{Our scene begins after Climax Control, with Roxi being checked out by the medical staff, holding gauze against Roxi’s open wound on her forehead. Keira is standing beside her, arms folded, looking both concerned and angry.} Keira – I told you that you didn’t have to do that.
Roxi – I know.
Keira – Are you okay?
Roxi – I'll be fine. I’ve been hit harder.
Keira – I should have known something was up. I should have never let you do this.
Roxi – Let me?
Keira – Yes, you know good and well that if it came down to it, I could have.
Roxi – Is that so?
{Keira rolls her eyes.} Keira – I didn’t mean it like that. I just don’t want to see you get hurt, and have it be on me. Sometimes I regret ever coming back. If I knew this was going to happen.
Roxi – You didn’t. How could you have known?
Keira – Because I know Sin.
Roxi – And so do I. But what I did, I did for everyone who is scared right now. She can beat me up, I can take it. But did you really think Sin was going to be the one who did me in?
{Keira shakes her head.} Keira – No, not here anyway.
Roxi – She didn’t get the job done. She failed. And she’ll fail again. We’ll stop her, this time, for good.
Keira – No, Roxi. I am going to stop her. I don’t want you, or anyone else in the way.
Roxi – Excuse me?
Keira – No, I’m not going to run from this anymore. I’ve been sitting here on the defensive this whole time. I let that damn thing hurt people I care about. I should have been on the offensive. I shouldn’t have had you get involved at all.
Roxi – If you need me...
Keira – No. Not this time. I didn’t want this. I guess I was... trying to do what I thought you might do.
Roxi – …
Keira – I didn’t meant it like that. I mean just think it through, observe and try and get all the details. At the end of the day, Sin, is a monster, and I’m going to take her down, and finally put this to rest, and I’m going to get Krystal back so that this NEVER happens again.
{Roxi can’t help but grin at this and touches Keira’s shoulder.} Roxi – I believe in you. I’ve told you before, you don’t need to try and be me. You are who you are. And that’s perfectly fine. You need to be you. That’s why I stepped in, in the first place. I needed to be me.
{Keira smiles.} Keira – I know. And you were great. Thank you for showing me what I needed to see.
{Roxi pulls the gauze away from her head, which is now not bleeding and she nods at the trainer.} Roxi – I think I need a shower to wash this blood out. But thanks Doc.
{Roxi hops off the trainers table and she and Keira head out, as the scene fades.}
{Th new scene opens at a baseball field in Tampa, as part of the Tampa Bay Little League group. Roxi is walking with Nate, without Keira as she is busy at the Hero Academy gym. Nate is all smiles with his bat and glove, walking and holding Roxi’s hand. Roxi looks down at Nate and smiles rubbing his head with her free hand.} Roxi – Are you excited?
Nate – Yeah!
Roxi – Good. I want you to have fun, okay?
Nate - I will.
{Roxi walks Nate up to the dugout where Roxi sees the coach coming up. She greets him with a grin and a handshake.} Roxi – Hello, Coach Klien.
Coach Klien – Ah, Mrs. Johnson. Or can I call you Roxi?
Roxi – Either or, it’s okay.
Coach Klien – I have to say, I’m a big fan.
Roxi – Well, I appreciate that. Nate is very excited to play.
Coach Klien – That's great. It’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re just waiting for more of the kids to show up. I’m glad you’re excited Nate.
Nate – Am I gonna bat today?
Coach Klien – You will get your chance, I promise.
Nate – Okay.
Coach Klien – You can go have a seat over there, and we’ll get it all ready.
Nate – Okay.
{Roxi bends down and kisses Nate on the forehead and smiles at him, rubbing his cheek} Roxi – I'll be in the stands and I’ll come get you when you’re done okay?
Nate – Okay Mommy.
Roxi – Have fun. I love you.
Nate - I love you too, Mommy.
{Roxi smiles at Coach Klien and walks into the stands, Coach Klien walks with Nate to have a seat in the dugout. Some kids are already seated, throwing a ball into the air and catching it. Nate eagerly moves forward and tries to speak with the other children.} Nate – Hi, I’m Nate. Do you want to play catch?
Young boy – I'm Steven. Sure, we can play catch.
{The two boys stand up and toss the ball back and forth. Roxi watches on after finding her seat. Genuinely proud as a warm smile crosses her face to see Nate interacting with other kids without any issue. The kids continue to make small talk.} Steven – Are you here with your mom, or are you here with your dad?
Nate – My mommy is here.
