The scene opens to show the interior of a nondescript meeting room. In the foreground of the shot is a table, around which are several unoccupied chairs. Stood behind the table, and in front of a sterile white wall, is Simon Jones; Simon is wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, and a white Bradford Bulls jersey.
Simon raises his left arm, so that he can take a look at his Breitling watch - a gift given to him by Ben Jordan and Emma Rose last June, for his birthday; Simon then lowers his arm, turns his attention to the camera, and takes a step towards the table, before he begins to speak.
Simon: 'On Sunday evening - a little over forty-eight hours from now - the UK leg of the SCW World Tour will come to an end, here in Cardiff. And as the fans in the UK prepare to say goodbye to SCW, Sin City Wrestling is getting ready to welcome back two wrestlers that are set to make their return to the six-sided ring - I am of course referring to myself, and Natalie McKinley.'
Simon smiles.
Simon: 'Yes, in the penultimate match on Climax Control this weekend, both Natalie and I will compete in an SCW ring for the first time in many months, as the two of us clash with the team of Steve Ramone and Jessie Salco.'
Simon again steps nearer to the table; he then pulls out one of the chairs, and takes a seat directly opposite the camera.
Simon: 'I know that people will be expecting both Natalie and myself to share our thoughts about this Sunday's match - so this is how it's going to work: while I haven't had the chance to sit down in front of a camera until now, Natalie has already recorded something, earlier this week; once I'm finished here, some editing will then be done to combine what we have each recorded, to produce a video that will switch between clips of the two of us - hopefully, rather than it ending up being a disjointed mess, the final product will be easy enough for those of you watching it to follow.'
Simon touches his chin with his right index finger.
Simon: 'In fact, let's try it now, by cutting to the start of what Natalie recorded.'
The scene changes to show Natalie McKinley sat alone at a table in a Frankie & Benny's restaurant. Natalie is wearing a pair of dark grey leggings and a cyan sleeveless t-shirt, while a black coat is hanging on the back of her chair. In front of her, on the table, is a half-pint glass of orange juice.
Natalie glances around the restaurant, before looking back to the camera and smiling, as she begins to speak.
Natalie: 'Hello again. And welcome to Cardiff. I'm sure that most people who watched last Sunday's Climax Control will have been surprised to see me appear during the show - even if in the case of some people that was because they had either forgotten about me, or had never seen me previously - but after four and a half months away, it feels good to be part of SCW once more.'
Natalie nods her head.
Natalie: 'Those of you that do remember the all-too-brief period I spent in SCW last year, might be wondering where I have been in the intervening period; I do intend to discuss that subject, but I'm going to leave it for a later date - today, I just wish to talk about the mixed tag team match that I will be participating in this Sunday, against Jessie Salco and Steve Ramone. It's a match that I'm looking forward to for three reasons.'
Natalie raises her right arm, and puts her elbow on the table; she then holds up her index finger.
Natalie: 'One: it will be the first time that I have been in an SCW ring since Violent Conduct II, last September.'
Natalie holds up her middle finger.
Natalie: 'Two: my partner for the match will be Simon Jones.'
Natalie holds up her ring finger.
Natalie: 'And three: the match will take place here, in my hometown.'
Natalie then takes her elbow off the table, and lowers her arm.
Natalie: 'On Sunday, although I will be setting foot inside the six-sided ring for the first time in almost five months, it will not be the first match that I've been involved in since my exit from SCW, as for the past three months I have been wrestling regularly somewhere else. Now, as I stated a moment ago, I'll go into detail about where I've been for the past few months at a later date, but just in case anyone was thinking that ring rust could be a problem for me on Sunday evening, I can assure you that I will have no such issues.'
With her right hand, Natalie picks up the glass of orange juice, and takes a gulp; she then puts the glass back on the table, and continues.
Natalie: 'When I made my debut in SCW, back at the beginning of August, arguably the biggest question facing me that night was, how would I cope in my first ever match as a professional wrestler? I didn't have any ring rust then, either - just a complete lack of experience. Despite that, though, I was able to defeat a veteran, who has many achievements to her name, like Crystal Hilton. This Sunday, I will be in the ring with Jessie Salco - someone else much more experienced than I am, who has been a champion multiple times in SCW. Being in a mixed tag team match will not be a new experience for either Jessie, or her partner - but it will be for me. However, having won my first match of any sort in my debut, and having been successful in my first triple threat match, I'm now aiming for a victory in my first mixed tag team match.'
The scene changes to show Simon again, still sat in the same room as before.
