Mina started laughing with delight. Getting back up from the ground the referee got up as the two wrestlers came around a few minutes later. Giving them a hand up, they shook my hand saying that if I ever wanted to wrestle they would see that I got a job when I was 18. Thanking them I was going to go back to Mina, but that didn't happen.
Night Monkey, thinking he had been tricked, became furious. He couldn't believe a child could have taken the three of them out so easily. Ripping his shirt off, he started to bulk up even more than Muscular. Trying to stop him Cena and Johnson were thrown out of his way.
"No one fucking plays me for a fool!", he snarled, "Cut it out with acting, and show me how old you are you!"
"How I am not old enough to have a license or ID?", I asked.
"If you aren't going to drop the act, I will make you do it!", he said picking up the ring.
Jumping off the ring I landed on the ground away from him. Throwing the ring at me with bystanders behind me I didn't understand what the hell we was doing. Stopping the ring before it hit anyone I lifted it up then brought down on him like a fly swatter. Smashing it into him several time I let it go as the ring fell to pieces.
"What is going on with him!?", I shouted to the other wrestlers.
"We don't know!", they shouted.
"Go see if he is using something to boost his performance!", I retorted, "I will keep him here, the rest of you get the public out of here!"
Security got to work evacuating the bystanders. Putting their Hero costumes on, the wrestlers got to work getting people to safety as I was preoccupying Night Monkey...or what was there. Whatever he took before the match tonight appeared to change him depending on the mood he was. Rage appeared to rob him of all senses as he was going for anything that moved. Punching him back from the public I wasn't trying to kill him. If there was a chance to save him I full intended to do what it took to do so.
"You fucking dirty cheat!!", he howled, "How dare you make fun of me!? Stop playing around, and fight me!!"
"Night Monkey, you aren't yourself!", I said calmly, "I don't want to hurt you, I really am only ten years old."
Hearing that the several of the Heroes regretted leaving this situation to a ten year old. Right now it was important to get the civilians out first before they could handle him. About ten minutes later, Cena and Johnson returned in their Hero suits.
"Clark, it looks like he is high on Turn Up!", they said, "Are you okay?"
"I am fine.", I said, "How do we get him to chill out? I have tried knocking him out, but he won't go down!"
"He won't, right now he is running on instinct.", they shouted, "We are calling in Emergency Lady to get him treated!"
Dodging his next swing his arms blew out a support pillar that I hadn't noticed behind me. As the center post for the dome, the dome started to collapse. Chunks started falling around the stadium within moments of the pillar being taken out. As more and more debris started falling I could hear the remaining people in the building screaming for help.
'If this building comes down it will crush everyone left inside, and the people outside with inhale lord knows what.', I thought, 'That debris cloud will cause a crap ton of problems for people's lungs too.'
Dashing to the post, I quickly started to lift the ceiling back into place. Feeling the ground beneath my feet start to crack I slightly levitated to take the weight.
"Clark, you need to evacuate!", Johnson shouted.
"I can't, if I let this go a lot of people are going to die!", I replied, "Get them clear, and somewhere away from the building!"
"Your only a ten year old kid!! Don't play Hero!!", Cena shouted.
"I am not playing!", I retorted, "I will be a Hero, and I won't let people die when I know I can save them! Get going!!"
Gripping the railing tightly, the took off to evacuate the civilians to safety they cursed themselves for not being able to do anything. I was their best friend's son, and I was doing the most dangerous job here.
"We are a fuck disgrace!", Cena said, "We are leaving a kid to do our job!"
"He is Thomas' kid, something like this won't hurt him.", Johnson said with absolute certainty, "Focus on the evacuation, and get them clear. Once this is done I am going to throttle Night Monkey!"
"You and me both!", Cena said.
Escorting people out in a hurry, they were getting them at least a half mile away where the medics were waiting. Treating injuries related to the mass exodus of people trampling over one another the medics were quickly processing people. Arriving on the scene with her side kicks Emergency Lady asked about the situation inside.
