There were a few stops on the tour, since the arena was only part of the fun. Mr. McGinty first directed me to a slightly more normal looking building; I must’ve run along it earlier since I recognized a bit of it. The only thing to really show me it was a bit different? The blatantly obvious logo for the WLFC over the door.
“Welcome to the main headquarters, Mr. Carter!” Mr. McGinty welcomed me with a gentle smile. “This is where the main writing, planning, and extra filming.” It seemed very plain, but I was still in awe. “Come along, my boy. I’ll show you around.” He checked us in with the receptionist and brought us to the main offices. “Here’s where the magic happens.”
“Whoa...this looks really dull.” I said to myself quietly, but McGinty picked up on it a bit. “I mean from here it does. I don’t see what’s on their computers.”
“Fair enough. All sorts of things go on with these guys. Writing, editing, planning, business propositions, budgeting, and I’m losing you again, aren’t I?” I nodded. “Well, no need to worry. This is mainly to show where the flair and fancy looking parts come from. We have top teams on this stuff pitching ideas every day. We’re very proud of our work.”
“True. If it wasn’t for the better writing, we’d most likely be trapped in the soap opera bullshit of today’s pro wrestling.” We chuckled a bit and moved on. I was introduced to a few writers, editors, and such. I admit it was pretty cool seeing how one of my favorite shows gets put together. I was also happy to see they leave fight footage untouched. No special effects or anything, so everything you see in the ring is real! A few more stops, including his own office, PR, HR, all the usual business stuff you find in the back rooms.
“Now then, I’m guessing you’ve had enough of the office and you’re dying to get over to the arena, right?” I nodded quickly again, like a toddler who was excited to be taken to the park. With that, we checked out and headed over to the big Coliseum shaped building. Flags adorned the tops of the walls, the stadium itself was open air, and the crowd’s cheers could be heard for miles! “Welcome to the Fighting Champions’ Neo Coliseum Arena, Mr. Carter!” I must’ve seen that bad boy a million times, but never got the chance to go to an actual event. It looks way smaller on TV. When Mr. McGinty led me inside, I lost the fight to keep my jaw off the floor.
“Oh my God! It’s amazing!” The outer tunnels almost felt like a renovated set of catacombs. I’m willing to bet the building had centuries of history lining the walls. Part of it kind of felt...strangely familiar. I was taken around and shown the ins and outs of the whole enchilada, from the locker rooms to the training deck.
“This area is mainly used for rehearsal and warming up.” McGinty explained the wing in better detail as he noticed my slight confusion. “The training camp is where the main athletic offices are.” I signaled my understanding yet again as we traversed more of the wing. The floor of the training deck was slightly rubberized to mimic the feel of the Pit’s mat. Fighters were stretching out and exercising before their cue. A very impressive setup all things considered. The catacombs continued on, and I noticed a similar looking device on both sides of the structure.
“Ooh, what are these things?”
“Those are Entrance Lifts. Special elevators that bring the fighters to their corner of the Pit; one red and one blue.” I was amazed yet again. I never knew they used these. “Now, I imagine you don’t need to see the Pit itself, you being a huge fan and all. Besides, we’ve got a show going on now anyway.” I relented my excitement, as I knew any argument would be all for naught. “Instead, let’s go to the final stop of the tour: the Terra Omega Training Camp and Amateur Stadium. Perfect place to end since a decision would be best made there.”
The last leg of the tour brought us to a more humble looking gym, barely any different from a usual gym chain: simple, sterile, and well equipped. Of course the interior held a secret. The gymnasium itself was more open to the public, but there was a special door that only opened for authorized WLFC staff, denoted by their ID card. McGinty buzzed us in and the compartment swung open to reveal an elevator. Taking it revealed the true athletic establishment! It was MASSIVE! Everything needed for advanced exercise, testing, and learning the game. At the far side, there was even a Pit arena, good for sparring and amateur league matches. McGinty took one look at my blatant excitement.
“So, I take it you’re in?”
“You’re damn right I am!” I exclaimed, barely maintaining any shred of decorum, feeling like a little kid ready to open his Christmas present. I almost felt like the league itself was calling out to me; some sort of spiritual connection. After a firm handshake, McGinty said the phrase that locked my future in place.
"Welcome to the World League of Fighting Champions, Mr. Carter."
YOU ARE READING
Latent Potential: The Origin Of The Surging Gale
ActionThe year is 2067. Technology has improved slowly, including medical science, and the best innovation is the Nerve and Muscle Recovery Unit. Useful for repairing nerve damage, rebuilding muscle tissue, and even is used recreationally for exercise aid...
