(Miles and Carter were used with their handler’s permission)

Ariana won the Triple Threat Match against Georgie and Seleana though it was under unusual circumstances as Georgie was arrested for Assault and Battery in the middle of her entrance leaving Seleana and Ariana to duke it out, only for Georgie to return at the end of the match, knock Seleana out, get hit with the Meat Your Maker by Ariana, pinned and then arrested again! Whilst the legal status/whether Georgie was still employed by SCW was up in the air one thing wasn’t: that match had afforded Ariana a shot at the World Bombshell Championship! Her first since Violent Conduct and her first championship opportunity on Climax Control! But there was a catch.

Julianna was no longer the World Bombshell Champion as she had lost the title in the main event of Blaze of Glory to Ariana’s old enemy Kayla Richards! Kayla and Ariana have been at each other’s throats since they signed with SCW in 2022 and it was easier to list the times they hadn’t faced each other than it was to list the times that they had, worse yet, at least for Ariana? She has never been able to beat Kayla no matter how many times she’s tried! But will this match be the one to end that losing streak? Will Ariana become a Triple Crown Winner and end Kayla’s reign before it even started?

Ariana’s home, Las Vegas, Nevada
Sunday the 21st of April 2024, 15:00pm

If there’s one thing I can say about the ending to the Triple Threat Match against Seleana and Georgie? It definitely happened.

I was getting warmed up for the match with the police approached Mark and Christian looking for Georgie and well, I didn’t even know what was happening at first, I saw the officers approaching Georgie on the ramp but didn’t pay it much mind until she was actually arrested! As for the match itself? I had it well in hand, Seleana’s never been able to get the better of me in singles or Triple Threat Matches and even if Georgie didn’t rush back down I would’ve had the win.

Only real difference is who I pinned and what happened to them after the match really.

Still, getting two wins in a row is a great feeling after the rough start my year had but the next cycle is going to be a big one no matter what, not only is it SCW’s first International Tour of the year but it’s also when this year’s Blast from the Past Tournament is taking part, I’m not competing this year because I kept putting off signing up until it was too late but the tournament is always a blast to see regardless.

Sure, my bookings will probably dry up over the course of the cycle because they need room for the tournament matches but I’ll take what I can get.

”England, France, Turkey and the US, give Mark and Christian credit, the locations aren’t as random this time around.” I commented to Francisco as I continued to pack away my things for the upcoming tour and he nodded in agreement. ”Seriously, I think that second to last stop on the tour was the most attention that small Scottish town’s ever gotten outside of its immediate area!”

”I can’t confirm that for sure but it wouldn’t surprise me.” Francisco responded with a shrug and I grinned before going over the list in my head. ”Toiletrees, bath stuff, clothes, wrestling gear, I think you’ve covered most of it Ari.”

”Maybe but it’s still good to double check this stuff.” I responded before most of our pets joined us, Echo, Oreo, and Zeus all came right up to me and I stroked the three dogs once they were within reach while Athena perched herself on the bed, content to watch me as she purred. ”Julianna’s still down to pet sit for us when we’re on the tour, right?”

”Yeah, and we have a backup pet sitter in case anything happens to her.” Francisco nodded in response to my question before I heard my phone go off, it was on the bed next to Athena and I reached up and grabbed it whilst the cat watched on. ”Have they announced the new card already? I was expecting it to be at least a three hour wait.”

”Yeah they have, guess the bosses felt that they couldn’t sit on the first card of the cycle for much longer.” I responded with a shrug before sitting down next to the bad with my legs crossed as I got ready to read it. ”Caleb’s return match is opening the show, he’s got Bill again, the other Blast from the Past Matches………” I trailed of when I saw the Main Event. ”Oh you’ve got to be kidding me!”

”What’s wrong?” Francisco asked when he saw the frustrated look on my face and I glanced up at him. ”Because based on the look on your face? It’s not happy news.”

”It’s more of a good news bad news situation really, good news is I’m fighting for a title in the first Main Event of the Cycle, apparently because of my weird ass win in the Triple Threat.” I explained as I read through the match description, ”Bad news is, it’s for the title Kayla literally just won!”

”The World Bombshell Title?” Francisco asked and I nodded to confirm his question. ”But you’ve never beaten Kayla, singles, tag team or otherwise.”

