Shortly after the end of ACW Overdrive , Darren Pesinger and Jack Ripper – the tag-teaming duo known as RipperCussions – are seen walking the halls of the Mayfield Community Centre, arguing heatedly:
Darren Pesinger: God damn it, Jack! Why didn’t you let me git in there?
Jack Ripper takes on a patient, long-suffering tone as he answers his incensed partner:
Jack Ripper: *Because*, you jackass, I don’t want us to get in any *trouble*!
The fashion designer’s sensible words, however, have no effect on Pesinger , outside of making him snort derisively:
Darren Pesinger: Trouble? With whom, Jackie? Phoenix? She’s full o’ shit! She can’t hurt us, buddy. She’s just bluffin’, is all.
Jack , however, is less than convinced, instead ramping up the aggression in his voice and tone as he confronts his partner:
Jack Ripper: Oh, she’s “just bluffing”, is she, Darren? Well, tell me this, then: who hired us? Huh? Who signs our contracts and paychecks? Huh, you IDIOT?!
The fashion designer sticks a finger in Darren ’s chest, not giving him as much as a half-chance to retort, as his voice continues to rise in pitch, now reaching decidedly shrill levels:
Jack Ripper: Do you really think this will have no consequences? That Bronko and the clowns are just going to keep on in their merry little way and be left alone?! If you seriously think THAT, Darren Pesinger, you’re even dumber than I thought!
His rant over, the Ripper half of RipperCussions reverts into sulky silence, as his partner is left stunned and speechless for a moment, as always happens after one of Jack ’s outbursts. Soon, however, Darren has regained control of his senses, and throws the ball right back into his partner’s court:
Darren Pesinger: Hell, Jackie! Can’t ya see? It don’t matter! Phoenix may have our asses NOW, but once Claressa is done with her, SHE’s gon’ be the one in charge! An’ she’s darn well gon’ remember who helped her!
Here, the cowboy’s tone softens, trying to appeal to his partner’s good sense:
Darren Pesinger: Trust me, Jackie…we ain’t gon’ be in no trouble. Ain’t nobody gon’ get fired. We’ll be fine, buddy!
Still Jack does not answer, continuing to stare straight ahead with a deadest expression. Several seconds elapse before he finally grumbles:
Jack Ripper: They’re making a belt…
Darren frowns:
Darren Pesinger: Say what now?
Jack turns to face his partner, slowly repeating and emphasizing the words so they are unmistakably clear:
Jack Ripper: They are *MAKING*…a *BELT*. A tag belt. For us to compete for.
As the fashion designer’s words become clear, Pesinger guffaws:
Darren Pesinger: Well, o’ COURSE they’re makin’ a belt! They’ve got teams now! Thing is, Jackie, if it was ‘Ressa in charge, that god damn belt would’ve already been there!
Once again, the cowboy’s tone softens, as he now broaches more personal territory:
Darren Pesinger: C’mon, buddy…’member how it was in the P Dub A? You was a champion, son! We both was champions! They respected us. They respected *you*. ‘Cause you was a good rassler. Don’t matter if you was queer, or straight, or like to boink donkeys, or whatever. All that mattered was you was good. But here? Have you listened to ‘em? They’s singin’ “you are faggits!” They’s callin’ you a faggit! Hell, they’s callin’ ME a faggit! An’ ain’t no ‘mount o’ belts is gon’ change that.
At the end of this tirade – which, in tone and intensity and rationality, sounded remarkably like something he himself would have said – Jack is clearly mulling his partner’s point over. Still, however, he refuses to give in to Darren ’s hastier instincts, and counter-argues:
Jack Ripper: We can win ‘em over. We started to last week. If they see we just want to do our jobs, they’ll drop it.
Like his partner before him, the Southerner is none too convinced:
Darren Pesinger: I dunno, Jackie….
Jack , however, once again presents a perfectly logical argument:
Jack Ripper: Think about it, Daz. How do you stop a bully? You stand up to them.
Darren Pesinger (interrupting): Yeah, an’ kick their ass…
Jack Ripper: Not always. You can defeat them in other ways. Otherwise, how would all those nerds survive high school?
Darren Pesinger (smiling): They don’t…
Here, for the first time, there is a shared laugh between the two partners, the atmosphere visibly lifting between them. Jack , however, does not abandon his subject, profiting from the light-hearted moment to target Darren ’s heart:
Jack Ripper: Please, Darren. Trust me. Just another couple of weeks. OK? Then, if I’m wrong, we can do whatever you want, and I won’t fight you. Deal?
It is the cowboy’s turn to mull the proposition over for a while, frowning in concentration. After a moment, however, he smiles, conceding defeat for the time being:
Darren Pesinger: All right. I’ll play ball. But you’re wrong, ya know…
Jack matches his partner’s smile with one of his own:
Jack Ripper: We’ll see…
Then, he holds out a hand, playfully:
Jack Ripper: Shake on it, partner…
And it is with a firm handshake that another conflict in the RipperCussions camp is defused.
