[Christian Underwood]

 Post all RPs here!

Word limit: 10k per character per RP period

[Cat Riley]

 “Adaptable, affectionate, and attached to their owners, British Shorthairs are great to watch. They are sociable animals and can easily get along with household members and other pets. But they do not like to be carried.”

“British Shorthairs have their origin in the domestic cats of the Roman Empire. They were noted for their hunting abilities and strength, but the modern breed has become a bit clumsy. The earliest members of this breed were produced from UK street cats. Breeders have worked hard to make this species resilient to health issues and diseases.”

“The British Shorthair is adorably chubby and more rounded compared to its American counterpart. They come in many colors and are known for their copper eyes, bluish-gray fur, and wide face. A British Shorthair kittens can cost between $800 to $1,000 which finds it a place in this list of most expensive cat breeds. The British Shorthair is a quiet feline but loves showing affection. They are usually not energetic or active, but laidback and easy-going.”

Drawing in a belated sigh Christian leans back in the high, button backed velour covered Victorian styled chair with an exquisitely hand carved wooden based with curled arm rests and polished black finish, an expensive furnishing to be sure but nothing compared to the subject of the ‘Cat Fancy’ periodical in his hands detailing a list of the most expensive cat breeds in the world.  Seated across from him is a lean blonde woman in her fifties but well-groomed and quite attractive despite her age. Rebecca Riley, on vacation with her husband to visit their daughter reaches up to subtly adjust the wire framed lenses held aloft by her nose while gazing down at the same magazine as her companion seated across from her. She brushes aside an errant curl from her face and shifts position in her own chair, a duplicate to the one her host currently relaxes in. She glances up over the lenses at him while he scans the article further.

“Many reports trace back the Persian cats to 19th century Persia (modern day Iran), but historical evidence suggests that the breed has been existing since hundreds of years before Christ. They are noted for their open pansy-like faces and luxurious long hair. In addition, they have a gentle and sweet personality and can easily adapt to a noisy household. Persian cats are playful by nature and their expressive eyes provide them a cute and delightful look. However, you need to be intricate and thorough in their maintenance as their long coat is vulnerable to hairballs and tangles.”

“The Persian cat is widely recognized by its mushy face and fluffy hair. It enjoys showing affection and cuddling, but is not very vocal. Their furry coat needs daily grooming and brushing. This breed comes in multiple variations and colors. Its weight is comparable to a regular American Shorthair. This breed can range in costs from over $1,000 to $5,000”.

“Pish posh”, he scoffs and then adds with a chuckle; “I can assure you Genie is a great deal more expensive than that. Have you seen her toy room?”

Rebecca nods with a smile. “Yes, Cat showed it to me yesterday. I would guess that you have spent more than ten times that amount on that room alone”. Having been in town for a couple of days now she is enjoying the company of Cat’s land lord and friend, taking the time and getting to know him while her husband Paul has taken their daughter out for ‘remedial training’ as he put it leaving the two of them to become better acquainted. She was excited to learn of the many shared interests between them such as their love of cooking and similar appreciation of Victorian era architecture and the more they chatted the closer they became; quickly dropping formalities and using the other’s first names among other things. She scrolls further down the list to the final entrant and proceeds to read aloud,

“The Ashera can cost as much as a whopping $125,000 because it is an extremely rare breed. A Los Angeles-based firm produces only 5 kittens of this type each year. So if you buy one, you will be among the very few owners of this amazing cat breed. In aesthetics, the Ashera resembles a snow leopard in its pattern. But its behavior and temperament are similar to Savannah cats. In fact, some experts argue that genetic testing reveals that Ashera cats are nothing but Savannah F1 cats.”

“This exotic breed is a hybrid of the Asian leopard cat, a domestic housecat, and the African serval. Personality-wise, it is loyal, affectionate, and very intelligent. Despite the controversy about its genetics, the Ashera is the most prized pet cat in the world and you can take one home if you can cough up the astronomical price.”

She cannot help but to break out in laughter over the claim made on the glossy page held between her thumb and index finger. “Oh my lord, $125,000?” she spits. That’s nothing, I know a breed of cat far more expensive..,” her voice trails off as she lifts her gaze to match Christian’s and he responds with a knowing smirk,

“A British longhair?” he grins.

Both rear their heads and share in a hearty laughter which echoes throughout the classically furnished manor loudly enough to roust Genie, his white Persian from her slumber beneath his chair. With a gaping yawn she stretches her forelimbs while digging her claws into the black and gold appointed Safavieh Empire Assorted Area Rug, a hand sewn wool floor covering measuring eight by eleven feet which elegantly fills the open space of the herringbone patterned Parquet flooring. Looking up at her master through baleful blue eyes she offers a delicate meow; a not so subtle hint to which he is quick to catch onto.

“Alright, alright” he sighs and rises to his feet. “I’ll feed you”. Turning his attention back to his guest he asks, “Becky, would you mind helping me with a German Chocolate pie in the kitchen”?

“I would love that”, she chimes in also bolting to her feet and pausing to un-ruffle the wrinkles in her black and white pleated calf length skirt in a soft woven fabric and adjusts the matching cross pattern faux silk blouse. “Cat raves to me all the time about your German Chocolate Pie”, she offers. “She says it’s the best she’s ever had so I would love to learn your recipe”.

“That kid really knows how to flatter me”.

The pair strides across the floor, the muffled thud of Christian’s black leather loafers echoing throughout the otherwise empty house in direct contrast to the clacking of Mrs. Riley’s glossy black Christian Louboutin pointed toe heels. Passing through the living room and past a corner stand boasting a framed 8 by 12 photograph of the SCW co-owner and his spouse Scott Schriener she pauses thoughtfully, looking at the picture showing the grinning couple romping in a green park on a sunny day.

“Where is Scotty today anyway?” she asks.

Oh, today is arm day at the gym”, he answers while turning the corner into the softly hued Victorian styled kitchen, albeit with modern, although matching colored Kenmore appliances and a large, 1,400 watt microwave oven. “He won’t be back until this evening. He usually makes it just in time for dinner”.

“It’s only ten am”, she observes with a frown following a glance at her analog Olivia Burton Marble Floral Grey Lilac & Rose Gold rimmed watch. “That’s an awfully long time”.

“He’s obsessed with his peaks”, Christian shrugs while popping open a small can of Fancy feast which he dumps into a small plastic bowl and shoves into the microwave oven. Closing the door he depresses a button putting the device on a low setting and starts to rummage through the refrigerator while it hums away. “I’ve been around muscle heads my entire life”, he explains, “but I’ve never seen anyone so dedicated to a single body part as Scotty is to his arms”.

The oven emits a ringing sound indicating completion of its task prompting him to reach in and carefully remove the steaming dish. Scooping it from the plastic bowl and into an ornately floral pattern gold and white ceramic bowl he reaches for a small pepper shaker labeled ‘cat nip’ and sprinkles some of the green herb atop the heated pate and then sets it down on the floor leaving it to Genie’s ravenous wishes.

“I’ll make you a deal Becky”, Christian says while pulling ingredients from the refrigerator and overhead cupboards. “We’ll go tit for tat, I’ll share with you my recipe if you would be so kind as to share something with me”.

“Like what”? She wonders quizzically.

“You raised the kitty cat”, he goes on while folding his arms across his chest and leaning against the counter. “So surely after 20 something years you and Paul have figured out a method for waking her up? I tried to wake her up on black Friday with two..,” he pauses for emphasis and resumes, “two packs of smelling salts and she rolled over and went straight back to sleep, it was the damnedest thing”.

Perhaps expectedly Rebecca bursts into a rolling laughter, her shrieking guffaws reverberating through the whole of the meticulously recreated genteel chateau.  Clutching her heaving stomach she rides out the undulating fit of merriment which is quick to infect Christian as he joins in. The pair shares several moments of gleeful chortling which eventually subsides into a more manageable chuckle.

“Oh my..,” she pauses to catch her breath. “That child can sleep through anything.  When she was five our neighbor’s house burned down and the gas line ignited causing an explosion. She sleeps through it and when she goes outside to catch the school bus the next morning she runs back inside screaming that their house burned down. But to answer your question yes, we do have a way to wake her up, a trick that works perfectly every time.” Flashing a beaming, toothy grin in his direction she continues, “The trick is surprisingly simple; as you most likely know, and despite what she says, Cat sleeps on her back which makes her prone to snoring. As a snorer her mouth is usually open when she sleeps and, again, as you know she has a massive sweet tooth so all you have to do is slide a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth – chocolate chip cookie dough is her favorite – and she will pop to every single time. It never fails. It was Paul’s idea, he wanted to play a prank on her but we weren’t expecting it to wake her up instantly the way it did but we filed it away for future reference”.

“How did you wake her up before making that discovery”?

“Rebecca shakes her head, “with a lot of persistence, a lot of noise and rearranging her bedroom. Paul dragged her bed outside one time to wake her during the winter, poor baby”.

Having laid out the ingredients over the kitchen table Christian begins his work in earnest pouring a mixture of cornstarch, sugar, evaporated milk and eggs into a bowl and whisking the mix with Rebecca tying a grumpy cat apron around her waist and lending a hand, taking the bowl from him and leaving him to prepare a coconut and pecan mixture after chopping up several cubes of dark chocolate.

“Now Chrissy, “she says while stirring the chocolate into the mix. “I have a question for you..,” she breaks into a thoughtful pause with her mind searching for a delicate way to word her query. “Cat is.., shall we say somewhat awkward..,”

“You mean she’s accident prone”? He offers.

“Yes, so surely after living with you for so long she has managed to break a few things.”

“To put it mildly”, he chuckles. “I’d say she’s probably tallied over $20,000 in damage. I mean, between her rough housing with Genie, her insatiable curiosity – she’s always getting into stuff – and her own penchant for trouble she’s a veritable wrecking crew”.

“Oh my..,” she gasps. “Good lord, twenty thousand dollars?” she exclaims as her face reddens in anger. “When I get my hands on that girl..,”

“Don’t worry about it,” he waves her off. “I don’t mind it at all”.

“What? Chrissy, that’s a lot of money”!

“I know, but I have a sweetheart of a deal with my insurance company. She actually makes me money when she breaks stuff”.

“How on Earth did you manage to pull that off”?

“Well, about two years ago I decided to go insurance shopping..,”

All four burners of the white gas stove glow a bright shade of red as Christian Underwood shuffles the pots and pans containing various edible concoctions on and off, with his hands clad in custom ‘Grumpy Cat’ kitchen mittens to protect them from the searing heat he sets some down on matching hot pads atop the counter and replaces them with new pans ready for cooking. He leans over the kitchen sink and lifts the window up a couple of inches, allowing a waft of cool outside air to snake its way in to help dissipate some of the accumulated heat and cool the food more quickly. His face is treated to a blast of hot air as he opens the oven door to check on a tuna casserole baking inside when the effervescent chime of the doorbell alerts him to a visitor.

“That must be the insurance appraiser I called for”, he mumbles, wiping his hands on a towel draped over a wall mounted hook beside the window. He quickly dials down the temperature of the stove, anticipating the time about to be spent away from the kitchen and then slides off the mitts, dropping them onto the marble topped breakfast bar on his way to the door, which chimes anew, this time more urgently. “I’m coming”, he cries out and then mutters under his breath as the bell continues to chime. “Keep your pants on”.

Arriving at the foyer he grasps the cold brass knob and twists it, pulling the dark, heavy oak door sporting an ornate carving pattern and blinks rapidly as he is greeted by a familiar face. A young man with dark, mussy hair and a fair complexion wearing a pair a heavy framed glasses with the lenses facing the opposite direction which only serves to magnify the size of his chestnut brown eyes threefold rather than his vision rendering him as blind as the proverbial bat. He is decked out in an ill fitted rumpled dark suit, heavily scuffed business loafers, a white button down shirt with ice cream stains and toy sized clip on tie while clutching and small teddy bear dressed similarly in his right hand with a plastic briefcase dangling from his left. He immediately recognizes the young man as former SCW superstar Despayre with his ever present teddy bear Angel.

“Despy.., what brings you here?” he asks.

“I’m afraid you must have me confused with someone else”, the young man explains. “My name is Charles Foster Kane and this is my colleague Mr. Angel. We are representatives of the D. Nyle and associates insurance company and we are here per your request to appraise your home and furnishings for the purposes of a policy. May we come in please”?

Uhh sure..,” stepping aside Christian extends his arm directing the duo inside. Mr. Kane takes small steps while pushing his hands outward in order to feel his way through to foyer past a row of potted rubber plants and into the living room. Looking back and noticing his guest having difficulty navigating the subtly lit home Christian grabs his hand and places it on his shoulder to serve as a Seeing Eye dog of sorts. He guides the hapless appraiser over the area rug and around the antique white Victorian coffee table with twin front and back English dovetail drawers, metal rosette knobs and carved apron with cabriolet legs, and seats him on the white and gold appointed button tufted Chenille loveseat with a classical wingback design featuring exquisite floral prints nail headed to a solid birch wood frame and five matching throw pillows. “Take a seat and explain the appraisal process to me”.

Despy stares blankly at the wall, his expression reflecting the confusion churning within.  After a few moments and failing to process the term he shrugs his shoulders, electing to take a guess.

“Umm.., I’m just gonna look at your stuff and see how much it’s worth”.

“Feel free,” he says with a tinge of uncertainty. “Just roam around the house and take notes I guess. While you do that I have to tend to dinner in the kitchen if you don’t mind”.  With Charles ‘Despy’ Kane nodding his approval Christian raises from the loveseat and hastily beats a path into the kitchen, shaking his head, certain that this is some sort of practical joke. “It’s probably Geno”, he mutters reaching for the cordless telephone atop the breakfast bar and dialing the number to the insurance company he had called earlier in the morning. “You won’t get me that easy Geno”.

“Ooh neat”!

To most of us the day glow lava lamp would be nothing more than a passing curiosity, a novelty which the mind would discard almost as soon as it registered. To Despayre however, a young man in body but possessing the mind of a child the 15 inch plug in conversation piece with its bubbly, rainbow colored wax floating within a yellow liquid center proves to be an object of utter fascination. With wide, curiosity ridden eyes he studies the gold cased almost rocket shaped beacon intently, his mind eagerly trying to discern the inner workings of the object and emitting a child-like giggle upon noting the shape changing properties inside the clear cone.  A gasping breath slithers through thin, pursed lips as he wonders aloud,

“This has to worth a million dollars”.

Christian exits the kitchen, his face masked in perplexity. He meanders across the floor in a slow, uncertain gait while trying to wrap his head around the conversation rerunning through his thoughts. He pauses at the lava lamp admired by his guest mere moments ago, picking it up off of the corner stand. He runs his fingers absently along the curved plastic contour of the colorful lantern; a gift he had picked up on a whim for Scott at a Spencer’s gift shop inside of the Boulevard mall. He recalls paying for with a $20 bill and receiving change back, far from the million dollar ‘appraisal’. He shakes his head setting it back down with a clunk atop the off white wooden stand and continues on to join his guest while combating the questions invading his consciousness.

“How did he..? No, he couldn’t have, it has to be some sort of prank”.