”Yeah, literally the only match where I faced Kayla and wasn’t pinned by her was when she and Melissa faced me for the Bombshell Internet Title at last year’s Blaze of Glory, the show that ended Kayla’s second reign, among other things.” I commented as I shook my head and Francisco nodded as he got the idea. ”And if we want to get into matches where pins weren’t applicable? I wasn’t even eliminated by Kayla in the first Internet Title Battle Royal I took part in, that was Tempest!”

”Yeah, you don’t exactly have the best record against Kayla to say the least, but who knows? Maybe the third time will be the charm?” Francisco offered and I frowned, still not sure of what to think of this. ”Besides Ari, your Go Gym Training will have prepared you for title matches like this!”

”Yeah, that’s what I said last year when I was confirmed as the challenger for Roxi’s defence at Into the Void and Courtney’s defence at Violent Conduct but you don’t see “2x World Bombshell Champion” on my record, do you?!” I asked with frustration clear in my voice before I let out a heavy sigh. ”I should be a lot more excited for a title match, especially for the top title in the division, but I’m just sick of facing Kayla in some capacity! Surely there’s another Wolfslair member they can throw me against instead?”

”Or at the very least, someone fresher than you, we both know Richards vs. Callaway would be a hard hitting match for instance.” Francisco nodded in response to my statement and I had to agree with that idea. ”If nothing else? Use the flight to England as a way to mull it over, Kayla or not, it’s still a huge opportunity, especially if you end her reign before it can get started.”

”Not arguing with that.” I responded before we got back to packing.

The Disaster Diaries, god knows how many feet in the air, on a airplane
Monday the 22nd of April 2024, 08:00am

(on camera, start vlog)

As I started filming her vlog from within the airplane cabin I had a lot on my mind to say the least.

”Not exactly the most ideal place for me to film my first Vlog since Blaze of Glory, but I figured it was best to get my thoughts on this Main Event against Kayla out of the way! Because clearly the bosses haven’t booked me against her enough!” I commented as I shook myhead, staring into the laptop’s webcam as it rested on the small table in front of me. ”I don’t even have this thing connected to the internet because, well, I’m in the middle of a transatlantic flight to England, meaning I won’t be able to upload this thing until I’m checked into my hotel room in Hastings, but I’m working around that because I have so many things about Ariana Angelos vs. Kayla Richards part one million to say that I don’t even know where to start!

Oh wait, I do know, because it starts with one simple question! How many times are me and Kayla going to get booked against each other before either of us leave the company?!”

Honestly!

”Hell, I’m pretty sure Kayla herself is sick of facing me if her tweet after her first defence was announced was any indication!” I added as I brushed some hair over my shoulder. ”Off course, this match isn’t any regular match, rather it’s Kayla’s first defence since she took the World Bombshell Championship from Julianna at Blaze of Glory! That off course means the pressure’s on Kayla to show that she can defend the title she’s just won, we’re both former champions in other divisions, or in Kayla’s case one half of the current Mixed Tag Team Champions, AKA the other title I failed to take from her grasp recently! If it feels like I’m not my usual fiery self during this promo? Blame my surroundings, I don’t want to wake up the other passengers, much less my lovely husband Francisco, and get a noise complaint before I even touch down but know this Kayla.

If I can spoil your little “Ms. Two Belts” party by taking the top prize in the division from you? I will without a second thought!”

*end vlog*

Local Café, Hastings, England
Wednesday the 24th of April 2024, 12:00pm

Nothing like catching a bit of lunch with two of the men in your life, right?

But as I am set to challenge for the World Bombshell Championship on British soil for the second time in my career (and I’m half expecting the same thing to happen the next time SCW has a show un England) I needed a chance to relax and clear my head before I headed into the title match with Kayla.

And who better to clear my head with than my bestie and his fiancé?

”Thanks again for meeting up with me.” I thanked Miles and Carter as we sat down at the table in the café. ”I can’t believe they are booking me into a match with Kayla again, it feels like forever since I actually faced someone new.”

“Err, Ari? Your last Climax Control match was with Ericka, that was someone new.” Miles reminded me and I signed. “And that was on the last show before Blaze of Glory.”

”Okay but what about consistently? Before that we had the Mixed Tag Team Title Match Carter, and I had the Blood Bath Brawl, and that Mixed Tag Team Match with Ben and Sam and then my last Internet Title match!” I let out a deep breath as I leaned back in my chair, a waitress came over to take our orders and we just ordered some drinks, we had eaten breakfast at the hotel and we weren’t feeling quite hungry enough for lunch yet. ”Hell, if they had to book me in a title match, why not the Internet Title? Tempest was meant to be my second challenger before Courtney tried to break my hand and they never even entertained the idea of booking a return match.”