Steven – Which one is your mom?
{Nate catches the ball, and turns and takes a second to locate Roxi in the stands. Roxi smiles at him and waves.} Nate – That's my mom.
Steven – Whoa.
{Steven, a 7 year old, notices Roxi and his eyes widen.} Steven – Your mom looks like Roxi Johnson!
{Nate shrugs.} Nate – That's her name.
{Steve is bewildered by this.} Steven – No way, Roxi Johnson is your mom?
Nate – Uh-huh.
Steven – I see her on TV all the time. My brother told me that one time she was wrestling and some lady had a big chainsaw and cut her arm off, but she grew it back.
{Nate looks over again, questioning the veracity of that statement. He was just an infant when Twisted Sister chased Roxi with a chainsaw, and for all he knows, Twisted Sister DID cut his mom’s arm off and she grew it back. He shakes his head and turns back and continues tossing the ball.} Nate – My mommy’s arms are fine.
Steven – Yeah, she’s super cool. Sometimes I watch her wrestle on youtube.
{Another small boy comes to play catch with Nate and Steven.} Small boy – Can I play too?
Steven – Sure.
Small boy – My name is Bobby.
Nate – My name is Nate.
Steven – I'm Steven, did you know Nate’s mom is Roxi Johnson?!
Bobby – Oh, sometimes I watch her on twitch. She teaches drums. My dad said she used to drum for Metallica or something.
Nate – She does that all the time.
{Steven and Bobby pause.} Steven – Whoa, that’s sick!
Bobby – She's like a rock star!
{Nate again turns to Roxi, not full comprehending that Roxi doesn’t ACTUALLY play for Metallica, she just drums their songs. He’s a little confused but shrugs it off again.} Nate – I guess.
{Meanwhile Roxi is still watching and smiling as another woman sits next to her in the bleachers.} Woman – You don’t mind if I sit here, do you?
Roxi – No, of course not.
{The middle-aged woman sits down, blanket all laid out so she doesn’t have to sit on the wooden bleachers.} Woman – Which one is yours?
Roxi – The one with the long blonde hair.
Woman – Oh, I see, he’s adorable. My son is playing catch with him there, Bobby.
Roxi – He's a cutie too.
Woman – Thanks. I’m Francine.
Roxi – Roxi.
Francine – Oh, you’re the wrestler right?
Roxi – That's me.
Francine – I've heard about you. My husband and some of his friends watch wrestling.
Roxi – Well, I appreciate their support.
Francine – Quite frankly, I think it’s crazy. Risking your life for entertainment of complete strangers.
Roxi – I enjoy it.
Francine – It must be so exhausting.
Roxi – It can be, but it’s fun.
Francine – I wouldn’t want that, getting beat up all the time. And it’s not even for a lot of money.
Roxi – I get by.
Francine – And to have all those people looking at you, I would never.
Roxi – Well, what works for some, may not work for others. I enjoy what I do, and really, if you do that, they say you never work a day in your life.
Francine – Yes, I suppose so.
{Another woman calls out to Francine. Quickly sitting down and hugging her.} Francine – Where have you been Patty?
Patty – I'm sorry, we got stuck in traffic.
Francine – This is... Roxi right?
Patty – Nice to meet you.
Roxi – Nice to meet you too.
{Patty and Francine just being to just gossip about anything and everything, distracting Roxi from actually paying attention to Nate. After a few moments of this, Roxi pulls out her phone and politely smiles.} Roxi – Excuse me, ladies, I have to take a phone call.
{Roxi stands up and walks to the top of the bleachers away from the gossiping women and pretends to be on a call.} Francine – Did you see her figure? She must have had all kinds of plastic surgery.
Patty – In this day and age? She probably is lining up more. Get those butt implants!
Francine – You know she’s a wrestler?!
Patty – Like on TV?
Francine – Yeah!
Patty – Oh, I bet she doesn’t even do that stuff. She probably does that... what did they used to call it? Foxy boxing? Or hot oil wrestling in those strip clubs!
Francine – You're probably right. Probably has to wear those tiny bikini’s too!
{Meanwhile More kids are showing up as Nate continues to play catch.} Steven – Hey Nate, my brother said your mom is a superhero or something, is that true?
Nate – I don’t think so.
Steven – Maybe she knows Spider-man!
Bobby – That would be so cool!
Steven – Can she turn invisible?