But what a prank considering the insurance company verified his employment in the capacity he had stated earlier. He was unable to believe it and asked to speak with a supervisor who echoed the words of the receptionist. He reaches into the side pocket of his hip hugging denim jeans and retrieves the business card offered him by his ‘appraiser’. Studying it carefully for obvious signs of forgery such as smudge marks, erasures and running his finger over the top and along the edges of Charles Kane’s photograph in the upper right corner for signs of lift, but he finds none. He then compares the layout of the card to the one given him days earlier by the advisor at the company’s office when he had initially inquired about a home owner’s policy and again, everything matches up. Maybe he is legitimate after all. Digging through the trenches of his past he recalls Despayre, or Charles Foster Kane as it would be serving as a PR manager, manager, legal advisor and even a psycho analyst. Only his father Synn would know for certain and trying to get the information out of him would be as fruitless as trying to milk pterodactyl. He holds up one of the forms handed to him and scans it noting the carefully worded legalese, numerous paragraphs, sub paragraphs and bullet points as well as being printed on company letterhead. Pausing at the doorway he looks on as Mr. Kane gawks over a still boxed vintage 80s toy collection. His eyes roam through the room, past a set of porcelain Grumpy cat figurines, over an old Atari console and eventually settle on a set of hand carved figures he recalled purchasing from a yard sale depicting a unicorn, a Pegasus and various other animals for less than a dollar apiece and mumbles under his breath,

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”.

“Wow, a complete 1980s He-Man and the masters of the universe action set!”

“I spent most of my life collecting those figures”, he offers to his wide eyed appraiser. “And I spent many sleepless nights watching auctions to make sure nobody outbid me”.

The minutes turn into hours as Despy Kane pores over the massive assemblage of trinkets, toys, novelty items and other would be artifacts, pausing every few moments to consult with his colleague Mr. Angel and jotting down notations into a spiral bound notebook. Meticulously he examines each individual item, often adding vocal notes for the benefit of his ‘client’. Picking up one of the hand carved yard sale figurines he brings it closer to his face for a more personal examination.

“Note the calligraphic style emphasizing restraint and self-cultivation,” he says. “Also observe the blue and white finish of this specimen”. Setting the object down he eagerly snatches up another as would a child chasing after a runaway marble. “Do you see how it contrasts with this cloisonné enamelware? Now, take notes of this third example..,” dropping the heavy marble carving to the floor he reaches up for another. “You see the strong west Asian influences which reflect a sort of ‘push back’ against Islamic influences of the time. These are all indicative of the court-dictated styles observed during the Ming Dynasty”.

“I paid fifty cents for it at a yard sale last year”, Christian says.

“Then you have done well for yourself Mr. Underwood because these are all highly sought after items and this one..,” he selects a faded gold colored effigy chiseled into the likeness of a Cheshire cat bearing discolored teeth and scratchy black appointments and holds it aloft. “This is the only representation in the world depicting the beloved pet of none other than Zhu Youjian, also known as The Chongzhen Emperor. He was the last ethnic Han and the last emperor to sit on the throne of the Ming dynasty. Volumes have been written about his love of Lady Liu which is the name of his cat”.

Behind him Christian’s mouth widens into an ear to ear grin and although the benevolent side of him desperately tries to claw its way out to inform the deluded youngster that Lady Liu was actually the name of the emperor’s mother as well as tell him that he had an additional dozen sculptures identical to the one clutched by his twitching fingers, the impulse is aggressively pushed back into the shadows and buried beneath a blanket of greed.

“This whatchamacallit alone is worth in excess of $50,000”.

“What?” Rebecca cries out in exasperation while staring incredulously at the faded Cheshire cat which appears to her to have been sculpted from a smooth rock similar to ones found on the beach. “This thing was made from a rock”, she says. “I see them all the time at fairs and gift shops. I doubt it is even worth a pound”.

“Me too”, Christian says with a smirk. “But then what do I know, I’m just some poor dumb schmuck who bought it at a yard sale for fifty cents”. He laughs. “Cat has already broken one and I used the money to sign more talent to our roster”.

“I was going to ask about that”, she states, setting the trinket down on the table and returning to her mix. “Paul and I have been seeing a lot of new faces in SCW lately”.

“Now you know why, but I’m still a bit surprised that you and your husband are so familiar with our product. I mean, it is a local promotion and we rarely tour but you seem better informed than most of our fans, how is that”?

“Oh, you’d be surprised”, she answers. “SCW is quite popular all throughout England. You have a wealth of young British talent in your ranks, Kate Steele, Mark Ward and of course our kitty cat to name a few and back home we tend to follow our own very closely”.

“So you’ve been able to keep tabs on Cat’s career”, he observes flatly with his attention on a chocolate pie crust in the process of kneading. “What do you think of her progress so far”?

“I think it has been blinding, but her father tends to see things a bit differently than I do”.

“How so”?

“In her last match where she fought Crystal Zdunich wearing that silly blindfold he was bloody incensed”.

“So he doesn’t care for ‘specialty’ matches”?

“He never did, but that wasn’t what upset him. What really set him off was when Cat attempted a dropkick against Crystal, and then tried a flying cross body. Mind you he wasn’t upset that she missed them both, he was upset that she attempted them in the first place. When she was in training Paul and his brother would always tell her to keep it on the mat and that high spots are for birds. To him it was as if she had forgotten everything he had taught her once she put on that blindfold”.

“So I take it that is why they left so early this morning”?

“Yes”, she giggles softly and hands the bowl to Christian who pours the doughy mixture into the freshly prepared pie crust. “He said he wanted to give her some remedial training ahead of her singles match with Crystal”.

“So the doting daddy is taking it into his own hands to get her ready for inception. Do you plan on attending the show”?

“Unfortunately we can’t attend”, she sighs dejectedly, dipping the tip of her index finger into the empty bowl and tasting a sample of the rich, dark chocolate mixture. “We’re due to fly back home that morning but her Uncle, Paul’s brother Ernie will be recording it so we can review it after we arrive”.

“That’s a shame; I’d love to introduce you to the fans. They absolutely adore Cat and she’s so good with them. I’m sure they’d love you as well”.

“I would enjoy that”, she confesses. “As long as they don’t love us the way Paul loves her”.



“Again”! His voice, sharp and demanding echoes through the empty and otherwise quiet gymnasium which provides an acoustic effect as it reverberates off of the mirrored walls and back again. Paul Riley stands with a scowl above his prone daughter lying face down on the blue rubber padded exercise mat clutching a white towel in his right hand. “Get your arse up and show me another drop kick!” He gestures to a red and blue heavy bag hanging by chain from the ceiling. He drapes the towel around his neck and squats down, “I said get up”! Rising back to his feet he reaches down to adjust the hem line of his white nylon track suit and looks on through icy blue orbs at his huffing, exhausted daughter as she laboriously works her way back up into a standing position. “Let’s go”!

“Daddy!” she whines, “I’ve already done 78 drop kicks”.

“I want an even one hundred”, he replies in a calm inflection. “If you want to do drop kicks in your matches then you bloody well are going to learn how to do them properly”.

“Dad, I told you already! I couldn’t see Crystal and didn’t know what to do”!

“Alright”, he says in seeming acquiescence. “Turn around with your back to me”. Cat turns nervously while her father, a solidly build man in his 50s sporting a neatly trimmed side parted head of blonde hair reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a white handkerchief. He folds it diligently while his daughter rubs the sweat off of her hands against the side of her simple grey cotton leggings. “Close your eyes”, he commands and proceeds to place the blindfold over her eyes and ties it around her head.  He carefully adjusts the garment, and spins her about to pull away any stray strands of hair. “Now, show me a blind drop kick”.

“But dad how is this supposed to help me get ready for Crystal at Inception”?

“… By teaching you to leave those farcical high spots to the birds where they bloody belong! Now I want 22 more drop kicks then we will get to the cross body blocks”.

“I’m going to be so beaten up after this that Crystal is going to have a field day with me”.

“I don’t care about one loss”, he scoffs. “I want to prepare you for the rest of your career”.

Despite the pulsing protestations of her body Cat does as instructed, leaping high and thrusting her legs out horizontally attempting to drop kick the heavy bag which she summarily misses as she had with most of her previous attempts and plummets back down to the mat where she lands with a muffled thud onto the three inch padded base which hisses as the air is forced out upon landing. Groaning and with her father looking on, undoubtedly through his icy blue orbs she gets back to her feet, already feeling the effects beginning to take their toll. She recalls her training where she was taught to ignore pain and pull through which serves its purpose by allowing her to attempt yet another drop kick. Although closer to the mark, it is still no more effective than the last one and she crashes once more into the mat with the side of her lithe body bearing the brunt of the impact. She climbs back onto her knees stopping to vigorously rub her shoulder that – after 80 attempted drop kicks now – has been thoroughly tenderized. Back at a vertical base she grimaces as her body tenses in anticipation of another impending crash landing. She draws a deep breath and leaps up high into the air extending her legs as her feet connect with the tips of her black and white Adidas high top sneakers graze against the heavy nylon bag and she falls once more onto the canvass; the force of her full body weight colliding with the immovable object prompts a small amount of air remaining in her burning lungs to be expelled with a tense grunt. Lying flat on her back gasping with her chest desperately heaving to recover the lost oxygen she notices the shrill ringing of her father’s laughter. Squatting down he takes a seat next to his battered baby girl, raising his knees and wrapping his arms around them and Cat, sensing a respite pulls her torso back up into a seated position using his thick shoulder for leverage.

“Tell me kitty cat”, he begins in a softened tone. “What is the difference between a performer and a hooker”?

Batting her eyes she regards him curiously, why would he ask a question that she has had drilled into her head time and again by him, her uncle and even her cousin. Drawing in a breath she takes the towel offered from her father’s hands and uses it to wipe her forehead and continues to gaze in in puzzlement at him.

“Tell me,” he insists. “Or we will work on cross body blocks next”.

“A performer is a journeyman”, she begins, brushing aside the fog of bewilderment to answer the question. “She puts on an athletic performance in the ring favoring entertainment value over technical move sets.  A hooker is a wrestler with legitimate mat-wrestling abilities and an array of match-ending holds known as ‘hooks’ and works to end the match as quickly and efficiently as possible”.

“Correct, a performer puts on a show for the fans with a repertoire of flashy moves, theater. Drop kicks, while flashy and crowd pleasing only have about a 57 percent chance to land and only a 13 percent chance to end the match; high cross body blocks have even less of a chance of ending a match. With that in mind can you think of a logical reason why anyone would even attempt such silly moves outside of their entertainment value”?

She shakes her head silently.

“There is no other sensible reason. Now, when you were in the ring with that blindfold on, were you able to discern which body parts you had hold of when you locked up with your opponent”?

Cat nods using the towel to dab at her soaked orange sport top.

“That’s all you need Cat, a single body part. It does not matter which one, any part will do. Forget the high spots – keep your focus and wait until you have a good grip on the body part and work on it like a terrier. If you can’t maintain hold of it fine, be patient and wait for the next one that becomes available. Kitty cat..,” he reaches up to cradle her slender, angular face in his hand. “You have the toolset to make do with any part of the human anatomy, even nerves. To hell with trying to make something happen, just be patient, continue to defend and wait for the opportunity”.

“Fans will say that is boring”, she counters.

“Let them! They aren’t the ones in there sweating and taking that beating, you are! That means you have to come first. Besides, if you win all will be forgiven. I promise”, His lips purse into a gentle smile while locking eyes with his daughter.  She smiles back at the catch wrestling veteran of three decades who raised and taught her. “I would rather have a boring win than a spectacular defeat”.

“Thanks daddy”.

Despite his unorthodox methods of driving his point home Paul Riley has always managed to temper it with caring and reason; feeling that his manner of doing so would be much more effective than words alone. In short, some people have to be shown so why show and then tell? He found his calm demeanor and soft spoken nature to be considerably more effective following a ‘showing’ as he has taken to calling it. This is in stark contrast to his elder brother Ernie who is the undisputed disciplinarian of the family with a rough, hardnosed style reflecting his time in the military and well known throughout the catch wrestling world for his no BS temperament.  Although he has toured extensively during his career leaving the running of the Snake Pit to his brother, Paul was quick to realize the potency of their combined styles of teaching and now that he has slowed down his travel schedule due to his advancing age he has enjoyed more time to practice and perfect it and eventually adopted some of his brother’s mannerisms blending them into his ‘show and tell’ process to use whenever Ernie was unavailable. The approach appeared to work like a charm the first few times he tried it and now as he gazes into the grateful light blue optics of his daughter he is convinced.

“Any time kitty cat”, he says soothingly, rubbing her chin with his thumb before bolting to his feet. He reaches down to extend a hand which Cat takes and pulls her up to her feet.  “Let’s go over a few things I’ve noticed about your mate Crystal Zdunich. I’m going to show you how to deal with some of her lesser known tricks and tactics”.

[Crystal Zdunich]

 Rose Productions Movie Studio
Crystal Hilton The Movie
Hollywood, California

Crystal Hilton could be seen walking confident through the hallways of the movie studio that she owns. Crystal is clad in a pair of her red bottoms Louboutins and she runs her fingers through her long purple hair. She has a wicked grin on her lips as she makes sure that her heels bang loudly against the floor. She does her best to make sure that everybody knows perfection has arrived. Behind her is of course her close following of paparazzi. Each of them are snapping photo after photo of the Hollywood Starlet. Each of them asking question after question towards the woman.

“Miss Hilton… Is it true that you and Seleana are having problems?!”

Crystal looks back at the man as she shakes her head in disgust as she holds up her hand to showcase her ring.

“Look at my hand… Does it seem like we are going through problems?! I still have on my wedding ring don’t I? I guess the answer to that question would be no there aren’t any problems…”

“Miss Hilton that’s the hand with your four Hall of Fame rings on it…”

Crystal pulls her hand back as she can’t help but grin in return as she looks at it before shaking her head with a wicked smirk on her lips. She stretches out her other hand with her expensive wedding ring on it.

“Sorry bad habit… I can’t help it if I am a four time HALL OF FAMER… BEST BOMBSHELL TO EVER STEP INTO AN SCW RING AND WHAT HAVE YOU! Look at my other hand though. I still have my ring on so I would say things are just going fine aren’t they?! So piss off with the stupid questions unless you wish to ask a question that actually matters…”

Crystal continues with ehr confident strut as she twirls for the cameras showcasing off her nice heels, wearing a business skirt which shows off her nicely toned legs along with a business blazer. She smiles as another man asks her a question.

“If you won’t talk about your relationship how about we discuss your upcoming opponent at Inception in the form of Cat Riley. Are you afraid that she might have the power to submit you in the middle of the ring?!”

Crystal shakes her head as she seems a bit befuddled.

“Who the hell is Cat Riley?! That name honestly doesn’t ring a bell in my head. Care to elaborate a little more?!”

Crystal licks her lips evilly as the man just sighs as he just shakes his head.

“You know the woman that has been tearing through the competition and you will have to face her at Inception. She’s the English woman that’s undefeated and…”

Crystal doesn’t seem impressed as she just files her fingers right in front of him.

“OHHHH you mean that woman that WAS undefeated however as I remember I made that stupid little cunt tap out in front of the entire world. I locked her in my Power Absorption and she was tapping out like a little Bitch. It’s hard to say she is anything close to perfection and undefeated when I proved otherwise. If you want to see perfection you need to look no further than me. I humbled her ass in the middle of the ring and as far as I am concerned this shouldn’t even be a question…”

Crystal cracks a wicked grin as she continues to speak.