”And it’s not like they haven’t booked Go Gym vs. Go Gym matches before.” Carter nodded in agreement as he leaned forward. ”But it’s still a World Bombshell Title Match, that should excite someone who got screwed out of a title match twice.” Carter pointed out and I just shook my head.

”If literally anyone else had dethroned Julianna then yeah, my excitement would be there, but I’m frankly sick of constantly wrestling Kayla!” I grunted in frustration as I leaned back. ”First time was cool because we were both relatively new to the promotion, second time we didn’t even interact in the Internet Title Battle Royal, third time made sense because I had just been injected into the Internet Title Scene after my Roulette Reign ended, and that’s the last I’ll speak on that considering everything that went on during that reign.”

“Yeah, that was definitely a time we’d rather forget for all the good it did to your career.” Miles nodded in agreement and Carter quickly agreed. “But I get the picture, you’ve faced Kayla so much that you’re getting sick of it, but what now?”

”What now? How about ending that bitch’s reign before it can get started and becoming the latest Bombshell to achieve the Triple Crown?” I responded with a small grin as I brushed some hair over my shoulder. ”I may be sick of wrestling Kayla but wrestling for the top title in the promotion will never get it old, even if the person holding it is the most toxic person in the division.”

”At least you have your priorities straight Ariana.” Carter nodded in agreement as the waitress brought our drinks over. ”And even if you do lose? You’ll rebuild.”

”Feels like that’s all I’ve been doing since I lost the Internet Title to Courtney in December.” I grunted in response before we started enjoying our drinks.

The Disaster Diaries, Ariana’s hotel room, Hastings, England
Wednesday the 24th of April 2024, 21:00pm

*on camera, start vlog, promo time*

Here we go again.

”There is definitely a joke to be made about the definition of insanity whenever the bosses decide to book me and Kayla in a match together.” I commented bluntly as I flipped some hair over my shoulder. ”Or whenever the likes of Mercedes Vargas finds themselves booked for a title match but I digress! All I did was win one Triple Threat Match against the Golden Briefcase Holder, who, I remind you, was arrested mid entrance, and Seleana Zdunich and suddenly I qualify for Kayla’s first defence? I don’t remember that Triple Threat being advertised as a #1 Contenders Match for the World Bombshell Championship!

Then again, maybe the bosses thought such advertising would be redundant since Georgie was the Golden Briefcase Holder before she was arrested, either way? I’m failing to see the logic here and I’m the challenger in this match!”

Can’t make this up!

”And Kayla? What’s there left for me to say about you that I haven’t said a million times already? I hate you, nothing’s going to change that, it doesn’t matter what continent we fight on, what country we fight in, hell we could be the first wrestlers to wrestle a Zero G Match on the moon and I’d still hate your guts.” I added before quickly shaking my head. ”And I just realized that that match couldn’t possibly work because of the lack of gravity, or the fact that we’d be wrestling in space suits because I doubt either of us would want to die in the vacuum of space! I’m getting off topic here so I’m just going to be blunt here since that’s Kayla’s favourite hobby.

The Bombshell Division would be a lot better off without you in it Kayla!”

Yep.

”I know I joined a few weeks before Kayla had her second match, but I can’t be the only one remembering the division being a much happier place before this bitch arrived! Oh sure Kayla, you have the respect of Julianna, and here I thought you considered the opinions of former champions to be irrelevant, or is that just me? You know what? It probably is.” I added as ran a hand through my hair. ”Because seriously, the Bombshell Division already had one toxic bitch running rampant when Andrea wrestled here and I’m aware that she’s a much better person now but let’s be honest, this division brings out the worst in its athletes.

Take me for instance, normally I’m a polite, happy smiley young woman, but when I end up across the ring from Kayla she knows how to push all of my fucking buttons!”

Makes sense doesn’t it?

”Maybe that’s why the bosses keep booking this damn match, they want to see less of my happy side and more of angry side! Yet when I let that side take over after Violent Conduct suddenly everyone forgot that I got fucked over by Courtney and her useless wife!” I grunted in frustration as I folded my arms. ”Oh yeah, that’s another thing you just love to bring up whenever we bring up, my record! Because it’s not like I wrestled some of the best wrestlers around and held my own even in defeat or, in the worst case scenarios, got screwed over because managers can do whatever the fuck they want to help their clients win without repercussions! Oh I’m sorry, was I supposed to feel sorry for the woman with the broken arm who cost me the World Bombshell Title?