{Nate looks over and sees that Roxi isn’t there anymore, and turns back, doing a double take to see Roxi re-take her seat with the gossiping women. It confuses him for a second, but he turns back.} Nate - I don’t think so.
{Finally Coach Klien brings in all the kids and the Tee ball game is finally able to get underway, and the scene fades.}
{Once the game has concluded, Roxi meets Nate who is eating a popsicle, after a fun day.} Roxi – You did so good out there. I’m so proud of you.
Nate – Thanks Mommy.
Roxi – Did you have fun?
Nate – Uh-huh.
Roxi – That's all the matters.
{Roxi and Nate continue to walk, passing by Francine and Patty, who give her that squinshed face smile and wave. Roxi stops and smiles at them.} Roxi – It was nice to meet you both. Hopefully we’ll get to talk more next time.
Francine – Of course.
Roxi – And by the way, butt implants are extremely dangerous, and oil wrestling isn’t an actual job. Just thought I’d let you know. You should be careful about talking so loudly. Just a helpful hint about perception.
{Francine and Patty are embarrassed as Roxi leads Nate to their car and loads him in, before getting in the car to head home. Nate looks out the window, but then looks at Roxi’s arm and touches it.} Roxi – What's up?
Nate – Mommy, did that lady cut your arm off?
Roxi – What?!
Nate – Those kids were saying that. That this lady at your work cut your arm off and you grew it back.
{Roxi looks very confused, but she catches up with the question.} Roxi – No baby, she didn’t cut my arm off. I know Mommy has a lot of silly co-workers, but nobody cut my arm off, I promise.
Nate – Oh.
Roxi – Those other kids have active imaginations, I see.
Nate – They said you played the drums for Me... metall... Metallica.
Roxi – No baby, I do play to Metallica songs, but I don’t play for them. It’s the same thing when you watch Star Wars and pretend to be a Jedi.
Nate – Can I be a real Jedi?
{Roxi pauses and nods.} Roxi – I don’t know, maybe one day. But let’s focus on Tee ball for now.
Nate – Okay.
Roxi – Good.
Nate – Mommy, can you turn invisible?
Roxi – What? Where are you getting these questions from? Do those kids think I turn invisible?
Nate – Yeah, and then I couldn’t see you, and then I turned around you were there.
Roxi – No, Nate, I’m not invisible. Whenever you need me, I’ll always be there. That’s my real superpower, being your mommy.
Nate – That's a superpower?
Roxi – You better believe it. You don’t make it easy on me being so cute, you know.
Nate – You're so silly, Mommy.
Roxi – I'm a lot of things, Nate...
{Roxi sighs.} Roxi – I'm a lot of things.
{Roxi continues the drive home as the scene fades.}
{The scene is after dinner at the Johnson household once again. Keira is doing the dishes while Roxi puts away some of the leftover food.} Keira – How was the tee-ball game today?
Roxi – A lot of fun. Some weirdness, but a lot of fun.
Keira – Weirdness?
Roxi – Nate’s teammates think I got my arm cut off my Twisted Sister and grew it back.
{Keira blinks at the absurdity of that statement, but shrugs.} Keira – Can you grow limbs back? Is that part of our healing?
Roxi – … No. I don’t think so.
Keira – Oh. Damn.
Roxi – Very funny.
Keira – What? They’re kids. They ask all kinds of goofy stuff.
Roxi – And so do their moms.
Keira – Oh boy.
Roxi – No, I’m just saying that it’s just really rude some of the stuff those mom’s say.
Keira – You were almost one of them.
Roxi – I was not!
Keira – You were coaching Nate like it was game 7 of the World Series out there.
Roxi – I want him to do well.
Keira – And they want their sons to do well too.
Roxi – They weren’t even talking about the kids.
Keira – Oh? What were they talking about?
Roxi – Other parents. Just gossipy ladies.
Keira – They’re annoying, but harmless unless they were talking about you.
Roxi – Oh, they were, they didn’t think I could hear them, but you know, you tell people you’re a wrestler and they instantly think of you as something weird and different.
{Keira shrugs.} Keira – Wrestling is weird and different.
Roxi – But just the way people change like that. One moment I’m a total stranger and the next I’m all silicone with butt implants and hot oil wrestling.
{Keira smirks.} Keira – Rawr.
Roxi – Knock it off.
Keira – I'm just saying...
Roxi – What? You want me to get butt implants now?
{Keira shuts off the sink and hugs Roxi tightly.} Keira – Of course not, Roxi. I’ve loved you for a decade and it has never mattered to me how you look physically. You’re a beautiful person on the inside, and you saved my life without even knowing me. I love you just the way you are. I wouldn’t have you any other way.
