Just the Beginning

At the airport in Atlanta, Georgia, Tarrasque and Marcus Anderson sit in the waiting area as they wait to be able to board the airplane to Las Vegas. Tarrasque sits with a bucket full of chicken tenders. Marcus has his phone online and watching the Xiaolong promo. He laughs.

Anderson: So, Tarrasque. The scaffold match could be as high as a skyscraper and you’d bitch about it not being high enough? Is this right? I mean, we could probably see about adding land mines underneath the tables for Xiaolong to fall onto when you defeat him if you really want it more dangerous.

Tarrasque grunts as he finishes a bite of chicken. He grins.

Tarrasque: Me am strong. Me am not stupid. Me know me have small chance of losing so no skyscraper tall and no bombs.

Marcus nods his head with a smile on his face.

Anderson: He also says that this is going to be the last time that the two of you face off. What do you think of that?

Tarrasque is about to take a bite of another chicken tender when he begins to chuckle.

Tarrasque: Me never face him in ring again. Him never face anyone in ring again. Xiaolong be broken when me done.

Anderson: That would be my thought on the subject. Xiaolong won’t be able to face anyone else in the ring when he’s a cripple that has to blow through a straw to be able to move his wheelchair. You think that with his Asian upbringing that he’ll try to have himself killed like with seppuku? Except you know, someone will have to assist him with it since he won’t be able to move his arms and legs to be able to do it himself. Is that assisted suicide then?

Tarrasque just shrugs, eating away at his chicken tenders. You know he’s eating them like a monster, with no dipping sauce.

Anderson: I wonder if we can get audio to play some kind of sound effect while Xiaolong is falling to his destiny as a quadrapalegic? Something cartoony like when that coyote falls to his defeat in that roadrunner cartoon.

Tarrasque: Ha! Ha! That one funny. Me like when coyote get broken. Xiaolong be broken like coyote.

Anderson: You watched Looney Toons?

Tarrasque closes his eyes for a moment with a smile as he remembers the past. Not so much as his childhood, but the time he had spent with the Anderson family when Marcus’ father, Allen was still with his wife. Tarrasque spent time with them and watched television with Marcus.

Tarrasque: Me remember watching with you when you was little.

Anderson: Oh shit, you remember that? Fun times, right?

Tarrasque nods with a grin.

Tarrasque: Fun times.

Anderson: So, what else is there really to say about Xiaolong? We know he’s not a total pleab as he has won the Phoenix title twice. I mean he lost it just as quickly, but he did manage to score wins there.

Tarrasque chomps down on another chicken tender, chewing it rather sloppily before answering.

Tarrasque: Xiaolong lucky two times. Him weak. Him will break. Me will send him down!

Anderson: That’s what I’m talking about! Now, you’ve had many titles in the past, Tarrasque. What one you want to go for? You do want to go for a title?

Tarrasque takes some time to answer as he’s chewing on another chicken tender.

Tarrasque: Phoenix championship.

Anderson: That’s a curious choice. Why not the United States championship or the Prestige title?

Tarrasque: Because Xiaolong wants that title. If him survive me, him want title. Him never be free of me.

Marcus blinks and then laughs hard.

Anderson: That’s hilarious! It would stick in his craw to have to come after you for the Phoenix title. I wonder if he’s done another promo yet. I mean, he would probably go on about that wargames match again.

Tarrasque sits back and grins.

Tarrasque: Me be Phoenix champion and Xiaolong have beg for shot. Me no give, because him say this last time we fight.

Anderson: I thought you said that he won’t be fighting anyone after this match though?

Tarrasque just shrugs with a laugh.

Tarrasque: Him could survive. Me am strong, but me not…

Tarrasque frowns.

Tarrasque: Me not...prefect?

Anderson: You mean perfect?

Tarrasque: Yeah. Me not that.

Marcus perks up as they call for boarding for his flight. The first call anyway.

Anderson: Finish up your chicken before we miss our flight to Vegas.

Tarrasque nods and begins eating faster.

Anderson: In summation, Xiaolong. If you make it out of this match with the ability to walk, my Tarrasque will be going for the championship that you desire the most. So, you won’t be seeing the end of Tarrasque. This is just the beginning.