"Night Monkey appears to have been using Turn Up.", Cena said showing her the vial, "I have no idea what he's doing. He looks plenty muscular, there is no reason to be using drugs."
"We can figure that out later, where is he now?", she asked.
"Inside the stadium.", Johnson said, "Look we have a ten year in there that is-"
"You left a ten year old in there!", she shouted, "What the hell are you thinking!?"
"Listen he's holding the roof up, and kept Night Monkey from hurting people.", Cena snapped, "We don't have time to argue this. He can't hold that roof up forever, and if we let Martha's son get injured she will kill us far quicker than any villain will."
"Martha...you mean Lampshade's wife?", she asked.
"One in the same, his son is holding the roof up.", Johnson said, "We need to get Night Monkey out with him."
"Damn it, let's go!", she shouted to her side kicks.
Running over to the stadium they made sure there weren't any stragglers. When I heard them say it was clear I let the post go, and pinned Night Monkey to the ground. Shielding him from the falling ceiling, I held up the weight of that would have crushed him. Outside the group saw the building collapse and a massive dust cloud blow towards them. Masking up, they shielded themselves from the debris till the tidal wave of crap was starting to settle.
"We have two people that may be alive or dead.", Emergency Lady shouted, "Locate them, and get out of here. The power company is ten minutes for cutting power, and the gas company said it could take fifteen minutes. If they are alive they could become suffocated in a pocket of gas. Be mindful of accidental sparks, you could take us all out."
A stadium collapsing doesn't escape the news, and within minutes of the building down choppers were all over the place taking footage. On the ground several reporters were asking the injured what had happened. Telling them what they saw, and how it all started. Turning on the news at home, my parents heard about the collapsed stadium and immediately started calling me. When I didn't they called Mina and their friends in the States.
"Hello?", Mina asked.
"Mina, is everything okay!?", my mother asked in a panic.
"I am fine, but Clark was still in the building. One of the wrestlers went crazy, and started attacking him.", Mina said on the verge of crying, "He saved me and a lot of other people. He was holding the roof up so the rest of us could flee."
"My baby...", mom said fainting on the spot.
Laying her on the couch Dad took over, and asked for the details. Feeling guilt ridden for asking me to participate she started crying saying it was all her fault. Telling her it wasn't her fault he said to stay there, and that he was sending someone to pick her up. Calling Johnson, Dad started laying into him.
"HOW DARE YOU LET ME SON DIE DOING YOUR DAMN JOB!! HE IS ONLY A TEN YEAR OLD BOY!!", he shouted, "IF HE DOESN'T COME OUT OF THIS I AM GOING TO RIP YOU PIECES, YOU HEAR ME JOHNSON!!"
"Thomas we are doing all we can.", Johnson said calmly, "The only reason that we aren't having a disaster here is because he held the ceiling up. If he didn't step in we'd be looking at hundred dead."
"I DON'T GIVE A FLYING FUCK DAMN IT!! MY SON IS TEN YEARS OLD!! YOU LET MY SON, A CHILD, SAVE YOUR ASSES AND LEFT HIM TO DIE!!", he shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Thomas, you know we couldn't have held that ceiling up...even if both of us did.", Johnson said, "Even you couldn't have held it up."
"I...I know...", dad said falling into his seat, "He's my only child Johnson...if something happens to him, I don't think Martha and I will be able to be happy again."
"Emergency Lady is here with us now, if anyone is going to find her it will be-", he started say, "Hold on a second."
From the choppers they started to zoom on the pile of rubble that started moving.
"Hold on folks, it appears there is movement in the debris!", the news reporter on the tv said.
Lifting the debris off of us, I tossed it away and carried the unconscious Night Monkey out of our tomb. Seeing me walking out of the hole dad broke down crying.
"He's alive Johnson!", Thomas said sniffling, "My son survived that."
