{The scene is at Hero Academy gym, Roxi sits in her office, going over the notes she took earlier in day. There is a knock at the door and one of the male students stands outside. Roxi finishes her note and motions for him to enter.}
Roxi – What’s up Steve?
{Steve sits down looking pensive as he enters the door.}
Steve – I was wondering if I could talk to you about something.
Roxi – Sure. Have a seat.
{Steve cautiously sits down and Roxi greets him with a smile and puts her notes to the side.}
Roxi – What's on your mind?
Steve – Well, I was just thinking about the show we want to do.
Roxi – Yes. You can do the show. We already agreed to it.
Steve – I know that, but I was just wondering about the show itself and what we’re going to do.
Roxi – That's really up to you guys. You have to decide what you want to do. We’re giving you the chance to do whatever you need. This is your guy’s show.
Steve – That's kind the thing. I don’t know what I’m doing.
Roxi – You need some work, but that will come with time, yes.
Steve – No, I meant... I don’t have anything to really give. I feel like I’m... just some guy. I’m the same guy that walked in here a few months ago just... now I know how to fall on my back and not make it hurt so much. I just... feel like I need to be more.
Roxi – Oh, you mean, you want to be something more than just you?
Steve – Exactly! I mean, sure that works for some people, and I’m not against that. It just... it’s weird for me to just be... Steve Copeland, wrestler.
Roxi – You know, there’s nothing wrong with being yourself, even if it’s boring.
Steve – I know, but that works for a handful of people. I want to be something different.
Roxi – You know, that only works a handful of times as well.
Steve – Yeah, but... I don’t want to be boring. I want be... somebody.
Roxi – Well.. Who are you?
Steve – That's what I was trying to ask. Do you have any ideas?
Roxi – Well, here’s the thing, Steve, I could give you a hundred ideas, but while some of them may interest me, and may be goofy or silly or what have you, the important part is you. You have to be able to be comfortable with what you’re going to be doing.
Steve – I don’t know if I can be?
Roxi – That’s why I asked who you were. You have to tell people. You have to tell me. Really you have to tell yourself. You’re going to be half naked out there and playing pretend. So, the closer that you make yourself, to who you are, the better off you will be.
Steve – But I’m just... I’m plain. I’m boring. I don’t know what I can do.
Roxi – Well, how do you want to try and stand out?
Steve – I mean, a got these tattoos and the long hair that I’m working with.
Roxi – Long hair and tattoos is just about everybody these days. What is something you like to do? Other than wrestling?
Steve – I mean, I like watching TV, playing games, listening to music. Working out.
Roxi – You gotta give them something. I’ve been around you kids long enough to see you’re a nice guy and you try to help people. You can’t just expect that anywhere you go is going to have something for you. You do have a certain look, but that’s a lot of people. You have to give people something.
Steve – I just don’t know what all I can really do to stand out. What do you see? Honestly.
Roxi – Well... let’s have a look at you. Stand up.
{Roxi eyeballs Steve as he stands up, circling him. After a few cycles, Roxi sits back down.}
Roxi – You have a good body, but your legs need a little work. upper body is nice though. So don’t go wearing some baggy t-shirt or whatever. You have a little something, that maybe you can work with, but again, you have to be comfortable with all this. If you aren’t comfortable, then I can suggest male model to you and it won’t work.
{Steve frowns at this.}
Steve – Yeah, I don’t think I want that.
Roxi – See what I mean? Now, maybe sometimes you will have to go out of your comfort zone, but here’s the thing: If you try and fail, that’s okay.
{Roxi stops, and thinks for a moment.}
Roxi – Are you just trying to do this for the show?
Steve – Well... yeah, I want to make a good impression.
Roxi – I see. Well, don’t you think that you should get the important stuff down before you think about things like this?
Steve – No, I get that, I do. I just want to get a head start I guess.
Roxi – Well, if anything, it’s a good attitude. You mentioned you like watching TV and music. Any type of music or TV you enjoy the most?
Steve – I love rock and roll, I love Breaking Bad, I love the Sopranos. I like a lot of the stuff on Netflix.
{Roxi ponders this information for a second.}
Roxi – I see. Alright, I’ll give it some thought and then maybe we’ll see just how we can do something you’ll enjoy. Just, let me think about it and before you know it, we’ll have you out there just being yourself. But... you should also be thinking about what makes you, you in the meantime as well.