“I shouldn’t even be facing her. I embarrassed her in front of the fans and all of SCW. I should be challenging for the right to fight for my World Bombshell Championship not against some scrub who hasn’t been involved in a single title feud. She doesn’t deserve my time and the quicker I can get this match over with is the quicker I can find my way right back into the middle of the title hunt. Now if you would excuse me I have important matters to attend to. So security why don’t you do your job and keep these freeloaders from entering my studio…”

With that Crystal turns her back on the paparazzi and the reporters as she continued to walk down a corridor. Her security did exactly as they were instructed to do as they got in the way and removed them from the premises. Crystal continued walking until she found herself face to face with a huge door that reads CEO Crystal Hilton-Zdunich. Without thinking twice she quickly opened the door and made her way to her big office chair. It felt good to be back at her office and it felt good to be right back in the heart of her movie studio. It had been awhile since she did any business here but upon Kate Steele reawakening the Bitch that was Crystal Hilton, Crystal felt at home being surrounded by Hollywood and everything that resembled that Hollywood scene. She sat down in her chair and leaned back and it wasn’t long before the door to her office opened up. Entering through her door was her partner in the movie studio. It was Chloe Martin. The Canadian beauty smirked as she wore a cast and held an I-Pad in her other hand.

“Welcome back Mrs. Zdunich you were certainly missed around here…”

Crystal made sure to close the door behind Chloe as she offered her a chair and glared at her friend.

“I told you Chloe you don’t have to call me Mrs! Crystal is just fine and I don’t want you to look at me as just being a boss we are close friends. I really am sorry about your arm. Had I reacted sooner to all of Kate’s bullshit you wouldn’t have had to go through that… I am so sorry…”

Crystal just continues to look at Chloe’s arm but Chloe shakes her head as she smiles in return.

“Hey no crying… I am a lot stronger than you give me credit for. The only thing that Kate hurt was her own pride when you made her tap out like a little Bitch in the middle of the ring. You beat her like a little Bitch and she got what she deserved and I would pay to see it all happen again…”

Crystal nods her head as she crosses her arms sighing in return.

“Yes… I guess that’s so but….”

“But what Crystal?!”

Crystal just shrugs her shoulders as she looks back at Chloe again.

“Do you think it was worth it. Was it worth it to allow that dark side of myself to surface again. I practically had to become the very thing I hate in order to do that to Kate. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed putting Kate in her place but I am not sure if the aftermath is good. I am in full blown Bitch mode. I am so evil and the entire world hates me. I don’t know how long I keep up this charade of being Crystal Hilton and hating it all the while. I know I am a great actress but…”

“But what Crystal?! You are nothing short than brilliant. This is your best acting performance to date. You are absolutely amazing and I am happy to call you a friend. You know I got your back and I am enjoying my time as the COO of your company but what would really seal the deal is if you would show up here a lot more. You need to surround yourself at the studio and it would really complete the transformation to the old Crystal… Back to the old days…”

“What do you mean by the old days?!”

Chloe smiles as she nods her head as she glares into the eyes of Crystal.

“You know the old days when you and I were fighting over Matt Stone and we were both trying to get into his pants…”

“You realized I was a such a whore back then. I always talked about cheating on my husband and it really wasn’t that good… I couldn’t do that to Seleana...I already hurt her and…”

“And what Crys?! From the way I see it she already ruined things. Ever since you brought Seleana to SCW with you your own career has taking a trip down the toilet. You used to be so much better. Multiple time World Champion, biggest Bitch in the entire company yet that all took a turn for the worse when she came to SCW with you and where has it gotten you?!”

Crystal just sighs in return as she slowly walks over to her desk and glares at her woman of the year trophy.

“It hasn’t gotten you anywhere. You are stuck facing Cat Riley on the card and granted Cat is a decent wrestler but why does Seleana get all of these high profile things?! Why does she look like such a hero winning a handicapped match?! How come she looks amazing overcoming the odds and is now in a match with one of the best bombshell champions of all time in Delia Darling?! That should have been your moment yet it gets thrown aside because Seleana decided to deck Christian in the face!”

Crystal sighs in return as she just shakes her head in disgust.

“No… I can’t put any blame on her…”

“But you should… You have issues with Mark Ward at a time and you get rehired as a secretary. Seleana punches a man in the face and looks like this hero. I know it’s been hard to deal with lately but in reality the one to blame for all of this is that wife that you say you love so much. She is the reason why your star seems to be fading so much. She might try to play that innocent and cute Swedish doesn’t speak English well bit but she’s taking your spotlight Crystal. She is the sole reason why people are calling you a hasbeen and an old hag. It’s because she feels she’s better than you!”

Crystal shakes her head.

“No that’s not the case. You are just saying that Chloe. I know that Seleana doesn’t feel that way at all. You are just trying to get me to turn against her and I won’t do that…”

Chloe nods her head.

“And let me ask you this Crystal when Kate was running rampant breaking my arm, attacking your daughter, and even attacking you. Where was your wife at?! Where was she to at least get your back?!”

Crystal stands there as she just shrugs her shoulders as she looks back at Chloe.

“I honestly don’t know Chloe… I think maybe hanging out with her sisters or…”

“Or how about when you have had problems with her friends Eavan or her friend Stacy Marie Jones. How many times has your wife had your back. When has she said you know what I support my wife no matter what?! It’s all one sided Crystal and I think the biggest insult and you having her last name for a name. Who the fuck does she think she is?! You are Crystal FUCKING HILTON… Your name means so much in the wrestling and entertainment world. It has for the past 17 years and for you not to keep it is a bunch of bullshit. At least with a lot of the other couples you see them using both of each other’s names but not in this relationship because deep down it’s always been about Seleana hasn’t it?!”

Crystal thinks about it as she just shakes her head.

“I am not going to answer that…”

“And why won’t you?! Because you know that everything I am saying is true isn’t it… Look I don’t mean to stir the pot but you have to face the facts. Life was good before she stepped foot in SCW. When SCW ended you were Internet Champion on top of that you were impressive. Yet with her being around you lose your Bombshell Championship in your very first defense and just can’t manage to get it back. You are much better than that and I don’t even want to hear about you really taking the washed up thing to heart when Vargas is pushing like 39 and look at her. She is confident in herself that she gets shit done… You need to do the same at 31… It would benefit us all in the long run…”

“You sure Crystal Hilton really has the power?!”

“Yes… The more people hate you the more they will be forced to respect you. Plus what I have planned you won’t have much time for Seleana or anything else for that matter…”

Crystal raises her eyes in return as she looks back at Chloe not knowing what to say or think.

“And what exactly do you have in mind?!”

“I would like to say it’s something I call “Seeing Crystal Clear… The Crystal Hilton Movie!”

Crystal raises her eyes in surprise as she glances back at Chloe.

“Seeing Crystal Clear?! What exactly is that…”

“Well it’s a movie based on your life… It will be about your journey from the confines of wrestling in Mexico in your father’s school to eventually climbing the circuits in America and following your life story. Everything both good and bad will documented right in this movie and it’s all about you… Circle Television Network’s story about Nicky Silver was such a success that fans have been clamoring for a movie about you. Might as well give them what they want right?!”

Crystal’s eyes light up as she nods her head in agreement.

“THAT SOUNDS AMAZING!!! So what do you need me to do…”

“Just keep reminding people who exactly Crystal Hilton is… And as long as you do that and keep being a topic of the town I will make sure to do the rest, but I need Crystal Hilton. I need the Bitch, I need the cunt… I need the woman that made a scene in the hallway coming into this room. Don’t look at it as acting… Look at it as being your old self and the rest will handle itself… So what do you say?!”

Crystal smirks as she nods her head with a wicked grin.

“What is there to say… It’s a movie about me. Of course I am going to be down so what’s next?!”

Chloe smiles.

“Let’s go talk to the board of directors. We are going to go over a cast of characters among who we have in mind to play them. You are going to like the screenplay and of course you would have the final say on any revisions of course. This is going to be an amazing year. I can feel it…”

Crystal can’t help but chuckle as she hears Chloe says those words as they hug one another and the two of them begin to walk out of Crystal’s office and head to a different part of the studio.











On Camera
All Bloody Hail


The cameras come into focus and as it does we are treated to that of Crystal Hilton sitting firmly in a huge throne. She smiles as she is wearing an expensive crown on her head and she is holding a royal sceptre in her hands. She slowly stands up showing off her robe as she twirls around making sure that the words Queen of Submissions can easily be picked up by that of the cameras. She cracks a grin as she looks to her side and can see her daughter Brittany with a smaller robe and a tiara. Brittany smiles as she begins to speak.

“Hear ye… Hear ye… I am Princess Brittany and I am here to let you all know that the Queen wishes to make a decree. Everyone needs to shut the fuck up and listen to her words. For she is the best thing to have graced your television screens, she is among the best thing to grace the silver screen, and she is the best wrestler and best gamer on the entire planet. I give to you the queen of all Submissions, Queen Christina!”

Brittany slowly bows before her mother and Crystal chuckles again as she nods her head in agreement. She holds her sceptre higher than before as she begins to speak.

“Cheers and thank you so much for the wonderful introduction. You out of everyone don’t need to bow before me Brittany because you are of my flesh and blood. You are my descendant and that alone makes you just about better than anybody else listening to this right about now. However all of the ingrates along with the losers that are watching this in hopes of tasting a glimpse of who I am and what I have accomplished pay attention because you might learn something. Who am I?! I am Crystal Hilton or if you would prefer I am Queen Christina. I am the Queen of everything that is submission wrestling and it’s a title I earned with my own bare hands when I submitted Cat Riley like a little bitch… You see she might have had a wonderful career up to this point. She may have won some matches here and there, and it has been shown to been that of impressive but the reality is as great as she might be she hasn’t quite fought somebody that is on the level of somebody like yours truly…”

Crystal smiles as she nods her head and throws the sceptre to the ground and continues to speak.

“She hasn’t fought me and if Cat Riley really thinks she has a chance at winning she is going to be in for a serious wake up call. The fact is Cat Riley might be a tad good and undefeated I will give her that but facing me is on a different scale in itself. Especially when you not only have to face me but you have to do it in a big match situation. In a situation where you are facing me on a Super Card. I don’t know who you thought you were dealing with but getting through me won’t be as easy as all of your other matches have been mainly for the fact that you won’t be winning because I am on a different level altogether. You see this Cat?!”

Crystal can’t help but chuckle as she showcases her hand off showing all four of her Hall of Fame rings. She grins as she looks at them all with a wicked grin on her lips.

“These are four reasons why you won’t beat me. These are signs of hard work. This has been all about me busting my ass for the past 17 years and showcasing why I am the best female wrestler on the planet, and it’s a testament of my longevity and signs that I won’t ever slow down. You haven’t been where I been and it’s one thing to go out and conquer the wrestling world on one occasion but in the seventeen years of wrestling I have managed to hold 14 World Championships and I have managed to be inducted into four different Hall of Fames. That’s impressive, as a matter of fact that sounds just about flawless. As close to perfection as you can get and you won’t ever taste anything close to that because deep down you are a fucking scrub. A woman who is unfit to lick my boot. You disgust me in even single way…”

Crystal shakes her head in utter disgust as she continues to speak.

“You could have probably been a champion by now but I never understood it why you never chose to pursue a title or anything of importance. Instead you rather be stuck in the midcard battling women such as Kate Steele, Jessie Salco, or maybe even Parand and the Metal Maniacs and I know why. It’s because without your record you are nothing. The record is the only thing that makes you relevant and important and if you take that away you are simply a shell with nothing to do. I didn’t quite understand why you don’t want a title but then when I heard Effie running her mouth how she’s not in it for titles because it’s just a leather strap and a stupid piece of metal you piggyback on her comments stating that it does bring out the worst in people...You couldn’t be any further from the truth. It brings out my best sure I might become a Bitch and I might tell everyone that they suck and need to get incheck if they think they are better than me. But it’s a easy visible reminder that I am on top of the world. I believe you don’t want to deal with it because you know you couldn’t handle the pressure…”

Crystal laughs again as she slowly takes her crown off and continues to speak.

“You couldn’t handle the pressure because it would make you a marked woman and that’s sort of different from what you are used too. You are used to having the STREAK and chasing after others but to have a bullseye on your chest is a different beast altogether and it’s something you can’t handle. It reminds me of that Cyborg chick. She was dominating for so long until eventually a spunky woman made her way into fighting her and when they finally fought one another she knocked her the fuck out. I feel like that’s going to be me. I am going to be the Nunes to your Cyborg. I am going to knock your ass out and with that take my position back at being the best in this company and from there I can focus on claiming back what rightfully belongs to me. I don’t like you Cat Riley it’s as simple as that. You are nothing more than a freeloader a woman who has to live with the owner. I thought it was bad that I was the PA for an owner but you actually live with one, and what is that supposed to do for you exactly?! Get you the easy matches? Is that a way to protect you and your streak? That’s a fucking joke…”

Crystal shakes her head in disgust again as she continues to speak.

“You talk such a big game and when it was time for me to face Kate Steele back at High Stakes. You cried like a little Bitch. Tried to make everything about you just because you wanted to face Kate Steele again which would have been boring. You already beat her nobody wanted to see that match again. Yet for some reason despite already beating her there was a part of you that wanted to have that match again. There was a part of you that wanted to face her one more time and for what purpose exactly?! I know why you did it… It’s because you are a chicken shit. Instead of looking for a great challenge you ready to prey on those who you already preyed upon. I knew at that very moment that I needed to get you in my sights. I just had to put you out of your misery once and for all because you simply aren’t as good as you might think you are… Not only that but you went into High Stakes facing my wife and you ran my mouth to no end…”

Crystal laughs a bit as she grins directly into the lens of the camera.

“You just kept on committing strike after strike. Disrespecting my right to face Kate after she attacked my friends and family, disrespecting my wife, which in turn is only your way of getting to me. I knew it at that moment that I would need to put your ass in check. I just needed to find the right time to do so. At High Stakes I was reawaken and the old Crystal Hilton had returned. The woman who didn’t give a shit. The woman who would do anything to get into the spotlight. She had her eyes on you and she just needed to sit and wait for the chance. I saw you finally getting that long awaited match with Kate and as soon as that was over that is when I struck. I put you in my submission and I made you into my own little bitch. Truth be told it felt so good to put you through that. It felt good because you were no longer the dominant woman everyone thought you to be…

You weren’t amazing or anything close to that. You became nothing more than my Bitch and I put you on notice. A notice to let you know that I could possibly do it over and over again. Nothing would stop me from getting my hands on you well maybe for the fact that Christian held your best interest because while he was upset with Seleana he had me banned from the arena. That meant I couldn’t go about attacking you over and over again which of course I would have done. It must feel nice to have Christian in your back pocket. He practically protects you from just about everything doesn’t he?!”

Crystal laughs as she speaks some more.

“What I like more than anything is the fact that when I humiliated you in front of the world you could say I took your mantle of being the submission Queen. I took it right from you and now it’s up for you to take it back from me. I plan to embarrass you at Inception at your own game and you will really be left with nothing. I don’t know why you hate high flying wrestling so much. It’s a disrespect to me considering I trained in Mexico under my father learning the wonderful craft of lucha libre. I learned that high speed offense, how to be a high flyer and how to soar above the rest. As a matter of fact I was called La Paloma in Mexico which literally means the dove in Spanish but in your eyes high flying is for the birds right?! What are you going to do when this bird simply flies above you?! What are you going to do with yourself then? I don’t know what kind of shit your father has been teaching you but I would say my father hasn’t failed in showing me everything…”

Crystal looks at her rings again with a grin.

“After all these four rings and my 14 World Championships show me that I been doing just fine. Your catch style of wrestling is trash. Hell you are trash and I think I need to beat that ass so I can send you on a one way trip back to Manchester where you came from. You aren’t on my level hell you ain’t even on my daughter’s level. You are just garbage who needs to be put in their proper place and that’s in a dumpster… But you want to know what I find funny?! Hell you could say it’s more than just being funny?!”

Brittany shakes her head as she looks back at her mom.

“What exactly would that be mom?!”