Simon: 'Just under four weeks ago, at Inception, I got to stand inside an SCW ring for the first time in six months. And even though I was simply there to act as the ring announcer for the main event, it still felt great to be in front of the fans again. But this Sunday, when I'm back in that ring, I won't be there to make the introductions.'
Simon shakes his head.
Simon: 'No, I'll be there to do what I'm known for - I'll be there to wrestle. And I'll be there to win; from the start of last year, until when I left in July, I competed in fourteen matches in SCW, winning thirteen of them. But now that I'm no longer a full-time member of the roster - a semi-professional wrestler at best - who knows how many more matches I will be involved this year?'
Simon shrugs his shoulders.
Simon: 'There could be more matches to come for me, later in the year, but if this does turn out to be the only match that I participate in all year, then I want to make sure that it is at least a successful one - come the end of the year, I don't want to be looking back, thinking, "I only wrestled one match all year - and that was a loss." So for that reason, I need to get the better of Steve Ramone on Sunday. Plus, I don't want to let Natalie down - especially knowing how excited she is about this match.'
The scene changes again, to show Natalie sat in Frankie & Benny's.
Natalie: 'If I had been able to choose any SCW wrestler, past or present, to be my partner on Sunday, then Simon is definitely who I would have chosen. And not just because he is a two-time SCW Heavyweight Champion, but even more so because of everything that he did for me last year. Now, Simon likes to play down what he did, but it was him going to bat for me - together with Spike Staggs having a word in the ear of his uncle, Erik - that led to me being offered a contract by SCW; if it wasn't for Simon, then it's unlikely that I would have ever found myself on the roster of SCW - or any other wrestling promotion, for that matter.'
Natalie takes a sip of her orange juice.
Natalie: 'In mid-April last year, when I still nothing more than just a fan, I attended a show that was staged by a UK-based promotion, at the Big Blue Tent - or to give it its official name, Cardiff Arena; making a guest appearance on the show, was Simon Jones. That show was the first time that I saw Simon perform, in person. He won his match - as he has made a habit of doing - and it was then the following day that I noticed him in the gym where I was working as a personal trainer; I had a conversation with Simon, about wrestling, during which he agreed to help me to get my break in the sport - and here I am now, just days away from getting to team with Simon, in a match on an SCW show.'
Smiling, Natalie shakes her head in disbelief.
Natalie: 'I almost can't believe that, less than twelve months since I watched him compete at a venue half a mile away from here, I'm now going to be in a match where Simon will be my tag team partner - this is like a dream match for me. I just hope that the match doesn't end in disappointment for me, as happened for Melody Grace recently, after she had been granted her wish to team with Despayre; that was a rare defeat for Despayre - and it would be a rare defeat for Simon, too, if we were to lose on Sunday. But I'm not worried about our chances of winning.'
Natalie shakes her head again.
Natalie: 'As I said, Simon has made a habit of being successful in his matches, and I have no doubt that he'll put in another winning performance on Sunday. Steve Ramone is a talented wrestler, but he is not yet at Simon's level - Simon will have too much for him; the only thing that will prevent our team from being victorious on Sunday, is if I struggle against Jessie Salco - and I'm determined not to have that happen.'
The scene changes back to show Simon, sat in the meeting room.
Simon: 'While the match on Sunday will be the first time that Natalie has been involved in a mixed tag team match, I have been a participant in seven such matches in the past, with all of them having taken place in the six-sided ring of SCW. The only one of the seven matches when I was not on the winning side, was the first one, which was back when - despite my success as a singles wrestler - I seemed incapable of winning any form of a tag team match. I have certainly had a turnaround in fortunes since, though - which was capped off by me winning last year's Blast from the Past tournament, alongside Brandi Shotze. And while there may not be any trophies or titles at stake in the match on Sunday, I'm just as motivated for it as I would be if was about to compete in a match at Blaze Of Glory - I want to improve my record in mixed tag team matches to seven wins from eight, and I want to make Natalie's return to SCW a successful one.'
Simon rubs his chin with his right hand.
Simon: 'On the subject of the Blast from the Past tournament, both Steve Ramone and Jessie Salco entered themselves into this year's tournament - and they were both eliminated in the first round. I suppose, though, that they could both make arguments that they were let down by their respective partners. I'm sure that Steve will be happier having Jessie as his partner, rather than Delia, and that similarly, Jessie will be happier with Steve as her partner, rather than Andrew Garcia - but once the bell rings on Sunday, I aim to make sure that's the only thing about the match that the two of them have reason to be content with, as I plan for myself and Natalie to leave Steve and Jessie with feelings of déjà vu: another mixed tag team match for them, and another loss for them.'