Steve – Thanks Roxi. I won’t let you down.
Roxi – Steve, you’re not wrestling for me, you’re wrestling because you want to be a wrestler. I’m just trying to help you be the best wrestler you can be.
Steve – I know. I really appreciate the advice. I’ll really give it a lot of thought.
Roxi - I know you will. You will have your moment.
{Steve then gets up and departs, but there is yet another knock on the door as soon as Steve is out of sight, and it’s Tia, the girl who suggested the show in the first place.}
Roxi – Tia?
Tia – Hi.
Roxi – Is there something you need?
Tia – I just wanted to ask if you and Keira are okay?
Roxi – Yes, we’re fine, why?
Tia – Keira's been... kind of absent the past couple of weeks.
Roxi – Because she’s in training.
Tia – Oh. Okay. Um, just one last thing?
Roxi – Yes?
Tia – How... how do we get started on this whole show?
Roxi – That's up to you guys.
Tia – No, I mean... logistically?
Roxi – You've got to promote the show, set up the matches, find out who works with who. Trust me, we’ll help you on that end, but the promotion of the show is up to you. Do it how you want.
Tia – Oh, okay!
{Tia turns to leave and Roxi clears her throat to get Tia’s attention.}
Roxi – Within reason.
Tia – No worries, thanks!
{Tia disappears from sight and Roxi starts to get back to her notes.
The school closes and as she is finishing, she hears a loud banging coming from behind her. She stand up, wondering what the noise was and goes off in search of the source. She enters the rear gym and it’s none other than Keira, literally throwing a practice dummy around, slamming it to the ground as hard as possible. Roxi looks at Keira and again clears her throat to get Keira’s attention. Keira looks up and seems surprised to see Roxi there.}
Keira – Oh. Hi.
Roxi – What are you trying to do, bring the building down?
Keira – I’m in training.
Roxi – I can see that, captain comeback.
Keira – Har har. I didn’t come back because I wanted to.
Roxi – Really?
Keira – No. I came back because Krystal is out of line. And if nobody else is going to do anything about it, I will.
Roxi – That’s all well and good, but I don’t know who you think you’re trying to fool here.
Keira – What are you talking about? I told you why I was coming back last week.
Roxi – I know you did. But let’s also be honest and say that you didn’t ONLY come back for Krystal.
Keira – That’s all this is going to be, as far as I’m concerned. Krystal was out there hurting those kids! It’s not right, Roxi, and you know it. I’m not going to let anybody do that to my students.
Roxi – So if they were someone else’s students, you’d be okay with it?
Keira – NO! Of course not. Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, but dammit it made me mad.
Roxi – Keira, I know it made you mad. I saw you at the house shaking your head every time you saw Krystal since she made her decision.
Keira – And to think I considered her a friend. Never making that mistake again.
Roxi – Or maybe in time you’ll forgive her.
Keira – That is not happening. I’m not you, Roxi. I wasn’t raised to turn the other cheek. I was raised to fight. I’ve been fighting my whole life. And the moment I tried to sit down and not fight, I get drawn back into another fight.
Roxi – I know. I never said you were me, we went through that last year. A lot. I’m just saying time has a way of healing wounds. It may take a while, but it happens. But the point I was trying to make was you didn’t come back because Krystal made you. You also missed this.
{Keira stands, hands on hips, trying to find a way to not admit it, but she shrugs.}
Keira – A little, yeah.
Roxi – A little my butt, Keira. You know you missed fighting.
Keira – Okay fine! I missed fighting, but... I guess old habits are hard to break. But this... this is it. Probably.
Roxi – Nobody forced you to retire Keira. You made that decision on your own. If you wanted to stay retired, you could have.
Keira – I know that. It just felt like when I was in full-time, and I was doing everything, I had no time and no place to get all this energy out except SCW. WWR came and went, and I just kind of accepted that I just was gonna be able to let it go naturally. It was the right time. I did everything I wanted to do. All I wanted was one time to stand at the top, and win all the titles, and that was it. I won’t lie to you and say that I didn’t miss it, I did, and I still do. But I was content to stay at home, send in the next generation. The school is my life, you know that.
Roxi – I do.