“It’s the fact that Christian really thinks I need you to win this match. He really thinks that handcuffing you to Cassie is going to change the outcome of this match. I am Crystal bloody fucking Hilton. I have never needed any help in order to get something done. I know how to win and that’s just an insult to me and my talents. I would expect more for a man who inducted me into the Hall of Fame but if need be I will be perhaps even more worse than my wife and I will kick Christian right in the junk. I will make him utterly useless because nobody should ever disrespect me. Cat you can bring everything you have. You can bring the fight as much as you want but I am going to finish you off once and for all. After all it doesn’t get any bigger than facing Crystal Hilton at a Super Card and after I am done with you I am staking my claim on the World Bombshell Championship…

It’s been too fucking long and Dani sucks… Hell Alicia Lukas sucks… This company has been built itself on my talent and my ability, and I need to bring it back to the glory that it should be at. So Cat Riley I hope you have some special in your tank because you are going to get fucked up. All good things must come to an end. Not only will I destroy your unbeaten streak but I am going to take your career while you are it. Hell perhaps when I am done with you daddy Riley can come and get this work too. There’s only room for one descendant of a wrestling legend in this business and you are looking at her…

Welcome to the curtain call of your streak and career. Might as well take a bow on that right?!”

Crystal grins as she looks into the camera again.

“Lights… Camera… Action…. It’s showtime Cat what are you going to do when you have to stand in the spotlight?! If I had to take a guess I would say you are about to crumble under the pressure. It’s only fitting for somebody who is overhyped and overrated such as yourself. See you in a little over a week. When you wake up and wondering why you are staring at the ceiling it’s because you just lost. You should get comfortable on the floor I have a feeling you are going to be going through a lot more losses if I do say so myself. Bye for now and remember to bow before the almighty Queen of Submissions… Cheers Bitch!”

With that Crystal can’t help but laugh right into the camera and it’s on this image that we slowly leave Crystal on.




Hollywood, California
Board of Directors


Crystal and Chloe continued to walk throughout the studio until they eventually found themselves at the studio’s meeting room. Chloe opened the door and Crystal could only smile in return as she spotted a bunch of suits all sitting down at a round table. Crystal sat in the biggest chair as Chloe sat down beside her. Crystal of course was in charge of the entire company but she was always open to hearing from her board especially when it placed her as the center of attention and put so much money right into her pocket. Crystal nodded her head in agreement as Chloe stood up and looked at everyone in the room.

“Hello everyone. I just want to say that Miss Hilton and I want to thank you all for taking the time for this special board meeting. Now I want to present you with an idea that is going to bring so much money to this studio and is going to put so much focus on that of our beloved Crystal Hilton. I present to you “Seeing Crystal Clear… The Crystal Hilton story…” I know this full blown full feature film is going to make Crystal bigger than what she is and it’s just going to be awesome all the way through…”

Crystal looks back at the board as she grabs a piece of paper and just reads a bit of the synopsis. “Watch as legendary wrestler Crystal Hilton battles through life from being raised up in a poor family in Detroit Michigan to finding her long lost wrestling of a father in Mexico, and eventually finding work in America as a woman being a valet and becoming one of the greatest women ever to grace a ring. See Crystal during her highest of highs and her lowest of lows. Experience the entire story all the way until her fourth Hall of Fame Induction…”

Crystal opens her eyes in amazement as she chuckles at everyone in the room.

“Wow this sounds amazing already, and it seems like there is so much ground to cover but I can assure you it’s going to be great. How many other women do you know were 17 when they first stepped into a wrestling ring?! I been through a lot and this is definitely going to sell in so many ways… What do you all say?!”

One man nods his head as he smiles.

“This all sounds very good but my concern is there is no doubt in my mind that this can sell from a business standpoint but from a public relations standpoint it would be even better if your wrestling career was where it needed to be…”

Crystal raises her eyebrow in return.

“Meaning?!”

“In order to be successful on the screen you need to be doing things which will get people to want to see your story. You need to keep your legacy going strong and you can’t crumble under the pressure. You need to find a way to get to the top again…”

“Listen I am Crystal Hilton that’s not even up for debate. If anybody can climb back to the trop you should know it’s me. It has always been me and…”

“But that seems hard when Seleana seems to be taking your thunder. People re more concerned with her overcoming Christian’s bullshit then they are with you and your match with Cat Riley…”

Crystal seems disgusted as she shakes her head.

“Surely you must be wrong… Look Seleana is ok but she doesn’t have to deal with what I have to deal with. She’s not out there with an undefeated star and if I beat Cat my own stock gets bigger. It’s going to push SCW into giving me what I want and they will be forced to eventually give me that title shot that I have been waiting for…”

The suits look at one another as they all sigh.

“That sounds good on paper but we don’t think so. Seleana is becoming a problem fast. In a world of SCW where there are so little heroes she is really standing up as a person that people are getting behind. Polls that we have conducted are showing that they want to see her overcome the odds. They want to see her overcome Christian’s bullshit and people only care about you because of who you are married to…”

Chloe nods her head.

“See Crystal this is exactly what I was telling you about… It’s going to come to a point but you know eventually…”

Crystal quickly cuts her off.

“Don’t you dare fucking say it Chloe… That’s not what I want to hear…”

The suits however just shake their heads in agreement as they continue to speak.

“But Miss Hilton you know it needs to be said. It needs to happen at some point. The more Seleana rises the more the polls are showing that you should have a showdown. After all what a better way to complete your full transformation to becoming the Bitch that is Crystal Hilton than by taking down your very own wife. The biggest form of good taking on that of the biggest form of evil in you. Everybody that we have polled are waiting to see that, and they don’t want this honorable thing that Keira and Roxi tried to pull. They want you at your very best taking Seleana down…”

“That’s absurd look I love my wife to death but you know I would fucking crush her… Everybody knows I would fucking destroy her. It’s not even close. She is not in the same league with me…”

Chloe shakes her head.

“Well the public feels it the opposite. They feel like she could beat you and…”

“Just shut up… All of you need to seriously shut up because there is no way in hell Seleana could ever beat me. She is just this tall non talented bitch who doesn’t even deserve to be in my ring. Cat Riley doesn’t even deserve to be in the ring with me and I could fuck up the both of them if I really wanted to do so…”

“So go do it then…”

“I plan to. Cat is going to get destroyed. She hasn’t fought somebody like me and I don’t want to hear that shit that she beat me in a blindfold match. Sam managed to submit Mercedes Lewis. It’s not like I was even involved in the decision. Cat is going to get what’s coming to her when it means something and after dealing with one Cat I guess I am going to deal with another cat in the form of my wife…”

Crystal smiles evilly as Chloe finally cracks a smile.

“So are you really winning to do what’s needed to stir up public interest to get everybody invested in this movie.?!”

“If it means bringing people right back down to reality yes… I will go through whoever to put myself over. At the end of the day when it comes to popularity I will always go above and beyond to make myself look good. Friend or foe it doesn’t matter as I always said I am willing to stab a friend in the back to get what I want. The world can thrive on that good girl shit but the good people don’t always win. It’s always those who want it more and right now I want this more than anything else…”

Chloe smiles as she hugs Crystal.

“Good that’s what I like to hear...I knew it wouldn’t be long before we got to hear the real Crystal Hilton in the flesh. The Crystal who only cares about herself. That’s what you have been lacking lately and that is who this company is proud to work for…”

“Well she’s back and she isn’t going anywhere anytime soon Chloe. You make sure to tell everybody that. Now let’s keep talking about this movie of mine because there needs to be a lot to go into it…”

Crystal says with a grin as she continues to speak.

“Like who are you going to get to star as me?! Who is going to play some of the key parts in this movie…”

Chloe smiles as she nods her head as she claps her hands and points to the door.

“As far as the star of the Crystal movie we could only look in one direction and it’s going to be this woman…”

The door to the meeting room opens up and we can see Crystal’s daughter Brittany walking inside. She has an evil grin on her lips as she glares back at her mother.

“Of course I am going to play you mom. Who else would they get to play you. You would always say that nobody is good enough to play you unless it was you so might as well be your own flesh and blood right?!”

Crystal nods her head with a smile.

“Good choice… Honestly it’s the best choice that could have been made. I know this movie is going to be amazing… You all just work hard and really put me over, and I am going to put myself over… I will destroy Cat Riley, and then my eyes are fixated on two things. My title and of course Seleana…”

Brittany’s eyes open wide up.

“So you are really set on going through with this aren’t you?!”

Crystal nods her head.

“Anything to get ahead Brittany… Anything to get ahead… I have to do what I have to do right? Nobody can outgrow the star that is Crystal Hilton…”

With that being said everybody claps for the Starlet as Crystal leaves the room with an arrogant grin on her face. She finds her way to a bathroom where she glances at her reflection in the mirror. Without hesitation she begins to speak out loud.

“Mirror mirror on the wall who is the greatest of them all… Why of course it’s me because I am the reflection of perfection and nobody can tell me differently….”

Crystal laughs as she knew there was no turning back after this point. She had to do what she set out to do. Her popularity, her legacy, and her career were riding on it, and she needed everything to be focused solely on her.

[Crystal Zdunich]

 Mexico City, Mexico
La Paloma’s Wrestling School

Crystal, Brittany, and of course Crystal’s father Pedro found themselves in Mexico City to the place where everything had started for Crystal. She was back in her father’s school which was now her school. Crystal couldn’t help but let of her tears flow down her cheek as she just glanced at all of the wrestling hopefuls trying their very best in the confines of the run down gym. Brittany turned her attention to her mother as she let a long sigh escape her lips as she glared at her before she slowly took a look at all of the students.

“Mom is there a reason why you are crying?!”

The reason why Crystal was in Mexico City was to help Brittany gain some inspiration for the Crystal Hilton movie. In order to play Crystal properly she needed to understand the struggle that Crystal had went through while she was training under her father in his school. Pedro couldn’t help but take it all in as he glared at his surroundings. It was like he was walking down a trip of memory lane. He slowly looked over at his daughter as he hugged Crystal tightly and wrapped the woman in his arms.

“I know it’s a lot to take in isn’t it… This is where your wrestling career started Christina. Do you remember the long hours you put into trying to perfect your craft?!”

Crystal lets more tears run down her face as she quickly just shakes her head. She looks back at her father and hugs him tightly.

“This reminds me of all the struggles I had to go through. I remember when Detroit told me I wasn’t good enough I found my solitude here. I felt like I was somebody and I did everything in my power to become somebody through these doors. I honestly had no idea that all of my hard work and dedication would turn into four Hall of Fame rings along with 14 World Championships. It all started in this very building and right there in that very ring…”

Brittany’s eyes light up as she looks around just sighing.

“Wait a minute this is that gym that you always talk about?! This looks like a freaking dump mom…”

“Brittany watch your mouth… Not everything is always glamor and glitz. Granted I know I can be a Prima Donna at times but this place holds special value in my heart. This is where I really got to bond with grandpa and in turn he taught me to be the very best. He taught me discipline and how to train myself how to take pride in every single thing that I do…”

Brittany thinks about it for a few moments as she sighs in return.

“But just look at this place… I mean it’s not clean it’s not…”

Crystal looks at her daughter in the eyes as she smiles back at her.

“Look you had it very lucky. You came into a world where your parents were very wealthy. You had the luxury of being a spoiled little brat and being able to live in the best of places. I didn’t have that Brittany. I was very poor and I had to learn how to make something of myself. I know on paper everybody always assumes that Crystal Hilton is a bitch all of the time but that wasn’t and isn’t the case. I had to build my own empire and the reason why I am able to live so lavishly is because I earned it all. Everything that I have is a testament of how much I have worked my ass off throughout the years. Everything wasn’t always peaches and cream. There were some very dark times in my life and part of you starring in my life story is you trying to figure out what I had to go through in order to get to where I am today… What might seem as disgusting was honestly a big deal in developing the woman that you see before you today…”

Crystal lets more tears shed from her eyes as she looks around.

“Without being picked on in high school and trying to reconnect with my long lost father there wouldn’t be Crystal Hilton, and without busting my ass in this gym night in and night out there wouldn’t be the established woman that you see today. It took a while for me to establish big time wrestler and if you want to get a glimpse of this you would be wise to follow in my footsteps. I know it may not seem like much Brittany but this place is basically everything to me. This was my very livelihood. I spent so many nights in this school wondering if I would have what it took to become somebody. Back then I wasn’t even thinking about being the best wrestler in the world. I just wanted to be meaningful. I wanted my life to have value and I didn’t care about anything else…”

Pedro laughs as he looks back at his daughter and nods his head.

“You wouldn’t believe how much she complained. Every time I told her to do this move or do that move it was filled with complaints. Of course when she interacted with her siblings there was more complaining to follow, truth be told I didn’t even know if she would make it. But she kept on fighting. She didn’t want to be the failure that everybody back in Detroit thought she was. She knew she had more value to her career plus there was a little girl back in the states she couldn’t let down.”

Brittany opens her eyes as she points to herself.

“Wait a minute are you talking about me?!”

Crystal slowly nods her head in agreement.

“Of course we are talking about you. I didn’t know anything about motherhood but what I did know is in your eyes I couldn’t be a failure. The story of my life can’t be wrapped in being this super wrestler. It started off in trying to be a mother or being the best mother I possibly could for you. I was in Mexico at the age of 17 knowing I had a four year old girl back in the United States. I couldn’t return until I found something of worth. I had to know that I was coming back to be a provider. Granted your father had all the money and he told me he loved me but a girl can’t always get wrapped up in what their significant other says. I needed to have a backup plan and I excelled in the best way I could…”

Pedro smiles as he turns his attention to his granddaughter.

“Your mom definitely excelled. Not only did she take everything serious in this school but it came to a point that she felt she became bigger than the school. I remember the day that she slammed her mask down in front of me and she stormed off to America because she outgrew the school…”

“Wow mom you did that?!”

“Yes Brittany and I eventually did come back mind you but it came to a point where I didn’t think anybody could tell me anything. I felt I was too good and nobody could tell me anything. I was a punk 17 year old who felt that the world had owed her so much. Now when I came to America I quickly entered the wrestling world and I ascended like none other. I was the best of the best and it felt so great. I busted my ass and I accomplished all of my dreams. Yet as much as I became a work horse I still never accomplished being the mother I thought I was meant to be…”

Brittany looks at Crystal as she sighs in return.

“But I think you did an amazing job… Just look at us now. We have a healthy relationship and you are somebody that I look up to… I would say you did the best you could…”

“But that wasn’t always the case Brittany. There were so many nights when I became the biggest alcoholic. I got involved in things that could have killed my career. Hell at one point I was extremely sick and I let my addiction get the best of me. I hit you with a car and…”

Brittany hugs her mom as she looks back at Crystal.

“Mom you don’t need to bring up the past… Just know that I forgive you. I forgive you for everything that you have done to me. I know it wasn’t easy for you to grow up under the circumstances that you did. I honestly couldn’t imagine being as poor as you were or being in a town where nobody wants you. I thought it was bad with what you have to go through in the wrestling world today but I had no idea that your entire childhood was so miserable. I am thankful that you established yourself as much as you did. Because of your hard work I didn’t have to deal with the hardships that you have. Thank you for everything and just being my inspiration. It means so much to me to be able to play you in a movie and no matter how much the world might come against you I want you to know I will always have your back…”

Brittany hugs Crystal tight as the mother and daughter share in a loving moment. Both women are full of tears as Brittany continues to speak.

“I would do anything for you mom and I am here to be here for you.”

Crystal looks around as she nods her head in agreement as she smiles.