Roxi – Thank you, my love.
Keira – But... butt implants...
Roxi – Shut up...
{Roxi and Keira finish eveything up as the scene fades.}
“I can't change the color of my skin... what I try to do is something far more difficult... to be a human being. And hopefully, someday, we'll see each other only in that way. “
- Superman (Superman Vol 2 #179)
Hello, SCW.
I suppose I should clarify my actions and what they meant at the last CC. I stepped into ensure that no more innocent people would be injured at the hands of Sin, prior to when Keira takes care of the problem at Violent Conduct. My intention was not to beat Sin, but to see exactly what Keira is up against. And for Keira to see it as well. And yes, I took my lumps. I was expecting to. I was expecting a heightened sense of violence and that’s exactly what I got. But at the end of the day, I’m still here. I’m fine, and to be honest, I expected Krystal, or Sin to hit harder than she did. The fact that she used a weapon tells me all I need to know. She is scared, and desperate. I look forward to seeing Keira finally end this at Violent Conduct.
But, as always now, there are still questions surrounding my future. I have a list of things I want to get done, but it appears that the date of October being the finishing touches is delayed. And to be honest, I’m not sad or upset about it. Because this is my choice. I didn’t make the decision I made on a whim. I did it, because it’s what I want to do.
That appears to be a major talking point for the current champion, Courtney Pierce. So, just allow me to clarify so that there is no confusion: I don’t have a desire to try and win the Bombshell’s championship again. It’s not that I can’t. What does it do for me at this point? It puts me back in the most hunted role, maybe in all of women’s wrestling. It means I carry the load again when I’ve already done it 5 times. The loss freed me to see the division grow. That’s what I want. I don’t NEED to win another title. It’s just that simple.
And yet, I still am being mentioned and talked about, it’s kind of silly at this point. I made the choice long before I lost the title in the first place. If it hadn’t been Courtney, it would have been someone else. And the result and my status would still be the same. I’ve done all I needed to do in SCW. I’ve given up my spot, not because I can’t do it anymore, but because I don’t need to do it anymore. The goal post would simply be moved to do holding down the division. Making it about me, putting everyone else below me in the pecking order. And that’s not what I want to do.
I’m happy with where I am, and I’m happy with facing new opponents and having new opportunities.
Which, of course, brings me to Julianna DiMaria.
I’m not going to sit here and talk about Julianna as if she’s a rookie or something silly like that. The bio is right there. The information is right there for me to know she’s not a rookie by any stretch of the imagination. She’s been in the game for several years. And you know what else? She’s very good.
You don’t win championships, you don’t become successful, not in this game, simply by being in it. That is one of the rarest occurrences in life. Championships don’t just fall into your lap in wrestling, that’s not how it works. You must work, you must strive to be the best. And so, when you win gold everywhere you go pretty much, it’s not a coincidence. So, I’m not going to say that I have some crazy experience advantage, or that Julianna has a lot left to learn, because I still have a lot to learn if I’m being honest. I’m not going to give the too cool for school or lecture Julianna on the importance and all that.
She deserves better than that. And so, I will treat her and talk about her with the respect she deserves.
Though, I have a feeling I’m not going to get that from here.
She can be brash, and arrogant and all those things. I am fully anticipating being disrespectful and being called a bunch of names and everything like that. And that’s okay. I understand the point of this. When you are in a new place, what you’ve done elsewhere isn’t going to really come into play. It’s nice to have those accomplishments, but at the end of the day, you’re starting basically from scratch. And when you want to make an impact, you have to have to mean it. You have to take that opportunity by the throat and throw caution to the wind. If you can’t tell, I’ve seen this a time or two.
I’ve seen people just like Julianna come into SCW before. Brash, cocky, arrogant, a chip on their shoulder and anger to burn. And I’ve seen more than a few of those folks flame out almost immediately. I’ve seen some rise to great heights, fall and never recover. So, I suppose that puts me in this weird position, doesn’t it?
See, Julianna would very much like all of you to not put me on a pedestal. I never claimed that I was above anybody, I don’t go around referring to myself as some great champion or the best or anything like that. Why? Because I don’t want to, and more importantly, I don’t HAVE to. But it’s already getting under her skin that I am who I am. Julianna can treat me like just another opponent. A person she has to beat, and that’s fine. I would welcome that very much. I don’t call myself “the Icon” or any other nickname. My social media name is just “Roxi Johnson” you know why? Because it’s all I need to be.