Keira – But when you have somebody who is trying to ruin the next generation, that pisses me off. My kids, the kids I trained, getting hurt because Krystal is being a cunt. So, I needed to take matters into my own hands.
Roxi – And that’s why you showed up last week. So... why are you training now?
Keira – … Like I said, I’m going to take matters into my own hands.
Roxi – Keira, you don’t need to do anything crazy. I’m sure if you really just want to fight Krystal, SCW can arrange that.
Keira – I’m not asking for a match.
Roxi – Then we go back to why you’re training.
Keira – Because this isn’t going to be a match.
Roxi – Keira...
Keira – No, don’t. You worry about Ariana. You have that title match and you can’t slip up because you feel like you need to protect me or something. No, we’re not doing that anymore.
Roxi – I didn’t say we were.
Keira – Good. So, you focus on not losing to Ariana and then we’ll talk about this stuff with Krystal.
Roxi – If you’re going to be like that about it.
Keira – It means a lot to me.
Roxi – I understand. Just remember to think clearly about this.
Keira – You are not responsible for what I do. I’m retired. I’m only handling some business. You are the champion. You need to ready. If you wanted to train with me or something we can do that.
Roxi – Is... that a challenge?
Keira – If you wanted to spar, we can spar.
Roxi – I don’t think this is the correct place for that sparring session.
Keira – Oh...yeah, that’s probably not the best idea I guess.
Roxi – Exactly.
Keira – Well, then, let’s go home and have some food and then, I’ll make sure you are fully ready.
Roxi – Kinky.
Keira – Rawr.
{The tension now broken, Roxi and Keira head off as the scene fades.}
“You're not in it like I am, Barbara. It's still a game for you, it's still a thrill. You haven't been taken to the edge yet. The abyss, the place where you don't care anymore. Where all hope dies.”
- Batman (The Killing Joke)
Hello SCW.
I have been sitting and viewing the Blast from the Past tournament with great interest and I am looking forward to seeing how that plays out. I come to you once again as your champion, and as I said before, my appearances will become less and less frequent as time goes on, but rest assured, I will be here, when it counts. I should make more of an effort to be around more, and I will do my best to do that in the future. You deserve that. I haven’t really felt like the Bombshell’s champion since I won the title to be honest with you. The last time it felt earned and like it was taken from me too soon. And now, I feel like I’m just holding this title, and I shouldn’t feel that way.
I am of course honored and privileged to be holding this title for the fifth time and as I said before, it has never been easy to just go out here and win this title. It’s just that this one just feels different. I almost feel like I am on another level, and I have hit this point and now, I have nowhere left to go. Sure, I am always striving for perfection, and I know I’m not there, but this feels just a bit different now.
Maybe it’s the maturity finally kicking in and me being an adult for reals this time. I’ve been a mom for going on 7 years and a wife for almost a decade, but I’ve always felt like I could still be that girl that came in at 27 and now hit 37. And those days have to go away at some point.
Man, how time flies.
Although, I will always say that I will grow old, I will never fully grow up. I’m still amused by the silliest things and my mind will always travel back to the best days. But, I understand the assignment now. Having seen a few things in my time now.
So, after defeating Mercedes Vargas, I waited with bated breath to see just who would be challenging for this Bombshell’s title, and the competition has been fierce to say the least. Veiwing the Blast from the Past matches and seeing the talent on display is nothing short of incredible, and while the winner is yet to be decided, there is another talented woman is getting her chance. And so, out of respect, I will talk to her, because she deserves that.
Hello, Ariana.
I am pleased to see you in this spot, so early in your career, and I know you as well as I, am excited about this upcoming match. It means a lot to me to testing my talents against the future. Because there’s always questions about how I can and will do.
But, I guess I need to do this now, because I know how you will take what I’m going to say, and it will bring up that age old saying of “Never meet your heroes”.
I know as I stand here right now, I’m going to say things to you that may make you think that I’m not the person you grew up watching. I’m not the friend or ally that you thought I was. While that’s not true, what I’m about to say to you may make you think I’ve been lying this whole time and pretending to be your friend, or just used you to gain the fame I have today.
None of that is the truth.
I’m coming to you because we are competitors, and we are both after the same prize. I am just looking at this through a lens that you just don’t have yet. The one from experience. Yes, you have many wonderful people at your disposal to pass down knowledge to you, and I am one of those people. But as a person who literally teaches people the ins and outs of the ring we wrestle in, I have developed an eye for these situations and so the words I’m going to use here are exactly what I see and what I feel.