“Just take all of this in Brittany. I know that the movie studio and your father’s company will be yours at some point in your future but this is where you really need to be. This school was your grandfather’s and he passed it down to me. This wrestling school means everything to me. behind the movies, behind the money, it was in this very place where I grew from being a girl into being a woman. There are so many lessons that I remember from practicing wrestling right here and there are things that I will never forget. Just take a glance around you. Do you see all of the people that are training here?!”

Crystal smiles as she looks at all of the students that are taking bumps in the school. Some are taking part in some serious training while others are working out. Crystal looks down at Brittany.

“These students didn’t have the luxury that you have had. Sure it might be easy to get that big time push when you are the daughter of a famous wrestling but people here haven’t been fortunate enough to be birthed into a social status with a silver spoon in their mouth. They know in order to make it big in the professional circuit they will have to pay their dues and earn their spot. It’s the same thing that I had to do. It’s more than just being a wrestler. It’s about being a workhorse. It’s about living, dying, and breathing this very sport. Taking in all aspects of it from the actual competition to knowing how to referee, to being part of the ring crew and so much more than that. Sure I got lucky and got that big break but it didn’t come without hardships. It didn’t come until after I spent a year being a valet and after that a year of being an interviewer. I had to prove that I loved this world and wanted to be in this world. For this movie Brittany and just for life in general if you are really serious about wrestling you need to channel what these students are channeling…”

Crystal points at all of them.

“They are my family and all of this is your family’s heritage. Embrace it all girl and I know your future will be bright. This is where you need to learn some stuff on your own but if there is anybody that can do that I know it’s you. It has always been you…”

Brittany looks around as she sighs in return.

“Mom I know this is in my future but I don’t want your legacy to die… You still have so much to do in your career.. I want to see you walk down uncharted territory. I heard of someone being a 16 time World Champion but I want to see you eventually go on to maybe win 17. I want you to be the best ever and I know you have all the power in the world to do it… You might think 31 is old but you still have so many years ahead of you and what everybody is saying is a load of junk…”

Crystal just shrugs her shoulders as she sighs in return. She walks away as Pedro looks at his granddaughter.

“Brittany why don’t you just take in the nostalgia of the school and walk in the footsteps of your mother, I am going to have a talk with her okay?!”

Brittany nods her head in agreement as she just admires everything as Pedro follows after Crystal. He leads her right to the office and she takes a seat in the office chair as Pedro just smiles and looks down into her eyes.

“What’s going on Christina you know you can talk to me just about anything right?!”

Crystal sighs in return as she looks at the newspaper clippings along with the other aspects of her career.

“I can’t believe that we brought her here. Sometimes I question why did I even bother to come back here. Soon I am going to have to fight a wrestler like never before. I am going to be in the ring with a woman who is going to try to submit me in so many ways. I don’t even know if I have the talent to beat her in the ring. She has the power to submit a person in so many different ways. I know I can talk a big game and ridicule her on how I am this Queen of Submissions but we both know that hasn’t been my strongest game. I am a glorified spot monkey and now that I am growing in age I am changing myself for longevity purposes. What’s the point of extending my career if I can’t wrestle in the way that made me popular in the first place?! At that point I feel like I am cheating myself and…”

Pedro however shakes his head as he looks right into his daughter’s eyes.

“Who said you have to change anything about your wrestling career? I know you might think you are getting old and way past your prime but the reality is you are only 31 years old. You are nowhere near forty and you still have so many better years ahead of you. I have seen women well in their late thirties still going full force and haven’t shown signs of slowing down yet. If something is holding you back it’s you and your own lack of confidence. You are better than that though Crystal. You have always been better than that and 14 World Championships doesn’t come easy. You are actually in better shape than most. It only seems like you are getting older because you started at such a young age. How many people can say they have been doing what they love since the age of 17?!”

Pedro smiles as he nods his head again.

“Not many can say that but you can and you are even shaping your daughter up to have a huge run in the wrestling world. She basically turned 17 eight months ago and already has a major championship run under her. She’s going to be perhaps better than you and that should make you smile because you have paved the way for her. At the end of the day you are your own worst enemy. The only way you can slow down is if you feel you are slowing down…”

Crystal opens her eyes in amazement.

“You really mean that dad?!”

“OF course I do and you are a fighter to the very end. Whether you are the biggest Bitch in the ring or you wish to be the nicest person in the locker room you always give one hundred percent in everything that you do, and from the way we have trained I know you have the ability to do anything you set your mind on…”

Crystal sighs in return as she leans back in the chair.

“Well I am not going to like there’s a lot of pressure for me going into this match with Cat Riley. It’s basically being built as the veteran taking on the streak. I know there are many people who feel like I am the biggest threat to Cat’s streak but I don’t know if I feel the same way that they do. Cat has so much going for her. She has the big time technical background and deep down behind the personas behind the flashy robes and the cameras I am just a high flyer at best. What could I possibly do to a woman who knows how to wear an opponent down in so many ways?! How can I win against a woman who has been taught that high flying wrestling should be for the birds, at least I know that is what has been drilled into her head…”

Pedro is silent for a few moments as he looks back at his daughter.

“So… What makes this woman scarier or even more different than anybody else you faced before?! I think you just need to teach her a strong lesson of humility right in the middle of the ring. She might feel a certain way but at the end of the day you have been taught by the very best that this gym has to offer. You have been taught by me and you shouldn’t let her style of wrestling scare you. So what if she can wear you down… The reality is for her to even have a chance at wearing you down she needs to catch you first… What is a catch wrestler without having somebody to catch?!”

Pedro smiles very warmly as he replies back.

“They are nothing. If you want to beat her you need to embrace all of your speed. You need to keep moving, keep flying, and just running circles around her. What she has over you in technical skill you have the advantage in speed and stamina. Let those characteristics of yours carry you in this match and let’s see what happens. She might seem scary on paper but as you said it yourself she hasn’t really beaten anybody. She hasn’t fought you in a big match situation and this is what you are used too… Were you afraid when you had to clear out the entire Bombshell roster defending your title against the likes of Vargas, Sam Marlowe, Mikah in defense after defense?!”

Crystal quickly shakes her head.

“No of course not… I wouldn’t have allowed that to happen…”

Pedro smiles as he looks at all of the newspaper clippings posted all over the walls as he looks down at his daughters.

“And what about the girl in all of these photos, do you think she let anybody tell her she wasn’t good enough?!”

“Dad that was such a long time ago…”

“It might be in your eyes but the passion should still be the same. That girl did the unthinkable despite how the world viewed her she never stopped. She never backed down from a challenge and she always came through and fought like none other. She kept on pushing forward and eventually she built her own empire and became the beautiful woman that I see before me. That has always been the story and I am proud to call you my daughter. There is no doubt in my mind you have it all. You have everything you need but what you are really desperate for is confidence. Once you find that you are practically unstoppable…”

“I know how to find confidence!”

“Are you sure about that Christina because from what I am seeing right now that seems so far from the truth… You have all of the talent in the world you just need to apply it in the ring where it matters. Besides if you aren’t going to fight for yourself at least remember you have an entire school that looks up to you…”

Pedro helps Crystal out of the seat. Crystal’s dad leads her out of the office and into the gym area where she could watch all of the students giving everything they had to wrestle their very hearts out. He smiles as he looks back at them.

“You are their hero. Each and every single one of them idolizes you in so many ways. They are in this school because they are hoping to at least taste a glimpse of what you have accomplished in the ring. They know that you have walked in their shoes and they are looking for a similar path to wrestling, and if it’s not for them you need to stand up for just look at her over there…”

Pedro points at Brittany who is standing at the far side of the school. She is looking up at the statue of her mother and her eyes just light up as she glances at it.

“You are everything to her. She emulates you in just about everything that she does from trying to be a softball player to trying to be a wrestler, to even taking acting seriously. You are the coolest person in her eyes and you can’t let her down. You need to make her feel that you are truly her hero…”

“But I am nobody’s hero dad…”

“Yes you are… You are my hero and obviously you are hers. She wouldn’t have used a time machine and brought me back to you if I wasn’t something of importance to you. She loves Christina more than you could ever realize… At the end of the day you need to always remember why you are doing this… I know it seems like a lot to take in but when you really sit down and think about it all it’s not that hard to figure out but I think you already know the answer to that question…”

Crystal slowly nods her head in agreement as she just looks around taking it all in. She knew her father was right. She couldn’t let the school down and more importantly she couldn’t let her daughter down. Her daughter believed in her way too much to just drop the ball now. Crystal takes a long deep breath as she cracks an arrogant grin and begins to walk in the direction of her daughter.

“Thanks dad I really needed to hear that and I know why I am fighting… There are so many reasons why I do what I love and I can’t let Cat Riley get to me but most importantly I am Crystal Fucking Hilton. I have a reputation to protect and I won’t let my name get slandered by some Bitch who feels like I am beneath her. This is my domain, this is my legacy and I won’t let anybody touch that…”

Crystal nods her head as she arrogantly starts strutting over to where her daughter is standing.

“She needs me and I can’t let her down, now if you would excuse me I have a daughter I have to speak with…”

Crystal continues to walk closer to her daughter as her dad stands back smiling.

“I knew she would come to her senses…”

Crystal stands in front of her daughter as she smiles at her.

“What’s going on Brittany?!”

“Just checking out your statue… You were really a big deal around here weren’t you?!”

“You could say that… Come on I want to show you something Brittany…”

With that the daughter and mother duo slowly walk away as we leave them on this image.








On Camera
Mexico City
La Paloma’s Gym


Everything comes into focus and as it does we are able to see Crystal Hilton standing with a very disgusted expression on her face. This time however she isn’t wearing a long Queen of Submissions robe or has anything that has to do with glamor and glitz. Today we are able to see the students of her very gym giving everything they have as they fly off of the top of the ropes and descend to the ground below. Crystal claps her hands as she has that arrogant grin on her face. She runs her hands through her long purple hair as she begins to speak into the heart of the camera.

“So I guess it won’t be long before the world gets to witness the long awaited match between Cat Riley and myself. I just want to go on record once again and tell all of you that Cat Riley is an overrated cunt and she isn’t fit to be in the same ring with me. in my eyes she hasn’t accomplished anything. She’s a woman who is afraid of being in the spotlight and instead of chasing after a championship and actually making herself mean something she would rather stay in the shadows and be a second rate, second best wrestler. That sounds so fucking pitiful and it sickens me how much of a friendship you have with Dani Weston. Everybody knows you wouldn’t try to chase after her or her belt but I am the total opposite of you. Not only will I chase after Dani but I will get my title shot by beating the likes of you…”

Crystal points at the ground before she slowly points at herself.

“It’s my time to fucking shine. It’s time that the spotlight hits me once again and what this company truly longs for is a Bitch like to me take control and rule over the entire Bombshell division. I bring ratings and hell I am the bombshell legacy. It’s sickening that I had to sit on the backburner for three Super Cards while others rose up through the ranks and received title shots that should have been me. Do you know how painful it was to start this company off on the right track unifying the top two championships in this company only to drop the title at Disney World of all places?! It’s supposed to be the happiest place on Earth but instead I dropped the ball. I let the excitement get to me and I felt like no Disney Princess in Disney World. I felt like the biggest loser and it’s a feeling I haven’t gotten back. Yet when we face one another at Inception it’s a feeling I will get back, and I will get it back by being in the ring with you…”

Crystal cracks a wide grin as she continues to speak.

“You have no idea at what you are in for and sure it’s easy to have an undefeated streak but it’s another thing to be in the ring with me and I am going to flat out fuck you up. You have disrespected me in so many ways and you need to pay for every single sin that you committed. First of all you see all of these students in the camera? These are my students they are training at my school in Mexico City and I am proud to say that La Palomas’ Wrestling school is building up the future of Lucha Libre. I am happy to say that these students will go on to be the best speedy and high flyers in all of the wrestling world, but somewhere deep inside that head that probably doesn’t sit well with you. After all this type of wrestling is for the birds and you are proud of your mat based wrestling…”

Crystal takes a long deep breath as she talks very slowly to the camera.

“Let me say this slowly for you but GO FUCK YOURSELF! Instead of leaving it to the birds why don’t I just give you THE BIRD!”

Crystal sticks her middle finger up to the camera as she smiles as she begins to speak.

“I will not allow any of these students be disrespected and I feel all you are is a walking ball of disrespect but I guess that’s what we are in your eyes. We are nothing more than birds but that makes us special doesn’t it?! We have the ability to fly and we can soar high above anything. I guess when your ass gets laid out you can see me flapping my wings ascending to new heights while you just like your technique of wrestling stay grounded. You stay in the same place and aren’t really going to go anywhere…”

Crystal scoffs as she looks even deeper to the camera.

“You might call that keeping it steady but I call it being complacent. You are handcuffed to not growing and you seem fully happy with grinding in the realm of mediocrity. You can have all of the wins in the world but what does it mean if you don’t have nothing to show for it. What’s the point?! I don’t want to ever be like you. I want to always keep pushing and challenging myself because I want to be the very best. That is why I am always pushing myself to new heights and trying to find ways to break my limits. It’s because I love testing myself and I want to be the very best. I want to have those limit breaking moments so I can keep growing and growing until I become something else entirely… That’s what it has always been about. Plus having a World Championship around my waist makes me the hunted…

I love that feeling when you can talk shit to an entire roster and they are forced to come after you one after another. It’s those moments that I live for, and it’s that type of situation that I would die for… I will give you the fact that you are good. Hell I will even say you are perhaps great but the one thing you clearly aren’t is Crystal Hilton. My legacy far supersedes that of any streak that you have and that’s simply because people know what I am capable of and when I really want something I deliver. I deliver on my promises and of course my word…

Anything you can do Cat you can believe I will go ahead and do it even better. I will kick it up a notch and I will make it look so good in the process. I am perfection in its purest form and it doesn’t get any better than me…”

Crystal chuckles as she continues to share her heart.

“So I feel I have a serious confession to make… I know you think this feud all started because you cried like a bitch because I fought the woman you wanted to fight at the super card but to be honest that wasn’t it. You might think this has to do with the fact that you talked shit about wife but to be honest as much as I might have a personal life with Seleana outside the ring this had nothing to do with her either. Hell you might even think this was because at one point you disrespected my daughter and that wasn’t the case either…

You want to know why I targeted you?!

Do you really want to know why I chose to attack you after your match with Kate Steele?! It’s honestly simple when you think about it. There’s nothing to hate about it. It’s because people saw you as the biggest threat in the company. People saw you as a future main event bombshell and all they did was talk about you over and over again. I knew it would be sooner or later when you would potentially be considered to be in the World Bombshell Championship division. Whether you want the title or not that’s your prerogative but it still doesn’t help that everybody always talks about the stupid streak and how you would eventually be next…

I couldn’t allow that to happen on my watch and after being out of the World Bombshell hunt for three long Super Cards I needed to make my intentions known. I needed to show the world that I deserve that opportunity more than anybody else on the roster and that’s when I knew I had to hunt you down. I had to get the match I really wanted. So attacking you became my only option and now look…”

Crystal laughs as she raises her head begins to offer a very maniacal laugh.

