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21
Climax Control Archives / Just a short video about the match.
« Last post by Rodrigo Afonso on May 24, 2024, 11:15:49 PM »
"I'm not going to take too long here mainly because I know there's a lot of things not cleared up, including the briefcase stuff. I can't and won't say any plans for that because it'll give away anything planned I have for it and besides, right now, it's not my main focus with what's going on in my life. Why should I have to tell people what I'll do with the briefcase? Granted, I've not been on a good run as of late, but I've had tough opponents, including Finn lately.

Out of all of us, I'm the only one who's recently been in the ring with him and honestly, I need to get that win back. I'm not going to do traditional name-calling and name every single opponent in the match because rumbles aren't about who's in it; it's about yourself. The only ones I've not come across are LJ Kasey, Caleb Storms, Teddy Warren and Jamie Dean.

The fact is we're all in it to win the shot for the SCW World title. I feel LJ, Jamie and possibly Teddy are the main threats here as I don't know anything about those guys, apart from their obvious efforts in the tournament. I'd say the same for Caleb Storms, but he's made a name for himself in SCW already. I wasn't in the tournament granted because I didn't feel I needed to be, but I was given an opportunity by the man who quite frankly should be here, but I respect his decision because he wants a full time roster member to take advantage of the situation. If I knew back then about his wrestling school in Germany as I do now that involves Portugese talent like myself, I certainly would've joined it.

But that's the past and I still got a lot to work on with my wrestling to develop my skills in the ring. That's partly why I've not cashed in yet, but I do have plans for it. I hear you all, I've held it a long time and need to speak in front of a wrestling audience. Truth is that my focus isn't about wrestling right now. Some of my focus is what I'm going through in real life, and some of my focus is the Olympics coming up to defend my skateboarding Olympic gold medal.

The point is I'm still wrestling and I'll wrestle every single match I've been placed in, whether I'll win or lose. I don't care what any of you have to say about me and I'm going to eliminate everyone, well if I can because of my size, it's easy for me to be eliminated than anyone in the match, but smaller wrestlers have overcome the odds before and my focus currently is to win the rumble match for the SCW World Title match against Finn. If I don't, it won't affect me as much as it would on the rest of you if you all lost. That's all I will say."
22
Climax Control Archives / thebutterflyeffect 7.0 🎔 family matters
« Last post by missreznik on May 24, 2024, 11:02:27 PM »
the butterfly effect 7.0 ❤ family matters





❤❤❤❤❤


I wasn’t happy with how we won.

I can’t say that Artie was, either, but I didn’t get the chance to say anything. He stormed off into the back with Bobbie and by the time I got back into the back, they were gone. I know it must have hurt to think that everyone thought he wasn’t going to be able to do anything, but I mean…we’ve all trained for this, we wanted to be a part of this, and Artie…well, he didn’t. It was a catch 22 and I felt bad, but at the same time, I was also angry. I know Miles and Fenris had been working with Artie. But Miles getting involved? And saying stuff all week about Wolfslair when he abandoned us?

It didn’t make sense. None of it really made sense, and I knew eventually I would be confronting Mr. Kasey whenever I saw him next. Not that it would be any time soon – he never came to New York for anything.

Nevertheless, I decided to make a pitstop to Colorado on the way home. Being in one of those mythological sites, being able to be a part of history for a moment – I could have bet that my dad was so stoked about it, since he was an ancient history buff. And besides, it wasn’t like they’d seen Dax…really at all, to be honest.

Flying into Denver International was always a trip, and I found myself running forward and jumping on the travelators that existed on all the concourses, getting excited every time I saw one. The train back to the main terminal was great, and Aiden merely laughed at me as I gleefully hung onto the rails and stared out the window into the cold concrete tunnels.

Aurora wasn’t far from the airport – not even fifteen miles. My parents lived in a nice four bedroom house that they’d purchased upon arrival back into the city. My mother had somehow finagled it so that she never had to be stationed anywhere else, and continued to make her ten minute drive down to Buckley Air Force Base for work every day. It was a constant cycle that really never deviated, even when Zach and I lived here. Dad would make breakfast, she’d go off to work, he’d head for his lectures at Denver Metro and then they’d both come home, eat dinner, watch television and go to bed.

When we pulled up, no one came out to greet us. It was a Tuesday, so I assumed my mother had gone off to work and my father was somewhere in the household. But there were cars in the driveway, so maybe it was an off day in their schedule. I picked up Dax, set him on my hip, and then put in the code on the garage to open the door. I had a key, and maybe I could have knocked, but there was no point. It wasn’t like they ever checked their phones for their Ring they installed a couple years ago.

Aiden and I entered the kitchen from the garage. “Mom? Dad?” I called, waiting to hear some kind of response. In all honesty, I didn’t expect to hear anything from them.

“Downstairs!” I heard my dad call.

Of course, I’d called them before just showing up, but that was in our layover in Vancouver and I’m fairly certain my dad has the memory of a bot fly. With Dax on my hip, I descended down the staircase into the basement and set my feet on the floor. It looked different down here – the carpet was gone, replaced by vinyl, and the backyard seemed to be remodeled.

My father sat at his desk that looked outside into the backyard in an offshoot of the main room with a door. It was new – this hadn’t been here when I lived here, and it must have been his version of a mancave. He was surrounded by his books and his annals, and pictures of the Athenian Acropolis and Roman Colosseum were visible on the wall. He turned around and looked at me with a wide, but tired smile. “Hey Kallibear.” He said, rising to his feet.

“Hi Dad,” I smiled. He stood and placed a hand on my shoulder, kissing my forehead, and then looked behind me and extended his hand like he always did to Aiden, shaking it. I used to get upset by it, but Aiden and I learned a long while ago that my family wouldn’t really ever accept him. They were cordial, but they thought I could do better. I’m sure they told Zach the same thing too, and they all commiserate on it.

“What brings you into town?” He asked, guiding us out of the office and back out into the family room.

“We were on our way back from Turkey…” I started, and his ears literally perked up. He looked at me. “The show was in um…Hisarlik?” I looked at Aiden. “Right?”

“Troy?” My dad questioned. He didn’t reach for Dax, he didn’t ask to see him. I held him as I sat down on the sectional. “I suppose it would make sense for a wrestling show to be there. How was it?”

I frowned slightly. My family and I had sort of a strained relationship, in a sense. They weren’t happy with my choice to become a professional wrestler, but they also didn’t stop me. They weren’t happy with my choice to marry an Australian, but they still also didn’t stop me. Instead, they always made references to what I could have done, or showed a bit of interest, but not enough for it to be interesting to them. I thought, though, they could have at least turned it on long enough to see my matches.

“Kallisto did great,” Aiden said for me, respectfully addressing my father. “Like she always does.”

“Well then that’s great…” he trailed off, and then looked at me. “Have I told you about the archaeological dig they’re doing in Egypt right now? It’s fascinating, they’re unearthing Saqqara…”

And then he was off, talking about his interests. And what he wanted to talk about.

I regretted coming home at all.



❤❤❤❤❤



If you asked me at the beginning of this tournament if I would have gotten here, I would probably have some complicated answers. If I were cocky and confident, I would say that, yes, I expected myself to be here because I know how good I can be. Or, also yes, but by luck alone. Last week, Artie and I had the pleasure of facin’ off against Cordelia Clark and Justin Smith, and while we won, I can’t say I’m happy about the win.

I mean, I know that Fenris and Miles have been training with Artie. And all the better for it, right? I’m not a part of that, and I don’t really belong in that scene, but to have Miles Kasey come down and save our match up…for why? I mean, I know he’s new pals with everyone, but he kinda like…forsook all of Wolfslair when he was having his rebellion crisis a few months back. Miles hasn’t been in Wolfslair for months, and all of a sudden, he wants to root for us and push us forward, help us?

Something sounds sketch, and I don’t trust him. Like. He abandoned us. Finn put him in his place, and while he became an Internet Champion without us, he still forgot about all of us. Wolfslair is a family. We’re not blood, and blood doesn’t run thicker than water either. But we have each other’s back, we support one another, we want to be around one another…and Miles erased us as soon as he could.

That hurt. I thought he was my friend. I thought that he was someone that would always be there, like everyone else is. But he wasn’t, and he has the audacity to put his nose into my business because he’s helping out someone else?

It was sad. And like, it makes me sad, because I don’t trust him.

After all was said and done, when I got back to New York City this week, I sat down with my mentor at Wolfslair. You don’t know her, and that’s okay, but Aaron Asphyxia was wonderful in her own day, and boy, did she also let me know that she was disappointed in my prowess. For a second, I wondered why. I wondered why she would be disappointed when in Sin City Wrestling, I’m four and one. Across wrestling, I’m like, twenty and seven and that’s like some positive percentage. Even with Miles comin’ in and, like, doing what he did, Artie and I came out with the win and we continue on in the tournament.

But she told me why.

It’s because I lost my oomph.

My sparkle.

The thing that makes me me.

And maybe it’s true, but I don’t think it’s permanent. Blast From the Past was really just a chance for me to sit there and get some experience under my belt in this company. I won’t like, lie at all…I never thought that I would get to the end of it, or even to the semi-finals. Like I said, it would have been by sheer luck, but now that we’re here…she told me I need to figure myself out.

As a kid, I was never one of those high achievers. I wasn’t like Finn, or Kayla, or even Johanna. I did what I did, and what I was good at made me happy. Cheerleading, gymnastics, ice skating – I wasn’t inactive, and I worked at what I did. Things came easy to me. I was always flexible, I learned to move quickly. So when I became a wrestler, things came easy for me. Until I got to Wolfslair, and until I got to some of my more prominent places, I didn’t have to try hard.

But Aaron reminded me that eventually, skating by won’t get me by, and at some point, I’m going to have to sit down and actually grit my teeth and get into it. This next match isn’t going to be Bea Barnhart. And as much of a fight angry Cordelia put up last week, we barely squished in. So now, when I look ahead and see what’s in front me…I realize that my usual method of going in and doing my best and hoping that my best is good enough isn’t going to work.

I have to do my best. That means that I have to come at this from a different angle. That I need to look at this not as just another match, but a match that has my life on the line. Everything that I hold dear to my heart needs to be thought of as I do this match. Aiden, because he believes in me to carry on where he couldn’t. Kayla, my bestie, because she’s waiting at the end of the line for me. At least, right now she is. And I believe that she will also be the champion after her match with Julianna DiMaria, because no matter what anyone thinks, Kayla has always put business first. And I have to do my best for Daxie, because he is my heart and my soul and my stars and everything I love, and I want to make everyone in my life proud to know me.

I don’t ever want to walk into Wolfslair again and have the feeling of disappointment saturatin’ the whole building. As much as I, like, love my real family, Wolfslair is just as much a family to me as anything else. We push each other, we build one another up – even if we don’t like each other. Hell, Aiden and my brother can’t stand one another, but if it meant success for the team, they would fight like hell together to win. I don’t want to come back there with egg on my face and a sad moment of regret this week that I didn’t do enough. I want to walk in there, and feel like I’ve made them all proud that I’m a part of them.

Do you know what that’s like?

Do either of you know what that’s like?

Like, is that why you bounce from company to company, Sean? And what about you, Luna? You an’ your hubby seem super angry about something that you feel exists.

Do either of you know what it’s like to have people feel proud of you?

I’m sorry guys, in this semi-final for the Blast From the Past, you’re not gonna get happy-go-lucky Kalliekins. You’re getting the one trained by some of the best. And while I’m gonna still be nice…

You’re not going to like what I have to say.



❤❤❤❤❤



It was later in the day that my mother came home. She was dressed in her Air Force navy blue uniform, complete with the skirt, and took off her hat as she entered the door. My mother, Brigadier General Lauren Reznikski, hung her uniform jacket up in the closet and set everything as neatly as possible within it so that she could retrieve it in the morning. I looked a lot like my mother, with soft hazel eyes and blonde hair. Hers, of course, was in a tightly slicked back bun that was off her collar, no matter what the new regulations said.

“Kenneth,” she said quietly. That was my mother’s tone of voice all the time – almost silent, barely above a whisper. I swear that was more frightening as a child than anything else. “There is a rental car in front of the house. Perhaps we need to contact the HOA–”

She turned the corner. We were all in the kitchen, Aiden actually at the stove, cooking up some spaghetti bolognese. Dax and I sat at the counter, him on the counter in front of me and I was playing with him as he sat there, on his own. He giggled and cooed heavily and laughed hysterically as Aiden adopted an extremely high nasal tone and kept sayin’ “Hi, how’s it goin’?”

“Hi Mom,” I said when I saw her, giving her a smile.

She barely even smiled back. She looked at where I had Dax and frowned. “You should probably play on the floor, Kallisto. The baby could fall.”

My smile faded and I looked at Dax, who giggled again. He was the baby, not even a name she could remember. Aiden looked at me from the stove and then piped up again, “Ah, Mrs. Reznikski, the tyke isn’t gonna move, hey. He’s just gigglin’ up a storm.”

“Oh, well…” my mother smiled, but it was a cold one. “I must have missed the chapter on poor choices in my parenting schema.” She turned her head and sniffed the air. “What is that smell?”

“Ah, it’s mince with a bit of–”

“It is what?”

“Mince,” I interjected. “It’s ground beef, Mom. That’s just what the Australians call it.”

Another cold smile. “Well, we’re in America, so perhaps we should call it what the Americans call it.”

Neither of us could say anything as she walked out of the room. I looked up at Aiden, who shrugged his shoulders. Her behavior embarrassed me on most occasions, and more than once I hoped that time would heal how she approached my relationship with Aiden. He was remarkably calm about it, as if he knew what it was like to be the disliked partner. Even when we were first dating, and we went to my house to meet my parents the first time, I would apologize profusely when she kept interrupting him to ask him what he said because she couldn’t understand his accent.

She could. She just wanted to be snarky about it.

“Maybe we shouldn’t have come here…” I started.

“Nah, love,” he shook his head, “you wanted to come see your family and get some time in with Dax, yeah? They’ll be right. Your dad did some readin’ with ‘em today, and yer mum–”

“Mom still calls him the baby.” I turned Dax to look at his father, and he cooed again. “How could you not say anything sweet about this face!” I pointed at his rosy cheeks.

“Just a reminder that her little girl is gone and now is a woman makin’ her own choices,” he pointed the spoon he’d just had in the sauce at me. “She doesn’t like it, and she’s gonna rebel. Let her be a child about it and pout.”

Aiden didn’t always offer sage advice, on account of everyone thinking he was a complete idiot. And he was content to let them think that too, because no one expected anything of him. I suspected it was honestly a buffer to his past – of which he gave me snippets of, but never let me know all of it. That was also okay. I wasn’t horribly angry about it. I just wanted him to be okay.

I nodded and looked at my baby, fully engrossed in him now. He was a year and a half almost, sitting up on his own, babbling his own words, imitating us. He knew how to say mama and dada, bottle, the unusual words that we said to him often enough.

“Besides,” Aiden added, “if she doesn’t get with the program, we can just tell her it’s fuckin’ bullshite and move on.”

Dax looked back at him, and then looked at me. “Fuhcen boolsheet!” He raised a hand with small rebellion.

Aiden stared at him and snorted. The color drained from my face though, although I wanted to laugh too. Eventually, I would tell him that wasn’t okay to say, but right now, the imitation was hilarious. I shook my head as my mother rentered the room, dressed in a pair of jeans and a nice shirt that was tucked in. She would never be caught dead appearing anything less than perfect.

“I suppose I should check out the child,” she said, stepping forward and looking at him. She reached forward and picked him up, examining him as she held him up like Simba from the Lion King. “He seems healthy. Are you feeding him his proper nutritional cycle?”

“Yeah,” I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “He gets food four times a day, and he’s starting to eat solids. Doesn’t really like green beans though…”

Dax knew exactly what I was saying, because he shook his head and slammed his eyes shut. “Fuhcen boolsheet!” He yelled.

My mother glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. I shrugged, but inwardly, I wanted to die. She was disappointed. And there was nothing more disappointing than a mother who hated her child.



❤❤❤❤❤


Let’s talk about you first, Sean, shall we? A lot of people like to bring up the fact that you’re like…everywhere. I’ve been in a couple of companies at the same time, but you bounce around more than like…what’s his name…Matt Knox? Does. There’s one thing to say that you go from place to place, providing your talents and like…services…

Oh, don’t mistake me at all, okay? Like, it’s cool that you can bounce around to the Trials, and NPWA, and like, XWF, and all the places that everyone frequents. It’s like one big party and I guess I shouldn’t be, like, super surprised at everything you can do. I’m sure you make someone super proud. It’s just there there’s a saying for staying exclusive to a company. You gain more respect, and the rest of the roster doesn’t end up lookin’ at ya like an usurper to the progress everyone else has. Mark Cross over there comes in once yearly, sometimes wins the tourney and then ultimately loses and we all kinda have a giggle about it.

But I guess it’s like, here’s everyone ya know too. Your buddies you…erm…hang out with, they’ve graced these halls. You know Alexander Raven, who happens to be the husband of your partner, Luna Pasilno. And you knew Matthew Knox, who kinda comes around like the plague every so often and disappears when he doesn’t like…get accolades. I mean, you’re as guilty as the company you keep, ya know? That’s why my mom always instilled in me growin’ up so that I’d have good, ethical people around me. Especially since I’m such a rule follower…

But you’ve done pretty well. I know you’re gonna say all this hoopla about how you guys are great and me and Artie aren’t…but that’s where you’re wrong, mmkay? See, while you’re galavantin’ all over the world, Artie works here. He works hard, and from the minute he got thrown into this thing, he’s had the thought of proving everyone wrong. You can’t tell me the first thought that went through your brain wasn’t that this was gonna be a cake walk, right? Right.