Cry me a river!”

It’s that simple.

”I swear to god Kayla, if we wrestle again, at any point between now and New Year’s Eve, I am going to scream!” I exclaimed as I shook my head. ”But if there is a silver lining to be found? It’s the fact that winning the title from you means that your little reigns gets snapped out just like that.” I added as I snapped my fingers for emphasis. ”Then who’ll be brought down to nothing hmmm Kayla? You’ve had had every title opportunity practically gift wrapped for you on a silver platter since you signed with SCW two years ago, only title you haven’t won is the Roulette Title, a division you hate despite spending barely a cup of tea in it! It would be a shame if someone knocked you so far down the totem pole that your next appearance on PPV is either defending the Mixed Tag Titles or challenging Bobbie.

Oh, wait, did I say shame? Because I meant to say great thing!”

And with that I decided to wrap things up.

”Because frankly Kayla? It’s about damn time that someone knocked you down a peg, and you may laugh at the thought of me being the one to knock you off your high shores but I’ve been underestimated in SCW for most of my career as a Bombshell, it’s time people realized that I graduated from the Go Gym for a damn good reason!” I added as I flipped some hair over my shoulder. ”An who knows? Maybe you’ll give Finn back problems from having to carry your sullen ass around for the rest of the cycle, you know, like you claimed Carter does when we team together, totally fucking ignorant like you always are! I look forward to making you bask in the Golden Angel’s light on Sunday night as Justin declares “The Greek Goddess” Ariana Angelos the new World Bombshell Champion at “New Year, New Angel Part VI: Spoiling The Occasion!”!”

I turned off the webcam as the scene fades.

 The scene opens up with Justin Smith taking a walk to find a good restaurant in Hasting England.  He stops to talk about his tag team partner Cordelia Clark.

Justin-I am looking forward to kicking some ass in the Blast From the Past tournament, and one thing I know for sure is that I don’t trust Cordelia Clark, my tag team partner.

Justin laughs before discussing his distrust of Clark in their upcoming match.

Justin-Cordelia, you can talk about my lack of success in SCW all you want, but I would rather be in my position in a major promotion like SCW than a top star in its old sister show of SCU.  I am going to do what I do best and bring the fight to my opponent, and cause a lot of destruction in the process. I hope you can carry your weight in the big show of SCW!

Justin waves off the cameraman, asking him to leave so Justin can enter the restaurant as the scene fades to black.

The following day, Justin is seen at his hotel room, getting ready to go to lunch, but turns to the camera to address his opponents, first focusing on the one he will face in “Unbreakable” Eddie Lyons.

Justin-Eddie, I am so sick of facing you, it’s not even funny.  Then again, it was the luck of the draw that paired us up again.  Unlike our previous encounters, I will finally get a win over you, by hook or by crook.  Once Cordelia and I advance on to the second round, you can go back to defending your title!!!!   I am ready to destroy you once and for all.

Justin then turns his attention to Eddies tag team partner in Serena Riot.

Justin-Serena, as much as I don’t trust Cordelia, I know that she can actually handle herself in the ring. I dunno if Eddie can say the same about you.  Just be prepared to lose sweetheart!!!!

The scene fades to black with Justin cackling as he leaves the hotel room.

Here we were. I didn’t think in my wildest dreams since venturing out to establish my wrestling career away from the cotton wool of my uncle and the Hardcore Wrestling Alliance. As I climbed out of the car, I quickly scooted around, opening the passenger door for Eve. We had been dating for a few months now and things were going great. Truth be told, I was grateful she was with me tonight.

The build to the Strength Trials Draft had been mired in whataboutery and back-and-forth jabs across social media between myself and Bravery Trials Alumni and former SCW World Heavyweight Champion, Matt Knox. Word was that he had planned on stoking the flames of discord that had been fanning between us in the weeks prior and I really wasn’t in the mood. However, many of professional wrestling’s most established names were due to be in attendance, many of whom had been involved in the Bravery Trials along with many other hopefuls like myself looking to make their own mark.

I held my hand out for Eve as she climbed out of the car herself. She looked absolutely radiant, her cerulean blue hair cascading behind her onto an almost-matching-coloured evening gown. She smiled warmly as she accepted my outstretched hand, leaning and giving me a kiss on the cheek. God, she smelled incredible.