So please, don’t take this the wrong way, even though you might, and even though those words usually precede something that sounds awful and terrible. But, as you, and anyone else who I’ve trained or spent time giving pointers or hints or straight up coaching know, I’m the “bad guy” teacher at Hero Academy, I tell people the truth, and I demand a lot more than Keira does. So, given all that, what I’m going to say is coming from a place of experience.
Ariana, you are not ready for this moment.
You simply aren’t. It’s not meant to discourage you, or make you think I don’t take you as a serious challenge, because I do. I take you as seriously as any other opponent I step into the ring with. I said you aren’t ready because it’s the truth. I cannot tip-toe around the truth of the matter.
You did well in the tournament this year, and you earned this match by beating Zoey Lukas, which isn’t an easy task. By no means as I taking anything away from you as a talent and really, you have done the exact thing I asked people to do around here. You stepped up to the plate, and when the chance was there, you took it. You earned this match.
And you had a wonderful, lengthy, fantastic reign at the Roulette champion last year. I can applaud that for what it’s worth. I saw you beat challengers left and right for nearly 5 months. You never shied away from the challenges and you were met with so many different situations that you were able to adapt to. That is commendable and I respect that.
This is a different game, entirely.
Winning the Roulette title is something that is important, it’s a proving ground. The Internet title is where the contenders separate themselves.
This title? The Bombshell’s title? It is rarified air.
This title is where you don’t have any room for error, because it takes a long, long time to get back to the top if you aren’t a consistent wrestler. Anyone can get here, but there’s a long list of women who took a shot and were never able to stay here. A bunch of women who even held this championship, and then once it was gone, they couldn’t get it back. This is where the competition is at it’s highest level.
And I know right now, as I’ve watched you grow in a year’s time, that you are not prepared for the moment that’s coming.
Again this isn’t out of a place of contempt or bitterness. I’m not angry or annoyed that I have to face you, I’m concerned that I have to face you now. At this moment. Because this moment is a moment that could in fact, break you. I’m a coach, I see this stuff. The moment will come, and because you haven’t been here, because you haven’t been in these deep waters, it will become too much of the moment. And I’ve seen many people, men and women both, who get to this point, the same one you are in now, and once it finally hits, they crumble. And then, they become scared of that moment if it ever shows up again.
I know, right now as we stand here, that you are now thinking that I’m trying to play some kind of mind game with you or that you’re now thinking I’m talking down to you or belittling your accomplishments. I am not. I just know that feeling because I felt it.
It was almost a decade ago that I stood where you are right now, looking at Misty, the legend herself, and I knew I wasn’t ready for that moment. I tried, and I failed. And for a while there, I was thinking to myself that that was where I stopped. It took a little bit, but I realized that I had to get back on the horse and keep riding. Because I didn’t come that far, just to come that far. No, I wanted to be at the top, and I had to get better.
I wasn’t ready then, but the next time, I was.
And I see the exact same thing, from the opposite end, now.
So no, Ariana, you are not ready for this moment.
YET.
Because I’ve seen you and I know how good you CAN be, I say yet. This moment, isn’t about me trying to hold onto to something as my star fades and I just can’t let the spotlight go. It’s never been about that. This is about being the biggest learning experience you can have. Like I said, Roulette title is wonderful and all that. You deserve praise. But even that, has not put you where you need to be in order to carry THIS championship.
I know, you may hate me now and think I’m some terrible person and that’s all well and good. A lot of people think that I am and I was being like that for selfish reasons and I’m really just this awful person determined to bring everyone down so I can be at the top. But I think you know me well enough to understand that what you feel right now is going to be temporary.
At the end of the day, you will understand and maybe even appreciate what I’ve spoken to you about today. I know you will, you’re smart, you understand and pick up on these things. In time, you will be in this very spot I’m in, right now. Look at some new, fresh face looking at you and having idolized you. Maybe you will have a world title on your shoulder when you. Maybe multiple titles. Maybe you will be the best women’s wrestler, or heck, wrestler period at that point.
And hopefully, you will look back at this moment and know that this is where it started.
Ariana, you will not be taking this championship from me.
