Shortly after their very first defeat on ACW, at the hands of Nicky Trix and Joey Maverick, the ACW Tag Team Champions, RipperCussions, are returning to their locker room, accompanied by their attractive manager, Kerry Buckingham. The Brit fusses over the limping, beaten-up Ripper, but Pesinger has long since stopped paying attention to his partner. Instead, he is venting his frustrations on assorted tables and vending machines, ranting all the while:
Darren Pesinger: We lost. We motherfuckin' LOST!
The cowboy upturns a catering table, startling the employee behind it and warranting a reprimand from Kerry:
Kerry Buckingham: Now, really, Darren darling! Do control yourself!
This, however, only makes the Southerner even more angry, as he now turns on the manager:
Darren Pesinger: You shaddap, sweet cheeks. This is all yer fault!
K-Bux looks wounded and offended, drawing a hand to her bosom in a disbelieving gasp. Before she can open her mouth, however, it is Jackie who intervenes, harshly:
Jack Ripper: It's NOT her fault, Darren! In case you didn't notice, she was trying to HELP me out there!
Buckingham smiles gratefully at Ripper, but Darren is not yet convinced. He fumbles for words for a moment, trying to make a coherent argument, then fires back:
Darren Pesinger: Yeah, but it's her damn fault ya needed helpin' in the first place! Makin' us run at six in the mornin' an' all that bullshit!
Kerry once again gasps in disbelief, and this time does stand up for herself:
Kerry Buckingham: *I will have you know*, darling, that the program I drew up for you is beneficial on multiple levels. I researched online and...
Darren, however, cuts her off, a bit rudely this time:
Darren Pesinger: Ba-ba-ba-ba SHADDAP! Gawd!
With this, the Southerner disappears into the nearest locker room, leaving his manager to exchange a baffled look with his tag team partner. Jack tries to put Kerry's mind at ease:
Jack Ripper: I'll deal with this...
He begins to limp into the locker room, but the Brit holds him back:
Kerry Buckingham: Hold on, darling. You really shouldn't exert yourself. I'll help you.
She ushers Jack into the changing room and sits him down in one of the wooden benches, the fashion designer not refusing the help. Then, as if realizing at last that she is in a men's dressing room, she hurries out the door, leaving Ripper to face his estranged partner. At first, however, none of the men say anything, and it is only after a long moment of silence that the Canadian finally asks:
Jack Ripper: Well...?
Darren does not even look at his partner, continuing to fold a t-shirt as he answers:
Darren Pesinger: Well what?
Jack Ripper: Are you going to apologise?
Here, the cowboy does face his partner, his expression genuinely astonished:
Darren Pesinger: Apologise for WHAT?! We just lost, an' it's her fault, Jackie!
Ripper sighs:
Jack Ripper: She means well, Darren. She's genuinely trying to help. And tonight's defeat had nothing to do with her...
The Southerner immediately cuts in, ranting:
Darren Pesinger: Yeah it god damn did, she had us runnin' at...
The fashion designer, however, holds up a finger, cutting his partner off mid-stream:
Jack Ripper: DARREN! It was just a setback. It happens. You can't win them all. What matters is, you hurt Kerry's feelings, and you're going to apologise...
Then, with a meaningful glare:
Jack Ripper: ...RIGHT?!
The cowboy initially seems reluctant, but faced with his partner's damning glare, relents as usual:
Darren Pesinger: OK, fine. But the chick's bad news if ya ask me.
Another long moment of silence ensues, eventually broken by Darren:
Darren Pesinger: But what 'bout Donnie? He seems ta have it in for ya, bud!
Ripper assents with a nod:
Jack Ripper: Sure seems that way.
Darren Pesinger: Any idea why?
Jack shrugs:
Jack Ripper: Not really. Can't remember my family ever having any bad blood with the Trixes. I told you my brother Max was friends with Nicky...
Darren nods, then places a hand on his partner's shoulder, in a gesture of unexpected tenderness. Jack does a double-take, initially staring at his partner agog, but soon smiles.
Darren Pesinger: Whatever he wants with ya, ya know ya can count on me, purdner!
The designer's grin goes wider:
Jack Ripper: I know. But like you said, this is something Donnie Trix has against ME. Which means *I* have to deal with it. Don't get yourself hurt unnecessarily.
Darren, however, seems to take offence at the mere idea of not being there for Jackie:
Darren Pesinger: Hell no! If yer goin' out there, I'll be with ya ev'ry step o' the way! That's what purdners are for, purdner!
Faced with his friend's loyalty, Ripper cannot help but smile:
Jack Ripper: OK, fine.
Darren smiles:
Darren Pesinger: Shake on it, buddy.
The two best friends shake hands, then share a man-hug - another uncharacteristic gesture for Darren. Jack picks up on it, but decides to not say anything, instead just turning to his partner with a matter-of-fact tone in his voice:
Jack Ripper: C'mon. We don't wanna keep Kerry waiting.
The Tag Team Champions leave the locker room with their arms around each other's shoulders, much to the delight of their manager, who smiles as she sees them return:
Kerry Buckingham: All sorted out, are we, darlings?
Jack nods:
Jack Ripper: Yup.
Kerry Buckingham: Smashing. Come along, then, We don't want to be late.
Instantly suspicious again, Darren frowns:
Darren Pesinger: Late f'r what?!
The Brit, however, does not lose her composure this time around:
Kerry Buckingham: Well, I thought whatever the outcome was tonight, we would have use for a little treat...so I made reservations in a very exclusive restaurant downtown.
Then, as the two men gawk at her, genuinely taken by surprise, she concludes, a note of amusement to her voice:
Kerry Buckingham: That's right, dears...we're going out to dinner.