"I can see him Thomas, we will get him checked out.", Johnson said, "I will call you back."
Approaching them with Night Monkey over my shoulder I gave them a grin.
"I am not cleaning up this mess.", I said with a laugh, "This is on you gentlemen."
"Damn it you little shit!", the two men said with a smile, "You had us worried there."
"I am fine, and so it Night Monkey. He is out cold ready for detox.", I stated, "Boy mom is going to have my hid if she finds out, can you..."
Realizing that there were helicopters in the air, I looked to the two.
"Those wouldn't happen to be news crews, would they?", I asked.
"Yes...your parents are already aware what happened?", they said.
"Crap...I am so going to be grounded for this.", I said with a disappointed look.
"You aren't concerned that you could have been injured?", they asked.
"It's going to take more than that to hurt me.", I chuckled.
"I wouldn't tell your mother that...", they said.
"Believe me...I know.", I said with a nod.
"So your Lampshade's son?", Emergency Lady asked.
"I am...well I think I am. I don't know why you are calling Dad Lampshade.", I said.
"Asking him.", she said, "Anyways let me check your...wait are you not injured?"
"No, like I said it was going to take more than that to hurt me.", I stated, "Do you need me for anything else? I need to get Mina home, and get back to mine...mom is going to throttle me."
"You are cleared to go...", Emergency Lady said.
Thanking her I flew over to Mina who was bawling her eyes out. When she saw me she hugged me tightly saying she was sorry for telling me to get the autograph. Promising to never watch wrestling again, I stopped her before she continued. Showing her that I was alright, I told her not to give up stuff she loved as a punishment for what happened. It wasn't her fault that Night Monkey went crazy, it's his for using performance enhancing drugs.
'Still...I don't remember anything called Turn Up in the series. Is it the precursor to Trigger?', I thought, 'Something else I need to research I guess.'
Giving her a hug, I asked if she was ready to go home. Nodding her head, I shot off into the sky before reporters could bombard me with questions. Taking her back home I bowed my head and apologized to her parents. They were about to call us when we arrived so we managed to prevent her family from panicking too much.
"You have nothing to apologize for.", her father and mother said, "Thank you for protecting our daughter."
"She is my dear friend, of course I would save her.", I said.
"She is fortunate to have a great friend like you.", they said, "Now you best get home before your mother goes down a war path. From the sounds of it she intends to go lecture those Heroes in person for leaving you in there."
'There wasn't anything they could do, they were in my way.', I thought.
Getting back home, I barely got the door opened before my parents embraced me. Crying loudly my mother kept thanking God that I was uninjured, and that I was alive. Instead of the scolding I thought I was going to get, my parents kept telling me how happy they were that I was alive. It really reminded me of my parents back on my world.
"I am okay, really.", I said, "I am super tough, a falling building isn't going to hurt me."
"We know that now...in the moment we didn't.", they sighed.
"Oh...sorry.", I stated.
"Young man we want answers, the police are being awful quiet about it.", Martha asked.
"Cena and Johnson said Night Monkey was stung out on Turn Up.", I stated, "What is Turn Up?"
"A specialized drug that gives the user enhanced strength beyond their normal limits. Special Forces use it in very small quantities during combat.", Dad said, "Son, it is a very dangerous drug. If taken at too high of a dosage the person will die an agonizing death as their own body rips them apart. It is troubling that he was strung out on it. If he had been using it for a while, he was a ticking time bomb. The drug causes the user to have a very unstable mood if put under stress."
"Me pushing them to limit was enough to cause it?", I asked.
"Yes, that said a heckler in the crowd could have provoked him just the same.", he said, "Don't feel guilty for what-"
"I don't, he made his decision and I made mine. He can deal with the punishment that will like bring.", he said.
"Alright, how about we have some pie and ice cream? Our little hero deserves something nice for his hard work.", Martha said, "You just have to promise not to scare us like that anymore."
"I will do my best.", I said.