“I got exactly what I wanted. This was the perfect Christmas gift a woman could ask for. I get a one on one showdown with you and I know I am already in your head. I embarrassed you in front of the world. I made you tap out against your own will and it’s an image that will stay with you. As you get all worked up about that image I can build myself up and figure out ways to pick you a part. I can play some serious mind games and I can eventually dethrone you. You aren’t ready to get this work and I doubt you have the talent to even be in the same ring with me, since the very first time I attacked you or called you out on Twitter. In my eyes this has always been about the World Bombshell Championship and all you are is simply a roadblock into getting what I want which is my rightful shot…

How’s it feel to be used just like a tampon?! Once I am done with you, I will throw you away and while you sit there and bitch about a lost and maybe try to beg Christian for another shot at me I will have already been claiming for my right to challenge for the title. I guess that’s what makes me different from the likes of the Jessie Salcos. She can bitch and moan about trying to get a World Championship and not really do anything to merit that shot but I go out there and beat somebody important like you Cat and then I go out there and demand it. Seems like a big difference to me…

But that’s all you ever were, a mere roadblock. You want to know what I find ironic about the entire situation, it’s the fact that the woman who doesn’t want anything to do with a title from what I perceived is going to be used to get one. That’s hilarious…

You can claim you beat Kate but I beat her with her own fucking submission it doesn’t get any better than that, and if you were truly a great wrestler you would be out there trying to fight the best of the best. You would want to fight Dani Weston, Evie Baang, Sam Marlowe. You would be asking to fight people on that caliber of talent but you never try to push yourself. You never try to ascend anywhere but it involves flying to new heights in life I guess we can leave that to the birds right?!

It’s so fucking pathetic and I don’t know what teachings daddy dearest has taught you in your days of being in Manchester but that doesn’t fly with me. I am not going to tolerate any of that and the reality is I am so hungry to be the best in the world. I have a lot riding on the line in this showdown.

Do you know how important it would be for me to get a shot at the World Bombshell Championship?! I could do the unthinkable and hold the World Bombshell Championship for a record breaking and setting fourth time. No other bombshell in the history of this company has ever accomplished that. You would have thought that after receiving my Hall of Fame ring and my place in history I would call it quits and make way but that’s where you are mistaken…”

Crystal cracks a very wide grin as she continues to speak.

“There is always something to achieve and I am not going to stop until I achieve everything that I possibly can. I won’t rest until people acknowledge that I am the best of the best, and when they think of bombshells they instantly think of me. That’s the type of legend that I wish to become and nobody will ever tell me that I am washed up or I am a has been… Do you know how sickening it is to hear those things over and over again?! It’s a load of bullshit and I know I am far from being either of those things. There is still so much for me to do in this career and I just turned 31 that means there is still so many more chapters I need to write in the book of Crystal Hilton and while more pages begin to get written in my book it’s the sad reality the story of your long dominant streak comes to a very end…

It’s time to work on something else, and your biggest claim to fame might just being a footnote in one of Mercedes Vargas long speeches about statistics and the SCW record books. In my eyes you know what we call a woman who comes in beats a whole bunch of scrubs and fades away into nothing? We call that a Kandi Washington and that’s just about being at the top of the chain of the absolute worst.

There’s nothing special about you. There’s no personality or anything great to go with you. You are just a woman who knows many holds and knows how to chain things together, but I am a woman who is very innovative. A woman who is always changing the game, and a woman who isn’t afraid to take risks and take flight to get shit done…I will do whatever it takes to get ahead in this business but are you willing to do the same?! Are you willing to bend the rules in order to meet the ends meet?! I honestly don’t think so and that is what makes us different…”

Crystal looks around as she nods her head with a grin as she continues to smile.

“You might think that this is all about me and that is true but what’s also true is I am not just fighting for myself in this match. This match is about representing all of the students in this gym. In their eyes I am this Goddess. I am a woman that they wish to follow and they want to walk in my path. They know of my struggles to get into the wrestling world and they know that everything I have ever earned in this business has been accomplished by hard work and dedication. It has taken a lot for me to get to where I am and they respect that. Not only that but this is about the art of Lucha Libre prevailing through everything. It’s about my style of wrestling overshadowing your style of wrestling. Most importantly I need to be a symbol to my daughter…

She needs to see that I still have it in me and she needs to keep fighting until she can’t fight anymore. Most importantly this is all about me Cat! It’s about fighting for what I want and telling you to shove it. I won’t allow the haters to tell me what I can and can’t do. It’s about proving them wrong and showcasing to them that I am not going anywhere anytime soon. I know it seems like a lot to do but I have been building myself for this very moment and all that is left is for me to deliver on my promises. All that needs to happen is for me to come out victorious and to pull out a huge win in the best way that I can, and that’s by outclassing you…

Can I ask you a real question? What are you going to do when you find yourself losing this match? I know it’s a hard thing to fathom considering you haven’t felt that feeling yet in SCW but where do you come from there? Do you pick yourself back up and act as if it never happened. Or do you try to target me over and over again hoping that you have what it takes to actually beat me?!”

Crystal can’t help but chuckle again as she continues to speak.

“It seems like it’s a lot to take in and you have a few days to ponder about that moment. As far as I go there is a reason why everybody views me as your biggest threat and it’s because I have this habit of doing the unthinkable. I have the ability to beat you, and judging by what I have done to some of the big names in this company it’s no secret why I am all about that hype. You better in it because I will beat you. I have no choice but to beat you and after I get you out of the way it’s onward to either Alicia or Dani… It really doesn’t matter but I am longing to have my World Bombshell Championship again…

I am longing to be on the top again, and if beating you brings me a step closer to what I am chasing so be it, but losing is not an option. It’s all or nothing in our showdown. This is it Cat what are you going to do?!

I am the Rose that refuses to wither away…

Lights…

Camera…

Action…

It’s show time to beat all nine meaningless lives out of you. Welcome to the curtain call because after this there is nothing left for you. Show’s over and it’s time to roll the credits on your career. See you at Inception and good luck you certainly are going to need it…”

With that Crystal seems more focused than ever and it’s on this image that we slowly fade out on.







Off Camera
Walking In My Shoes

Crystal smiled as she walked with her daughter Brittany. The two were spending some much necessary daughter and mother time. It was time that Crystal was happy to have granted she never had these moments when Brittany was younger. Crystal smiled as she walked to the dorms of the school and she walked into a small room. Brittany’s eyes lit up as she looked at the room noticing baby pictures of her. Brittany was taken back as Crystal gazed into her daughter’s eyes.

“Brittany welcome to my room or at least this was my room when I was going to school here fourteen years ago…”

Brittany looks around as she forms an uneasy expression on her face noticing that it wasn’t the cleanest of places. She takes a long deep breath as she gazes back at her mother.

“Wow it’s not really all that clean is it in here is it?!”

“To be honest Brittany no it’s not but back then I really didn’t care about that especially considering I grew up in a rundown home in Detroit with a single hard working mother and five other siblings roaming around. Do you think I cared on how the placed looked?! It wasn’t that important to me. what was important however was the fact that I was in a place in which I could have some peace to myself. It wasn’t easy to get through the nights of being here. I missed life in America. Things are so much different here in Mexico and being away from home makes you appreciate the things back home more. But it wasn’t about being the wealthiest. It was about being a workhorse, it was about trying to find out my identity and I found it right in this school…”

“Wow I never realized how much you truly went from rags to riches… It’s a blessing knowing how hard you worked to get to where you are…”

“Yep and you want to know what really helped me get through those long nights of being away from home…”

Brittany shrugs her shoulders as she looks back at her mother.

“And what exactly would that be?!”

Crystal points to the baby pictures of Brittany as the smile escapes her lips.

“It was definitely you Brittany. You helped me in so many ways. Every night I would look at your baby pictures and I was given the strength that I needed. I remembered that I had a little one back at home and I just couldn’t let you down. I was fighting to be a survivor and a provider. I needed to be there for you and as long as I was able to present a somewhat decent future to my daughter that’s all that I ever cared about?! I feel like the luckiest woman in the world. There’s not many things a woman could do being a high school dropout…”

Crystal says with a very long sigh as she continues to speak to Brittany.

“But I had to stick it out because I needed something I could hang onto. Something I could say I finally achieved in and I think I did a successful job in doing so. I am also happy that you are taking your schooling very seriously and you are an Honors student. You have no idea how much that brings a smile to my lips. You achieved in ways I simply couldn’t…”

“Mom… I never knew you struggled so much…”

“Brittany my whole life was a struggle, even though I have everything I could possibly want it’s still a struggle to this very day. I have thoughts that I am a failure of a mother, and of that as a wife. Sometimes I let my career get in the way of the things I really want. It’s not easy being me and I know I take pride in my abilities as a wrestler. But one thing I never want to do out of the ring is hurt you or Seleana… It was never about hurting you…”

Brittany takes it all in as she looks at her mother and crosses her arms.

“I know that mom… I know when we did have our share of problems in the ring it’s because you weren’t ready to pass the torch, but in my eyes I don’t think I ever was ready for the torch. I just wanted to be noticed by you and…”

“Brittany you don’t ever have to fight for my intention… I enjoy everything that you do. I just don’t want you to think I am a failure.”

“FAILURE?! Mom you are far from that… You built your own movie empire. You remained on top of the wrestling world for like 10 plus years. That is far from being anything than a failure and I know you are going to regain your place in the wrestling world when you beat the snot out of Cat Riley…”

Brittany looks at her mom as Crystal just shrugs her shoulders.

“You really think I have a chance at beating her?!”

“I just don’t think you have a chance but to be honest I think this is your match to lose. Cat isn’t even in your league and I feel with the thought of potentially getting in the World Bombshell Championship hunt and with this big movie coming out that’s going to be all of the momentum to push you forward. Christian can try to scare you by having me be handcuffed to Cassie or whatever but in reality you never needed me to win any of your matches. You just need to focus and simply do what you know you need to do… Just go out there and win mom and let your talents do the talking…”

Brittany looks around.

“Especially considering you had to endure a place like this… Being in that ring is nothing compared to hardships you had to go through during your teenage years. Your entire life has been a struggle but you have fought through it all and it has helped you become the woman that you are today…”

Crystal smiles as she nods her head in agreement and gives her daughter a huge grin in return.

“Thank you I needed to hear that from you… Thank you for the support…”

“Of course you have my support I am your daughter silly who else would I support?! Although I must ask what is going on between you and Seleana right now…Are you really upset at her?!”

Crystal shrugs her shoulders.

“Look I rather not answer that right now… Come on let me show you something else…”

With that the two leave the dorms as they head back towards the gym area. It is there where Crystal gains a wide grin on her lips. She smirks as she looks at all of the wrestling hopefuls as she turns over to Brittany.

“Life wasn’t easy Brittany. Especially when it came time to training your grandpa didn’t show me any sort of favoritism despite being his daughter. As a matter of fact it didn’t mean anything considering my sister Maia and my brother Jamal was here at the same time as well as a lot of other students. I had to fight and claw my way for everything I have ever gotten. Nothing was ever handed to me. I know it might seem like he gave me this wrestling school but to be honest he eventually gave it to me years down the road because of how hard I had to work in this gym. Every day I felt like I was puking because of everything he had put my body through. I had to damn near run so many fucking suicides. I had to practice all types of bumps and really perfect my wrestling craft…

And if I ever complained about anything he would make me do it all over again. It seemed like a nightmare but in reality all it seemed to be doing was preparing me for the future. It was building me up for my life away from school and I guess that is how I was able to adapt to wrestling professionally as successfully as I have. It’s because of everything that occurred right here in this gym…”

Crystal looks around as Brittany smiles in return.

“Success can’t be built overnight and championships aren’t won by getting lucky. They are a symbol of your hard work paying off and it’s a sign that you have actually made it in the wrestling world…”

“Mom can I ask you a question?!”

“Sure you know you can ask me anything right?!”

Brittany sighs as she begins to speak.

“Why do you think Cat doesn’t want anything to do with titles… She hasn’t really mentioned them and you seem so fired up about them whereas she couldn’t really give a damn about them…”

“To be honest I don’t really know. That’s only a question that she can answer but I know for my own personal perspective it’s what everybody always dreams of. One dreams to be at top and what the women are doing at this Super Card is wrestling in the main event of the show. Every single day I tell myself that should be me in my spot. I am a perfectionist and I am not going to accept anything less. I want to always be the very best, and I won’t allow anything get in my way of climbing to the very top of the chain. There can only be one and as long as you are the top of the mountain you get to have challenge after challenge coming your way…

Being a champ is the best way to silence the critics. When you are on top nobody can talk you down. Didn’t you notice that people always want to talk somebody when they are at their lowest but when you are at your highest things just seem to get easier. Plus that’s what we are fighting for. If it’s not about being at the top why are we really doing this?! Passion and love can only take you so far but you need something that goes beyond that realm…”

Brittany nods her head as she smiles in return.

“It feels weird being here mom seeing what you had to go through just to be a successful wrestler… It seems like a lot to be successful…”

“Exactly Brittany and if you really want something you need to chase after it. You can’t expect things to just fall in your lap otherwise things are just going to pass you by. You need to be determined and driven. You need to be a go getter and you need to pursue after your dreams. That’s what life is always about. If life was easy what would be the point to it. I guess that’s why I really am gunning for Cat Riley if I can be honest. It’s because I have been longing for a challenge. A challenge I haven’t had in a long time. A fight where I would need to come to my senses and bring my entire A game in order to overcome. That’s what the thrill is all about. You need to persevere to see if you have the tools to drive you ahead so you can accomplish the unthinkable…”

Brittany nods her head once again as she hugs her mother as she gazes up into her eyes.

“Thank you for showing me all of this. Honestly it feels amazing to be here right now…”

“It should feel amazing Brittany. This is where your grandfather trained, this is where your uncle and aunt trained, and these are the halls that I had to walk through in order to get to where I am today. One day this entire legacy will be left in your hands and it will be up to you to carry on the Lopez Legacy and pass it down to your kids and so on. We can never let this place die and our family needs to really be proud of our heritage and where we came from…”

Brittany shakes her head.

“Of course and I will carry it to the best of my ability. I won’t let it die. I will always keep it and I will pass down whatever knowledge to the future. From stepping into these halls there is so much that I didn’t know about you. So much I still have yet to learn but I promise I will do my best to portray you on the big screen and I will make you proud of me mom. I am so proud to be your daughter…”

“Brittany like I told you before I am already proud of you and when it comes to this movie I know you will knock it out of the park. After all you are of my bloodline. I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone like you. No matter what you do I am going to have your back and your support. Just do your very best and that will be more than enough for me…”

Brittany nods her head as she smiles again.

“Oh you can trust that I will do that but only on one condition from you, and you need to promise me…”

“And what exactly would that be?!”

Brittany smiles as wide as she can as she looks deep into the eyes of her mother as she glances at all of the students in the school.

“Promise you are going to go out there and beat Cat Riley…Promise me that you are going to end her streak and you will finally take your place in the wrestling world, and being on top where you rightfully should be…”

“Wow you are really passionate about me beating her aren’t you?!”

“Yes… It hurts to hear everyone talk you down like you don’t matter in wrestling anymore. It pains me to have to try to defend you to just about everyone but to be honest the best way would be is if you go out there and do it on your own. You need to show them that you aren’t a pushover. You need to show the world just exactly what you are made of and tell them to shove it…”

Crystal runs her fingers through her hair as she is all smiles.

“Well I guess seeing Is believing and if they want to see me beat the unholy hell out of her tell them all to tune into Inception because I am not going to let anybody down. I don’t give a damn at what Cat might try to pull in that match but daddy dearest better prepare her for the biggest battle of her life. Christian better tell her who the hell I am because this won’t be a walk in the park. The only way Cat will beat me is if I simply throw this match away and let her win and I can’t allow that to happen. I have been out of the main event scene for far too long and it’s about time I take back my rightful spot…”

“I would agree with you… It’s time to ascend back to the top mom and remind them and offer them a strong reminder on what happens when you pursue after the things you really want…”

“Exactly… I usually conquer what I set my eyes on and this will be no different. I can’t fail my students… I can’t fail you and I can’t fail myself. I have far too much pride to buy into the lies of me being washed up that I will push myself. I am not a fucking joke and after I beat Cat Riley my only question to everybody is going to be who is the joke now?!”