“You look amazing,” I said, giving her hand a squeeze. I took what I thought was a subtle inhalation through my nose before I went to start walking towards our venue for the evening. However a firmer reciprocation squeeze of my hand stopped me in my tracks. Perhaps not so subtle after all. Even after only a few months together, she could already read me like a book.

“Hey,” she said softly yet firmly, interlocking her fingers with my own. “If he starts anything, just ignore him. Don’t give him the satisfaction, that’s all he wants, sweetheart.”

A deeper inhalation this time. Definitely not subtle. I let the corresponding exhalation gush out of puffed cheeks as I stared at the ground. Eve gently bumped me, causing me to look up.

“You deserve to be here, just like everyone else. You might get drafted later, you might not. But this is a chance for you to show you’re the bigger person. Let’s go in, enjoy our evening, meet some new people… and who knows…”

She leaned in and kissed my cheek again before whispering into my ear.

“If things do get too much, we can always just go back to our room.”

I chuckled slightly at my girlfriend’s not-so-subtle insinuation before giving her a brief kiss on the lips.

“It’s not the worst Plan B I’ve ever heard.”

We shared another light laugh and another kiss before making our way towards the surreal and unnerving building that was the Hotel California. As we entered the building, the main atrium wasn’t filled with the usual hustle and bustle of coming-and-going guests like you would expect of a hotel of this size. A female receptionist at the front desk greeted us warmly with a smile.

“Can I help you?”

“Yeah, we’re here for the TRIAD Draft Party. Penelope Plimmswood said she’d be taking care of our own arrangements, we should have a room booked under ‘Parker’.”

The receptionist’s eyes diverted from us to her monitor as the keys from her keyboard clicked and clacked. A few moments later, she looked back up with an assuring smile.

“Ah yes, Mr Parker, we have you and your plus one in one of our luxury suites for the night. The reception for Ms Plimmswood’s party is just through those double-doors to your left.”

“Thank you very much,” I replied, sliding her a fifty dollar note, “you’ve been very helpful.”

Eve and I turned and followed the receptionist’s directions, making our way to where the party was taking place. A cacophony of raucous laughter and loud voices all amalgamating together could be heard, the volume getting louder as we got closer to the room. ‘Wow’ was all I could think to myself when we walked in. It was like a literal who’s who of professional wrestling. I spied the imposing figure of Harvey Marx belly-laughing as he conversed with the three TRIAD coaches themselves, Marcus Welsh, PIC and TLS. Some other faces were familiar, some not so much. Infamous promoter Sid Buckley III… Ricky Rodriguez… Blake Mason… Spencer Adams… the Dukes - Thad and Sahara… Joe Montouri and many more were all mingling, drinking, enjoying the festivities. I bit down on my bottom lip furtively, surveying the scene in front of me. Butterflies were filling my stomach and Eve wasn’t ignorant to it either. She gave my hand a comforting squeeze.

“It’ll be fine, sweetheart, just try and enjoy yourself,” she said.

As the evening went on, the drinks started to flow more freely. Eve had gone to our room for a lie down, leaving me to mingle when a familiar, condescending, gravelly voice suddenly made my ears perk up and my eyes roll in the same movement.

“I see you, Parker!”

Deep breaths, Sean, I tried to tell myself. I did my best to ignore the annoying drunken tones of one Matthew Knox. I turned around and held my hand up in a non-threatening manner.

“Look, Knox, just stay out of my face, please. I lost a big match earlier and I’m not in the mood for your shit.”

“Zero wins! Zero bitches! Draft stock TANKING! You need to up your game, Parker!”

Nah, fuck this. I stepped forward, pushing Knox in his chest, startling those within close proximity.

“You and I are starting to have a real fucking problem, Knox!”

I shoved my hand in his face, my index finger extended for emphasis.

“One more fucking word!”

Knox just smiled smugly.

“Do I get to pick the word?”

I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, staring into his drunken face, his breath reeking of bourbon.

“Pick it fucking carefully, Matt, I’m not fucking around!”

He just laughed as I let him go, staggering back slightly in his inebriated stupor.

“Poor guy, you know what? I actually pity that cute little girlfriend of yours. Isn’t she here? Maybe she could use some cheek sugar!”