Not because you don’t have the talent, not because you don’t have the skill, or drive, or determination. You have all of those things in spades. You have all the things necessary to be where I am.
Just... not right now.
You just need to put it all together.
But at Into the Void, it’s not going to happen.
Trust me, I’m not telling you to not try, I’m not telling you to think you can’t win, or you won’t win and you shouldn’t bother. Not saying that at all. I’m telling you to give it everything you have. I want everything.
Because after I beat you here, we will have an ever better match next time. Because then, you will be even more prepared for the moment.
You just aren’t right now.
I hope you understand.
{The scene opens up with Roxi at home trying to relax as she sits down at the kitchen table and gives a sigh. Nate is also at the table and working on schoolwork and looks over at Roxi, who smiles at Nate.}
Roxi – What ‘cha working on, baby?
Nate – Homework Mommy.
Roxi – What kind of homework?
Nate – Counting.
Roxi – You mean math? Or just counting in general?
Nate – Counting.
Roxi – Oh, well you can count. I’ve heard you count to like 50.
Nate – Uh-huh. Can you help me?
Roxi – Of course.
Nate – Okay. I need help on this one.
{Nate points at one of the math problems and there’s a picture of balloons and clouds and currency coins.}
Roxi – How many nickels are there?
Nate – What's a nickel?
Roxi – Oh, wow, we never acutally went over money with you, did we?
Nate – Nope.
Roxi – Well then again, you grandma and aunts and uncles always give you paper money and not coins. Okay, let me get some coins.
{Roxi gets up from the table and heads to the coin jar in her pantry. She pulls out the 4 major coins and puts them on the table when she returns.}
Roxi – Okay.
{Roxi grabs the penny and holds it up.}
Roxi – This is a penny, it’s worth one cent. It’s copper so that’s why it’s all orange-y for the color.
Nate – One cent? It’s not worth a lot.
Roxi – No, that’s why we don’t really use them for anything.
Nate – Oh.
{Roxi grabs a dime.}
Roxi – This is a dime, it’s worth 10 cents. It’s the smallest one.
Nate – None of these are worth a lot, huh?
Roxi – Well, no, it’s because we have taxes and a lot of stuff that’s way too advanced for me to be talking to a 6-year-old about.
Nate – I’m smart though.
Roxi – Yes, you are. You make me very proud because you are so smart. It means you’re going to do something very special when you get older.
Nate – Like what?
Roxi – I don’t know. I guess whatever you want to be.
Nate – Like a rebel pilot?
Roxi – I... Suppose if there’s a rebellion you could be a pilot.
Nate – Maybe I could be a wrestler?
Roxi – Well... I... I mean, yes, you could. But can we focus on the coins for a bit here?
Nate – Okay.
{Nate gives a sigh and picks up a quarter.}
Roxi – That's a quarter it’s worth 25 cents and it pretty much the only coin we use today commonly. And it’s really just to get stuff out of a vending machine. Well... actually not even that anymore. You can just use a credit card on vending machines. Which is kinda wild now.
Nate – Mama just uses a dollar.
Roxi – You can use those two. But 4 of those quarters are equal to a dollar.
Nate – Okay.
Roxi – So this last one, is the nickel, it’s worth five cents.
Nate – So... if I have two nickels that’s 10 cents.
Roxi – Yes. Or the same amount as a dime. But the nickel is the big fat coin. So, now thaat you’ve seen them all, you should be able to pick out the nickel. Let’s try.
{Roxi takes all the coins in one hand and switches one to the other and opens her hand, revealing the quarter.}
Roxi – Which one is that?
Nate – Uh... Q.. quarter?
Roxi – Very good.
{Roxi puts the quarter on the table and takes another coin, the penny and shows it.}
Roxi – This one?
Nate – Penny!
Roxi – Good!
{Roxi then reveals the nickel.}
Nate – Nickel!
Roxi – Good, which leaves only one more, the dime. So now, let’s go back to the page here, and see how many nickels we can find.
Nate – Okay!
{Roxi and Nate go through and find the number of nickels on the page and give each other a high five.}
Roxi – Good job, baby. I’m proud of you.
Nate – Thank you, Mommy.
Roxi – That's my job. Now I have to start making dinner.
Nate – What's for dinner?
Roxi – Oh, I don’t know, how about some monkey bread pizza?