“Certainly not you because the joke will be on them.. Mom you got this…”

“Thank you Brittany… Hey do you want to get a work out while we are here?! You could get a chance to train in the same place that a lot of your family trained in…”

Brittany nodded her head with a smile.

“I would love that mom…I love you and thanks for everything…”

“No… I am the one who needs to thank you. Thank you for showing me so much for myself and helping me remember why I need to fight. I can’t let go and I can’t back down. I must always persevere… This legacy needs to keep on growing and I will be damned if I let anything come in the way of that…”

Brittany chuckles one last time.

“Never stay grounded mom… Don’t be a Cat Riley… Always keep flying…”

“I will nobody will ever clip my wings if I have my way…”

With that the two smile at one another and we slowly fade out on them.

[Cat Riley]

 Never having been a morning person Goldenboy Gene Banton stifles a yawn while rummaging through the pocket of his red track suit for the key to the double doors leading into his expansive training facility. The sky above is overcast with ominous grey clouds lumbering overhead, carried by a brisk wind bringing a chill throughout the entire Las Vegas valley which propels him to forget the keys and zip the matching nylon jacket up higher. Upon his arrival he had noted the presence of a rental car indicating guests though looking across the empty, shaded parking lot and across the lush greens he did not see anybody milling about. With his thoughts turning from the chill in the air to checking the footage of his security cameras he absently reaches for the door, having forgotten about the key and draws back with a pause upon realizing that it is unlocked. Stepping inside and onto the white and gold roughage patterned marble floor he follows along a rubber tire track left behind by his daughter Cassie’s motorcycle which she has taken to parking inside. He didn’t mind having done far worse in his younger years and merely shrugged it off as leaving a challenge for the weekly cleaning crew. Looking ahead past the rows of plaques, posters, and framed championship belts with various other memorabilia accumulated over the course of a thirty plus year career he recognizes a pair of figures grappling with one another on one of the exercise mats in the center of the main room. A few steps further and the images begin to take the form of a man and a woman. He soon recognizes the woman as being his newest charge Cat Riley which sets his mind at ease over the identity of at least one of his guests; but the other, a man and considerably larger than Cat remains a mystery.

“Well son of a bitch”, he stops and mutters softly under his tongue in cognizance with the figure’s identity becoming clear. He had met Paul Riley over 20 years ago while attending a tournament in Brazil, a tournament won by Riley. Following the championship ceremony he had approached the lean, muscular competitor from England about the prospect of signing him but the man declined Gene’s sales pitch, despite the money and perks offered, preferring to continue to do his own thing. Approaching the end of the hall he leans against the edge and watches in silence as the pair trade moves and counter moves with the elder of the two offering instruction and advice during the exchanges. Shaking his head in amazement over the coincidence he smiles as the blonde man positions Cat into a side twister and carefully transitions into a leg lock; a submission hold rarely seen in combat sports due to its complexity in application and one Gene himself had only seen perhaps three times during the course of his career with the first time being performed by the same man applying it to his daughter now 20 years ago in Brazil. Once more he shakes his head in dismay; though he had remembered the man’s name he failed to make the connection to Cat. “I must be getting old”, he mutters as a smile wrinkles his face and he begins to sing his arrival, “It’s a small world after all..,”

On the mat Paul Riley looks up startled, releasing the hold in his daughter with both pairs of matching blue eyes being trained towards the hallway and the man in charge, leaning against the side of the wall with his thick arms folded across his chest. Paul immediately bolts to his feet, his eyes wide but with a smile of recognition as he starts towards him with Cat trailing behind, rubbing her right knee.

“I’ll be damned”, he says extending his right hand which is gripped by Gene. “You’re the Geno Cat has been telling me about”?

“The one and only” he laughs. “Small world isn’t it”?

“She talks about you all of the time but somehow I failed to make the connection”.

“That makes two of us, I thought I was getting old but maybe it’s both of us”.

The two men share a laugh as Cat joins them glaring at them questioningly.

“You know each other”? She asks with a bushy arched brow.

“We sure do”, he father affirms happily while snatching the towel from her hands and using it to wipe his brow. “He had approached me in Brazil about 20 years ago wanting to manage my career”.

“And you shot me down like all of those Brazilian women”, Gene smiles. “So what brings you here”?

“My wife and I are in the states visiting the kitty cat and after seeing her last match against Crystal Zdunich I wanted to go over a few things with her”.

“Like breaking my leg, chewing me out, making me perform a hundred dropkicks..,”

“With you missing over 90 percent of them,” he adds.

“Well damn, maybe I should get you to train her”, Gene quips. “It sounds like you’re more of a disciplinarian than I ever was”.

“She doesn’t need training, just an occasional reminder, but what did you think of her last match if I might ask”?

Gene shifts his weight, leaning back against the wall, his beefy torso stretching the fabric of his jacket tightly across his thick chest. He shakes his head with a sigh, “Well, being a blindfold match I expected it to be somewhat clumsy but it turned out far more clownish than even I thought. I was mostly mad at myself to be honest for not anticipating one of those ridiculous stipulations generally attached to the Roulette championship but I slipped up figuring that since the title was not up for grabs it would be a more traditional affair. That was my fuck up; I should have never allowed Cat to compete in such a contest. On the other hand Cat forgot one of the most basic things about momentum in wrestling..,”

“And what is that”? She challenges, folding her own arms across her chest. Having been run through the ringer all morning long by her father she finds herself in no mood to be re-washed so to speak but here is her manager ready to add fabric softener to the load she has been washing since dawn. “Please enlighten me”, she rolls her eyes in disdain. “I’m dying to hear for the millionth time today how big a screw up I am”.

“Alright fine”, Gene acquiesces. “You allowed your opponent to gain the momentum and tried to play her own game instead of doing what you should have done and breaking that momentum by just tying her up. That’s all you had to do”, he shrugs. “Just tie her up. You are damned lucky Sam Marlowe knew what she was doing because you were going to lose doing what you were doing”.

“Oh come on! I was..,”

“You were behaving like a bloody baboon”, he father interrupts in a scorching vociferation. “Gene is absolutely right – you were going to cost your team the match - and you have no room to argue. Now apologize to the man”.

“Forget about it”, Gene waves him off. “My kids are a hundred times worse. I don’t mind it at all and besides, Junior won’t let her hear the end of it”.

“Junior..,” Paul’s voice trails off as his mind plays match the name to the face. He had heard the name numerous times mentioned during Cat’s matches and it quickly dawns on him that Junior is one half of his daughter’s co-managers meaning that the redhead, his sister would be Gene’s own daughter Cassie. Having put two and two together he re-engages the conversation. “What will he be doing during the next match with Crystal’s kid Brittany handcuffed to Cassie”? He asks.

“Probably flirting with the women at ringside I imagine” he shrugs. “That reminds me, I need to read him the riot act next time I see him about keeping a closer eye on what’s happening inside the ring”.

“That won’t make any difference”, Cat interjects in a decidedly more mellow inflection. “He doesn’t like my arse, he thinks it isn’t round enough”.

“Let me worry about him”, He scoffs with a dismissive twitch of his head. “I have an idea”.

“Let him run amok and hope he knocks himself out”? Cat’s impromptu suggestion elicits a snicker from her father, who chimes in,

“That lad’s reputation precedes him”.

“And his mother will recede his reputation”, tapping his temple with his index finger Gene’s face wrinkles into a wry grin. “Believe me when I tell you, that woman can put the fear of God into a great white shark, Junior doesn’t stand a chance”.

“I suppose we’ll have to take your word for it”. Paul murmurs, completely unfamiliar with the woman to whom he is referring. “I’m afraid I don’t know her”.

“I’m sorry; I’ll have to introduce you to her. She’s from Ireland and she is a classic Celt, I’m talking old school, no bullshit boil your head in castor oil for looking at her the wrong way with the temper to match. That’s why I let her discipline the kids, she’s much better at it than I am. Have no fear; Junior will walk any line she tells him to”.

“Alright, alright”, Paul can’t help but to laugh, being all too familiar with the tempers and no nonsense attitude of Celtic women with her country being adjacent to his own. He himself has run across many Irish women with the same spirit being described and had dated one prior to meeting Cat’s eventual mother Rebecca. “I believe you, but what about Cassie, can she handle being handcuffed to Brittany Williams”?

“Oh I guarantee it”, Gene pipes in with a quick reply, his mind wading through floating images of his daughter exhibiting her own temper, usually at the direct expense of her brother. “Cassie has her mother’s temper, no questions and to sweeten the pot she holds a black belt in kick boxing – certified by world champion Brandi Constantino - in addition to being trained by me. If Brittany tries anything stupid Cassie will kick her head into the nosebleed section”.

“I’ll be damned”, Paul sighs while shaking his head in amazement. “You said it was a small world and it’s growing smaller by the minute. My nephew Will, Cat’s cousin, wrestles in Japan and he has been training stand up with Brandi lately to supplement his wrestling. His father and I have been toying with the idea of adding some standup techniques to our curriculum”.

“Oh?” Gene arches his brow regarding the man curiously. “When we first met you said you wanted to continue to focus on your school, how is it doing”?

“Not too bad, we have 27 students at the moment so it’s not very big but it keeps our bellies full”.

“Have you ever considered opening a Snake Pit here in the US”? He asks, sensing an opportunity.

“I’m afraid we don’t have the resources or any qualified instructors”.

“Money is not a problem, and you can always certify instructors back home in England”.

“Are you suggesting a business relationship”? Paul inquires, his curiosity piqued. Cat had told him several times about the man’s connections and resources and he and his brother had openly lamented over their inability to expand the Snake Pit. But now fate is staring right back at him from behind a pair of deep blue lenses underscored with a radiating self-assurance. “I’m curious, what do you have in mind”?

Gesturing towards a closed plain, soft beige wooden door behind the wall he had been leaning against Gene opens it, flipping the light switch on and invites him in saying “Step into my office, I’ll lay it out for you”.

Paul starts to follow suit behind the man but stops just short of the threshold and turns to Cat while tossing her the towel, “Kitty cat, why don’t you work on your cardio while Gene and I talk? And remember, max elevation and no bloody dropkicks”!

With a frown she nods in agreement, turning away as the door is shut behind her with a heavy clunk. She had wanted to be privy to their conversation, inwardly anxious to see how a self-made Daddy Warbucks conducted business but by decree of her father it sadly is not to be so she plods lazily across the padded rolling mats of the sparring section to her right where a set of six treadmills are lined against the far wall, flanked on either side by a set of stair climbers and ski machines. She selects a black and purple treadmill a Life fitness branded monster that looked to weigh several hundred pounds and steps onto the 27 inch wide rubber canvass. She fiddles with the digital interface which lights up with a large yellow LED display and selects the maximum elevation as her father instructed although she had already intended to do so as it best mimicked training in the mountains and is scientifically proven to be more effective at conditioning the heart than simply running on a flat surface. Setting the speed she depresses the green start button on the lower right of the interface and with a subtle electronic chirp followed by a soft hum the machine comes to life raising itself to the desired incline setting.  Waiting for the track to begin rolling she glances up to a row of flat screen televisions secured to the iron rafters and tuned to different stations. She glances past a Mexican soap opera where two alluring young women are engaged in a catfight, past CNN coverage of the stock market, past ESPN’s coverage of the Nathan’s hot dog eating ‘world’ championships which promotes a grimace to mar her soft features. Since when were competitive eaters considered athletes? Since when did stuffing 50 or 60 hot dogs down your throat in 30 seconds qualify as a sport? Only in America, she groans as her eyes settle onto a televised repeat of SCW’s Climax Control. Onscreen she recognizes her friend Dani Weston flanked by Brooke Saxon and facing off with her future opponent at Inception 3 Alicia Lukas in a contract signing ceremony. Although there is no sound from the television and it is too far away for her to be able to read the close captioning she vividly recalls the events as they unfold once more before her. Alicia starts off with a round of trash talk before being torn into by a thoroughly annoyed Dani who, despite the obvious tension between them, especially following Lukas’ unwarranted assault which left her badly bruised diligently fights the temptation to escalate matters for the sake of decorum and allows her lips to do the talking instead. A smile creases over her face as she is impressed by her friend’s self-control. Picturing herself in the same situation she knows she would be unable to restrain her inclinations which have a tendency to pull at her like a 2,000 pound shark against 20 pound test line.

“I could learn a thing or two from you Dani”, she huffs as the show breaks into a commercial. Her mind, uninterested in the unintelligible babblings of overly excited hucksters pitching breakthrough re-imaginings of products that were never broken wanders off instead down its own road of unintelligible musings twisting and turning at every flash of competing thoughts and impulses. A glance down at the digital display informs Cat that she has now been active for ten minutes and wrapping her palms around the cold chrome heart rate sensor imbedded into the rubber padded handle she sees her heart holding steady at 112 beats per minute, not enough for effective weight loss with 70 percent of your maximum rate as established by subtracting her age from 220 being the scientifically established minimum, but still good for conditioning, especially given the already impressive cardiovascular fitness of the youngster.

Cardio training on a treadmill can be a lonely endeavor with no way to occupy the mind aside from the television with its endless itinerary of mind numbingly boring – and silent - reality shows or music to distract it from the ever churning whirlpool of disconnected images splashing about. With an imaginary foot striking her on the behind Cat quietly laments leaving her phone and headset in the rental car and forcing her to contend with a tidal wave of competing thoughts; what if dad and Gene are having a fight? If I have to watch Kim Kardashian having her nails done one more time.., why are beautiful Mexican actresses always fighting on TV? Does Kobayashi even bother with condiments? Why people who have never even played sports are being paid so much to talk about them and most importantly, did I leave my underwear hanging on the shower rack again? Finally, and not a moment too soon but perhaps several moments too late the interminable litany of fragrance products, get rich tomorrow schemes and the usual running stream of ambulance chasers trying to whet people’s appetites for litigation comes to an end as Climax Control resumes. Her bushy brows tighten into a frown upon noticing that the show has jumped ahead by a good 30 minutes where she recognizes herself along with SCW Roulette champion Sam Marlowe getting set to face off against Crystal Zdunich and Mercedes Lewis. This marks Cat’s first time revisiting the match so much on her father’s mind and looking on with interest and having already forgotten her recent train of thought she settles onto the track to determine for herself if the final destination is indeed worthy of dad’s wrath. With the blindfolds being secured over the eyes of all four women the bell rings allowing the match to begin in earnest. But within seconds a grimace darkens her expression as she misses a drop kick which was not even close to her intended target and she is covered for a near fall. Closing her eyes as if ashamed she relives the incident being displayed onscreen, opening them just as she inadvertently rolls up the referee which elicits a raspy groan from the sweating blonde.  Another few embarrassing moments pass as she and Crystal continue to mix it up and while both women are visibly disoriented by the blindfolds as evidenced by the pair nearly taking each other out with a single cross body block it becomes painfully obvious as they each tag in their opposing partners. Closing her eyes with another grunt, unable to watch any more Cat heaves in a deep breath of air and exhales audibly,

“Dad is right; I have no business trying dropkicks and other high spots”.

“Or perhaps you simply require proper tutelage”.

The voice, young and energetic startles Cat, spurring her to turn her head around to the source, a short man, no taller than herself, with one hand tucked behind his back, decked out in a black with red full body luchador ensemble including a matching mask bearing angled eye openings with a tuft of dark hair, nearly shoulder length protruding from beneath the hem at the base of his neck. Reaching up she depresses a large red ‘stop’ button which brings the treadmill to in instant halt and spins about while bringing the towel to her face, brushing off the steady flow of perspiration. Peering closely at the curious stranger she takes note of his fair complexion, a pasty white tone with glimmering brown eyes, wide nose and behind his back a tuft of fur..?

