act seven: the inevitable future
A sense of dread and foreboding rumbled on in the sky, a clear contrast to the happiness that seemed to radiate across the countryside where a single farmhouse sit among the hills. The land below the chaotic sky seemed completely peaceful, as a gentle breeze blew through, well ahead of what were sure to be stronger gusts of wind from the passing storm. The farmhouse itself is very elegant, more of an actual full-fledged estate in the countryside than anything else, and the yard that surrounded the home was expansive and beautiful, the estate itself very well kept. Neighboring homes were roughly 400 feet away from the estate, spaced out somewhat evenly, and the land the farmhouse resided on was roughly six acres large.
A winding road cut through the countryside and ran along a fair distance from the homes themselves, with natural driveways stretched out from the homes themselves up to the passing road. A group of vehicles drives down the road itself-- four, to be exact-- and in each appeared to be a multitude of people. In front of the estate sits an older man on a chair, staring out with a smile at the approaching cars. He picks himself up off the chair and calls inside for someone, before making his way down the front porch of the home. Soon, another figure emerges from within the house, an older woman with a smile on her face as she comes down after him and the two go, hand-in-hand, a short distance down the driveway. The cars themselves eventually pull up and park along the side of the natural road, car doors opening up and the sound of excited children filling the air.
"Grandpapa! Gramama!"
Laughter fills the air as the older couple crouch down, catching the flood of oncoming children in their arms and hugging them all to the best of their ability. A fair number of the children pile on top of the older man and bring him down to the ground, laughing as they try to keep him pinned, the older man feigning fright at the prospect of being pinned. The older woman laughs happily, placing a kiss on one of the children's heads as they watch their siblings wrestle with their grandfather.
"Mom! Hey!"
Standing now, the older woman turns and embraces one of the young men coming forward, a large smile on her face as she does so. She hugs the man close and laughs softly, as he returns the hug and shares the laugh, before pulling back and smiling at her directly.
"You look great, kiddo," the older woman says happily, before looking past him to the young woman stepping forward, "Samantha! How are you, sweetheart?"
The young man's wife comes over and gives the older woman a hug, the two sharing in pleasentries as the older man eventually gets back up, the children dissapating around him and running off to go play around in the yard some. The remaining adults come over and greet the older man as well, as everyone shakes hands, hugs, and just enjoys one another's reunited company once again.
"Ehno! I'm so glad you could make it," smiled the older man, hugging his eldest son close, "I thought with your schedule you wouldn't be able to."
"I pulled some strings," the young man grinned, "It's not difficult when your a majority shareholder for the company, after all. I'm on tour right now, but I wouldn't miss this for the world."
"What about Cesar? Where's he at?"
"He'll be here, Champ's bringing him and Georgina along, the rest of the family's going to be a bit late though... it's just, Champ insisted upon driving apparently, so it may be awhile. You know how he is, loves making a grand entrance."
The older man laughed, a grin spread across his face. Soon, the older man's two daughters, as well as his youngest son, come up to hug him as well. Their spouses and significant others come up soon after to greet the older couple, and before long everyone has gotten their hellos in, the large group of people now mingling out in the front of the home as the grandchildren run about and play while they can, the still looming storm in the distance making its way forward.
"Hope Champ makes it here before the rain comes," the older man sighs, "Didn't expect a storm today... figures though, it's always rained when things are going well, I've started taking it as a sign of good times beyond anything else."
One of the daughters laughs, throwing an arm over her father's shoulder and looking up at the approaching storm, "I'd say there's a difference between rain and an all-out thunderstorm though dad... one's just water and the other's electric death."
The older man smirks, shaking his head, "Funny, Crystal."
The sound of screeching tires fills the air, as a luxury car peels down the road and the driver honks well in advance of pulling into the long driveway, signalling the arrival of a man who's been just as much a part of this close-knit family as any blood member, and that man's family with him. The car turns sharply into the driveway and proceeds down it before coming to a screeching stop, facing sideways in the middle of the driveway with the driver-side door facing the family.
There's a pause, and then suddenly the door opens slightly... and is kicked the rest of the way open. An older Christopher Champion, huge grin on his face and music blaring from inside the car, leaps his way out from the vehicle as the children in the background begin cheering excitedly. The wrestling legend and family man strikes a triumphant pose as his wife and son exit from the vehicle as well, shaking their heads in amusement.
"I HAVE ARRIVED!!!"
A thunderclap sounds in the distance, the children squeeling as Champion pumps his fist into the air, that grin never leaving his face.
"That's right! The heavens themselves quake beneath my might!"
"Hey kids, first to pin Champion gets ice cream." the older man suddenly speaks up, smirking directly at his oldest friend. Suddenly, the air is filled with the warcry of an army of determined grandchildren, as Champion's grin falters and he glances at the man, his jaw dropping.
"Percolator, you traitor!"
Dominic Pericolo laughs, the children swarming Champion and bringing him to the ground as Georgina and Cesar watch on with smiles of their own. Suki Minamoto stands beside Dominic, their children watching their own children beat up on a man who's been like an uncle and a second father to each of them. A second grandfather to their own children.
"It never gets old," laughs Ehno Pericolo, before turning and making his way over to Cesar, the two touching fists, "And how goes it, partner? You guys make the trip alright?"
"Absolutely fine. The rest of the family's on their way from the airport right now, the wife'll be arriving with them."
Ehno nods, before turning to hug Georgina and then turning again to glance over at the still struggling Champion, shaking his head in amusement.
"Looks like they're giving him a harder time then you ever did, dad."
"I am not defeated so easily!" Champion shouts out over the laughter of the kids, struggling to pick himself up.
"I'm not surprised, Ehno... Champ IS getting old."
"Wh-- Percolator, I am going to end you for this!"
The family would be completely together again soon enough, a large reunion to catch up on the past and check in on each other, to enjoy each other's company, and to relive the days that had passed them by all too long ago. For some, it was a vacation well needed and a chance to get back with their family again for the first time in quite some time. For others, it was a chance for relaxation and a chance to bond with some members of the family they'd not seen in seemingly forever.
Ultimately, every member of this gathered family had a story to tell, every member was busy writing the next important chapter of their lives, and every member was collaborating with each other to reach those all-too important climaxes in the lives they lived. The fulfillment of their dreams, their hopes, their ambitions... it was a story that continued on for each generation, a story that never died out and would never die out to begin with.
It was a story that began long before Dominic Pericolo and Christopher Champion, a story that was set into motion before either man had ever met each other, let alone knew for certain that they themselves would choose the career paths that they did.
In the end, however, it was the story of every individual member of that family, and the story of how their stories came together. For each of them, they found themselves in control of how their story went... and they commanded that control against the odds set in front of them, with the same determination that those before them had in commanding their own.
For every challenge set before them in life, an ultimate goal had been reached and an ultimate happiness had been attained.
For Dominic Pericolo, a man who had experienced both dream and nightmare, who had lived both a storybook life and a fairytale horror story, it was the most perfect way for things to have turned out. For all his planning, for all his trying, for everything he had ever aspired to get done... somehow, he'd always managed to surpass his own expectations.
A legend of the game, a proud father and grandfather, a loving husband and friend... in the end, Dominic finished his story exactly as he wanted, and no-one who wished to stop him in his tracks was ever able to, despite each and every one of their efforts to do so.
In the end... there was nothing that was able to stop him.