I know Cordy-Wardy last week was all about saying how somehow everyone believes we were gonna make it into the finals, but I find that super hard to believe. You saw Artie and you assumed that you had it in the bag if you had to face us. He, the ROOKIE-Rookie and me, the Semi-Rookie who just had a baby last year and seems to be plucky as heck. I mean, at first I thought I was doomed, but then I got to work with him. And he is wonderful, okay? A little rough around the edges, but he fights hard and he doesn’t relent just cause people think less of him.

So Sean, I think you’re gonna find that this might be a little bit harder than your well-travelled butt was thinkin’. Artie’s got a lot of friendos in the back, and they’re rootin’ for him just as hard as my friends are rootin’ for me. Sometimes they get involved when they shouldn’t, and believe me, we’re gonna be havin’ some words about that when I see ‘em next, but I want you to be prepared. This isn’t gonna be easy. This isn’t gonna be fun. Artie is gonna fight harder than you expect, and I just want you to make sure that you take this as seriously as he’s takin’ it.

We want to be champions.

We’re going to be champions.

And now, I know I’m supposed to devote a lot of time to Luna, but I feel kinda like that’s what she wants. You know, being part of The Conspiracy. This awful thought that they’re stuck in this kinda Rocky Horror Time Warp where they can’t leave because Christian and Mark seem to have their figurative b…balls in a sling. Gosh, that was hard to say. She calls herself The Idol, but I wanna question that…like…

An idol is an image of someone or something to worship. A symbol. Like historically – my dad would get all excited about this – in Egypt, there were idols made for all of the gods, and they would wash them daily, they would leave offerings for them to eat. They were someone to love.

You make it really hard to love you, Luna.

Oh, I’m sure Mr. Raven does. I’m sure he loves you and would move the sun and the stars for you, but let’s face it. No one here loves you, and no one here can be forced to love you. Because you’re stuck here, you’re throwing what equates to a temper tantrum. Listening to you week in and week out talk about how you don’t deserve this and that, and that what you deserve is to be on top of this whole field…it’s grating. Extremely grating, and not all that deserving of veneration.

You talk about how everyone thinks you’re crazy. I don’t think you’re crazy…per se, I just don’t think you’ve had positive attention for anything….like…ever. You’re constantly fightin’ this battle that exists for primarily you and the mirror; you keep talkin’ about how no one thinks of you as a decent competitor. That you’ve had to prove yourself by throwing people into tables and being an absolute monster.

Funny story!

I’ve done that too. My first company was totally a deathmatch company, and like, I won the Brightburn Championship in a street fight in a frickin’ like…aquarium. I used a piiiiirrrranha to bite my opponents arm and I threw her into the tank and there was water everywhere, and–

Sorry, I got excited.

See, that’s the thing I love about this business. The crazier it is, the more fun it is, and like…this opportunity that lays in front of all of us is crazy. It lays out the best contenders, it brings out the best in people. I want to win this just as much as you do, and as much as you’re like, salivating to see your hunny at the end, you have to also face the fact that if you pass me, you might have to face him.

And that’s never a good thing, especially for your cohorts in crime.

You were confident and you were certain against Roux…more confident and certain than you were when you faced Courtney last year. Even when you had a one up on Zoey Lukas, and when you’ve faced Kat Jones over and over again like she actually like…matters…at this point. So I gotta assume that you’re gonna come up confident against me and you should be! Just like I am against you.

This isn’t a one-sided battle between us, Lulu. I’m good at what I do and I can cause much more damage than you think. Because like...I’m not just a cute little blonde with a happy-go-lucky personality and a silly husband. I’m not just a rookie who doesn’t deserve to be here. I’m a fighter, I’m a member of Wolfslair, and I am one-hundred-percent more interested in kicking your butt so that I can get higher and higher. You need this opportunity to fix your blunders in this company. Me? I need this so I can prove to you, and to every other woman in this tournament that I deserve to be here. That I want to be here, and that I can do all the same things that everyone else can.

Want me to slam you into a burning table? Sure.

Want me to hurl you into a glass case? I mean, that doesn’t feel so good, but bring me one and we can do it.

I want this. I want the opportunity. I want to help Artie succeed in his endeavors, and I want to make sure that my name goes down in infamy as a leader in this company. I look at my friends and I see what they can do, and I know that with their strength behind me, I can do anything that I put my mind to.

And that means defeating you, Luna. Defeating you and Sean Parker, who’s here for a cup of coffee and probably gone tomorrow when the title opportunity fades into like…dust. Fwoosh, there it goes.

You’re gonna underestimate me. Just like everyone else does, but unlike everyone else, I think you’re gonna understand where I come from. They don’t want people like us at the top, Luna. They don’t want people with drive, and they want people they can control. But the less control that there is, that means the more eventful the end result.

Assuming Kayla wins the championship again? What better to be seen than Kayla Richards facing her bestie and hurling all the insults she can at her while simultaneously knowing that said bestie is gonna fire back at her? The War of Friends, the War of Fam, the War of Bestie. BESTIE TROUBLE! I would pay for it.

Because Kay and I would make it something special. You? I mean, I know you’ve gotten better and more resilient in this company, but let’s face it Lu…when it comes to the things that matter…you choke harder than like…the chick in 50 Shades of Gray. You’ve had so many opportunities, and what have they given you except a bad attitude and a bitter mouth?

I may have lost to Harper, but at least I kept that with grace in my hand. I could never be as bitter or self-centered as you, my new friend. Because I want to face the best, and if I lose? Then I’ve learned something.

But don’t mistake me, kay? Luna, Sean…I don’t care that you guys think you’ve got the best ticket in the house. Artie and I are gonna come up in your zone and we’re gonna kick butt. You can bet on that. And when your backs are on the mat, I’ma come over and raise your hand. Because you’re good at what you do. But you’re not me.

Like, good luck, new friend! I wish you the very best, and I hope we have a great match.

I’ll see you on the other side, okay?

Peace! 
23
Climax Control Archives / “Another Chance!”
« Last post by Caleb Storms on May 24, 2024, 09:32:41 PM »
Caleb and Nakita would get knocked out in the first round of the Blast from the Past Tournament but Caleb’s return to SCW wasn’t done yet as he had been entered into the Fresh Face Battle Royal that was serving as this week’s main event! But who were his opponents?

Teddy Warren, Jamie Dean, Bill Barnhart, Rodrigo Afonso, Lyle Kasey Jr., and Justin Smith! Winner faces Finn Whelan for the World Heavyweight Championship and Finn was on commentary to boot! Can Caleb win?

Caleb’s hotel room, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Friday the 24th of May 2024, 13:00pm

Didn’t think I was going to get this second chance but here I am, competing in SCW for the second time this month!

Hell I was relaxing at home when I got the call, it literally went “hey Caleb, we need faces for a Battle Royal, winner is Finn’s challenger at Into the Void, you in?” and, well, how could I refuse? And just so we’re clear that was before I knew that Teddy and Bill where in this thing as well.

Throw in a guy who I never faced in my original run because he was before my time (Jamie Dean) and two new opponents (Rodrigo Afonso and Justin Smith) and yeah, this is going to be a hell of a match, and probably my last chance to get on the Into the Void card so yeah, there’s that part of it too.

“So, partnership with Nakita didn’t work out but she landed on her feet at least.” Katie commented as she just finished getting caught up on SCW programming since my run in the Blast from the Past Tournament got cut short. “And it looks like The Conspiracy will be laughing all the way to the bank because there’s a decent chance that Alexander and Luna’s teams will meet in the finals.”

”I’d be lying if I said that I wouldn’t want to see that.” I commented with a shrug as as sat down on my bed. ”Not too familiar with Raven or Luna but tag team partners clashing in the Blast from the Past Finals is something I’m surprised has never happened in SCW before.”

“Won’t be a true clash off course, due to SCW’s gender rules and all.” Katie responded with a shrug and I nodded in agreement. “And after all that you’ve got this Fresh Face Battle Royal, thoughts on this Caleb?”

”You know my history with Bill and Teddy! Hell I faced Bill in my one and only Blast from the Past Match.” I responded with a shrug and Katie nodded as she got the idea, ”Jamie was before my time off course but Rodrigo, LJ, and Justin? I’m interested to see how I stack up to those new guys.”

“Well, from what I’ve seen Rodrigo and LJ are also high flyers but Justin’s just a hardcore brawler, he also didn’t have any wins prior to joining the tournament so good for him on that front.” “Katie commented with a nod as she looked at her information. “But the nature of a Battle Royal means that high flying isn’t a good idea because all it would take is one opportunistic opponent to send you flying and you have history with two of them.”

”Yep! And Bill and Teddy are about as opportunistic as they come.” I nodded in response as I rested my hands behind my head. ”Either way? My Blast from the Past return may have been a dud but at least I’m getting a chance to make up for it.”

“Damn right!” Katie nodded in agreement before the topic shifted elsewhere.

Gettysburg Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Friday the 24th of May 2024, 16:00pm

*promo time*

Guess who’s back? Back again.

”What? Did you think you were done with me that quickly? Well, you were half right! I did return home to Syracuse after my elimination from the Blast from the Past Tournament but after I got the offer to compete in this Battle Royal? I jumped right on it!” I stated as I walked through the Gettysburg National Park. ”and that was before I knew Teddy and Bill were in this thing as well as Jamie, LJ, Rodrigo and Justin! What can I say? I missed this place!”

Let’s start with my old enemies.

”We can’t escape each other Bill! That seems to be a unwritten rule of SCW, doesn’t it? Whenever we are both around “The Metal Storm” has to face Old Fart Barnhart!” I stated with a grin as I folded my arms. ”And believe me, I’ll use this Battle Royal to finish what we started in the match with Nakita and Roux! Which of course means I’m going to beat you!”

And……………..

”Teddy Warren, the persistent cockroach of the men’s division, how many returns is it now Teddy? And once again, this one has fallen flat on its face.” I started as I folded my arms. ”Remember what we feuded over who was the better musician? Good times, remember when I eliminated you from this Battle Royal? Well, that hasn’t happened yet but it will!”

And the rest.

”I don’t mean any disrespect to LJ, Jamie, Rodrigo, and Justin but I don’t know enough about you guys to address you one at a time, I know Jamie was before my time, I know LJ and Prodrigo would be great individual match ups for me because we’re all high flyers and I know Justin is a flat out brawler who recently won his first match, but aside from that?” I could only shrug. ”I don’t have much to say to you guys except good luck!”

It's that simple.

”Because you will need it! Last time I held a title not only did I lose it after one defence but my arm got dislocated, why yes it did hurt!” I patted my once injured arm ”And this Sunday I’ll show you all that I’m back with a vengeance when I win this battle royal and book my ticket to Into the Void!”

And with that I decided to wrap things up.

”Finn, I know you’ll be watching and all I can say to you is good luck in our title match!” I added as I grinned broadly. ”I’ve waited three years to return and I’m not letting it go to waste so to my opponents? Just let the Metal Storm descend upon you!”

I walked off as the scene fades.
24
Climax Control Archives / Revenge
« Last post by JustinSmith on May 24, 2024, 07:43:13 PM »
The scene opens up with Justin Smith exploring the various Battle of Gettysburg sites in Gettysburg PA.  He stops to talk about him losing to a manager in the Blast From The Past Tournament.

Justin-I am not happy about losing to Artie in the Blast From the Past tournament due to outside interference by Miles Kasey, but I am getting another opportunity for the World title shot, so I guess I can’t really complain.  Even though I’m going to be in a multi man match, I’m not liking my chances, but to be considered for this match is an honor nonetheless.

Justin waves off the cameraman, asking him to leave so Justin can continue exploring the sites and seeing any re-enactments as the scene fades to black.

The following day, Justin is seen at his hotel room, getting ready to go to explore more of Gettysburg, but turns to call out his opponents for the Fresh Face Battle Royal.

Justin-Teddy Warren, Caleb Storms, Jamie Dean, Bill Barnhart, Rodrigo Afonso, and Lyle Kasey Jr. 6 men that I am facing in order to face Finn Whelan for the World Heavyweight Championship.  6 people I have to eliminate, if I play my cards right.  Odds aren’t in my favor, but I do not care because I am going to do whatever it takes to become the next number one contender.

Justin then turns his attention to Finn Whelan.

Justin-Finn, regardless of if I win this battle Royal or not, know that your title reign is coming to a close at the next show, so hold that title tight, shine it up real good because your days with that title are numbered.

The scene fades to black with Justin cackling as he leaves the hotel room.
25
Climax Control Archives / In Vino Veritas || Calaway & Raven vs Eiley and The Dragon
« Last post by Alexandra Calaway on May 24, 2024, 06:44:22 PM »
Meeting up with an old friend
Battlegrounds Café & Grille
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Alexandra had received a call from her old boss, Star Stormz, saying that she wanted to meet up with her to talk about an offer.  Alexandra knew that Star was one of the best bosses she had ever worked for and if the truth be told, she would work for any company that had Star in the spot she had been in with PWS: Apex.  Arriving at the little cafe, Alexandra found her quickly and spoke.

“Hey Star.” She took a seat and made a quick order with the waiter.  “So what was it that you needed to talk to me about? Is PWS: Apex coming back?”

“In a manner of speaking… yes. We have rebranded and are now PWS:Legacy. As our last World Champion I felt it only right to bring a contract offer to you personally.” Star kept her eyes on Alexandra, knowing what she had to offer her.

She looked at Star, that wasn’t something that happened every day. A personally delivered invitation back. She took a sip of her drink. 

“Now that’s not something that happens every day.  And I can’t say it’s something I’ve had happen before.  So PWS is back, but different.  Are the issues of the time passed as well?”

She leaned back in her seat relaxing a bit. Star let out a slight chuckle.

“Yes, our past problems are no longer problems. I have a brand new staff, 2 of which are returning and well trusted legends. I am quite confident in this relaunch, and I hope you find the details in this offered contract sufficient.”

She slides a manilla folder towards Alexandra. Alexandra takes the envelope and opens it, rolling over the contract deals.

“Wait.. so I get a chance to claim the PWS Legacy World Championship in a match against an unnamed opponent at the first pay per view?” She thought about that for a moment, giving it some real consideration. PWS had been very good to her and the talent there had been top notch. “Wow, I must have left a lasting mark on Apex.”

Alexandra gave another giggle, listening to everything that Star was offering her. She knew that Star was honest.

“That's an understatement,  to say the least. I always held you in high regard, as do the fans. Should you decide to rejoin us, you are correct. Our first pay per view event you will automatically be in the World Title Match against an opponent who wins a qualifier on our return show. I do hope everything under the… perks and bonuses… section is to your liking?”

Alexandra chuckled hard and nodded.

“The perks and bonuses are icing on the cake Star.  I must say you are really making it easy to say yes.” She gave a soft chuckle at the added bonuses. “Well Star, I would say you got yourself a deal.  I would love to help launch PWS: Legacy.”

She extends her hand. Star reciprocate with a firm handshake before sliding a pen over.

“All you have to do is sign on the dotted line. Welcome home, Alexandra.”

Alexandra signed her name on the dotted line and smiled. 

“Now.. let's make history. Give me your best and I'll show you that you haven't placed your trust in someone who can't handle it.”

She smiled and slid the contract back over to her.

“Perfect! I’ll have a copy made for you. Now… onto a bit less of business. How have you  been?”

Alexandra looked at her with a soft nod of her head.

“Well I’m sure you know that I divorced Sanders.  That was clear before the sad closing of PWS: Apex. But life now has become, well, interesting…” She gave a soft giggle. “Just know that even with my schedule, PWS: Legacy will have my attention.”

“Yes, I heard about the divorce. I'm glad to hear we have your attention. You have a bright future in PWS, I'm sad it got cut short. Glad to see you have been thriving here in Sin City Wrestling. They are good people here.”

“They do. I’ve made friends with Miles Kasey, he became my tag team partner. And Carter, is amazing.  Sin City has been good to me.  Now, I have a tournament to finish trying to win.” She laughed softly. “How have you been?”

“Working tirelessly to get things going again. Running a company and getting everything set is a Never Ending process. But it was worth it. Cut some red tape here, knock out some drama there, sign my life away…"

She chuckled softly as she took a sip of her drink

“But things are falling into place.”

“I’m glad to hear that they are. I know it couldn’t have been easy. I remember from when I ran American Made Wrestling.”  She gave her a smile and sipped her drink.  “I heard through the grapevine that there was a lot of red tape and knocking out to deal with. Sorry I couldn’t be there to help out. I would have taken great pleasure in busting his skull.”  She winked.

“I believe that there was a line. But we handled things. It has opened the doors for a lot of returns. Great things are happening, that's for sure.”

“Well how about this?”  Alexandra pulls a ticket out for the show. “Come see the show.. Enjoy the show for the night.”

Star smiled and nodded

“Deal. It's been too long since I've just watched a wrestling show I had no hand in producing.”

“Well now you have an excuse.”

The two old friends have a laugh and share a meal.  Alexandra knew that it was only a matter of time before PWS: Legacy would see what she was like now. With the contract signing out of the way, she was going to need to focus on winning the tournament.


Hotel
Queens Blog
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

What’s up everyone? I hope that you are all doing well.  It’s great to be back on American soil. I’ve missed being home so much. Flying back and forth was getting crazy. Still, I do it for the love of the game. Who could have known that the team would make it this far. Not me and I still feel like I’m dreaming. I can’t wait to see my family, not that I mind letting my family spend time with my daughter, but it’s been her and I through everything. Despite my shortcomings, she’s never stopped believing in me. And I’ll never stop being her biggest supporter.