A slight smirk crosses Simon's face.
Simon: 'I'm aware that Steve and Jessie have known one another for a number of years, but I don't think that they have ever been tag team partners before - not in SCW, at least; if I'm correct about that, then it means that Steve and Jessie are in the same situation as myself and Natalie: two friends - and soon-to-be partners - who have no past experience of having teamed together. Natalie and I have trained together on numerous occasions - as I expect Steve and Jessie have; working well in training is one thing, though - putting into practice in an actual competitive match, is something else altogether. But having said that, I'm still confident that, come Sunday evening, when the pressure is on, Natalie and myself will function well as team - hopefully well enough that her return to SCW will not be spoiled with a defeat.'
The scene again changes, to inside Frankie & Benny's, where Natalie can be found.
Natalie: 'Simon would argue otherwise, but with this Sunday's Climax Control being the final show in the UK, before the World Tour moves on to Scandinavia, I believe that - as far as the UK leg of the tour is concerned - SCW has saved the best for last. My opinion is biased, of course, having been born and bred here in Cardiff, but I am pleased that my return to SCW has coincided with the tour visiting South Wales - having attended shows staged by other promotions, at various locations around the city, I am thrilled that I now get the opportunity to wrestle on a show in my hometown.'
Natalie grins.
Natalie: 'Although I've only been a professional wrestler for a short time, I've been fortunate enough to have received mostly positive responses from the fans in my matches. I'm expecting, though, that the welcome I will receive from the crowd on Sunday, will top any reaction that I have had before now; I know that Steve Ramone and Jessie Salco are both well-liked by the fans, but I'm hoping that for our match, I can count upon having the support of my hometown fans - plus, Simon has been one of the most popular wrestlers in SCW, so he's guaranteed to get a warm welcome.'
Natalie drinks some more of her orange juice.
Natalie: 'I don't need any extra motivation to win the match on Sunday - but if I did, then the presence in the crowd of members of my family, as well as my friends, would provide me with such an incentive; some of Simon's friends will also be there, and I believe his wife will be there, too - although I'm not sure about his daughter. And together, Simon and I will do what we can to try to ensure that our family, our friends - and everyone else that will be there to support us on Sunday - will not be left disappointed, and that we give them the outcome that they want to see.'
The scene changes once more, to show the meeting room show in which Simon is sat.
Simon: 'For British wrestlers that choose to earn their living overseas - as I did, until I stopped wrestling full-time - days like Sunday are a rare treat. Having spent most of my wrestling career in North America - in SCW, ACW, and elsewhere - I relish any chance I get to compete in a match on British soil. And whether it's a show in a place that I have emotional ties to, or whether the show is somewhere else - like, say, Blackburn, or Nottingham - any time that I'm involved in a match on a show in the UK, it's a special occasion for me. But for me to get to wrestle on a show in Cardiff...'
Simon's voice trails off; he then pauses for a moment, before he speaks again.
Simon: 'At Inception, last month, though I was only there as the ring announcer for the main event, it was still a great experience for me - getting to stand inside the six-sided ring, in Birmingham, was something for me to savour. And although I would have loved to have wrestled a match in an SCW ring in front of the fans in my hometown, I wouldn't have wanted to take a spot on such a big show away from a full-time member of the roster. But, having missed out on getting to wrestle in Birmingham, for me, getting to wrestle in Cardiff is the next best thing.'
Simon nods his head.
Simon: 'The two places that I call home are Birmingham, and Cardiff - my hometown, and my adopted hometown. I think I have explained before, how it was that I came to live in Cardiff: during my previous break from wrestling, I was made redundant from the job that I was doing in Birmingham, and the only job that I was able to get an offer for was a job in Cardiff. In fact, the building that I'm in now, is the offices of the company that I worked for until I left for ACW - and is where I have returned to working, since leaving SCW.'
Simon casts a quick glance around the room, before looking back to the camera.
Simon: 'Whatever the circumstances that led to me coming here, all you need to know is that, in terms of my favourite cities, my affection is Cardiff is second only to my affection for Birmingham. And on Sunday, it will be with great pleasure, that I step into the six-sided ring, just over a mile away from where I am now, to compete in front of the people of my adopted hometown, with one of their own as my tag team partner.'
Simon leans forward, towards the camera.
Simon: 'You know, I'm still curious to hear about the place that Cardiff has in Sean Jackson's history, and why he has an apparent disdain for the Welsh capital.'
Simon then leans back, sitting up straight.