Nate – Yum!
Roxi – I like the sound of that myself.
{Roxi kisses Nate on the top of the head as she stands up and runs her fingers through his hair.}
Roxi - I love you, silly boy.
Nate – I love you too, Mommy.
{Roxi stands up and starts getting the ingredients out as Nate looks back over at her.}
Nate – Where's Mama?
Roxi – She's working at the gym, baby. Training.
Nate – Are you training there too?
Roxi – Sometimes. I work there too a lot while you’re in school.
Nate – Are we going on the cruise again this year Mommy?
Roxi – Oh, I suppose so. But you need to finish your school stuff.
Nate – Okay.
{It isn’t long before Keira comes in the door, looking rather tired but still upbeat as she smiles as kisses Nate.}
Keira – How's my special little boy?
Nate – Mama, I’m a big boy.
Keira – Well, I don’t care how big you get, you’ll always be my baby.
{Nate giggles as Keira takes her bag to her room and comes back and hugs Roxi from behind and kisses her neck.}
Roxi – You are all sweaty.
Keira – But you love me anyway.
Roxi – Yes. I do.
Keira – So, you all packed and ready to go?
Roxi – Well yeah, why?
Keira - I just want to make sure we’re good.
Roxi – Why do you need your stuff?
Keira – What do you mean?
Roxi – You don’t have a match. You’re not back.
Keira – What? I can’t tag along?
Roxi – I know when you say “Tag along” that doesn’t mean sit and not get into trouble.
Keira – What? There’s a meet and greet. It’s Team Hero. That means both of us.
Roxi – Uh-huh...
Keira – What? Why would you think I would cause any trouble?
Roxi – Because I’ve been married to you for 8 years.
Keira – Okay, fine...I just need to know you’re not going to do stop me from doing what I need to do.
Roxi – As long as you aren’t actively interfering with things. I know you want to get your shot at Krystal, but don’t' mess up her match.
Keira – You have my word.
Roxi – Good.
Keira – Need any help with this?
Roxi – Sure.
{Roxi and Keria continue to make the pizza bread as the scene fades.}
{Our new scene is a meet and gree for SCW in London. Roxi and Keira are signing autographs and taking pictures with fans. The lines and legions of fans are massive and Roxi and Keira are all smiles as fans of all ages come to see them. Some of them even dressed like Team Hero. A couple of girls come up dressed as Team Hero as it makes Roxi and Keira smile even wider.}
Roxi – Great look girls.
Keira – They look familiar I must say.
Girl – We're a couple too!
Roxi – Hey, that’s awesome.
{Roxi and Keira sign the autographed pictures and a couple of pieces of memorabilia and take some photos.}
Roxi – Keep being awesome girls.
Girl #2 – Thank you for helping us discover who we were as people.
Roxi – I don’t think we did that much. Just don’t forget who you are.
Keira – Consider it a favor for us.
{The girls smile and nod and excitedly leave as more fans come up for pictures and photos.}
Fan – We're so glad you’re back Keira!
Keira – It's good to be back! I missed you guys!
{The signings continue until the line eventually widdles down. An older female fan comes up with a Team Hero t-shirt. She is shaking she’s so excited.}
Roxi – Are you okay?
Excited fan – This is the biggest moment of my life!
Roxi – Whoa, calm down, it’s okay. You will have plenty of moments in the future.
Keira – We just want to make sure you enjoy the show.
Excited fan – You have no idea how much this means to me. You are my idols. I grew up with you.
Keira – And we’re happy you’re here. We hope to see you at the show too.
Roxi – Are you going to be there?
Excited fan – Uh... y... yeah.
Roxi – That's awesome. We’ll look for you.
Excited – No way!
Roxi – Sure. But you need to do us a favor and calm down okay?
{Roxi and Keira both get up and hug the excited fan who is shedding tears of happiness.}
Excited Fan – You guys are the best.
Roxi – We just try. But we don’t need you passing out on us, okay? Let’s breathe.
{Roxi and Keira help the girl calm down and she’s still crying.}
Roxi – It's all good. We’re so happy we could be part of your life, and you could be part of ours.
Keira – Say, what’s your name?
Excited Fan – Uh.. A... Alicia
Roxi – Awesome Alicia. Let’s make this good day even better.