Goodness so much has happened hasn’t it? From weeks of losing to weeks of winning match after match.  Who ever could have known that the woman who couldn’t make it past round one last year, has stood next to the same partner, week after week, winning match after match, until we have finally reached the semi finals?  No one. If you would have told me a year ago that I’d be teaming with Raven again and win, I’d laugh and ask you what drugs you were on and if I could get some. Last year didn’t go well for us, this year, look at us soar.

But here it is and it’s really happening. Just look at who we’ve gone through so far. Shay Owens and Jamie Dean, both of them gave us a pretty good fight and for a moment there, it could have been the same outcome as last year, out in the first round. Then we went on to face Peter Vaughn and the VERY woman who cost us the match last year, Bobbie Dahl.  Now, I wont say that they didn’t come carrying a strong chance, because they did. They gave us a run for our money and could have gotten there, if it wasn’t for one misstep. That misstep, was what opened the door to the pin and the win.

That win brought back my Bombshell Roulette Title. It brought back the first title I ever held in this company and I intend to defend it with everything I have in me. Until I have no blood to bleed and no breath left in my lungs. To take this, you’ll have to end me. You will have to spill every drop of my blood until there is nothing left. It’s not going to be easy work either.  I plan on proving to everyone that my winning this wasn’t a fluke, that it wasn’t just a bad day for Bobbie Dahl.  I will defend this title until the time comes when someone isn’t afraid of what that wheel can give us. It seems that it was always the luck of the draw and when it comes down to brass tacks, that’s just what life is. You take the cards you're dealt and you show that you are capable of living with what happens next.

xoxo,
Alexandra


Video Message
Hotel
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Alexandra had just finished up her blog posting when her phone vibrated on the table next to her. She looked down to see the name there. 

                                             ALEXANDER RAVEN

She took a deep breath, she knew that they were supposed to have a sit down together.  To talk things through, but they kept having missed connections, or delays in flights. It was crazy. To think that even at three weeks in while most of the other teams are meeting up and having conversations, but Alexandra and Raven seemed to work better without the constant conversations and sit downs. They worked better this way.  Maybe that’s what caused them to do badly last year. The sit down. They could talk after. Hitting the button, she started recording a message back. At least they would know each other’s thoughts on the match.

“It’s alright. I’ve started to think that maybe our not hanging out constantly helped us this time. We are showing a great amount of trust in each other. A trust that these other teams aren’t showing. There was too much going on between our sides last time, this time.. We did this. After this is all over, we should sit down and have that drink. Either way, however this goes, we’ve made it this far.”

She took a moment to pause her body was sore, but she would make it through this match and the next and the next. She missed her family, but something told her everything would be worth it in the end.

“We both kicked ass so hard. I’m proud of us. I thought it was going to be you for a minute there. But thank you for the congratulations. I would have been happy for us either way. But think about this, if we get there to the end, think of what we can get. I know that we can do this. It will be an honor to stand across the ring from Luna again. This time, perhaps we both will respect each other more. In the end I’ll have your back too. I want you to know that. I need you to understand that no matter the outcome, I’m proud of what we’ve done here and I hope that you are proud of your spot too.”

She paused again, her eyes closing for a moment and she opened them nodding.

“How about this, let’s meet up once this tournament is over. We can celebrate the win! I know that we can do this, we just need to maintain focus and keep kicking ass like we have recently. See you at the show Raven. You're welcome.”

With that she pressed the button to end the call, seeing that another call was coming in.  She answered it.

“Hey bro what’s up?”

Alexandra smiled hearing her brother’s voice.

“Hey, just wanted to let you know that Ashlynn wanted to come see you. She wanted to be there for the match, so we booked her the first flight that we could. She should be landing in about two hours. I know she can’t wait to see you.”

She laughed softly. Always leave it to her brother to know just what she needed.

“Thank you Damien. I’ve missed her.”

“She’s missed you too. Now go out there and show her just what all the time apart is worth. Go out there and win the match for her.”

“I will and I’ll head to the airport now. It’s about an hour drive up there. So I want to be early, that way just in case the flights are early. I don’t want her sitting around the airport with nothing to do while waiting for me.”

“Good call.  We will be watching from Dallas.”

“Thanks. Say Hi to Mika for me.”

“Good luck. Don’t do anything too stupid. And I will, you have my word.”

“I wont.”

She hung up the phone and headed to the airport. Sometimes family was the best medicine. She couldn’t wait to bring Ashlynn to the show.


The Best Medicine is Family
Harrisburg International Airport
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Alexandra Calaway stood near the arrival gate at Harrisburg International Airport, her heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and excitement. She glanced at the large digital clock on the wall. The flight from Dallas was due to land any minute now. Adjusting the collar of her black leather jacket, she took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing thoughts. It had been months since she last saw Ashlynn, and the separation had been difficult for both of them.

The airport was bustling with activity, travelers rushing past with luggage in tow, families reuniting, and business people making their way to their next destination. Despite the chaos, Alexandra felt a sense of calm wash over her. Soon, she would be holding her daughter in her arms again.

She scanned the crowd, her sharp eyes searching for any sign of Ashlynn. Her thoughts drifted to the last time they were together, recalling the tears and promises exchanged. As a wrestler, Alexandra’s schedule was grueling and unpredictable, but she had always made a vow to be there for Ashlynn as much as she could. The weeks of separation had been hard, but the thought of this moment had kept her going.

The loudspeaker crackled to life, announcing the arrival of the flight from Dallas. Alexandra’s heart skipped a beat. She moved closer to the gate, her eyes fixed on the doors where passengers would soon emerge. The minutes felt like hours, and she found herself shifting from one foot to the other, her patience wearing thin.

Finally, the doors slid open, and a stream of passengers began to flow out. Alexandra’s eyes darted from face to face, searching for the one she had been longing to see. Then, she spotted her—a petite girl with dark hair and sparkling eyes, dragging a bright purple suitcase. Ashlynn.

A wide smile spread across Alexandra’s face as she pushed through the crowd, her focus entirely on her daughter. “Ashlynn!” she called out, her voice breaking with emotion.

Ashlynn’s face lit up when she saw her mother. She let go of her suitcase and ran towards Alexandra, her arms outstretched. “Mom!”

They collided in a tight embrace, both of them holding on as if they never wanted to let go. Alexandra buried her face in Ashlynn’s hair, the familiar scent bringing a rush of memories and emotions. “I missed you so much, sweetheart,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears.

“I missed you too, Mom,” Ashlynn replied, her voice muffled against Alexandra’s jacket.

After a long moment, they finally pulled apart, but Alexandra kept her hands on Ashlynn’s shoulders, as if to reassure herself that her daughter was really there. She studied Ashlynn’s face, noting the changes—the slightly longer hair, the hint of maturity in her features. “You’ve grown,” she said with a smile.

Ashlynn shrugged, a shy smile playing on her lips. “Maybe a little.”

Alexandra chuckled and ruffled Ashlynn’s hair. “Let’s get your luggage and get out of here. I have a big surprise planned for you.”

They retrieved Ashlynn’s suitcase and made their way to the parking lot.

“I wish I could come to the show this weekend,” Ashlynn said as they reached Alexandra’s car, a sleek black SUV.

“Well I guess it’s a good thing you came this weekend then isn’t it? Because you are getting to come to the show.” She giggled and tousled her daughter's hair, before they drove back towards the hotel.

They arrived at the hotel, it was a charming place. Alexandra had chosen it specifically for its cozy, welcoming atmosphere. They checked her daughter in and headed to their room, where Ashlynn immediately claimed the bed by the window.

“This place is amazing!” Ashlynn exclaimed, bouncing on the bed. “Thank you, Mom.”

Alexandra laughed, setting her bag down on the other bed. “I’m glad you like it. And this is just the beginning. We have a lot to do before showtime.”

After unpacking, they decided to take a walk to get dinner at the cafe by the battlegrounds.  While walking they had time to talk.

As they walked, Ashlynn suddenly stopped and looked up at her mother. “Mom, do you ever get scared?”

Alexandra was taken aback by the question. She crouched down to be at eye level with Ashlynn. “Sometimes,” she admitted. “But being scared isn’t a bad thing. It just means you’re about to do something really brave.”

Ashlynn nodded thoughtfully. “I get scared sometimes, too. But I feel braver when I’m with you.”

Alexandra’s heart swelled with love and pride. She hugged Ashlynn tightly. “And I feel braver when I’m with you, too. We make a pretty good team, don’t we?”

Ashlynn smiled and nodded. “The best team.”

They continued their walk, eventually finding a small café where they stopped for hot chocolate and pastries. They sat by the window, watching the world go by as they talked about everything and nothing. Alexandra cherished these moments, knowing how fleeting they could be.

Later that night, back at the hotel, Alexandra tucked Ashlynn into bed. As she sat on the edge of the bed, brushing a strand of hair from Ashlynn’s face, she felt a deep sense of contentment. No matter the challenges and obstacles she faced in the wrestling ring, nothing could compare to the love she felt for her daughter.

“Goodnight, sweetheart,” she whispered, kissing Ashlynn’s forehead.

“Goodnight, Mom,” Ashlynn murmured, already half-asleep.

Alexandra watched her daughter for a moment, her heart full. Then, she stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the city lights. Tomorrow would bring new adventures and challenges, but for now, she was exactly where she needed to be—by her daughter’s side.

As she gazed out into the night, she made a silent promise to herself and to Ashlynn. No matter what the future held, she would always fight for their moments together, ensuring that their bond remained unbreakable.


This isn’t a war, this is just a small battle
Undisclosed location
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

The camera opens, focusing on a dark, shadowy place. The atmosphere is tense, with only a single flickering light casting eerie shadows on the area around the camera. Alexandra Calaway, dressed in her signature dark attire, steps into the frame from out of the shadows. Her face is a mask of determination and intensity.

“Eiley... we meet again. How long has it been since our last encounter? Weeks? Months? A year? Time has a way of blending together when you're constantly battling in the ring. But one thing remains clear in my mind... our last match. The night you beat me. I remember every detail. The crowd's roar, the pain coursing through my body, and the sight of your hand raised in victory. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I took it. I took that loss and let it fuel the fire inside me.”

She took a deep breath, knowing she needed to keep the focus she’s had this round of the tournament. She had been working hard to make sure that her team would walk out on top each and every time they stepped into that ring and so far, they had.

“You see, Eiley, losses are like scars. They might fade with time, but they never truly disappear. They remind us of our past, of our weaknesses. I have a great many of those scars in my twenty four years in this industry. And I've spent every single day since that match confronting my own weaknesses. I've trained harder, fought fiercer, and pushed myself beyond my limits. All because of the many failures I’ve had in that ring. But there is none greater than the loss of my first Blast from the Past tournament. That loss stung and the last time I stepped foot into the Sin City Wrestling ring, I took out the very same person who took my shot at winning this whole thing last year. You know it’s funny, we’ve now come full circle. Because it was roughly a year ago that you, yourself beat me. Only difference is, in that time I’ve made myself a two time Bombshell Roulette Champion.”

She allowed a moment for everything she had just stated to sink in. All the hard work that she and Raven had put in, the battles they had fought to get to this point, she refused to let it be in vain. Each time she won, she wasn’t just winning this for Raven or Herself, she was doing it for her family.  She did it for each person out there who was told they couldn’t do it.

“You may have beaten me before, but the woman standing before you today is not the same woman you faced then. I've evolved. I've grown stronger, smarter, and more ruthless. Every victory since then has been a testament to my resilience, to my unwillingness to be defined by my many losses. We all have our good and bad days, don’t we Eiley.  You’ve had your fair share, I’ve seen them. But what about you, Eiley? Have you grown complacent with your victory? Have you convinced yourself that you have my number? Because if you have, you're in for a rude awakening. Underestimating me would be the biggest mistake of your career, but I’m sure you are well aware of this by now.”

She stayed within the candle’s glow, something inside her swelled. Was that pride? She hadn’t been on that much of a losing streak, look at her record so far. It wasn’t that bad. She had been on a roll of late and she wasn’t going to stop now. Not for anyone.

“Each match I step into, is another chance at redemption. Another shot to prove that I am more than you all seem to think. Most people look at me and see a veteran of the ring and yet, show none of the respect. They laugh, they make jokes and they attack the very foundation of the industry that has paid my bills. This is about proving that no matter how many times I’m knocked down I get back up and I keep fighting, until there’s nothing left in the tank. It's about proving to everyone that I rise back up each and every time. And each time I come back it’s more dangerous than before, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

Eiley had talent, she had style, but she lacked in the department of any means necessary. She wouldn’t be able to face up against Alexandra in that department. She wouldn’t do it, couldn’t even if she wanted to.

“I said it earlier, the Alexandra you faced a year ago, she’s not the same woman now. That woman was a shell of who she had once been, still heartbroken over the kidnapping of her daughter, unsure of herself and her career, personal life in shambles, brain all over the place. That woman isn't the one you look at now. This one is different. I’m not afraid to do what must be done. I can’t wait to show you what it’s like now that this fire inside of me burns brighter and hotter than ever.”

Everything Alexandra did now was for her daughter. She did it to show her that you can do anything you put your mind to. People like Eiley, are flash in the pans, they start bright, burning fast and hard, like a shooting star and then fizzle and crash. 

“Eiley, you have been doing so well in the tournament, but it’s time you rest now. Let me take it from here. I’m certain that you could use the break darling. So you are two for one this year, so far. Well it will be an honor to put you at two for two, this year alone. However I must give you your props, so far you have been on a roll, you are two wins deep, but it ends here. Just in case you haven’t noticed, my team has been on fire, already taking two teams out of the tournament. I was the Bombshell Roulette Champion for one hundred and forty-seven days. Tell me Eiley, do you think you honestly have what it takes to face me, now that I’ve changed.  The question I must ask you Eiley, is are you willing to do the same? I’m sure I already know the answer to that. Your record speaks for itself my dear. But, knowing your partner, he might see things differently. He might push you beyond the limits you have set for yourself. Whereas my partner and I, if you haven’t noticed, are on the same page.”

She got a smile on her face, bright, and excited.

“Which brings me to your partner, Mark Cross, Mister I’ve won this tournament before. Just because you’ve won, doesn’t mean you’ll always win.  Isn’t that right Mark? You know that better than anyone here. You win some, you lose some. At least, in my years of experience that’s always been the case. You see, I understand you Mark, I get it. You are seasoned, like me. You’ve won this before, that’s the only difference I see between us my dear.  Your little friend Eiley, seems to think that you two can defeat myself and the Raven. Its her own personal conspiracy theory.  Perhaps teaming with you has been a good thing for her. But she’s still being someone else’s shadow, not her own wrestler. Not the woman she dreams of one day being. You know, someone more like.. Well me.”

There was something so freeing about being able to speak her peace, knowing that her tag team partner will have her back.  Having received a video from him earlier that day, assuring her that no matter the outcome, he was in this to win it. And she believed in him, she believed in their team.

“You see Mark, I respect you. I respect what you have done in this industry. Your name is well known and I’ve heard the people that say Raven and Calaway cannot beat him.  That’s the thing my friends. We don’t need to beat him. All it takes is one solid mistake, one misstep and the win is ours. You don’t even have to be the one who’s pinned. That’s the beautiful part in this. You don’t have to be the one who fails your team. But, let’s face the facts here. Alexander Raven is primed. The man is off the chain and willing to do whatever it takes. Hell each week that we’ve stepped into this ring since the tournament began, we’ve put our bodies on the line. I’ve stepped into each and every match with the same goal. Walk out the winner. I know what Raven is capable of doing to you. I know that he is in this to win it. He will march on my command into that ring and destroy you. Just as I will for him.”

She took a moment to pause again, knowing each second counted. Each word held meaning. When she and Raven stepped into that ring, they both had the same goal in mind. Win by any means necessary, including hurting themselves or their opponents.

“That’s the difference between all of us. Raven and I, we aren’t afraid to destroy either of you. Eiley may believe she has the upper hand because she’s beaten me before. She may assume that I underestimate her. In my twenty four years in this industry I’ve never truly underestimated my opponents. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes as a competitor. I’ve taken my losses with dignity and pride. I don’t wallow or whine. I pick up and keep going because that is what a champion does. That’s what a warrior does. Tell me Mark, do you have the balls to stand in the ring across from us and not look at your opponent and know you’ve already lost? She wants to be more than someone’s shadow. She wants to be a champion, but from where I’m standing, she’s still in someone’s shadow, riding the coattails of another to greatness. She did it to Oz and she’s doing it to you. Look me in the eyes and tell me I’m wrong.”

She took a deep breath, her next words, pointed like a knife’s edge.

“Mark, Eiley, these are your last moments in this tournament. You will walk into that ring with your head held high and go out, with it hung low.  Perhaps not in shame. Because I respect you both, despite what Eiley believes.”

She pauses looking at the camera, with a smile.

“This is your final warning. When we step into that ring, there's no turning back. No mercy. No hesitation. Only the relentless pursuit of victory. And I promise you, Eiley, this time, it will be different. This time, your team will fall. And Raven and I... will rise.”

With that she backs into the darkness, fading from view.
26
Climax Control Archives / When One Door Closes Another Opens (Teddy Warren Rp)
« Last post by Crystal Zdunich on May 24, 2024, 05:39:58 PM »
It’s really funny how the world works at times. I know it’s really easy to get caught up in the moment. One can have a dream but it’s really going above and beyond to make it a reality that counts at the end of the day. When I first came to this company all of those years ago it truthfully it was to just try something different. It was to have fun and to support my wife Kate Steele at the time. I know I became larger than life. I ascended through the ranks. I became a household name by winning the Roulette Championship and even going as far as winning the Internet Championship.
 
