Posted by Alt 2.0 ft. Cito Conarri on July 9, 2004, 12:35 am, in reply to "What Miah did [I]"

“So, what can I do for you Miah?” Miah DeVan hadn’t been inside IWA’s training facility for a year and a half. And with IWA’s greater success over the last year, the place had been renovated nearly beyond recognition. Cito Conarri still looked just the same as he always did, though. Black sweatpants and a white IWA T-shirt, his hair tied back and a cautious sort of look on his face. Miah sighed. Truth be told, he was pretty nervous about this whole thing. Brad was giving him too little credit – the fact that Cito was potential competition down the road was a thought that had indeed crossed his mind. That and the whole Cito being a good guy who didn’t like bad guys routine yeah, Miah half expected Cito to be all ‘get the hell outta here you little wiener’. “Well, um you know, nevermind it’s just stupid.” Shaking his head as if denying his own stupidity, Miah turned to leave. “Hey, Miah.” Miah stopped walking, turned his head to look backwards over his shoulder. “Yeah?” “Take a seat, kid. If you didn’t have something to say, you wouldn’t be here. I’ll be with you in just a minute, alright?” Miah plopped down on the nearest steel folding chair. A few students were heading out of the building, and one of them gave him a strange look. “That’s that, then.” Cito reappeared, and dropped down on a nearby chair. “So, what’s the deal, Miah?” “Well ” Miah’s voice faltered out again. “Alternative 2.0 not working out lately?” With a sigh, Miah nodded. “Cito, I want to be a good wrestler, just the same as I did when you trained me back 2 years ago. But something’s different. I used to, I guess, enjoy the not being taken seriously, because that made it more fun when I beat people. Gemma kicked my ass all over the ring and then I hit the Miahtano and won, and that was rockin. But it’s like, now I dunno.” “You don’t like being considered the underdog anymore, is that it?” “No. I just, I guess, hate the way that everyone thinks thinks that I suck.” There, he said it. “I mean, I beat this person, and that person, and no respect. I win the CAL Tag Titles and they say I shouldn’t have won em. Brad gets to main event on Silver and I’m stuck curtain against Shinobi Kamikaze, and the administration bills it as will Miah get lucky again or get smashed flat. And when I try to take it to Brad, he says that’s what we want. But it’s no fun anymore. I mean, look at it this way. I’m half the CAL Tag Champions, and because of the way tag teams are looked at, and because of the way BA treats me, the best of people think I’m less than half a wrestler. If I win the second most prestigious title within the CAL, and no one gives a damn, or thinks anything of me, then why the hell do I bother?” And, most thankfully, Cito didn’t say anything right away. He folded his hands and contemplated his knuckles. “Miah, I think you know why you bother. The fact that you came here despite your doubts to talk to me, should be enough to tell you that.” “Because I like wrestling. Because it’s what I wanna do with my life. That’s why I don’t just give up on it. But the CAL isn’t doing anything for me.” “Right. And that’s because you’re teaming with Brad Andrews, and you continue to play the role he wants you to. Why do you do that, then?” “Because, man, he’s my cousin. Blood’s thicker than water and all that. It’s bad enough that Brad and I can’t even talk to Jeff about anything, I don’t want bad blood with everybody. But if I tried to split Alternative 2.0, something would happen. Maybe Brad would decide to beat me back in line or something. And what about Jonny? He’s only just getting started, he hasn’t even debuted in the ring yet. I can’t just go messing around with things because of that.” Cito nods. “Miah, you’ve got a good mind. So tell me – have you thought about going to Japan or Mexico? It’s a much different environment over there, and they’re less likely to judge you by your size and appearance than American and Canadian wrestling promotions are. It’s more straight forward, as well. You could even go masked if you wanted, especially if you chose Mexico. And if you want to get better at wrestling this game we play is real, but there are lots of promotions in Japan that haven’t been corrupted in the slightest with the idea of Sports Entertainment. I know you’ve heard of Paco Losantio, the Ultra Raptor – he went to Japan after he graduated. His only USA appearance was that match you two had on Nightline.” “He beat me. I didn’t know it was Ultra Raptor though.” “Right. Anyway, that’s one option you have, going overseas.” “But Cito, I want to succeed here in the CAL.” A lengthy sigh is his answer. “So, you want to improve your reputation, without breaking up Alternative 2.0 or leaving the CAL. I’m not saying that it isn’t possible, but it will be real difficult for you to do that, you know.” Miah nods. “What you need to do, Miah, is take baby steps. Fighting in the 12 man at Absolute Power was a step in the right direction. Follow Brad’s lead. Pick your spots. When you see a good time to throw away your role as the lackey and the dimrod, do it. But don’t try to make it your full time occupation. In time, the others will come to respect you.” “But, Brad says Alternative 2.0’s success depends on no one respecting me. He says that if they stop underestimating me, it will take away the edge Alt 2.0 has in every match we go into.” “Well, Miah, I’m sorry to say this, but Brad’s right.” Brad blows his bangs up out of his face as he watches Miah, a sneer on his face. “So you went soul searching, and you went to Cito goddamned Conarri, and he told you precisely what I’ve been telling you for the last damn month. That being that, Miah respected is Miah not underestimated, and Miah not underestimated is Miah getting pinned.” “Yeah, pretty much ” Miah looks downcast. “So, Miah, are you going to listen to me or not when we fight Red Axis?” “I’ll listen.” “Good.” BA grins, shark like, and turns away. Miah watches him go. See, Miah told Brad the entire story except for the last thing Cito said. Cito did not end with “ but Brad’s right”. After Cito had said the preceding, he said, “However, by insisting on being underestimated constantly, Brad Andrews ensures that, precisely like he doesn’t want, Alternative 2.0 will never become one of the highest rated tag teams in the CAL. If YOU want to make Alternative 2.0 succeed in the same way he does, you should be leading by example. If you succeed, you succeed, and if you do not, Brad only has himself to blame.” Meanwhile, Brad Andrews is thinking that Miah didn’t tell him the whole truth. He thinks, there has to be a more effective way of convincing him that Brad is right and he is not. They can wait til tomorrow, probably. But he’s going to have Jonny take him to visit Kay again. OOC: Cito Conarri used with the permission of his handler. RP content entirely the creating of myself