{Roxi and Keira sign the t-shirt, the autographed photos and take a picture with Alicia, who is still starstruck.}
Roxi – There you go. We’ll see you at the show, right?
Alica – Y.. yeah!
Roxi – Awesome.
{The line is finally down to the last few after a long while and Roxi and Keira have some moments alone, even in the packed convention hall.}
Roxi – That was fun.
Keira – It was eye-opening.
Roxi – How so?
Keira – I never realized just how much we have influences not only other wrestlers, but people in general.
Roxi – Well, there is the other thing.
Keira – But nobody know that part, and with good reason. But today was... today just felt so.. .good. It’s like these people appreciated what we did.
Roxi – And what we do, and what we will do.
Keira – And to think... this is the same type of person you have to wrestle.
Roxi – Yeah, it’s... it’s weird.
Keira - I mean, I did feel a little old today. Seeing and hearing grown people talk about how much they loved us, how much they enjoyed us. It’s crazy to think about.
Roxi – And it makes what’s going to happen all the more conflicting.
Keira – I guess I could say the same thing.
Roxi – Ariana's a good kid.
Keira – Listen to you. A good kid?
Roxi – She had a poster of Team Hero on her wall. You know that. Now I’m sitting here like, Sunday, I need to beat her and retain the title and then what? Does it destroy her confidence? Does she hate my guts for the rest of her career?
Keira – I doubt it.
Roxi – But you can’t be sure.
Keira – Ariana and Cassie and all those girls, the ones we helped train, all understand that this is dog eat dog. We can be the best of friends outside the ring. But inside? It’s business. Ariana’s not that new, she understands that. Hell, you and I are married, and yet, when we were in the ring against each other, we didn’t hold back, right?
Roxi – True.
Keira – And at the end of the day, we made it out okay, right?
Roxi – We did.
Keira – Trust me, if you take it easy on Ariana simply for not wanting to hurt her feelings, I think that is going to make her more uspet that if you just outright beat her. That’s what you’re supposed to do.
Roxi – I guess you’re right.
Keira – And there’s a lot of people who are coming to see you, even after all this time, and there’s a whole new generation you can touch. We can touch. Team Hero can touch. And there’s not better place to start than now.
Roxi – You just made this a while lot easier.
{Keira smiles.}
Keira – I knew you missed me being here.
Roxi – I did.
{Roxi and Keira share a laugh as the scene fades out.}
“I told you it'd get uglier before it gets better”
- Captain America (Captain America Vol 5 #24)
I had a lot of mixed feelings coming into this match, and now they continue to be mixed and don’t seem like they will be getting any more straightforward until after the match is over. It’s just the way things go sometimes, I suppose.
On one hand, I am facing someone who has a world of potential and doesn’t quite understand how to use it. They don’t really have everything put together, and I know they are going to try and I know they are going to give me all I can handle, but in the back of my mind, I feel like this is some kind of cruel hurdle I have to overcome, and yet, doing so will make me feel worse.
Because the other side of that coin is me, sitting here and saying I have to beat that person. I have to snuff out their championship aspirations because that is what the cards are showing. I have to back up the things I have said. I have to ensure that someone I want to see succeed, doesn’t actually succeed. At least, in this endeavor. It just...bugs me at this point in time.
I am simply conflicted right now. And yes, I completely understand the idea at play here. Ariana said herself she had picutres of me, posters of me on her wall, and now, here we are about to wrestle one another. I’m know for her it’s a dream come true, and I am happy to be a part of that. I know how that feels, and I am very honored to be on the other side of it now. I am swelled up with pride and enjoyment at the fact that people who watched me, are now competing with me. That is a surreal thing to me right now, you have no idea. It’s insane to me, but it fills me with so much pride to hear it. To me, it means I did something that people saw, and wanted to emulate. And to have that kind of person as my opponent is crazy.
But here we are.
And now, I have to tell that person, I have to look across the ring, see that person and say “No. Sorry, you aren’t going to beat me on this day. I have shatter hopes and dreams of the same person I helped fill with those very same hopes and dreams.
It’s a lose-lose situation.
But that’s what comes with being a champion. Having to make those difficult decisions. Having to face those situations and make a choice. Because at the end of the day, if Ariana was in my position, she wouldn’t just roll over and let the kid live out her dream at her expense. No, a person is a champion for a reason and simply because a match takes a more emotional toll doesn’t mean that everything stops. It means that this is just what is in front of you, and you have to make the best of it. Be a champion. Lead by example. And from the outset of this reign, it’s what I set out to do.