I felt like I was having the time of my life. Add in the fact that I gained a lot of notoriety by making a name for myself as a cross dresser and even winning most hated star. That felt like it was the icing on the cake and wrestling became as fun as it possibly could. It didn’t matter if people booed or cheered. As long as I was getting a reaction I knew that it was worth it. When I had won the Mixed Tag Team Championship with Kate Steele. I knew at that very moment that there was something special about me. I knew that there was much more than just the simple dream of supporting my wife.
 
That is when the dream slowly started to change, and in that moment I only had one thought on my mind. I wanted to be considered the best. I want to go down in the history books. Hell if things work in the way that I really wanted them to work. I could even go as far as being a Hall of Famer. I now know that is the end goal and I would do anything in my power to get there.
 
So with this new dream of simply trying to be the best I did what I could to get there. I signed up to be in the Blast from the Past and I poured my entire heart into that tournament. I was overly excited when I got paired up with Kat Jones. I mean Kat is the younger sister of Kimberly Pain who had been training my sister. She is also the woman who took the Roulette Championship away from my former wife. I know she had all of the drive in the world to go out to that tournament and do the unthinkable.
 
The way I saw things and the way she saw them must have been different because she just didn’t show that drive. As a matter of fact, she hasn’t really said anything about the tournament or anything like that after getting eliminated. At the end of the day it’s unfortunate because she didn’t have it in her. Normally I wouldn’t mind and I was Kat all the best in the world
 
However, what she did has affected me and now I was forced to take an early exit from the tournament. The moment that Luna had pinned Kat Jones I knew that my journey had ended. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I took a long walk of shame back to the locker room.
 
How was I to handle with the reality that my dreams were going to fade away?!
 
How do I go back to my wife Michelle and tell her that her husband couldn’t deliver on his promise?!
 
Most importantly how do I hold my seven month old daughter Marlene and tell her that her father was a failure?
 
There were so many negative thoughts running through my mind and I just wanted to run away from it all. Things were looking as bad as they could possibly be but that was until I received a phone call from Christian Underwood last week that would change my entire world. He told me that there was no active challenger for the World Heavyweight Championship and that a battle royal would happen to determine who would face Finn Whelan at the Super Card. I am not a member of the active roster but the very moment that he asked me that question is the moment that I realized that I just couldn’t say no.
 
When life seems to chew you up and spit you out, you think it’s all over because one door closes in your face. However, in the midst of everything that is when another door opens. Now the way has been shown to me, you can bet your bottom dollar that not only will I walk through that door but I am going to break that thing off of its hinges and storm through the thing.
 
Opportunities like this don’t come often and there is always more than one way to get to the destination. Of course I am entering the Battle Royal and you better believe that I will win this match. I don’t care who is in this match but I know it’s all or nothing. I can get what I want and unlike the tournament I don’t have to rely on anybody but myself.
 
Watch out world because it is indeed Teddy time and he refuses to be stopped. Not now and certainly not ever. Of course I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that the dreams of a 37-year-old man come true but more importantly than that. I am doing this for my thirteen-year-old and my seven month old daughters.
 
I want them to learn the valuable lesson that just because things don’t go your way that doesn’t mean you should give up and quit on your dreams. One needs to persevere and you keep on going no matter how hard the journey might seem. As long as the heart is beating you have it in you to make ends meet and to prove to the world that you are deserving. The more you try at something is the better you get at it, and with enough hard work you can accomplish anything.
 
I will win… I refuse to give up, and I won’t until I have a chance to make my dreams come true…
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Long Island, New York
Where it all began
 
One phone call had changed Teddy’s entire perspective about where he was in his life. He could hear the sentence from Christian Underwood as clear as day. It was as if it was happening over and over again, “Do you want to be in a fresh face battle royal to determine a World Championship contender.” That is the only sentence that had played in Teddy’s head, and of course with the response of “yes” Teddy Warren knew he had work to do. Climax Control was set to take place in the city of the site of one of the United States most famous battle grounds in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. However, before Teddy would dare to step foot in such a historic place he wanted to go back to the basics. He wanted to go home which going back to Long Island, New York.
 
Teddy had arrived at a medium sized hi-ranch home on Long Island. He smiled as he ran up the steps until he reached the front door of the house. He pulled a key out of his pocket and thought about sliding it into the door but instead he decided to ring the doorbell. He waited in anticipation and it wasn’t that long until he could hear the steps of somebody in the background. The door swung open and standing on the opposite side was an older woman who smiled at him in return.
 
“Todd is that really you?! Long time no see…”
 
Teddy had tears in his eyes as she kept looking at the woman. He was slow but he suddenly grabbed her and pulled her in tightly for a hug.
 
“I missed you so much mom… I feel like I have so much to tell you and I don’t even know where to begin…”
 
She just smiled as she kept her eyes locked on him.
 
“Todd you don’t’ have to say anything. Why don’t you come inside and make yourself comfortable?! Your brother and sister are both here… I prepared supper and I thought we could have a big family dinner. It has been so long since I had all of my kids at the house. This is definitely going to be a good day indeed. I hope you brought my grandchildren because if you happened to come all the way from California without bringing them I am really going to be upset…”
 
Teddy just shakes his head as an uneasy expression escapes his lips.
 
“Actually I wasn’t really planning on inviting them. I just wanted to come over so I could clear my head. I got a big wrestling match coming up and…”
 
Before he could say anything else he could feel the footsteps of somebody coming up from behind him. It happened to be from that of his wife Michelle Chavez and she was holding little Marlene against chest. Running up from the steps was Teddy’s eldest daughter Juliet. She quickly runs past all of them as she goes to the elder woman.
 
“Grandma Mary, it has been a long time. I missed you so much!!!”
 
“I miss you too Julie… It’s going to be an amazing time. You know your cousin Terra is here and…”
 
It wasn’t long before Teddy’s thirteen-year-old niece Terra ran after Juliet and the two of them hugged each other tightly. “Julie it feels like forever. Let’s go play fortnite together…” Both girls just smile as they run off. Meanwhile Teddy is still confused as he turns around to look at his wife Michelle who just smiles.
 
“I didn’t know you were coming; you could have told me you wanted to come to my mother’s…”
 
Michelle however just shakes her head at her husband as she sighs in return. “That would require you and I to actually communicate or more so you not holding your feelings in. I love you and I enjoy being married to you but you don’t need to hide your mother from me. I want to know you more Todd… I want to know your world and your intermediate family…I don’t understand why I have to hear from your sister Dawn and my sister that you were going to come here…”
 
Teddy’s mother just smiles as she hugs Michelle as tightly as she can as she smiles at her.
 
“It’s about time we could finally meet one another. I am so sorry that I didn’t get to attend the wedding last year. If I wasn’t in the hospital, I would have definitely been there… Is this my little granddaughter Marlene?! She is beautiful just like her mother. You are definitely a keeper. Stay on top of my son and make him realize he has something good in life…”
 
“I will try my best Miss Mary…”
 
“Please… Just call me mom. It would make me feel so much better…”
 
With that Michelle and Mary walk away with the baby leaving Teddy to just stand there with a sigh. He slowly walks up the stairs until he makes his way into the living room. He looks at the various pictures that are plastered everywhere. As he stands there he looks at different pictures and they are of his siblings James (Jimmy) and Dawn. Teddy just shakes his head as he sees a picture of Dawn holding a World Championship in her hands. He looks over at a different picture of his sister in-law Cindy holding a World Champion and one of his former wife Kate Steele-Warren holding different titles. Teddy looks at his own picture and just sighs but that’s when two voices begin to call out to him. One of them is from his little sister Dawn.
 
“What’s up jerk face loser… You should feel ashamed of yourself! You totes could have told Shelly that you were going to mom’s house. You don’t have to feel ashamed! Mom hasn’t even met Marlene yet. You don’t even make an attempt to visit that much and it’s not fair to her!”
 
Dawn begins to vent her frustrations but that is when their older brother Jimmy just smirks. He looks at Dawn pulling her away before glancing into the eyes of his brother.
 
“Dawn you do realizing that yelling at him isn’t going to solve anything right?! Why don’t you just cut the man some slack. He’s been through a lot and I am sure he didn’t come all the way to New York to get badgered to death by his baby sister. I am sure he deals with enough of that in Los Angeles. You don’t have to bring that to Mom’s house…”
 
Dawn looks like she is going to say something else but Jimmy shakes his head. “Don’t even say anything. Why don’t you go in there and talk to Cynthia, I bet you two have some catching up to do…Besides I think I would love to speak to my brother. It’s been a while since us bros got to speak without having a certain pink puppy in the midst of everything.”
 
Dawn pouts as she storms away leaving Teddy and Jimmy just standing in the room by themselves. Jimmy smiles as he has a seat on the sofa before she looks into the eyes of his younger brother.
 
“Why don’t you have a seat Todd… We could use a good heart to heart. It certainly has been a while. If Juliet and Terra can catch up, if mom can talk to your wife, and our sister can speak to my wife. I believe it’s time for our chat especially considering you don’t really visit North Carolina that much…”
 
Teddy just sighs in return. “Bro I am all the way on the other side of the country in California. I don’t know what it is you want me to do…”
 
Jimmy grins. “Dude just relax! You don’t have to get so defense with me. I am your brother, let’s just talk… You know I am going to be honest with you… Let’s start with something easy. Why did you wait so long to come visit mom?! Our mom was in the hospital last year fighting cancer and you didn’t even bother to check on her to see how her chemo treatments had gone. Instead you were in your own world. You were too busy finding a life of your own, getting married having a kid and not once bringing your family into any of this. What gives?!”
 
Teddy just looks at his brother as he shrugs his shoulders.
 
“I just didn’t want to bring mom into my mess. These past few years haven’t been the best. I guess I didn’t want mom to figure out that I failed Kate… I didn’t want her to know that we had divorced and it’s all because I was an abusive husband… Right after I would fool around with Dawn’s wife’s sister. I will admit it has been fun but I should have known better than to get this woman pregnant within a month of dating. It just doesn’t look right and it goes against everything that mom had taught us…”
 
Jimmy just shakes his head.
 
“Dude, it is what it is. Does it look bad?! No duh but she would understand. After all you are her son and she wouldn’t cast you out like that. I am her actual biological son but she always held on to you the most and how you felt about things. Why do you think when her and dad got divorced that I was quick to choose dad and leave with him to North Carolina?! Part of it had annoyed me how much invested she was into you when I was her flesh and blood…”
 
Jimmy takes a breath as he speaks some more.
 
“I would be a fool though if I said that I didn’t love you though. Even if you and Dawn were adopted in my eyes you are my brother and that is the only thing that matters. I love you and I think you shouldn’t hold onto what you might think may hurt somebody else. Did mom teach us better?! Of course she did… I know it probably felt weird dealing that her daughter came out as a gay woman, and it have hurt that I decided to move away from her or that you made some questionable decisions, but at the end of the day as long as we show her our love. That is all that she wants. We have to stay connected. Family is supposed to have each other’s backs when the world doesn’t…”
 
“Jimmy I know you could say that but it just feels like I am doing everything wrong. Even when it comes to the Warren name… I took my wife’s surname and…”
 
Jimmy laughs. “Damn bro, I always knew you were a little bi…”
 
He stops himself as he giggles in return.
 
“Who cares… None of that matters. You might have made mistakes but you want to know what mom sees, because it’s the same thing that I see… I see a man who has owned him mistakes. A man who apologized to his ex for putting his hands on her. Now that same woman that he abused he now has a healthy co-parenting relationship with. You found love again and are determined more than ever not to hurt the new wife in the way you hurt the old one. If there is something that we are proud about it’s that you have matured. You have learned from your mistakes and are striving to be a better man everyday… So why worry about your past… Your past doesn’t disqualify you from anything, it actually qualifies you to be a better man and to be a mentor to others…”
 
Teddy smiles. “You really think that?!”
 
“No duh I do… I give great advice. I mean I am the only one in the family that’s an actual doctor. It’s up to you if you want to actually follow what I say so you can live a long and prosperous life…”
 
Teddy nods his head as he keeps looking at the photos and Jimmy speaks some more.
 
“And dude stop trying to look at those photos questioning if you will ever be good enough as the other Warrens. It’s your destiny to go on to win the World Championship. Get past this battle royal. Go cement your spot and go handle your business. We will be there rooting for you. Stop looking behind and look ahead…”
 
Teddy grins. “Aight, bet… Time to make it happen… People will know who Teddy I if I have my way…Time to finally conquer what I set out to do…”
 
“Good go handle yours bro… You got this…”
 
With that the two siblings get up and hug one another as tightly as they can.









Good evening to all of my Teddy Bears out there. It won’t be that long until we will have the pleasure of competing at one of the most historical battlegrounds in American history. We get to compete in Gettysburg. That in itself is awesome because who knows what would have happened if the Union didn’t win such a pivotal battle. As a black man I am so overjoyed by that victory and it helped lead to the freedom that I have today. I could go on and on speaking about my country’s history but the thing that is on my mind the most is that at this edition of Climax Control I have the opportunity to do what I set out to do.

With the entire world watching I can close out another chapter of the book that is Teddy Warren, I can win this main event battle royal and I could march forward to challenging Finn Whelan so that I can become a World Champion. That has always been the end goal and now I can finally accomplish what I always wanted to do. In order to accomplish the unimaginable I need to get past a couple of people that currently stand in my way.

One of those men in question is Caleb Storms. Is Caleb Storms a good competitor?! Sure if that’s what you want to call him but let’s be honest here. is he worthy of being in the main event?! I highly doubt that but hey let’s promote the living hell out of Caleb because his resume seems to be up there right?!

One would get all excited seeing that he is a former Roulette Champion, former Mixed Tag Champion, and even a former three time Internet Champion but when you take a moment to really investigate and research what he did it’s not that impressive. I mean he WAS a Roulette champion but that was only for only two weeks. That means for two weeks he may have carried the belt but he really wasn’t a champion because he couldn’t get past a defense. Of course he won the Mixed Tag Team titles. With a partner with Sam Marlowe I could only expect something of greatness but once again when you look at the length of time he only had the title for three weeks.

At least losing the title came with an asterisk next to the match and when you research why there’s that small star next to that lost you will find out it was because Caleb got pinned....which confirms my suspicion that he’s just not ready for prime time.

You could look at his Internet reigns but he was GIVEN his first Internet title after J2H had beaten me, and the rest of his reigns are just one big mess. The fact is Caleb might look good on paper but the closer you look at things you will just realize he’s just a male form Jessie Salco. If he gets into the Hall of Fame it won’t be because he won the big one but mainly because of service. Get out of here with that nonsense he’s not ready for the big spot… Not now and not ever…

Of course we could talk up Bill Barnhart, he seems like a good dude but let’s be honest does anybody take him seriously?! Does anybody actually enjoy watching his promos because I think I would get more enjoyment watching a wall of paint dry instead of actually listening to him speak. Hey let’s give it up for this man. He actually she be thrilled because Kate and I felt like we won the Mixed tag titles to check that box off the list that he and his wife were able to win the Tag titles when they didn’t care about them anymore. This is too much of a big match for Bill to conquer. I know it’s not often he gets to be all the way up here on the show but it’s going to feel so good to bring him back down to reality. The fall is going to come fast and it will come fast so brace yourself Bill…

Your landing is just going to showcase that you suck and aren’t ready to play with the big boys…

Oh my goodness it looks like I get to stand in the ring with the one and only Jamie Dean. What’s happening Jamie?! Now when I look at you I see the definition of the word luggage. It must be awesome to be “carried” to success after all how else does one define that your only accomplishment has been a two time tag team champion?!

I bet Ben Jordan must have felt you were quite the suitcase to carry around and when you have Ben Jordan as a partner I guess winning is all you really could do. It’s a known fact that Ben Jordan is one of the very best to have step foot in the company. That has always been legacy but what does that say about you. Let’s be real. You were just there as he did most of the work. It’s nothing to be ashamed of as you got to reap the rewards of what he accomplished. Hell I can relate considering I was married to Kate Steele. Why do you think I always went around using the moniker of Teddy “Steele” I knew whose Bitch I was but can you be open and sincere, to admit the truth about you.

No disrespect Jamie, but a tag team specialist at best isn’t ready to be in the main event let alone competing for this company’s biggest prize. Maybe in a future far far away you might be ready but Sunday just won’t be THAT night and it won’t happen when I am standing in that ring with something to prove.

My main Rodrigo what’s happening buddy?! It must be nice getting to carry around a briefcase and be in control of your own fate. I am sure being in a match like this isn’t that important to you because you could get a title match whenever you see fit. Let’s talk about that briefcase though and be honest about it but holding it is not impressive. You won that briefcase by being in a match with Bill, Matty Mallow, and Justin Smith. One of those individuals just sucks as I shared earlier and I have no idea who the other two people are…

The landscape of the SCW superstars division must have been really weak if that’s who was in that match with yourself included of course. Hell me at ten percent would have won that match with ease. Let me give you some advice. Save your briefcase hold it for a Roulette match, an Internet title match. Hell go out there and call the best bombshell you know and get yourself a Mixed title because you damn sure won’t be coming ANYWHERE near the big title. Not when I am ready to get into the fray of being here.

Speaking of people I don’t know I guess that brings me to Justin Smith. It’s a tragedy that you lost to Artie. I could rub that fact in but I am more curious about your love for the Yankees. Trust me as a man who grew up in New York I know all about the Yankees even though if that isn’t the team I cheer for. I was born in the 80s and to be exact the year 1986 in which my team the Mets won the World Series. Do I remember it?! No because I wasn’t even born but what do you really know about the Yankees?! You were born in 2000 and by the time you got to an age that you could remember they might have been good but the Red Sox have pretty much dominated your team’s division.