That did it. My arm was cocked, my fist steering towards Knox’s face before I even realised what was happening. It was like a reflex action, as if my brain and heart collectively decided “fuck this guy”. The impact sent Knox tumbling to the ground, sending bourbon and ice everywhere. My chest was heaving and my blood was boiling, my heartbeat so loud I could hear it in my ears. But instead….all the smug prick could do was rub his jaw, that same condescending smile on his stupid fucking face. I watched him clamber back to his feet.

“Man, if I could feel my face I bet that sucked! I get it though, can’t do it to your actual dad eh, Parker?”

His words were like a Muleta being waved in front of a bull and I was ready to gore him with my horns one more time. I stepped forward again, my arm cocked and loaded a second time, ready to unload when I suddenly felt an arm around my waist, pulling me back.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy, kid, come on now, let’s go get a breather!”

I turned my head to see TRIAD coach and former OCW owner, Marcus Welsh, the very man who’d flown all the way to my hometown of Dunfermline to scout me as a prospective draft prospect for the Strength Trials. I respected Welsh for going to such lengths and he’d always been pleasant with me but I wasn’t in the mood for “kid” or anyone putting their hands on me. I not-so-forcefully removed Welsh’s arm from my waist and held my hands up.

“I’m fine, Welsh! I don’t need a breather, I’m done with him,” I said, turning and walking away towards the bar.

“I need a drink.”

Standing at the bar was the familiar face of Team Welsh alumni and former SCW Roulette and Internet Champion, Alexander Raven, locked in a heated exchange with a woman I didn’t recognise. At this point, Raven and I hadn’t had much in the way of interactions but his face was one I immediately recognised. Raven and I would become very much acquainted in the TRIAD Tribulations finale in Cambodia on New Year’s Eve of 2023 when I pipped him to the post on my way to earning my spot as the only guaranteed draftee for the Wit Trials. The woman he was with though? Not so familiar.

She was dressed in a long flowing black dress with large, feathery shoulderpads, sharp make-up accentuating her already strong features. If tension was physical, the two of them would be trapped in the mud of it.

“You can’t fucking hold this against me forever, Alex.” I heard her bark, the heavy twang of New Orleans mixed with the spatterings of someone who had lived long enough in Australia to make it a little bit messy and nasally to listen to.

I motioned to the barman with a non-verbal gesture to the upside-down bottle of Grey Goose with an optics attached to the bottom. I wasn’t usually one for drinking straight vodka but I sure as hell needed one right now as I became an unconsenting fly on the wall of a lover’s quarrel.

“Things don’t just get better, Luna,” I heard Raven snipe back.

“My head is all kinds of messed up, and you. Jimmy and you, kept things from me. Lied to me, and did it all under the guise of ‘protecting’ me. So, you can go fuck yourself. I’m going to have fun. I think Welsh wanted a karaoke partner.” Raven said, finishing his drink, slamming the base of his glass emphatically on the bar.

“Go fuck yourself, Alex.” the woman named Luna snapped back, throwing her drink in Raven’s face. I pursed my lips, the subtlest look of ‘Oh damn’ crossing my face for the briefest of seconds as I sipped on my vodka, crunching the ice cubes between my teeth.

I kept my head facing forward but subtly side-eyed the goings-on. Raven didn’t say anything else. He just shook his head, standing there soaking for a moment before he turned on his heels and took off. The woman screeched in response. Something that anyone who knew her would become incredibly conscious of. The woman was a banshee disguised as a human being.

This was the first time Luna Pasilno and I met. She looked just as angry as I felt, and just as likely to take someone’s head off. She whirled her hand at one of the bartenders, ordering another drink without words, and caught my eye. Little did I know that just seven months later, I’d be thrust into one of the biggest tournaments in professional wrestling alongside her… a dear friend… the crazy-ass sister I never had…


Being a dad was taking some getting used to. But even though Amelia had only been with us for a week, I wouldn’t change it for the world. The experience of giving birth had really taken it out of my wife, Eve so I was happy to take on more of the load and to be honest? I was jumping at the chance to spend as much time with my gorgeous little lady as I could.

I had plonked myself into an armchair I’d specifically bought for Eve positioned right next to Amelia’s crib after I’d walked in several times and found her asleep next to it. Amelia was nestled snug on my chest, her adorable little face cuddled into the crook of my neck. And whilst I loved the snuggles I was getting, there was a phone call I needed to make. The Blast From The Past Tournament Pairings had been announced. Luna Pasilno, wife of Alexander Raven, whom I’d briefly been introduced to back during the TRIAD Strength Trials Draft Party. I’d already done some reconnaissance on her. She was bat-shit crazy but incredibly talented, a lethal combination. The wrestling gods had been kind to me. It hadn’t been difficult retrieving her contact information and we had already touched base beforehand and had agreed to speak in more detail about the upcoming match.