“Despy, is that you, how did you get in here?”

“I’m afraid you have me mixed up with someone else”, the mysterious masked man replies and returns his hand front and center allowing Cat to see a teddy bear dressed similarly but with opposing accents of red with black. “I am El Maestro de la lucha libre” he announces in a hurriedly practiced heroic resonance.

“What”?

“Master of wrestling.., I think”, he translates with his voice slipping back into a child-like high pitched tone. “I am here to educate you in the art..,” he resumes, his voice reverting back to the somewhat heroic timbre, “The art of high spots. Together with the assistance of my tag team partner El Difuso we will teach you to become a master of jumping off of things”.

Seeing relief from the doldrums of her cardio training Cat bobs her glistening head energetically. “How much”? She asks and while still unsure of how or why he was even here with her she finds herself grateful for the respite, especially from the fiasco of a match on television.

“As we are world renowned aerial technicians our services do not come cheap but we believe them to commensurate with our ability to bring out the best in our students.  Our fee, while somewhat lofty, is still quite the bargain. We will need to charge you two dollars”.

Cutting herself short of speak Cat rears her head back, glaring at the young man and his teddy bear in a mixture of confusion and amazement. He continues to exhibit an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time and offering the most useful services for the situation at hand, but at the same time, charging the exact same fee forcing her to wonder what exactly it is with Despayre and the sum of two dollars. Regardless his presence is a most welcome distraction from the tedium of cardio and she eagerly hops off of the treadmill and darts to where her scratchy brown leather purse lies in contradistinction to the mirrored wall. She reaches inside and pulls out a crisp two dollar bill handing it to her would be mentor who regards it in specie.

“This isn’t two dollars”, he whines with his voice reverting once more to its normal pitch. “I need two one dollar bills”.

“But it is..,” she cuts herself off electing not to argue and pulls out two one dollar bills, handing them to him and extending her own hand to reclaim the two dollar note, but the masked man clutches it to his chest.

“Uhh.., can I keep this since its worthless?”

With a shrug of her glistening shoulders Cat nods in agreement. “Yeah, sure”, she says. “I have a couple more”. Her face lights up in anticipation of a rousing fun time with Despayre; someone with whom she has come to like and seemingly always up for some sort of shenanigans. “So what do I have to do to learn this stuff”?

“We will begin by educating you in the history of aerial wrestling”, he begins, his voice once more taking a heroic-like tonality. “Aerial wrestling began in December of 1903 when the tag team of Orville and Wilbur Wright were involved in a tag team match against a duo known as Kitty hawk, consisting of Kitty and Hawk who were also known as the Legion of Doom. They had made several unsuccessful attempts to wrest the championship away from Kitty and Hawk prior to their fateful meeting on the 17th of December in North Carolina and although their previous attempts at aerial wrestling had failed they continued to work on their craft and on that day they managed to successfully land four drop kicks finally succeeding in taking the belts from the feared team of Kitty and Hawk”.

“Umm, it sounds like you’re narrating the history of flight”, she muses softly, not wanting to upset her sensei but unable to help herself but to point out the obvious, “with a couple of twists of course. Still I’m pretty sure that was the first flight”.

“Indeed it was and that is what aerial wrestling is, flight. You are proving to be an apt student”.

“I don’t have to have wings, do I”? She asks, hoping he replies negatively with the muffled throbbing of her left side providing a constant reminder of earlier failed attempts, “Or a ladder”.

“A cape will do”, he offers. “I have some for sale if you are interested”.

Still clutching her purse Cat fishes inside the velour lining in search of two more one dollar bills, not bothering to ask the cost and hands them to him. He snatches the George Washington’s from her hands and quickly shoves them down his pants before turning away towards the locker room area with his voice trailing behind,

“I have them in the dressing room; I’ll go and get yours now”.

Alone with her thoughts Cat smiles, a toothy grin stretching nearly from ear to ear, grateful for the unexpected yet timely arrival of a playmate. Although she has never displayed any sort of aptitude for high spots or any form of aerial styled wrestling to which the forming bruises on the side of her body will attest she nonetheless finds herself anticipating just what the self-styled ‘master of wrestling’ has in store. Her father’s voice abruptly appears in ideation with another stern admonition of ‘No bloody drop kicks’, but she pushes it aside in favor of something decidedly more entertaining while he is safely out of sight discussing business with her manager. Casting a side glance towards one of three wrestling rings to the far right against the opposing wall she revisits the blindfold match against the team of Crystal Zdunich and Mercedes Lewis and while her performance was admittedly atrocious she cannot help but to wonder of Despayre would pick up on something she did not. And while she makes no pretentions of actually trying to learn the aerial style, she does allow her mind to take a flight of fancy, envisioning herself against Crystal at Inception 3 and shocking everyone at the Gold Coast with a repository of drop kicks, moonsaults, hurricanranas , 360 splashes and more which twists her thin lips into a grin.

“What are you smiling at, this is a good cape”.

Breaking from the reverie Cat glances at El Maestro de la lucha libre who is clutching a thin vinyl shroud of sorts and sporting a black geometric pattern on a semi-transparent frosted base with a series of holes lining the top with a handful of plastic loops and soap stains splattered about. He hands it to Cat who regards it critically, feeling the slippery remnants of the previous night’s soap and hearing the crisp ruffling sound emitted as she turns the cold plastic-like mackinaw over in her hands. Opening her mouth to speak Cat quickly steps on her own tongue squashing the idea of telling him what it really is and instead electing to play along.

“It’s uhh.., fantastic.., I suppose”.

“Good”, he beams while handing her a roll of masking tape. “Now tape your new cape to yourself and follow me to the ring, we have much to do”.

“Tape..,” she mumbles apprehensively, fiddling with the roll whilst breaking into stride behind him. “How.., clever I guess”.

The duo, or threesome should you be inclined to include El Maestro’s tag team Partner El Difuso approaches the ring with Despy climbing in first and dragging his ‘partner’ behind. Cat clutches at the bottom rope; a blue rubber encased steel cable and timorously uses it to pull her body onto the wooden planks topped with a thin foam padding and canvass cover which serves as the ring apron. Eyeing him warily through rapidly blinking blue lenses she clears her throat and asks nervously,

“Do I have to jump around in here”?

“Well duh”, he fires back with an eye roll. “This is aerial wrestling, remember”?

“Sure but..,” reaching out she slaps the less than forgiving base with her hand resulting in a muffled whump resonating through the gym. “This thing is kind of hard, and my dad did tell me not to do any drop kicks”.

“Is your dad a master of high flying techniques”?

She answers through kinesics, lifting and bunching her shoulders tightly before allowing them to drop and adding, “No, not really”.

“Well I am the premier acrobat of the fabled squared circle and if you pay attention and follow my instructions you will become one too. Just do what I do and jump off of things, it’s easy and fun”.

“Are you sure”? She hesitates while rising to her feet, tapping the toe of her right sneaker against the canvass and feeling the adamantine thump. “This thing feels like it was made out of bricks”.



“Obviously we will have to go the brick and mortar route as this is not a product you will find on Amazon”. Gesturing to a real estate investment spread sheet lying atop the burnished mahogany top Gene leans forward against the desk, the tip of his index finger drawing the attention of Paul Riley to a listing of land tracts with acreage, location and asking prices. “The problem is that it generally means leasing as there are many real estate investment companies and developers swallowing up as much land as they can get their hands on. It gives them a near monopoly and with so much land divided between only a handful of companies they can get together and effectively set their own prices. To give you an idea..,” he leans back into the luxuriously padded executive’s swivel chair clasping his hands behind his head and continues, oblivious to the muffled thumps occurring outside of his office. “A few years ago a friend of mine wanted to open a car lot. He located a patch of land commercially zoned; it was a small patch, not even a quarter of an acre but it suited his needs. So he goes to find out the terms of a potential lease and the company that owned the land said they wanted $16,000 a month”! He pauses to give added weight to his words which draws a slithering whistle of amazement from Paul Riley who continues to listen intently. “To see another example all you have to do is look around outside at the various strip malls and shopping centers and note how many are closed or being..,” flashing his fingers to pantomime quotation marks he presses on, “Re-developed”.

“That makes sense” the Englishman muses oblivious to the thumping taking place just outside behind the walls; his attention focused squarely on the man in front of him and the discussion at hand. “I see it all of the time and not just here, but back home as well”.

“Capitalism”, Gene quips with a raspy hint of annoyance. “Buy everything in sight and set your own price. The idiots are so blinded by the quick buck, the instant gratification that they can’t see the long term effects”.

“Small businesses going broke because they can’t afford such exorbitant rates, but somehow I get the impression that you have a way around it”?

Nodding with a wry grin the former wrestler turned businessman gestures to the charcoal gray Cisco Ethernet video phone. “When I first decided to start working for myself I made it a point to network with every player in this city one at a time. It was tough going at first but I toughed it out and ten years and ten thousand phone calls later I have managed to do it.  This phone has a rolodex with more than 2,500 numbers including doctors, lawyers, a couple of sheriffs, judges, politicians and various businessmen including..,” he allows his voice to trail off and points to his guest to finish the sentence.

“Real estate developers”, Paul answers obligingly.

“Bingo! In fact the particular developer I have in mind is actually the father of a wrestler I used to manage, Monica Stark. He’s based out of state but has developed a number of big projects here and knows pretty much everybody. If Cat thinks I’m ridiculously rich this guy would blow her mind with the amount of money he throws..,” Another succession of whumps and heavy thumps resonates from behind the crème colored brick walls, this time loud enough to catch the attention of both men and prevent Gene from finishing his sentence.

“… The bloody hell is going on”? Paul Riley wonders aloud craning his neck in the direction of the disturbance but unable to see through the soft copper tasseled waterfall valance tie up shades. “Please tell me it’s not Cat again. That girl has an alarming knack for breaking things”.

“Hmm..,” Rubbing his chin thoughtfully for a moment, the bulky man in charge shrugs and turns his gaze upon his desk calendar noting that he had circled today’s date and wrote in a message. “I don’t think so. I just remembered that I hired a construction crew to come in today to build an oxygen bar, it’s probably them”.

“That’s good to hear”, Paul mutters softly and adjusts his position in his chair to resume the business at hand. “Alright, I like your idea, it is something my brother and I have discussed in the past and your financing options are among the most agreeable I have ever seen but please understand that this is a very large step for us..,” he drops his gaze fixing it on the senior Goldenboy who nods in acknowledgement. “So we can’t be hasty and rush into this. I will need to go over everything with my brother who is also my partner and he can be quite meticulous”.

“That’s fine”, he nods, reaching into the top right drawer of his desk and pulling out a handful of business cards. Placing them into Paul’s outstretched hand he adds, “These cards have my home, cell, office and training center numbers as well as my email address. Feel free to call me at any time should you have any questions and reverse the charges of you need to, I don’t mind”.

With a nod of his head Paul deposits the tripled layered laminated luxe cards sporting raised print into the right side pockets of his track pants and is startled by another succession of burdensome pounding, this time even more emphatic but a glance back to the desk shows his host shrugging it off and he elects to follow suit.

“I would like to ask you a question”, he says, turning his attention from the heightened noise outside back to the nodding man in front of him. “Give me your honest impression of Cat’s work in the ring”.

“Honestly? I think she’s dynamite”, he replies. “And I’m not just saying that because you’re her father. Like you I have been in this game a long time and being a manager I’ve seen many talented wrestlers grace that ring over the years; wrestlers of all styles from Luchadore to brawler, to spot monkey, to kickboxer and of course submission wrestling. What I like about Cat is that she keeps a cool head and tends to work well under pressure. She’s patient and not inclined to take unnecessary risks. I don’t need to teach her anything really, she already has the tools and her technique is text book. I just have to offer her some guidance from time to time”.

“Like the blindfold match”, her father observes trying to ignore the ongoing cacophony outside and focus on the discussion in front of him.

“Yeah, like the blindfold match”, Gene repeats with an uneasy laugh. “Again, I take the blame for that, I should never have let it happen but I failed to read the stipulations more closely and well, hell came home to roost. I can assure you that it will not happen at Inception 3”.

“On the bright side of the matter you won’t need to offer her any guidance leading into this next match with Crystal as that is precisely what I was doing with her when you arrived”.

Drumming his fingers along the desk the elder Goldenboy listens intently while trying to envision what exactly the construction crew is doing having noted the rapidly escalating thunder taking place outside of his office. Unable to envision anything that does not involve the use of a large hammer he reaches down to a metallic brown portable refrigerator plugged into the wall behind the desk. Reaching inside he pulls out two bottles of Dasani water, handing one to his guest and twisting off the blue cap to take a swig.

“Between you and me”, he continues, setting the bottle down with a muted thump against the desk calendar. “I think she’s going to be fine in her next outing. This match we have lined up for her is a basic, no frills encounter against someone she has already shown that she can beat. It’s right up her alley so to speak, a standard match against an opponent she doesn’t particularly care for and has already beaten. I mean, if you’ll pardon the vernacular all Cat has to do really is just arrive and drive”.

“Hopefully we won’t see any more of those ridiculous drop kicks and other tom foolery”, Paul adds in an even tone inwardly confident in his ability to get through to his daughter.  “I’ve given her a good dressing down”.

Picking up his bottle Gene extends his arms with a smile offering a toast which Paul accepts as the two briefly bounce the hardened bottoms against one another. “Here’s to fatherly advice”.

The toast however is cut short by a deafening crash accompanied by the whistling of ropes, the weighty clang of steel docking harshly on concrete, the sharp crack of breaking glass and the snapping of wood and is followed by an unmistakable and agonized groan. The two men bolt to their feet exchanging bewildered glances and start to the door. Reaching for the knob Paul opines, “Whatever that was it sounded expensive”.

Stepping over the threshold expecting to see a construction crew perhaps attempting to correct a rather calamitous mistake; they are unprepared for the site which greets them instead. There are no signs of a construction crew. However the middle of three wrestling rings has collapsed under the force of a substantial impact. The four eight inch steel posts have fallen to the wayside and lie horizontally on the concrete floor, their weight digging an indentation. The ropes having broken free of their bonds have whipped away with one landing in the adjacent ring on the right and another now hanging from  an overhead rafter after knocking off a flat screen television which has disintegrated upon landing. The plywood layered canvass has fallen and sits folded on the floor with a torn piece of turnbuckle padding and the prone, grousing body of Cat Riley lying atop the rubble with a plastic shower curtain fastened around her neck via masking tape. To the left a shadowy figure scurries from the scene, quickly disappearing from sight leaving nothing more than the rapid succession of footsteps subdued by the carpeting lining the hallway.  Speechless the two men gawk at the off kilter scene with their mouths agape and exchanging a perplexed gander.  Following several addled moments the men are shaken from their daze by another bruised groan and step forward through the debris to help Cat to her feet. Unable to stand however she merely collapses back to the floor until her father cradles the misbegotten young woman in his arms and carries her to a nearby table lined up against the wall.

Shaking his flummoxed head Paul tends to Cat, gently running his hand over her scalp for signs of bleeding or blunt force trauma. He exhales a relieved sigh upon finding none and proceeds to check her limbs which also pass visual and he straightens his body stammering,

“I.., I.., Gene, words fail me”.

“I may need to rethink Cat’s chances at Inception this weekend”, the owner of the center responds in a muddled modulation. “Did you happen to catch that guy in the dark outfit running out through the hall”?

“I did, but he was gone too quickly for me to make out, who was that masked man”?

“Unnnnghh..,”