Your team hadn’t been relevant except by winning a World Series in 2009 with steroid using A-Rod, and aside from that being known in the sports by having the highest payroll and not delivering shit. At least you got a man who broke the American League home run record but that fails in comparison to actually winning a title.

I am in this to be that champion and I think you will continuing to fade in irrelevance…

Last but not least there’s L J and out of everywhere I feel like I can relate with you. You are out trying to figure out your own identity and trying to bring out more about who you are. As a sibling to a fellow wrestler I know what you are going through. In my case it has always been about trying to be better than Dawn and my brother Jimmy. Trying to see how I stand out from my sister in-law Cindy or what my previous Kate did.

That’s why I am here right now to figure all of those things about myself but what are you really trying to accomplish?! I think you will find what you are looking for and will indeed get what you want. Just don’t assume that it’s happening on Sunday night because that’s going to be my night.

There are so many people that are included in this battle royal and it’s going to come down to who really wants it the most. Who is ready to finally broke out of their shell and showcase they have what it takes to be a main event star in SCW?!

I know I broke down everybody else but everyone in the world should know that it’s me. It has always been me. Fate has made it where I could have this opportunity so that the book of Teddy Warren can come to a close. I need to close this out. I need to be in the Hall of Fame and I damn sure need to be a World Champion.

SCW to me seems to be in a weaken state by the talent that is in this company. It’s amazing with the champions that are here but it needs serious work with everybody else and especially when it comes to the Superstars division. I have been in the ring with Fenris, with J2H, with Austin James and even Senor Vinnie. I have fought a list of the big names and it has all been for the sake of preparing me for this moment to be in the ring with the best.

It’s time to reach for the top and to take what belongs to me. Finn you better be watching because at the Super Card it will be you and I fighting for the biggest prize and I WILL beat you to make my dream come true. SCW brace yourselves because it’s Teddy Time!!!


NRP : Good luck rp came in at 4985 not including the gif image
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Climax Control Archives / EARNING MY SHOT AT THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
« Last post by Andrew on May 24, 2024, 08:45:44 AM »
I WILL BE EARNING MY SHOT AT THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP IN AN OVER-THE-TOP BATTLE ROYAL

Narrator:  Bill Barnhart has an amazing opportunity to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship in an Over-The-Top Battle Royal. I know Bill is approaching this match in an interesting way so I will turn you over to Bill to get his comments directly from him.

GENERAL COMMENTS

The scene shifts and we get a shot of Bill and Bea Barnhart inside the Musselman Stadium in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Both are standing between the wrestling ring and the announcers table where Jason Adams and Belinda Simone present commentary on the matches. Both Bill and Bea are casually dressed and in blue jeans, pullover shirt, and white sneakers. When the camera person informs the two that they are live broadcasting Bill and Bea take their seats at the announcers table.

Bill:  Bea before I launch into my comments for my Over-The-Top Battle Royal to determine who gets a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship is there anything you wish to comment on?

Bea:  I would like to start by stating I feel bad that me and Bill did not get as far in the Blast From The Past Tournament as we wanted to but that is how that type of Tournament works.

Bill:  That is all you have to say at this time?

Bea:  Of course not. I want to comment to Nakita Niles. Nakita we will have a Grudge Match at Into The Void XII. Although the only information we have been given is that our match is a Grudge Match I am hoping that they will make it a Hardcore Rules match so that we can put our feud behind us. I want a match where there are no limits so that when I defeat you then you will stop hurling insults and accusations my way. And, NO, Nakita, I am not going to be at ringside for your match against Victory Lyons. I will watch your match from the dressing room. That way, when you lose to Victoria, you cannot try to accuse me by claiming I distracted you and interfered in your match.

Bill:  Are you done Bea?

Bea:  Yep! The camera time is all yours.

OPENING COMMENTS

Bill:  I am in the Main Event which is an Over-The-Top Battle Royal with the winner getting a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship. Currently. . .and I say currently as things could change and substitutions of wrestlers may take place, the participants in this Over-The-Top Battle Royal include ME, Caleb Storms, Jamie Dean, Justin Smith, Lyle Kasey Jr., Rodrigo Afonso, and Teddy Warren.

Bill gives a wide-eyed stare into the camera.

Bill:  What the. . . My six opponents combined so not add up to one Bill Barnhart so this will be an extremely easy match for me to win. I could go over all the matches I have had against these guys but there is no need for me to do that. The only thing that matters is who the last wrestler in the the when the match is over. And, of course, that last remaining wrestler will be me and I will go on to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Bea:  Bill? Do you know if the elimination portion of your match requires that a wrestler gets thrown over the ring ropes and that they must land on the arena floor to be disqualified or if just throwing them over the ropes to the ring apron is enough for the disqualification?

Bill:  Most matches like this require that the person thrown over the ropes must land on the arena floor to be disqualified from the match. That is how I am approaching my match. This match will be an easy win for me.

Bea:  Please allow me to make something clear so that nobody in Sin City Wrestling will be confused. I will be at ringside for Bill’s match as I am legally and officially Bill’s Manager for his matches. I am not at ringside to interfere in the match. I am at ringside to ensure that, if by miracle or warp in time, someone manages to toss Bill over the ropes that the Referee does not automatically disqualify Bill from the match when he has not yet landed on the arena floor. I will not tolerate an on-the-take corrupt Referee cheating Bill out of a win.

Bill:  Thank you Bea. When there are seven wrestlers in the ring at the same time and there is always a chance the Referee might make a mistake. If they do make a mistake then you, as my Manager, have the right to challenge the Referee. At that point the Referee needs to stop the match for a short time to review the video of the action of the match. Replays on close or controversial calls is common in other sports so it should also be a common thing in the sport of Wrestling.

Bea:  Well, Bill, from what we have seen in the past we already know that several of the Referees have a bias against certain wrestlers so they tend to not see things that are so clear that a blind person can see them. I will ensure that whichever Referee is assigned to your match that they will call the match fairly and equally for all the participants.

Bill:  Thank you Bea.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO WIN THIS OVER-THE-TOP BATTLE ROYAL?

Bill looks sternly into the camera.

Bill:  I will now tell you what is will take to win this Battle Royal. Does it take being the largest wrestler in the match? Nope! Does it take being the quickest wreslter in the match? Nope! Does it take being the most intelligent wrestler in the match? Nope! Does it take being the most cowardly wrestler in the match so they can hide from the assaults from the other wrestlers? Nope!

Bea:  So, Bill, if all those items you mentioned are not determining factors on who will win the Battle Royal then what is the item, or items, that define who the winner will be?

Bill:  It is simple Bea. I had Satan come after me to obtain my soul for a long time. I finally got him to commit to a face-off I knew I would win and he would lose and the dipshit took the bait, agreed to the face-off, and he lost to me. Since the stipulation was if I won against him again that he would never be able to challenge me for my soul again for eternity. My half-brother, Chris Shipman, vowed to kill me and he tried dozens of times to accomplish that. But look at the current situation. I am still here. I am still alive. I am still active in the sport of wrestling. But where is Chris Shipman? Nowhere to be found. I have no clue if he is still along or long deceased and to be honest I do not care. I’ve also had incidents where biker gangs, gang members, drug dealers, and other criminals, tried to take me out and my intelligence and agility took them all out of action.

Bea:  How do those incidents relate to your upcoming match?

Bill:  Simple. The wrestler who will win this Battle Royal will be the wrestler who is able to easily fend off attacks while at the same time aggressively attack the others. It will be the wrestler who can take the blows and hits and give the other wrestlers ten times more hits and blows than what they did to him. It will be the wreslter who does not allow distractions to take his attention away from the match. The bottom line, Bea, is that I will win this Battle Royal and I will face the World Heavyweight Champion and and I will defeat him and become the next Sin City Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion.

Bea:  Glad I will be at ringside to witness your win first hand.

CLOSING COMMENTS

Bill:  For my opponents let me enlighten you. Caleb Storms? Yesterday’s trash. Jamie Dean? Tomorrow’s trash. Justin Smith? A moment in time that turned out to be a failure. Lyle Kasey Junior? A joke of a wrestler. Rodrigo Afonso? The man with the special briefcase but he does not know how or when to use it. And, finally, Teddy Warren. The wrestler who is probably the most unliked wrestler in the sport of wrestling.

Bill flashes a huge grin into the camera.

Bill:  I enter this Battle Royal as one of seven participants but I will leave this Battle Royal as the winner to face the World Heavyweight Champion for the Championship. It does not get easyer to understand than that.

Bill informs the camera person that he is done with his comments for his match at Climax Control 395, The camera person cuts their camera feed and our screen goes dark.

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Climax Control Archives / •-•Starting a Fire•-•
« Last post by Eiley on May 24, 2024, 05:27:04 AM »

OFF CAMERA
Location: Barcelona, Spain Airport
Date: January 2024
 
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Eiley felt majorly discouraged from life as she stepped off of the airplane and into the tunnel that led from the airplane and into the Barcelona airport. She hadn't ever really felt like this regarding her career in SCW before and she didn't enjoy the feeling that was consuming her entire thoughts. She couldn't think of anything other than being a failure of sorts and not being as good as she was once perceived to be. She felt as if she was letting Oliver down and the entire Jet City Sports Lab as well as Mikah's own gym. She wasn't feeling as if she lived up to Mikah's expectations and she was feeling dejected.

She was not too familiar with the Barcelona airport as Oliver had been the one that had taken care of all of the specifics the last time that they had flown here from the states. And those three weeks had been amazing but then reality set in and she lost to the try-hard and now she couldn't seem to find the energy to even care about her career anymore. Maybe she would just focus on being Oliver's supportive girlfriend and that was all that she would need in her life. Oliver and being his cheerleader. She could find another way to make money; she didn't need to rely on SCW to pay her salary.

If there was one thing about Eiley that a lot of people didn't know was that when she was focused on something, her attention was focused solely on that and not her surroundings. She was not aware of the man and woman that had followed her through the Denver airport and had boarded the same plane that she had when she had left the states. She was even less aware of the fact that they had been following her through the Barcelona airport, watching her and trying to decide what the best course of action was. If Eiley had been paying attention, she would have recognized the man as Kaleb, the one that she and Oliver had thought they had gotten rid of. But she wouldn't have recognized the woman that was with him.

Eiley stops at a counter to ask one of the airport workers a question about the location of a nearby bathroom. They tell her where it is and she gives them a kind smile.

••eiley•• “Thank you again.”

Eiley didn't wait for their response as she walked off in the direction that the airport worker had directed her in. She had to use the bathroom before she could figure out the easiest way to get to Oliver's apartment. She couldn’t necessarily remember the entire address to Oliver’s apartment so she was trying her best to recall it from her memory. She uses the bathroom and makes sure she still has her backpack with her as she walks to the sinks to wash her hands. She smiles at a woman that was washing her hands as she too gets a pump of soap and washes her hands before drying them off with a paper towel and tossing it in the trash can. She checks her reflection on her way out of the bathroom before heading toward the baggage claim, vaguely remembering that she would have to go through customs before she could obtain her suitcase from the baggage claim.

It took her a while to get through customs and she hadn't noticed the familiar face of Kaleb going through the next line over as she had been hyper-focused on the steps that she would need to take in order to get her luggage. She smiles politely at the agent before walking toward the baggage claim. She was sure that everybody's luggage should be going around on the luggage carousel by now. She walks in a slightly quicker pace, ready to be out of the airport and into the comfort of Oliver's place. She chuckled to herself, thinking how bizarre that sounded, even in her own brain. She could remember a time that her and Oliver could barely stand being in one another's company and now they were dating.

The baggage claim was just as busy as the main area of the airport had been, if not busier. She finds the right carousel and waits  for the suitcases to come around. After a few minutes, she finally sports her simple grey suitcase with purple tassels attached to the handle and grabs it off of the carousel. She was one step closer to being out of the airport and into the comfort of Oliver's apartment. She could almost feel the freedom and relaxation.

She walked in a hurried fashion to the exit to find a taxi that would take her to Oliver's apartment. She knew that she should send a text to Oliver to let her know that she had made it to Barcelona and that she’d be safe at his apartment soon, but she just wanted to get out of the airport first. She looks around before seeing a car that was seemingly by itself and not taking any other passengers. She hesitates before shrugging her shoulders and walking over. She knocks gently on the window and it rolls down and she frowns for a moment as she looks in the window to see a woman.

••eiley•• “Wh-what?”

She didn't have much time to process anything else as she felt a slight pinch in the side of her neck and then everything went black.

kaleb “Sweet, sweet, naive Eiley.”

He is quick to help her into the backseat of the car before grabbing her suitcase and putting it in the trunk. He had been sure to make sure that the car had been far enough up that it wouldn't be caught on the airport's cameras. He also made it look as if he was just helping Eiley into the backseat and that she hadn't been knocked out.

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OFF CAMERA
Location: Pennsylvania
Date: May 21, 2024

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The flight from France to Pennsylvania had been nothing out of the ordinary for Eiley and she had grown quite accustomed to the ins and outs of customs and all other types of security that most airports had now that she had flown in and out of a few different countries. While most people didn’t like airplanes, she didn’t mind them as they got you from point A to point B in a relatively quick fashion. However, the drive from the airport to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was something she wasn’t overly fond of.

••eiley•• “I hate riding in cars. Are we almost there?”

Kaleb was sitting next to her, staring out the window as the Uber driver was driving them from the Harrisburg International Airport to their hotel in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Kaleb sighs, growing irritated with the young woman’s impatience.

kaleb “Almost.”

The answer came out of his mouth in a gruff way and Eiley purses her lips together, frowning at the way his voice had sounded. But there wasn’t really anything that she could do about it.

••eiley•• “You know, you don’t always have to be so fucking grumpy.”

Kaleb’s eyes drift over the young woman’s face as an amused look spreads across his own. She falters but only a little but doesn’t look away.

kaleb “Maybe if you didn’t always fuck everything up, I wouldn’t always be so grumpy.”

Eiley raises an eyebrow at him and folds her arms over her chest in a huff. She doesn’t look away from him.

••eiley•• “How is it my fuck up!? You left the boat unattended, Kaleb. You thought it was okay to try to help me two weeks ago.”

A stormy look passes through Kaleb’s eyes as he narrows them at her, his demeanor and mood easily changing so swiftly. He moves just a little bit closer to her in the backseat of the car, not caring that the driver wasn’t too far from them and could overhear everything that Kaleb and Eiley were saying.

kaleb “And who’s fucking fault was it that I had to help you? You were fucking floundering and almost got you and your opponent eliminated from the tournament.”

His eyes were narrow and looked more like slits than eyeballs. It made Eiley feel on edge and she takes a deep breath, willing herself not to back down from Kaleb’s stare.

••eiley•• “But Mark and I didn’t lose and we didn’t get eliminated. I didn’t fucking need your help two weeks ago; I had it handled.”

Kaleb laughs, the noise coming from his mouth sounded anything but pleasant

kaleb “You would have never found that location to film your promo if it wasn’t for me, Eiley. Face it, you’re nothing but a sham of your ….”

But he stops, not finishing the sentence as his eyes move to the driver. He was now acutely aware of the driver and just how close the driver sat in front of them.

••eiley•• “You cannot blame everything on me, Kaleb. You need to take some accountability as well. I didn’t leave the boat unattended because you thought I needed your help when I didn’t. I had things handled.”

Kaleb just gives her another annoyed look as he didn’t want to really discuss it any further.

kaleb “Clearly you did because you did much better in your match. You needed a little moral support and who fucking else was going to give it to you? You have nobody else but me.”

A little bit of raw emotion flickers through Eiley’s eyes as she scoots away from him just a little bit to put some space between them.

••eiley•• “I don’t need your moral support, Kaleb! What I need for you is to not fuck things up. And you royally did by leaving your boat unattended. I thought you were going to have Haden watch it? Where the fuck was he?”

Kaleb just waves Eiley off, not worried about her concerns. The driver was trying his best not to eavesdrop but there wasn’t much he could understand anyways as they weren’t being completely clear as to what exactly they were talking about.

kaleb “Don’t worry about where Haden was; that is not your concern. You need to be focused on your match against Alexandra Callaway and her partner, Alexander Raven.”

Eiley frowns at him before shoving him a little but it does little to budge him. She pouts a little in frustration that her move had no effect on him.

••eiley•• “Yeah, well there’s a lot to fucking worry about when something that you were supposed to control and stop from fucking happening, happened, Kaleb. It’s not just your life that you’re messing with, it’s mine too. And I don’t fucking appreciate you meddling with it.”

Kaleb scowls just a little more at her, his eyes narrowed into slits once again.

kaleb “Just shut up, Eiley. You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about and all you’re good for is two things.”

Eiley goes to shove him but he grabs her wrist, narrowing his eyes again at her.

••eiley•• “You think that you hold all the cards, don’t you? But what you don’t realize is that I could ruin everything for you. Every. Single. Fucking. Thing. And then? You’d go to fucking prison.”

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ON CAMERA
Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Date: May 24, 2024.
 
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The scene opens up to an empty grassy field where the Gettysburg National Cemetery could be seen in the background, but in a good distance. In the middle of the grassy field, Eiley can be seen standing dressed in a simple pair of cut off jean shorts and a cropped black, tank top with her midriff showing. The grass was too long to be able to see what she was wearing on her feet, but it didn’t really matter as the camera focuses in on a what appears to be an empty bottle of kerosene off to her right. The camera moves a little bit and re-focuses on Eiley herself that holds a nasty little smirk on her face.
 