Another perk of being a dad was the sudden ability to do two things at once. Since Amelia had been born, I’d managed to change her nappy with one hand whilst drinking a cup of coffee and fed her a bottle of milk whilst putting the finishing touches on my Lego Death Star. So you’d think making a FaceTime call would be a piece of piss, right?

I’d managed to manoeuvre my phone out of my pocket and dial Luna’s number. After a few moments, the screen changed from the dialling description to indicate the call had been answered but you imagine my surprise, that instead of seeing Luna’s face, I was presented with what appeared to be a foot of all things. The sound of a dog barking as well as the hybrid twang of New Orleans-Australia could also be heard.

“Um…hello? Luna?”

Soon, Luna’s familiar face managed to come into view on my screen.

“So, I didn’t realise the time. And… Do you have dogs, Angel? We have this one crazy little demon. Duchess, named after Alex’s fuckin’ childhood farm creature. Anyway, we do not have an apartment big enough for this beastie, and she decided that this morning was THE day to run roughshod over us. So, if you do not mind a smidge, I’m going to need an extra… twenty minutes to put my life together. That fine with you, Sugar? I can’t hear you, so I’m going to assume yes. Thank you! ”

What seemed to be a toe suddenly flashed up and the screen immediately went blank and I was staring at the background of my phone again. I peered down at my sleeping daughter.

“Oh, darling, what has your daddy gotten himself into with this one?”

I gave Luna the twenty minutes she asked for and dialled her number again. This time, the scene was a lot calmer when she answered.

“Okay, once again. Apologies for earlier. This little creature is a menace until she’s had a morning lay down, and now she’s all better. But that’s enough about enough, Lover. You’ve seen my dainty little piggies, so the least you can do is tell me a bit about yourself, Mr Brand New Daddio.”

I chuckled to myself, careful not to let the bounce of my chest from my laughter wake Amelia before waving my hand in a dismissive manner at her apology.

“It’s all good, Luna, it’s all good. I do find it slightly amusing though that you can go from German suplexing someone through a flaming table to getting bowled over by a beagle.”

I laughed again as I recalled the brutal nature of the ending to Luna’s match I’d managed to catch earlier on. Luna smiled in response.

“Well, sometimes little baby angels like this one are the biggest trials and tribulations. People are easy, little doggies like this one? Now that’s hard, Sugar. Alex wanted a cat, I wanted a dog. We compromised, and got a dog, and now she punishes me for my choices. She loves him, and mostly wants me to have an unfortunate accident. Don’t you sweet girl?” Luna’s voice grew softer.

“Well, I can’t speak for pets, although I am more of a dog guy myself. I do have a baby girl here though. She’s only a week old but she’s already proving to be quite the handful. If this is what she’s like in days I can only imagine what it’s going to be when she’s at school….but I’ll worry about that later.”

Luna’s expression changed to a bright smile as I turned my phone slightly to bring Amelia into full view.

“Animals fill that void. Raven got the snip many moons ago, and we can’t… we don’t want kids really. But I do love the smell of little ones.” Luna said softly, seemingly catching herself at one point.

She took a long drag on her cigarette, and exhaled a heavy cloud of smoke. Something in her eyes spoke differently than what her words did. Her heart didn’t seem to entirely match up with her words.

“But enough about things that can’t use the toilet right, and smell like corn chips. We got some working to do, don’t we, Sugar? So I’m thinking, we should go on a little friend date, climb some castles and see how we mesh as people.” Luna said as her dog had suddenly decided she was done being on show and took off somewhere. Luna’s gaze averted from her interaction with me, seemingly watching where the dog had wandered off to before she turned back to face me although I sensed that her fixation was more on Amelia snoozing away on my shoulder than on me. And then, as if on cue, she started to stir, one of her tiny little scratch mitt-covered hands reaching up. She had an all-too-familiar expression on her face that, even as a week-old baby, I knew all too well. Poonami alert. She shifted uncomfortably which caused me to almost drop my phone and then the smell came. Yup, there it was.

“Sshhh, it’s okay darling, you’re alright! Yes, you are! Daddy’s right here…uh-oh, I think we have a code brown situation! Did you go fill your nappy? Did you?”