Simon: 'For Natalie, Sunday will be the first time in her career that she has wrestled in the UK - to date, all of her matches have taken place in the US. I said earlier that I know Natalie is excited about the match on Sunday - and I'm excited about it, too. But I don't think that I can truly appreciate quite how much this match, and all that it entails, means to her. What I do know, however, is that I want to make sure Natalie will be able to look to back on this match with fond memories - that she will be able to look back on a win. And to do that, I'm going to have to see off the challenge of Steve Ramone.'
Simon looks towards the ceiling momentarily; he then looks back down at the camera, and continues.
Simon: 'Sunday won't be the first time that I've been in the same ring as Steve Ramone, as we have been involved in previous encounters, from our days in ACW. The last time that the two of us were in the same match, we were actually tag team partners, in a losing effort; at least we can't both lose, this Sunday - I intend to be the one that wins. The sole previous match in which we were opponents was a one-on-one match, which took place a month or so prior to that tag team match - and just a week after I had won the SCW Heavyweight Championship for the first time; on Sunday, I plan on repeating the result of that singles match in ACW - and whereas Steve is a perennial challenger for titles, I also plan on showing why I am a multi-time champion.'
Simon smiles wryly.
Simon: 'The person that the match this Sunday is most important for is Natalie - and not just for the sentimental reasons, which have already been covered. As I just said, Steve is a perennial challenger - whatever happens on Sunday, he'll probably get another title shot, before long; Jessie has worn gold in SCW in the past, and will probably get the opportunity to do so again in the near future. And as for me, well, I'm not even a full-time member of the roster; I have nothing to lose, but I also don't have anything to gain - whatever happens on Sunday evening, come Monday morning, I'll be back at work, in this office.'
Simon sighs, as he glances around the room again.
Simon: 'Despite not having anything to gain, I still want to win, though. I mean, of course I want to win - I always want to win. But this time, I don't want to win for me - I want to win for Natalie. This match may be only her fourth in the six-sided ring, but I know that she has aspirations of becoming a champion - especially after the way that her initial spell in SCW ended. So this is why Natalie is the one that Sunday's match is most important for - this is why we need to beat Steve Ramone and Jessie Salco: a win on Sunday would put Natalie on the path towards getting a shot at a title - and so I will do everything that I can to help our team to victory.'
Simon looks at his watch again; he then turns his attention back to the camera.
Simon: 'Well, I think it's time for me to make my exit - there's a pint with my name on it, in Brewhouse; I'll leave it to Natalie to have the final world.'
The scene reverts to show Natalie, sat in Frankie & Benny's.
Natalie: 'During my brief tenure as a member of The New XTremes, I got to spend some time with both Jessie Salco and Steve Ramone, and I have plenty of respect for each of them. I particularly admire Jessie, for what she has done in SCW, winning the bombshell tag team titles; I've only been involved in one tag team match so far, which ended with me being the one that was pinned. So given my lack of experience in tag team matches, and the contrast with what Jessie has achieved as a tag team wrestler, I guess that, if I was to pick up the win for my team on Sunday, by pinning Jessie, then it might be considered an upset.'
Natalie gives a nonchalant shrug.
Natalie: 'In which case, prepare for me to spring a surprise. You see, I need to win this match, Jessie - I need to win it more than you do. I may have won two out of my three previous matches in SCW, but having left and now come back, I need to set about proving that I belong here, with you, and the rest of the bombshells. If Simon and I lose on Sunday, then questions will be asked of whether the powers that be were right to allow me to return to SCW; I can't allow that to happen, Jessie - I can't allow you to beat me. I won't.'
Natalie takes another gulp from her glass of her orange juice.
Natalie: 'Before I go, I want to quickly mention another bombshell: Mercedes Vargas. Back at Violent Conduct II, the last time I was in an SCW ring, Mercedes and I were two of the three challengers in a match for the roulette title - and it was Mercedes that emerged as the new champion, whilst I blew my opportunity; now it's five months later, and Mercedes is still the champion. Well, Mercedes, while my focus is currently on the match that I'll be competing in this Sunday, I want you to know that, now that I've returned to SCW, in the longer term, I have my sights set on earning another shot at that title you hold - I think a win on Sunday would be the perfect way to start that task.'
She then finishes off what remains of her half-pint of orange juice.
Natalie: 'Well, if it isn't already obvious, I'm really looking forward to Sunday evening - Climax Control can't come quickly enough. I just hope that it turns out to be as an enjoyable an evening as I want it to be. Until then, hwyl fawr!*'
As Natalie sits looking towards the camera, smiling, the scene fades to black.
*"Hwyl fawr!" is Welsh for "goodbye!"