“I guarantee that none of you fucking idiots expected to see me last this long in this tournament. I bet all of you fucks expected me to be bounced out in the first or second round because there’s not one fucking person in the back that thinks I have what it takes to become big here in SCW. Everybody just fucking thinks I’m just another one of those Mikah-wannabes and that eventually, I’ll flame out. Just like fucking Ruby did.”
 
A sinister look passes through Eiley’s eyes as she stares into the camera, a serious and determined look in her eyes, all while holding a nasty, sinister look at the same time.
 
“Ruby won this tournament three years ago with my current partner, Mark. She won the opportunity to fucking go on and challenge for the Bombshell Championship. And what the fuck did she do? Fucking nothing. She did fuck all and couldn’t fucking get the job done. And what has Ruby done since then? Abso-fucking-lutely nothing. All she’s known for is being Courtney Pierce’s wife and some annoying twit that flitters around, thinking that she’s all important to SCW when SCW doesn’t give a fuck all about her or her presence. If anything, Ruby is a blemish on the record of this company.”
 
The wind picks up and Eiley scowls as her blonde hair is whipped around her face and gets in her eyes. She just tolerates it the best that she can before pushing it back in its rightful place.
 
“And some of you vacuous fucks are probably wondering why the fuck I’m talking about Ruby Steele in the first place when she is not my opponent on Sunday. And before you even ask, I know that she’s not my fucking opponent. But she is one of Mikah’s students or was. I do not really know where they stand or whether Ruby is anything other than a wife to Courtney. Not my fucking business and I don’t fucking care, either. The point is, Ruby was trained by Mikah before she won the Blast From the Past Tournament in 2021 and I’ve been trained by Mikah since 2022 and I’m already more successful that Ruby ever was in SCW and I’m the protégé that Mikah’s always wanted, not fucking Ruby Steele. She’s the one that people should have been criticizing, but instead you dumb fucks want to criticize me for being too much like Mikah. And maybe Ruby wasn’t exactly like Mikah, but if she didn’t have a trace of Mikah’s flare, then what kind of student was she?”
 
Eiley raises her eyebrows at the camera, still keeping that cold, sinister look on her face.
 
“Or maybe you vacuous fucks think that I have it wrong and that you shouldn’t emulate your mentor and instead, become your own wrestler. And maybe that’s what I have been trying to do but you insolent little pricks can’t seem to give me the time to prove that. Instead, you’d rather drone on and on about how I’m just another carbon copy of Mikah and not give me the chance to grow and prove myself to be my own person and to prove that I can take what Mikah’s taught me and make it my own. Instead you dimwits have to criticize and chastise every single fucking move that I make. And while I’m at it and still talking about Mikah and how she’s trained me and Ruby, I’ve already proven that I’m the best student that she’s trained; I beat Ruby Steele in a match over a year ago now, proving that I am the better student that has come from Mikah’s gym.”
 
She looks around the empty, grassy field before looking back at the camera, that nasty little smirk still stretched across her face.
 
“And before you all start to bitch and complain that I’m not getting to the point, the point is this: a student of Mikah’s has won the Blast From the Past Tournament in the past, and it can be done again. And it’s going to fucking be done again because I’m going to fucking win this tournament. And fucking forget last year’s try in the tournament, that shit doesn’t fucking count because I had a dufus for a partner that probably didn’t know how to fucking pin their opponent. This year? It’s different and it’s going to be fucking different.”
 
Eiley reaches into the pocket of her cutoff jeans shorts and pulls out a book of matches and her eyes dance in delight at the sight of them. She flickers her eyes up to the camera, that same sinister look reappearing as she eyes the matches and then the camera once again.
 
“Granted, Mark is rather annoying sometimes or so I’ve seen in previous episodes of Climax Control and he doesn’t know or didn’t know when to shut his trap, but he’s efficient in the ring. He knows what has to be done to win and granted, he’s no Oz but he’s alright. He’s putting in the work to make our team go as far as it has in this tournament. But if I had a choice, I’d take Oz over Mark any day. No offense Mark, or take offense, I really don’t fucking care. I’m not here to worry about one’s feelings, I’m here to prove that I am the next big thing to happen to the Bombshell division. And I guarantee that the lifeless Bombshell Champion doesn’t believe that I have it in me to win this match and that if I do go on to face her for the championship, that I won’t be able to beat her.”
 
Eiley rolls her eyes in sheer annoyance at the thought of it.
 
“And that witless wonder can think whatever she wants, if she can even do that. She’ll have every right to think that because it’s what she thinks she knows. She’s beat me in the past, so she feels and thinks that she won’t be able to lose to me in the future. But times are changing and things are changing and this tournament? It’s just a fucking stepping stone to what I want for my career. Plus, her and her moronic Tag Team partner have pretty much killed the mixed tag team division, so there’s no sense in going back there anyways. Nobody wants those championships after those two have tarnished and ruined the belts and the division. They’ve put the nail in the coffin on the division and they’re carrying around dead championships that nobody’s even remotely interested in anymore. It’s a moot point that they keep making about holding two championships. The other division? It’s dead, they’ve killed it with their dull reign.”
 
Eiley just shakes her head in pure disgust at the thought of the mixed tag team division being ruined.
 
“Speaking of the mixed tag team division…”
 
Her eyebrows raise with that smirk reappearing once again as she opens the book of matches and tears a match off. She carefully drags the match along the rough spot and a flame is there.
 
“My opponent on Sunday, Alexandra Callaway, was once very, very interested in the Mixed Tag Team division. She had a different partner other than Alexander Raven, but still. She had been very interested in the mixed tag team championships with Miles. However, the fire within her that pushed her towards getting those mixed tag team championships was easily extinguished by none other than myself and Oz.”
 
Eiley blows out the flame and drops the match into the grass. She stomps on it to make sure it can’t reignite before looking at the camera once more. She smirks again before looking at the camera.
 
“Granted, in that match I didn’t get the pin over Alexandra, so she can claim that technically I haven’t beaten her in a match. And if we were going on technicalities, I suppose the twit would be right. But since the loss is in the column for both her and Miles, it counts. I wasn’t scared to face Alexandra then and I’m not scared to face her again on Sunday but this time with a different partner on the apron on her side. It does not matter to me who the fuck her partner is because it’s going to have a similar result.”
 
Eiley pulls off another match and lights it again, watching how the flame dances on the match and flickers due to the wind. Her eyes seem fascinated with watching the flame dance and flicker before her eyes flicker up to the camera.
 
“You see Lexi, while the fire had been extinguished inside of you for the mixed tag team division and maybe even for going after the Bombshell Championship, it has only been reignited within myself.”
 
She looks at the bottle of kerosene before that evil, nasty little smirk covers her face as she tosses the lit match down on the grass and it catches on fire. However, it was arranged with stones that were coated in the kerosene to move the fire in a circle around Eiley and stay in that direct spot.
 
“While I was away, trying to decide what…I wanted to do with my life and my career, you had an opportunity to face the previous Bombshell Champion Julianna DiMaria for the Bombshell Championship. You had every fucking opportunity to capitalize on taking that championship away from her and starting your own reign. But you just couldn’t fucking find the fire to do so and like always, your flame flickered and it was soon gone as you failed to capitalize on your opportunity. You didn’t beat Julianna and you didn’t become the Bombshell Champion, just like you didn’t become one half of the mixed tag team champions back in June of 2023. I seem to see a pattern when it comes to you and championship matches and you’re beginning to become some sort of a choke artist when it comes to competing for them. It’s almost funny to watch.”
 
Eiley’s eyes drift down to the flames that were encircling her as they dance in the circle around Eiley.
 
“However, that must not be the exact truth, seeing as you are currently the reigning Bombshell Roulette Champion.”
 
Eiley scoffs a little and then turns it into a snicker of sorts.
 
“However, I’m not sure how much bragging rights you can claim because it seems like any Bombshell can win that championship without trying too hard. But hey, maybe that’s just my own opinion that holds absolutely no merit. But how many tries did it take you to win a championship here in SCW?”
 
Eiley smirks, that arrogance finally reaching her eyes, something that it had almost always faltered a little before.
 
“Do you know how many tries it took me to win the mixed tag team championship? One. Oz and I won it the first time that we fought for it. I believe that holds a lot more strength than whatever it is you will claim to have over me. But I suppose, it could be argued that it doesn’t matter how many tries it takes a person to win a championship, just that they do, eventually. But I believe that it matters how fast one can rise to the top in whatever division they are in and Oz and I did just that in July of 2023. But it’s okay for you to struggle, I understand that struggles come with age.”
 
Eiley winks at the camera, a vicious look in her eyes.
 
“There will be the talks of how your success is better than mine or something along those lines. You’ll talk about how I’m a disrespectful little brat or bitch, or something about how I don’t appreciate SCW that much. Or perhaps, you’ll call me a child again like you did on that stupid social media app when you took one of my tweets and used it to fit your own fucking narrative. You came at me on that stupid app and acted as if what I tweeted had been so horrible and that it had been against SCW, when there had been absolutely no fucking context in that tweet that related to SCW in the first place. But yet, you still tried to make it fit your own narrative to make yourself look better. Tell me, Alexandra, are you a fucking narcissist? Because I’ve met a lot of those fucking types of people and they’re the worst fucking kind. They try to make everything about them or whatever they’re using to fit how they see things and how they see the world.”
 
Eiley rolls her eyes in sheer annoyance.
 
“You used to think that a lot of my tweeting had to do with SCW or the wrestling industry as a whole, but you never did your research very well. That account was never used to promote my wrestling career, much to your own fucking dismay. There were never very many stand alone tweets about the company and only replies, that could barely even count that went against whatever SCW was promoting. But like the nasty little narcissistic bitch that you are, you had to try to prove that you were right. When in reality, if you did your fucking research, you would have found out that I didn’t and o not use that fucking account to promote anything about SCW. And do you know why I fucking choose not to promote SCW on that account?”
 
The sinister look that had disappeared momentarily from her eyes returns with a fiery vengeance as she stares into the camera.
 
“Because of brainless fucking twats like you. You fucking go looking for things that you can use against people that they’ve tweeted out on that social media app. Things that people probably do not even think about tweeting when they tweet them that will be used against them by brainless twats like you. You look for things that can be used against them in a promo just like this one that shouldn’t be used because social media is a fucking disease when it comes to shit like this. Sure, maybe a lot of my…”
 
Eiley makes a face of disgust as she says…
 
“Co-workers….”
 
She visibly shudders at saying the word before continuing on.
 
“Use it to do just that, promote their match and themselves. But I’m not fucking one of those robotic, brainless twits. You see…I started my account for my own personal pleasure and to post whatever the fuck I wanted as long as it didn’t have to do with SCW or wrestling content. I wanted to see how many times fucks like you would pick it apart to make it be something it clearly wasn’t. I posted pictures of myself with song titles as captions that were not aimed at you or any of my opponents in this ring. But clearly, most of these dimwits, you included Lexi, didn’t seem to understand. Or maybe they just didn’t fucking care, but nonetheless, if you haven’t noticed, my Twitter account has become a whole lot of nothing and it’s going to stay that way. I don’t want fuckwads like yourself trying to make it into something it’s not.”
 
She simply shrugs before her golden eyes look at the fire, a mesmerized look on her pretty face as the flames dance around her. She smirks to herself as she watches them dance in the wind, flickering in certain places but the first stayed where it was supposed to.
 
“Here’s some facts: yes, Oz and I lost the mixed tag championships to the brainless wonders that killed them, yes, we didn’t win them back two months or so later, and yes, I lost to the current brainless Bombshell Champion back in January, and yes I took a little hiatus. All of those are true and I have no doubt that you’ll use them against me, just as I used your own failures against you, Lexi. That is common knowledge of what we do as Bombshells and wrestlers in this company. We use our opponents’ past against them in order to feel as if we have a leg up on them or something that will gain us the advantage against one another in an upcoming match. I could comb through your entire history but I’m not Mercedes Vargas and frankly, it’s too time consuming to do. However, it’s natural for us to point out who’s failed more and who’s been more successful but…”
 
Eiley simply shrugs her shoulders.
 
“The past isn’t what matters because the only thing that’s going to fucking matter, is the future. The future is the only thing that is going to prove who’s the better competitor and who’s better in that ring and just like last time, Lexi, it’s going to be me.”
 
Eiley watches the fire again, the flames dancing in her eyes for a few moments or so.
 
“Just like this fire, the fire that I feel within me is going to be hard to put out. But you can sure as hell try your best, Lexi. I don’t have faith that you will be able to put it out but you can sure as hell fucking try. But just like Kate Steele and Melissa, you’ll realize that I’m not one to be stopped. You can try and I’m sure you will, but it’s not going to work out in your favor….I can promise you that.”
 
Eiley reaches down and grabs a fire extinguisher before using it to put out the ring of fire around her. She tosses the fire extinguisher down in the grass off to her right before smirking again at the camera.
 
“I’m the only one that can put out the fire. And that’s only if I want to.”
 
She smirks before walking away from the camera, letting the scene fade to black.
 
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29
Climax Control Archives / To have loved and lost...
« Last post by The Dragon on May 24, 2024, 04:41:13 AM »
Part 1 - To have loved and lost…

Now that I am here standing at the top of the cliff, I’m not exactly sure what to do next. The wind rushes around me, whipping my hair across my face and rippling the surface of the water below. I glance down at the exercise book-turned-journal in my hands. I started writing here, so it makes sense that I destroy it here. A burning would have been preferable if it weren’t for the fire ban in the national park. I could bury the journal, but someone might unearth it. The only way I can think to make it disappear is by tearing it to pieces. It’s a good thing it’s windy. The journal was psychologist-number-three’s idea. Over the last two years, I’ve imprinted my feelings onto its pages. And the simple fact is, I don’t want to be that person anymore. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝒷𝓇𝑜𝓀𝑒𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒.

At the time when I met Dylan, I managed to cover her in coffee, which was definitely not one of my finest moments. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she screamed at me and walked off, which was pretty much the stock reaction in a big city even for lesser crimes…but she was gracious enough to let me buy her a replacement, and we enjoyed each other’s company enough that we agreed to meet again later for a drink. I had no idea of the weight she carried on her shoulders…

The actual name of this place is Mackenzie Cliff, though I don’t know why. Everyone calls it Peace Rock because of the big peace sign graffitied on the front face of the rock. Considering the graffiti sits about five meters above the water, that’s quite an artistic achievement. I don’t know if the graffiti gave the rock its name or the rock’s name inspired the graffiti. Or it could simply be because this place -was- peaceful. That was before me. I breathe in the familiar eucalyptus smell of the bush that surrounds the pool, and close my eyes, listening to the sound of the waterfall. On some days the waterfall gushes, making it impossible to hear your thoughts. Other times, like today, it trickles into the pool. I can sit here for hours. This is the only place where no one expects anything of me, the only place I can’t disappoint anyone. With a deep breath, I open the journal and grab hold of the first few pages. The binding is tight and I have to wrestle them out. Things would be a lot easier if it was a nice spiral-bound notebook instead of a plain writing book. Dr Hayes said because it was so plain, I’d feel free to write without fear of making a mistake. She didn’t consider the implications of her choice on any future journal-destroying undertakings. I was against the idea of the journal at the beginning like journal-must-die sort of against it. It was the most unoriginal idea I’d heard, not only because Dr Hayes was supposed to be an expert in supporting people with amnesia or memory loss – which at first sounded like a WW2 experiment – but also because the sessions were costing more per hour than dinner at one of those expensive restaurants whose menus are full of words like jus and fondant. So I gave it a go.

It was later that evening, when she told me her story. She’d been found, washed up, no memory of her past life. She’d spent the last three years trying, and failing, to put the missing pages of who she was back together. Most everyone she shared that knowledge with didn’t know how to react, often shying away from the situation entirely, so she’d learned to keep it to herself a lot of the time. With me, it was different. In more ways than one.

The first few journal entries contain the word fuck a lot. I tear them in half, then in half again. The wind carries the squares of paper out of my hands before I even have a chance to outstretch my arm. I watched those weeks of my life get swept away over the water and disappear into the trees.

“You need to make some new memories, then”. The words fell out of my mouth so nonchalantly, as if it seemed the obvious solution. After all, to someone who’d spent as long as I had travelling the world, doing something I loved, exploring, adventuring and tourist-ing along the way? It was. To those she’d spoken to before, those forced to live paycheck to paycheck, it maybe hadn’t seemed quite so straightforward.


July 1st, 1863, midday
Battle of Gettysburg, Day One

It was, without doubt, the calm before the storm. General Lee and his army of Northern Virginia had made good progress on day one of the battle. General Daniel Sickles and his III Corps had been ordered to take up position on Cemetery Ridge. A gathering of Union forces double-checked their equipment, and tested their rifles ready for an onslaught. Had the Confederate forces pushed their advantage into the night, it could have been a different story, but instead the soldiers seemed calm, well-rested, and prepared.

The General approaches one of his officers with a slight change of plan.

Sergeant Cross.

Yes, General Sickles?

I need you to take these men and establish us in the peach orchard up there, we want the high ground.

From a few paces away, the conversation catches the attention of another Union soldier, a young female.

Yes sir.

The Sergeant, with one last check of his pack, prepares to move out with the members of his Corp. A voice from behind stops him in his tracks.

Mark?

Don’t worry, Dylan…I remembered my bulletproof cloak this morning.

As he leans in to kiss her on the cheek, he gives her hand a reassuring squeeze.

You’d better come back to me.

I always will.

With a smirk and an almost ironic salute, young Sergeant Cross slings his pack over his shoulder, setting off in the direction of the slope, and the Sherfy family peach orchard.