Now I can’t help what other people call me. That’s just kind of a fun perk when you’ve done a lot. You get talked about. People just say my name, heck, people just say my first name, and everybody knows who they’re talking about. And that’s cool. But it doesn’t make me feel like I’m bigger than anyone else. It doesn’t matter to me if you’ve been in the game for 20 years or 20 months. I can be in the opening match, or the middle of the show or the main event. Because I’ve earned that ability.
I’m just going to be me, and whether or not that means I’ve reached some crazy high level, isn’t really important to me. So, if at the end of the day, Julianna beats me? Cool. But then there become a problem.
You see, the win mean Juilianna was right and I’m not important and she’s killed a hero and all that stuff I’ve heard a hundred times before. I mean, I think she’s really making up a “detractor” that said to her that she was going into the fire. I don’t think anybody said that to her. She simply wants to create the myth, so she can destroy it. And then brush it off like she proved a bunch of people wrong. And hey, I understand doing that too. Whatever motivates her to be at the top of her game, I’m don’t have a problem with. You should take your victory lap, but I see the process coming. I see the wheels turning in her head. She doesn’t want me to be this god-like creation, which no one has ever said, but again, you have to make your own motivation. She doesn’t want me to be seen as a legend or icon or anything like that. Just so that if she wins, she can say “See, she’s not what you all make her out to be.”
Again, I’ve heard this a few times.
And you know what happens to me?
Not really much. I’ll pick myself up, dust myself off, and get right back to work, because life will continue. It will not break me. It will not crush me. It will not make me walk away or retire, and I have a strong feeling that people won’t just give up on me because of one loss. If that was the case, I don’t think I’d have too many fans or friends left.
I get it. But then comes the other side of the coin.
What happens if Julianna loses to me? Does it destroy her? Does it set her back months? Is the system corrupt? Am I using God-mode to beat her? Or is it because I’m some kind of legend that needs to be protected? I’ve heard those a time or two before as well. So what are we going to get here?
I would hope that it would be, as I try to do every time I’m out there, a learning experience. Julianna is 2 for 2 in SCW. If she goes 3-0, maybe it’ll give her the confidence that she seems to been lacking. If she goes 2-1, then what? Does she pick herself back up, or does she wilt and die? Will it be the end of the world? Will it be the worst thing to ever happen to her? Will it crush that confidence into dust?
The answer to those questions, is no, but the only person who needs to be convinced of that, is Julianna.
I know she’s probably looking at the screen right now, angry, or confused, or both. That’s okay. Again, I’ve seen this a time or two. Losing to me, won’t kill her. The sun will still come up the next day. The world will not be ending. It’s just a loss.
I’m just trying to get Julianna used to what I’m saying, because I plan on winning this match.
And I know, some folks might continue the narrative that I’m just making ruining all the young talent. I beat them and they never recover from it. I mean, you can ask several hall of famers about losing to me, I don’t think it took them out. I didn’t kill them, did I? Maybe I did, I don’t know. But I think they’re just fine.
But at this point, I think I’ll just be me. If Julianna wants me to be just another wrestler just so she can gloat later if she wins? Sure. If I’m the big bad bully that is going to ruin her? I’ll be that too. If I’m the manifestation of all the terrible people in her life, I’m that. I can pretty much be anything because I’ve earned that ability. I suppose it all depends on your perception.
Julianna told every she wasn’t going to build me up to be a god. And that’s fine. I won’t build her into one either. I will simply state the truth. She’s good. She’s a winner. But at the end of the day, I can tell she has those butterflies in her stomach. She’s nervous. She’s worried. That statement alone tells me that she’s already aware of who I am, and she just wants to downplay it. I can do the same thing, just stating the facts.
Julianna has had two matches in SCW, against Dawn Warren and Laura Phoenix. And she let them have it. And while that is impressive and victories are nothing to sneeze at... I’m not going to hand Julianna the keys to the kingdom simply because she’s looked impressive in two matches. That’s not how I do things. I’m not going to sit here dreading facing someone who is new and looks impressive. Because I’m aware of what this is. This is a test.
This match isn’t just another match for me. It’s another chance, another opportunity to show everybody that I am still at the top of my game. And I have all the confidence in the world of my abilities. But this match has made me very curious.
I believe it’s time to see how Julianna handles a loss.
Because that’s what coming to her, at Violent Conduct.
I hope she's ready.