When I won this championship, it’s not like I got a list and said I want to face this person and that person, and I don’t want this other person. No, I have to take on all comers. And Ariana did what I have asked of my opponents ever since I won the title. To earn their shot. And Ariana did that. So, in a way, she has made me very happy, and very proud. And now, I stand as her opponent.
I am very appreciative of this situation regardless of how conflicted it makes me feel. I said from the outset that winning the title isn’t easy, and keeping it is even harder, and matches like this actually prove that point.
But where are my manners? I shouldn’t be talking about Ariana, not after the start of this.
Hello again, Ariana.
I hope you understand that my words were not being used to bring you down or make you feel inferior. It’s not my intention and it never was. I was simply stating the fact of the matter as they are. I am flattered that you had a poster of me, and of Team Hero on your wall. That’s awesome. I’m glad you watched me, I’m happy you drew inspiration from me, and I’m proud to see all that you have become and that you are going to be standing across from me at Into the Void.
I said that you were not ready for this moment, and that’s the truth. It’s not me trying to belittle or embarrass you. And right now, while I am flattered, I am also looking for more from you. I am looking for you to take that next step and become you, become Ariana Angelos.
Because right now, I don’t know who that is.
That’s not a knock, but I can only go by what my eyes tell me. And from what I see, I see an incomplete puzzle. There are pieces in place. They go together and give me the rough outline, and more importantly, give you a rough outline, but the whole picture isn’t there. I don’t know who you are because you don’t know who you are just yet. And you know what? That’s okay. You don’t have to right this second.
That’s what I’ve been getting at this entire time.
You want to be a cook, you want to be chef, a wrestler, a streamer, you want to be all this things and it’s like my son two years ago telling me he wants to be part of the Rebel Alliance when he grows up. It’s all these ideas and dreams and you just don’t have the clear enough vision.
I told you, back in December, I wanted this for you. I wanted you to show everyone who you were. And I know these things can take time, but you are still struggling trying to be everything and you know what happens when that happens? You are so many things, that you are nothing. You become a smearing of different colors of paint across a canvas. No careful strokes, but big, wide ones. And I know that in time, you will fill in those wider strokes with more precise ones.
But as I said, this isn’t that time.
You still have a lot to figure out about yourself. This is the message I have giving you to, and have been giving to you for a long time now. I want to see it. I need to see it. Because my fear is that you win this title, it goes to your head, and you end up a flash in the pan because you etched your name on the name plates on this title. That’s what has happened to many people, not just in SCW, but around the world, in every promotion on the planet. Somebody gets their name on a title and they think they have it made.
You don’t want to end up like Mercedes Vargas and coasting on that one time you did one thing many years ago and you have to constantly remind people. I don’t want that for you, and you don’t want that for you.
This match is going to be one big learning experience for you Ariana. Hopefully at the end of the match, you will have put a lot more of those pieces into place and you will be ready the next time this kind of moment comes your way. Because I have a firm belief that you will be in this spot again. It’s up to you to put all that together, but right now, you simply don’t have all the pieces to fit into your puzzle.
You just want to be too many things, and while I expected the superhero puns and the age jokes, you know deep down in your heart that it’s not going ot be enough. You have watched me long enough to know you will have to come stronger than that and you, right now, do not have that capability.
Once you figure it out, yes, I will gladly be here to tell you that. I may even be standing across the ring from you when you do figure it out.
But Into the Void isn’t going to be that day.
But I am determined to show you that this is what champions do. This is what you have to do when the stage is set and the light come on at their brightest. We are headlining this supercard. You and Me. There will be nobody else to stand there with us. The entire wrestling world will be watching and you and I will be standing there looking eye to eye. It is for the biggest championship in women’s wrestling to my mind. You have your first chance to dance at this very spot. All of that pressure right there, the fans expecting the match of the night.
Like I said Ariana:
You are not ready.
But I will show you how to get ready. And I will show you why I am the Bombshell’s champion, and at the end of the day, I will show you that you looking up to me and idolizing me, will be paid back to you despite the loss you will endure.
I will make you better.
I promise.
See you soon.