I flicked through the next few pages of the journal. A lot of them are tear-stained. I don't believe in wiping tears away, I believe in letting them fall. What's the point of crying otherwise? Looking through these pages, I realised how much I wrote, despite my initial feelings. I wrote almost every day, most of the time here at the cliff. It isn't just words that fill these pages; there are pictures I drew, photos I'd taken, useless things I'd found and kept. Beautiful, painful and tragic. And now, all of it has to go. What would Dr Hayes say if she saw me now? She would ask how I feel. And as much as I love Dr Hayes, I hate this question. All psychologists ask it. The answer is never as simple as they'd like to think. Feelings don't line up in a neat row all nicely categorised, like my shoe collection. They're more chaotic and unorganised. The last time I visited Dr Hayes was at the end of the year before she left for the UK to see her daughter and new grandchild. A colleague is filling in for her while she is away, but I refuse to see anyone else. So until she comes back, I'm on my own. When I first walked into her office I was unrecognisable and I still am. I don’t know myself any more now than I did then. My efforts make me breathless, so I stopped for a moment. The birds chattered noisily in the trees around me. I find the noise peaceful. The birds, like the waterfall, never stop. I turn my attention back to the journal and continue tearing out  the pages until I reach a photo. That's how I know that I've come to the beginning. It's in a news clipping from the day I was found. My fingers gripped a handful of pages and pulled them taut. I wish I could slip into the pages of my journal and rewrite everything that happened that night. But there was nothing I could do. My hold on the journal tightens. It's better to erase that part of my life, pretend that it never happened. I tear the pages, into the smallest pieces possible. The wind carries them away like ashes. As I watched them lift higher and higher, I remember the first thing I saw on that night. The water’s edge lapped at my fingertips. Unable to move, unable to breathe. The sound of laughter makes me freeze. I looked towards the bush track that comes down from the car park, but I don't see anyone. I listened carefully, but when I don't hear it again I figure it must have been a bird. It would be around 9 o'clock now. People will start arriving soon with their towels and picnics. I need to finish this. There are only a few pages left clinging to the spine of the exercise book. There are a few recent entries, followed by a couple of crisp white, lined pages. This year can be different. It has to be different, because if it's not, then what sort of future will I have? I shake my head I don't want to think about it right now. All I want to think about is forgetting the past, starting over. In one chunk, I rip out those final pages, rip them up and, like that, they're gone, dancing through the air. I feel I should say something to mark this moment, but everything I think of sounds stupid in my head. The word that comes out of my mouth surprises me. “Jump.” I stand up and move forward until my toes touch the edge. I look at the still water below. “Don't think, just jump,” I say. But I can't make my feet move any more than I can make myself remember.

After three years of little progress, all it took was that one conversation, and a suggestion. An invite to join me at my home in Florida, to tag along on a mini road-trip out to my next planned show in Orlando, see a few sights along the way. It wasn’t romantic at first, I just wanted to help her, and seeing the state I’d fallen in love with through fresh eyes? It wasn’t exactly tough for me…but we fell hard…I found my partner in crime, my travel buddy…someone who could keep up with my crazy, match me every step of the way-


July 1st, 1863, late evening
Battle of Gettysburg, Day One

With the III Corp spread too thin between the Peach Orchard and Little Round Top, gaps formed in the line, making it impossible to hold the higher ground Sickles had so desperately wanted. Sergeant Cross joined in with the artillery battery in the withdrawal, helping to drag the gun backward with every shot, using the recoil of the weapon to aid in the movement.

Back the way they came, however, General William Barkdale and his men had been closing in on the Union position, and on General Sickles’ base of operation near the Trostle barn.

Seeing the position under siege sent the officer on a frenzy, searching for the girl he’d left behind just a day prior. As he found her-

D-Dylan, no…

The war was of little consequence anymore.

Hi Mark.

The battle had raged long, supplies of ammunition had grown scarce, and at times, the fighting had gotten up close and personal. As the Sergeant finally found his lover, it was on the ground, in a slick pool of her own blood, the puncture wound of a Confederate bayonet in her side.

Medic! S-somebody help her! MEDIC!

Desperate, the young man screamed at the top of his lungs. Weak legs finally collapsed as he fell to his knees by Dylan’s side, desperately pressing down against the wound.

They already tried, Mark.

No…no it can’t…

Only one of us is…bulletproof, remember?

I should…I should have given you the cloak…please…please don’t leave me…

Mark, I need you to listen-

Not wanting to believe it, not wanting to watch the life drain from her face, he remained with his head bowed, tears flung from side to side as he shook his head in a futile attempt at denial.

Please don’t-

Mark!

Even in such dire condition, she carried a kind of authority in her voice, the kind that even someone as stubborn as he he might listen to.

S-sorry…

I need you to know, Mark…you gave me my life back. You gave me more hope for my future in two weeks than two years in therapy ever did. You were fucking exhausting, all the time, but I’m so lucky you chose me.

I love you, Dylan-

I love…you…

With her last, dying breath, Mark leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her lips to send her on her way…and with that, she was gone…

They say it’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. Then someone took my Dylan from me, and trust me, if I ever meet the person who coined that phrase? I’ll be telling them to go fuck themselves.

I can’t tell you why…I don’t know, if maybe she just left, disappeared without a trace, recaptured her old memories and decided I absolutely wasn’t for her. I don’t know if someone from her past life, maybe they recognised her, from my social media, that time she made the highlights for slide tackling me on the SCW tour in Europe…I don’t know…but there was no note, no ransom. Her phone was switched off, never came back on again, not even months later, believe me I’ve tried-

In the end, they stopped returning my calls, the police, that is. In the end I guess they got bored of saying it was in the hands of the FBI, that they’d contact me directly.

They never did. The agent I was given as a contact never called me back, never responded to my emails, my attempt to go down to their field office only resulted in being forcibly removed…it was weird.

It was like…I don’t know…I know Dylan was stabbed, when she was found…and nobody wanted to speak to me?

I don’t know…I keep thinking the FBI either lost one of their own…or re-captured someone they REALLY wanted back…but she didn’t seem the type…not a Field Agent or criminal mastermind, she was just…she was just mine…

After our first trip around Florida? Dylan stopped caring about her past, we both did. We focussed on our lives, our futures, our memories that we’d make together.

Maybe I should have done more…

Part 2 - …or to have never loved at all…

Pennsylvania State Memorial
Gettysburg
Present Day

We are greeted by a bright, sunny day in Pennsylvania, the light streaming through the trees as Mark “The Dragon” Cross walks soberly through the National Military Park, arriving a few moments later at the memorial. The monument stands along Cemetery Ridge, marking the Union battle line, and commemorating the 34,500 soldiers who fought across three vital days in the American Civil War.

Now I’m not one for documenting historical sites like this. You see the tour vlogs, to Auschwitz, to Chernobyl, and while nearly two decades in pro wrestling has taught me there’s nothing better than a little cheap heat…to me it always seemed a little disrespectful, the kind of moment you should experience alone.

This time though…I feel like I want to make an exception, because this one…this one hit me in a way that other site so poignant ever has before…maybe it’s what I’ve been going through the last few months, everything finally coming to a head but…umm…the love of my life, she either…she either left, or she was taken, I don’t know. I’ve struggled with that a lot.

I’m still struggling with it a lot.

In truth, I shouldn’t have signed up for this but yet…it feels more important than ever that I am still here competing. Like I’m honouring her somehow.

The thing was, Dylan loved to watch me wrestle. She said it made me look youthful, energised. It wasn’t like I wasn’t energised on a daily basis of course, driving her crazy with my early alarms to train, my impulse purchases, my next crazy project…but she also got to see me behind closed doors, tweezing out the grey hairs, or helping wipe off the black stains on the top of my ears when I’d been a little too exuberant with my bottle of Just for Men.

When I’m in that ring, and when that bell sounds, I transform into that mythical creature, the moniker I adopted from my first, terrible match in front of maybe 20 people, and carried through multiple World titles and crucially? Two Blast from the Past victories. The Dragon does it again. I may talk about the people I’ve lost…people who supported me on this journey, Dylan, my Dad…but I’m not like that Harris boy. Even when they’re missing, presumed dead I’m still not here for anyone but me.

I don’t keep a journal - This is my therapy.

You can rip whole chunks of my heart away from me outside of that ring, and trust me, life has done that more than a few times over the last forty years - But when I step through those ropes? Trust me, I’m completely whole again, and if anything, just a little bit more pissed off at the world with each passing year.

An anger that only kicking someone hard in the face, over and over again, can quell. At least until the next time.

So, like always, I put my head down, and I focus on the next opponent, and to that end, I’m sorry bird man, you didn’t quite get your wish. Artie falls into the clutches of Sean Parker, and you don’t get to make it to the Final. That’s unfortunate. It’s unfortunate, because I recognise that the potential of this match-up SCREAMS for the fanfare of a Supercard. It’s unfortunate, because I like this new conspiracy-theorist side to you…the veil of deception bullshit is way more spicy than the woe-is-me-how-can-I-buy-a-win version of you I faced in that very ring before. After all - You’re a completely different competitor now, completely transformed.

Your only problem? I’m exactly the same as I was back then.

I’ve done the things you’ve failed to accomplish. World title win. Blast from the Past, twice.

I see your big words, your bravado, how you’re going to tear the fucking world apart, how you’re going to rip a person’s whole life to shreds and with that I say welcome to the club. Welcome to the world where you’re finally willing to do everything in your power to get that victory. I think that may be one of the biggest reasons why you’ve started to turn your career around since we last met in a ring. You’re finally realising that it’s not just about working hard, training hard, and wrestling well. Good at the ol’ graps, you said of Ben Jordan, wasn’t it?

You’re finally starting to realise what needs to be done to reach the very top of the pyramid, no matter what the cost. You’re seeing what sets the likes of me ahead of a lot of those other past champions you’ve name-dropped, and to that end…how are things between you and Luna, lately?

Seriously, Lexi-baby-daddy, how have things been going between you two lately, as I can’t help but notice something of a pattern. This new-found determination of yours, this plan you have to pin the whole world’s shoulders to the mat and count 1-2-3, while you chase some form of higher power and enlightenment or whatever…I mean from the outside looking in…I’d say there’s some cracks appearing in the foundations of your relatiobship, right? Little stress fractures that were nowhere to be found when you were Mr. Unlucky, when you were the butt of everyone’s jokes. There are barriers to success, Raven, something has to be number one and after a while…if you push someone to second place…they won’t wait forever for you to realise your mistake, before they walk away from you,

I’ve loved and I’ve lost in my forty years on this earth. Some of you have seen those moments here on Sin City Wrestling…The gun that was held to my head, unless I revealed where I was hiding Micaela, on the run from her ex-husband…Hadley Wyatt…who I’d probably be living the American Dream with right now if only I’d hung up my wrestling boots and accepted that commentary position, taken my retirement plan early…Chase, the fiery redhead that you’ve never met…scared of running off with me to the middle of nowhere, away from prying eyes, knowing the draw of the ring would eat away at me until I couldn’t take it any longer or most recently, to Dylan…my travel buddy, who cemented herself in SCW history for her two-footed slide tackle when I was clowning around with the soccer ball…who I was too busy making happy memories for that I forgot to protect her.

The truth is, though…they knew. They all knew.

They understood my work came above all else, even them…and sometimes, if you truly love someone, you have to let them go to be at their happiest. Even if that happiness isn’t with you.

I’ve sacrificed a lot, Alex, I’ll tell you that. I’ve sacrificed a lot, because I know, deep down in my heart, that I can’t give myself to someone like they give themselves to me. It’s often the case in a relationship that someone loves the other a little bit more…wants them more…needs them more, but I’ve taken that to extremes. I’ve tried to walk away, it keeps pulling me back. I’ve tried to take a lesser role, my results catapult me right back to the top.

I learned a long time ago, anyone who walks into my life will play second fiddle to my career…and until that stops being the case? All I’m going to bring is suffering at the end. Are you prepared to do the same?

I guess for you, Alex, we’re going to see where the future really lies for you on Sunday. I see you standing at something of a crossroads. You veer to the left, you stop being so angry at everyone and everything for contributing to ‘your downfall’...like the universe is all in some WhatsApp group chat and we’re posting our best Raven memes…you go back to being the man Luna fell in love with, maybe you go on another Internet title run, you can still march around and tell us that you transformed the division or whatever…keep a nice work/life balance, all things considered…or you veer to the right. You set about throwing every cheap shot you can, you pull apart relationships, parenting skills, every shitty thing we ever did while we were young and dumb in college, dig into the vices that some work so hard to keep off-camera, and off the radar of the random drug tests. You can prove that you really are ready to do whatever it takes to keep going.

Then you really can prove you’re on my level.

You see you really are just a year removed from that failure to win the World championship…just a year removed from failing to capture that Internet title belt where you looked so dominant for a while, and really, if we’re totally honest with ourselves, that’s your level, right? That’s the space Aiden Reynolds wanted to be in one day, because he recognised right off the bat that it wasn’t in his wheelhouse, not yet. You could push through that, sure, but growth in wrestling, it’s not like a global pandemic, the graph isn’t exponential. There’s periods of plateau-ing, where you start to hit that ceiling.

Are you at your ceiling, Alex? Are you just riding a wave of momentum, knowing it just takes the right calibre of opponent to stop you in your tracks?

You reel off names of your past victories, your past scalps, the men they used to be, and yet-

You don’t mention my name.

Is that because you’ve yet to cut off my head? Is that because you can’t believe you can?

Your new approach, Raven? I mean you’re more than welcome to try…but when things away from the ring are already seven shades of fucked…when I’m training harder than ever before just to distract myself? You can’t do any damage there, and oh, and for my first love, for wrestling, for the gladiatorial spirit? Trust me, that is one area where you definitely can’t get to me. Wrestling’s been my sole focus, my life blood, for longer than you can even fathom. Before this last year, Raven? This was just a job for you. This was money in your pocket so you wouldn’t cry yourself to sleep every week because you lost again. This is a head of steam, a hot streak, a purple patch…and just as quickly as you turned things in your favour?

It could all flip-reverse back the other way.

After all, a giant snowball starts off as something small enough that it can fit in your hands.

Maybe I just need to start the ball rolling, and another year later? You could be the butt of all our jokes again.

Just like that partner of yours, apparently, although for very different reasons.

I’ve heard Alexandra Calaway has a reputation of sorts…where you only have to breathe the wrong way to find a place on her social media block lists…and I guess while there’s two sides to every story, the truth always ends up falling somewhere in between, right? There’s a pattern emerging, it seems, of people who step into this business, hand out a few sharp words, because that’s what they think has to be done, only to throw their toys out of the pram when someone returns the favour and if that’s the case with you, Alex Callaway? You can add me to that list as well, because I’ve already wasted time on Reynolds and Harris, I don’t have the time to mingle with pretenders.

You have to have a thicker skin if you want to step into the wrestling business. Ability can take you places, sure, can’t deny that, but there are a whole host of people who have built careers around not needing to rely on that asset. You can have all the ability in the world, but the industry is full of opponents who know how to obscure the view just enough that the referee doesn’t see the low blow, the eye gouge. You may be able to out-wrestle someone but what if they keep surging forward, trying to maul you with a seemingly endless tank of gas, and that killer instinct burning in their eyes, never letting you get into a rhythm. Your partner’s started talking about doing the very same thing, you know it exists. You can block an opponent who chirps at you on Twitter, purge them from your timeline…but with it? You tell them that they got to you. You have to walk into the same arena, where they connect a not-so-accidental shoulder bump as they brush past. You’ll have their voice in their ear, talking you down the whole time you’re out there, trying to get under that skin of yours, right out there in the middle of the ring, where you need to be at your best.

To me? All part of the game. I expect to receive it, and I can guarantee I’m ready to give it back with interest. To you? Maybe it affects you a little more than most. Maybe it’s a sign you’re not really cut out for this long-term.

While we may not actually lay hands on each other, Alex…you and your partner are in my way, and I’ll repeat what I’ve said before…as my opponent, I’m not going to be fucking nice to you. You’re not going to be exempt, and if I can get a little edge on you…a few days before…at the arena…just before we’re due to walk out there…while I’m working out of your corner, you can guarantee I’ll be taking it.

Can you handle that? Or will you crumble, because you can’t hide behind your block walls out there.

I may sound like a broken record, recycling old phrases to use again, but look at where we are, look at what we’re doing. There’s an irony to this whole tour. The fact there’s so many battlegrounds we can visit, in different parts of the world, from different points in time…we’re only scratching the surface of how deep this runs, and it’s just one huge example of history repeating.

You’ve talked about changing your fortunes with Raven since your last attempt at this didn’t go so well…but let me tell you what HISTORY says is the more likely, what statistics say is the more likely outcome.

You continue to fall before the last hurdle.

Mark “The Dragon” Cross goes on to win yet another Blast from the Past. Thirty plus wins, three Blast from the Past victories, two World title reigns.

I’m not looking to change history here.

I don’t need to.

I just need to play the role I always play, and you and the bird man will just stay true to form.

My place in the final is inevitable.

As The Dragon moves out of shot, we are left with the image of the monument, the choir of bird song, and a feeling of eerie peace, given the history here. The scene fades to black.
30
Climax Control Archives / A Window Into the End
« Last post by Alexander Raven on May 24, 2024, 02:13:48 AM »
A Window Into Everything
Scene One | Off-Camera

“Sean showed me this thing. I don’t know what it was. But it felt so real, you know? I saw us in that house. Like we used to talk about. Jimmy was still alive. Fuck, I can still feel his hand on my shoulder, you know? I could smell my brother again, for just a moment. But now it’s all I can think of. And…” Luna began to trail off.

“And there was a baby.” Alex said, like something clicked in his head. Puzzle pieces falling into place.

“How did you know that?” Luna asked. Alex looked at her, and shook his head a little.

“I put on his mask. I saw everything.”

Weeks Earlier

“I need your body, Alexander. I need access to your soul. This is a big ask, I am aware. Though it is not comfortable to offer your body as a vessel for what is essentially… a god. The TRIAD can give you everything you desire, and in turn? Give me the freedom to finally be free of the shackles that these beasts have put on me.” Mors went on.

“And if I do that? What do I get out of it?” Alex asked, his head throbbing now. His brain screamed at him to leave, yet his body refused to budge even an inch.

“I will give you James. Once I’ve been freed, I’ll have power beyond the reckoning of any person this universe, or any, have ever seen. My grudge lies not here, and I am infinitely consumed by curiosity at the musings of humanity. Yet I need to be able to see it with my own eyes. Touch with my own hands. You give me freedom, and I will give you anything. I will use your body, and together? Together we will bring your friend home.”

Alex turned to look at him. Looked into the eyes of the man wearing James’ face. The smile never seemed to reach his eyes.

“I’ll do it.” Alex said.

Mors nodded, the smile slipping. He pulled the mask from his robes and reached forward. Placing it upon Alex’s face.

He saw everything.

And then it went dark.

In that darkness a flash of light. A swirl of colours and shapes. Voices filled his mind. Whispers, thousands of souls asking for release. Asking to be freed. He saw infinite moments in time. Times where he accepted the mask, times where he refused it. Worlds where he was already Vita Mors. Everything flowed in and out in that moment, and everything continued on.

His hands went to his head, squeezing at his skull. His brain felt like it was going to explode, every moment another infinite possibility. Worlds where Lauren had never died, worlds where James was alive. Universes where he never became a wrestler, and ones where he never lost a match. Homeless, limitless wealth. Not just his own but that of every other person he’d encountered. Then as quickly as it all started, it stopped.

Darkness filled the space once more.

He pulled the mask from his face, and breathed deeply. His chest heaving, his brain screaming at him. Where Vita Mors had once stood, there was just an empty space. The entire office was empty. There was nobody with him. Just himself standing in that room, looking out the window into the infinite nothingness. The absence of everything. Holding that mask in his hand, he looked down at it. An almost irresistible urge to place it back on his face.

His mind struggled to comprehend everything he had just seen. Everything he had just experienced.

“It is a bit to take in, I apologise. Though no preparation in the world would’ve helped you to even mildly comprehend what was to come. Through my eyes, you see everything. Through my eyes, you can see what it is that I deal with. The infinite and limitless cosmos. Alas, such understanding and power does not come without limitation. With you, however? I may be free.” Vita Mors voice echoed around inside his mind. Soothing the thumping and pounding going on inside his skull.

“I feel like I’m already going to come to regret this.” Alex thought to himself, and now… Vita Mors. He held the mask loosely, turning around and attempting to leave it on the desk.

“You will need to take that with you, I’m afraid. Turn you off, turn me on. Like a light switch. Protect you, protect me. Stop a forceful possession, if you will. Though, I like to think of us as temporary co-inhabitors.” Mors voice came again. Swirling in his mind. His fingers tightened on the mask and he sighed.

What had he gotten himself into?

Present Day

“He’s been pretty quiet since. I haven’t put the mask back on. I’ve seen him in a few places. A few times. Whenever I think it’s just an illusion, there he is to remind me. Jesus christ, what the fuck have I gotten myself into, Lu?” Alex said, slumping against the bartop. His mind throbbing as he finishes retelling Luna what he could remember. How does one even explain something like that?

“Maybe we should get some holy water. Give you a bath in it.” Luna teased gently. Trying to alleviate the situation a little. To ease the tension of it. To bring some ease back to the situation. He appreciated it, truly.

“So, miss lady. How do you feel about dancing? I’m pretty sure these walls are mighty soundproof, and I do like to get a boogie on when I’m a few whiskeys deep with you?” Alex rubbed his face, knocking back the last of his drink. Luna beamed at him. Smiling from ear to ear.

Things were upside down. The least they could do was attempt to have a night of normalcy. Reality was there was a chance they were going to have a hard time of it soon. An unwinnable situation. What happens when The Conspiracy is on opposite ends, in the final?

Crossing off the List
Scene Two | On-Camera

“He’s a cocksure arrogant cunt that Petey boy. Busted face, near broken neck, and a half a heartbeat between losing his championship as well as being eliminated from the tournament. He learnt that I am not the weak link in any team. He learnt that when I am focused, there ain’t no one that can step to Alexander Raven. He learnt the same lesson I taught Ben Jordan. That I teach to every person, every single fucking time that I step between these ropes. That I walk down to this ring. That I stand in the backstage area and simply glower at. Everyone is learning a fundamental fact.”

“You don’t fuck with Alexander Raven.”

“But Peter just can’t admit things that don’t fall within his narrative of arrogance and bullshit. To act like he did anything but fucking survive. That he did anything but run away when the risk got just slightly too high. Petey boy, I want you to know. I heard the bullshit you spewed last week. I heard the bullshit you used to justify your inadequacies. The glass and fragile man, who hides behind passive aggression. What are you going to do when you fail next time, Peter? I think I know.”

“I think you'll pack your bags, leave and blame the world for your shortcomings. Blame everyone else because it’s not your fault. It’s not your fault that the weakest link in your own life is yourself. I want you to know, I don’t blame you, Peyotr. I don’t blame you in the slightest for being a slimy, shitkicker. Just know, when the bell tolls and we come nose to nose again. Dropping you on the top of your head is going to be the least of your worries. So for your sake, Peter. Let us hope we don’t cross paths again. For your sake. I really don’t want your blood on my hands… again.”

“But that brings me to this week. To the heater team. To the team I expected might be across from the ring from me in the finals. Mark Cross and Eiley. The shadow of her former self Eiley, and the screaming for attention wannabe big man, Mark Cross. How lovely it is to see you both again. A little more recent in embarrassment for you, Mark. Eiley and myself only ever have crossed paths the one time. When they took the Mixed Tag Team Championships, and beat down myself and Luna for it. Embarrassing for us, but poetic enough. I was in a slump, and Luna didn’t need me. Hell, Luna still doesn’t need me. She’s a queen, and a successful killer in her own right.”

“And there’s nothing more terrifying than the idea that this is all going to come down to either her or me. That’s the biggest malarkey in this whole thing, and yet. It is poetic too. That us, The Conspiracy, will be the ones to determine it all in the end. The two people that everyone just beats down and rips to shreds. That they think we don’t have feelings. That we can just be insulted, over and over and we’ll just keep taking it. No more. We’re not standing for it anymore. So when it does come down to it, and it will. You can cry yourself to sleep over it Mark. You can cry yourself to sleep over it Eiley. This isn’t your game to win, but boy. It is your game to lose.”

“So let us talk a bit about it, shall we, Mark? Last time I saw you, you were trying to step outside your realm of success. Taste the field, and in turn. You ran into me. Strength Trials Tribulations. I almost ran the full gauntlet, and you? You fell to me. You couldn’t hang in that field, Mark. You couldn’t even keep up with Alexander Raven. Yet here you are, once again trying to throw your weight around. That’s all you ever come back for, right? Words of admission from your own mouth.”

“You only do the work you think is worth doing, and it is only worth doing when you get things the way you want them. Disrespect is what it is, Mark. Disrespect for me, for this business, for wrestling as a whole. You’ve won the big belt here before, in fact. You won the Blast from the Past tournament that year too. And you held the big title for less than two fucking months. Highlight of your career here. A former world champion, and one of the most forgettable. Yet, every six to twelve, you come back. You throw your hat in the ring again, and pretend like you actually matter. You throw yourself to the wolves and hope. Hope that this time it sticks. That this time, because there are no Mac Banes, or Alex Jones or Kris Ryans around to put you back in your spot.”

“Bravado is what I would call it. Over-confidence that you belong in this pool of piranha. Unfortunately for you, Mark. This isn’t your triumphant return. This isn’t your journey of proof. Your attempt at validating the horseshit you spew. Just like Peter, an arrogant little shitheel who thinks that their passive aggression and unassuming look will let you simply fly under the radar. Let you be underestimated, so you can capitalise on the shortcomings of those around you. Unfortunately for you, Marky Mark. I’ve done this tango before. I’ve seen you actually work at it. I’ve seen you attempt to raise your stock, and nothing. Nothing could be further from the truth. You seem to have this delusion currently.”

“I know a bit about delusion, Mark, but you have this delusion. This idea that you were the one they wanted to come in and take out Michael Harris. In a world of Jack Washingtons, J2Hs, Goth and Finn Whelan. Retirees like Kris Ryans and Alex Jones, and hell. Even the boy I taught a bloody lesson to in Ben Jordan. You deluded yourself into thinking that you were the one slated to change it all. In no world but that which exists in your own fucking head, were you ever going to be even an after thought in the conversation of Michael Harris. Forgettable and forgotten in the same breath. You, Mark. You’re a contender, but you’re never the guy. You’re not the one that gets sought out, but you are always seeking.”

“Seeking another step up, another way to glory. Seeking another joke to make because in joking you can hide from the truth. The truth that no matter how good you are, no matter what you do. No matter how many times you come back and try, try and try again. It always comes to the same thing. You can’t hang with the crowd of today, you get embarrassed and you walk. You walk away and you go into hiding. Then in six, twelve, eighteen months. You stick your head out again, and squawk to the heavens. Yell to the skies about how good ‘The Dragon’ Mark Cross is. You tell everyone that you are the man to watch, the future king of the mountaintop. The guy who brings the crowds and money. Reality dawns on you this week, Mark.”

“This week, you’ve got the true face of Sin City Wrestling standing across the ring from you. My career 50th match here in Sin City Wrestling. You’ve got the real person that brings the crowds. The man people pay money to see. Be it in victory or defeat, it doesn’t matter. What does matter, is that Alexander Raven is fucking indispensable in this company. You up and leave, and nobody bats a fucking eye. I ask out of my contract and I get threatened with legal action. Demands to keep me here. Refusal to simply let me walk, because the truth of it all? They don’t need you, but they do need me.”

“You know what else you need to think about, Mark? What fucking chance have you got against Finn Whelan? It’s been three years since you last even came close to being worth a damn here. Jack Washington isn’t fit to wipe the boots clean of Finn Whelan. A guy who could actually go toe to toe with the men you couldn’t even wipe the nose of. You aren’t getting any younger, you aren’t even getting any better. You just jump from week to week, hoping that something sticks. Well, let this stick, Mark. Let this stick and try not to be bogged down by the weight of it.”

“You couldn’t step to me last time we banged our heads. You can’t step to Finn Whelan. Hell, I don’t even think you could lock horns with Sean Parker or Peter Vaughn and come out looking anything less than shitheel you are. Sean’s got your number, I’ve got your number. Finn definitely has your number. So I have to ask, Mark. When you thought this was a good idea, what was running through your mind? What was digging at your heels? Truth of it? I think you’re just not sure anymore, Mark. I think you’re starting to realise that all of this is just beyond you. You want one more run of it. One more go to prove that you're worth a lick of salt in this business. Except… you get closer to the truth with each encounter. You aren’t even close to being good enough. You’re a man, who in this company? The highlight of your career is going to be being champion for a couple of months, and being one of the most forgettable members of its roster.”

“I don’t like you, Mark. I’ve made that crystal clear. I don’t think you’re half the talent you think you are, and I don’t believe you’re half the man you once were. So when that bell rings, I want you to know. That match number fifty, is going in the W column for Alexander Raven. When the crowd roars when you land a punch, or a kick. Know that they aren’t roaring because of you. They’re roaring because of me. Without me, you’re just a forgettable stand in. I’m hardest trial you face in this tournament, and the final one. Because you don’t get to beat me, Mark. You don’t even get to lace my fucking boots.”

“It isn’t all about you though, is it, Mark? No, the pretty little thing that is your partner for this tournament, Eiley. She’s the one to really watch. Young, effortless, and wildly more talented than yourself. Eiley is the one to watch here. As much confidence as I have in Calaway being able to hold her off, I’ve experienced the wiles of the Jet City youth before. Unfortunate that we never offered an opportunity to take the belts off them. A common repeated practice of malice and misdirected disdain. An attempt at punishing those who won’t submit to the wiles and corruption of Mark Ward and Christian, I am sure. Regardless, it doesn’t matter in the long term.”

“What does matter is you, Eiley. The woman so desperate to separate herself from the shadow of Mikah. Something you expound upon, over and over, yet you can’t even get through a few breaths before you feel the inevitable need to bring her up. Over and over you do it. Bring her up, talk her up and then leave yourself as a scrambling little gnat needing the admiration and acceptance of her better. Third match back for you, Miss Eiley. Isn’t that right? And every week you’ve been booked, you’ve come out and said the same thing. Over and over, you keep saying it. Mikah this, and Mikah that. This is what she did, this is what I have to distance myself from. Blah, blah fucking blah. Who are you, Eiley?”

“I need to know, because right now? I don’t have any fucking idea who you are. A scared little girl living in the shadows of those who she believes to be the world. Oliver Zahn, Kris Ryans and this Mikah. Eiley, the girl who is too afraid to be her own fucking person. The girl who cannot step to the plate because lord forbid that she has to do something without the guiding hand of someone better. Nobody cares for a reflection of someone else. Nobody cares for a woman who cannot stand on her own two feet. Nobody cares for a rambling little bitch who has no identity. You want to win this tournament? You want to redeem yourself Eiley? Step out of the fucking shadows. Step into the light. Be someone or get the fuck out of the way.”

“I have no tolerance for those who simply crumble. Another flighty little mouse who falters and falls at any level of failure. You lost the Mixed Tag Team belts, so what? Pick yourself back up and do something about it. Fight for what you deserve if you actually give a damn. Maybe that’s it? Maybe you’re so stuck in these ideas of who you could be, who you should be. You can’t even comprehend the idea of a setback. So what are you going to do, when Alexandra Calaway beats you down? What are you going to do, when you’re standing on the apron watching as I beat every shade of the fucking rainbow out of Mark Cross? What are you going to do when his lips start to go blue when I choke his bitch ass out?”

“Nothing. You insignificant little gnat.”

“Mark, Eiley. I need you to do something worth a damn. Or I’m going to go all the way to the finals, and there ain’t a damn thing anyone can fucking do about it. Maybe that’s what is needed? I am one of the only people who holds victories over our current World Champion. That’s the money match, isn’t it? Alexander Raven and Finn Whelan for the World Heavyweight Championship. Nobody wants to see Mark Cross fail again. Nobody wants to see Eiley, the woman without a personality, step in the ring to get murdered by Kayla Richards. Unfortunate for you both, really.”

“I need to know something.”

“Have you been listening?”

A Video Message
Scene Three | Off-Camera

Alex had had every intention of organising a proper sit down with Calaway. They’d had their chats, the messages back and forth. For all intents and purposes they were in sync. Their matches were going well, and there was a real chance they were going to end up in the finals. Despite the fuckery with Vita Mors, despite the risk of a situation where Luna and himself were on opposite sides of the ring at the end of it all. It all came down to an unenviable situation. Despite best intentions however, the proper sit down just never came about.

First it was the internal conflict between himself and his ghostly inhabitor. Then it was him needing a week to himself. To cleanse his brain. France had been nice, but Turkey had been nice. He’d spent a week off enjoying the cats of Istanbul and pretending that his life was normal for once. No manner of apology was ever going to truly convey what he needed to get across. Yet he had to try.

Sitting in front of James’ grave, on a grassy hill, he held his phone out in front of him. He filmed the lush surroundings, the surroundings that would soon die off and wilt away. Giving way to the harsh winter that killed off the greenery that he came to hide away at. His little space away from the world. After a little stint of filming, he pressed the button to flip to the front facing camera. He was a little bit dishevelled. A little bit rundown. His beard had grown out pretty thick again, his head recently shaved at the very least.

“Sorry. I know I keep being flighty on everything. I’m existing in a difficult world. I’ve been playing with the devil, so to speak. One day, I’m sure, we’ll actually sit down. Have a drink, knock back a few shots. Not get into a bar brawl this time, maybe. I can’t guarantee anything. I thought I’d shoot this off. Pre-match pep talk.”

He rubbed his face a little bit, looking up into the sky a little.

“I think we’ve got a good shot on it. Congratulations on the title win. Sore it wasn’t me, but glad it was one of us. I need you to know that I’m all the way in. Both Luna and I are. We get through this week, Sean and Luna get through theirs. The reality is the final puts Luna and I on opposite sides. I want you to know, we’ll both do anything to win. Outside the ring, that’s life. We’ll get drunk, we’ll smoke and dance and sing. We’ll party and we’ll get over it. We’ll congratulate the other and we’ll get on with it. So don’t worry. In the end, I’ll have your back.”

Alex nodded a little more to himself, looking at the phone again. A slight smile crossed his face. He was tired, tortured and struggling. He was doing his best to hide it however.

“We’ll get together soon. Pre-match hype up or something. I’ll talk to you soon. Thanks Ally.”

With that he pressed the button to stop recording. Opened up his messages and shot the video off to Calaway. Hopefully she’d see it before they got to the arena in a few days. He turned to look out into the hills once more, taking a long deep breath.

A rush of wind, and there was a figure standing beside him. So many years of seeing ghosts he wasn’t taken aback by the sudden appearance of people. The hand on his shoulder did however unnerve him. The steel grip of one Vita Mors.

“How very quiet it is here. It is one thing to see these places from my office. To see a world through the eyes of everyone else. It’s another to be here physically. To be quieted to everything and just be able to experience it. I would like to be this free one day Alex. Together, we will be. I’m certain of it.”

He just couldn’t ever be free of the mistakes of his past.

And then…
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