I turned my head, knowing Eve was awake as I’d heard her in the kitchen down the stairs.

“Babe! Can you take Amelia for a moment! She needs a clean nappy and I’m on the phone!”

Moments later my wife walked into the bedroom, a smile on her face.

”Come to mommy! Let’s give daddy some peace and quiet to talk to his new friend and we’ll get that smelly touche changed!”

I gently handed Amelia off to Eve who cradled her gently and walked out of the room.

“Thanks, babe, I appreciate it. Bye-bye darling! Daddy will come give you loads of tummy kisses after he’s done speaking to his new friend!”

I turned back to the phone screen to give Luna my undivided attention.

“Sorry about that… Meet-up? Yeah, I think that’s a great idea, actually. I’ve seen your ring-work, it speaks for itself but from my experience, two people who are great in the ring but don’t mesh as partners tend not to do so well. To be fair, Alex and I probably should get along better than we actually do but I know he’s a decent guy so if he trusts and loves you… I’m more than willing to make the effort to trust you as well. I have some promotional work SCW have requested I carry out, part of my one-off contract for the Blast From The Past in Hastings before the show. Y’know, Promote Climax Control! You’re from the UK! Hype it up, cut a promo! Perhaps we can have a little catch-up, see the sights?”

“Get your lawyers to double check the contracts. Mark and Christian are sneaky, heartless fuckers.” Luna said sternly.

“Lexi-baby is… Lexi-baby. A heart hurt by the sharpness of life. He’s just protective of himself. Protective of those he loves, too. And we’re all just a little bit sideways of normal on this side of the broken fence, baby. But we always have each other. Loyalty runs deep in our kingdom.” Luna continued on. The comfort settled in a little and it looked like maybe the person she was trying to hide from me was shining through.

And then suddenly, I could hear a loud crash from Luna’s end and assumed her dog was up to no good again. Luna stood up quickly, and shook her head, the video feed feeling like I was watching one of those found-footage films.

“I have to go see what destruction is being caused before I end up like a screaming baby too. I’ll message you for details on the meet-up later. Unless the dog kills me. In which case. Lovely talking to you, Lover.” Luna said quickly, and without even giving it a moment to settle, had hung up the call. I stared for a moment at my own reflection staring back at me from the background of my phone.

“What have you got yourself in for, Parker? Hmm? This is either going to be lightning in a bottle or a complete shitstorm… let’s hope it’s the first…”



It was a nice day in Hastings, England. For April, Spring was in full swing, wispy clouds dotted about the afternoon sky was a tapestry of teal, with the bright aura of the sunshine creating a beautiful warmth. Not words you’d often associate with an afternoon in East Sussex. I savoured it, lifting my hand up, bridging the side of it against my forehead to shield my eyes from the bright light as I walked across the field where the infamous battle took place.

“I’ve been a professional wrestler for a long time. I’ve graced many different promotions and organisations in the eleven years I’ve been lacing my boots up. The Hardcore Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, Zion Wrestling, One Wrestling Movement, the Xtreme Wrestling Federation, Five Lakes Wrestling, TRIAD, Pro Wrestling Valor, FIGHT! Championship Wrestling… and now here I am… Sin City Wrestling, another big debut on the cards. And make no mistake, out of all the cards left in the deck, you’re looking at the absolute fucking wildcard of the entire tournament. And you know? In the last eight? Nine months? Making big splashes like this is becoming something of a habit.”

I held my hand out, my thumb extended.

“I arrived in XWF last year, took their Madness brand by storm, switched to Anarchy and won the Anarchy Championship from Centurion on my debut in December and I’m still champion!”

My index finger joined my thumb.

“I entered the Porter Games, beating Dionysus and your brand-new Internet Champion, Peter Vaughn before narrowly-losing out to Chris Page in a match I arguably should’ve won!”

Then in came the middle finger to join the party.

“I crashed the TRIAD Strength Trials, outlasted seven other competitors including former SCW World Champion, Mark Cross and the husband of my Blast From The Past Tag Team Partner, Alexander Raven! I went the entirety of the Wit Trials without being pinned in matches against the likes of Matt Meyhu, the Big Bifford, Shawn Warstein, Corey Black and CYPH3R!”

I took a moment before continuing.

“LIke I said, making statements like this is becoming something of a habit, a habit I plan on continuing here in Sin Cin Wrestling…now, granted, a lot of you SCW regulars probably don’t know me from Adam but I promise you all, once my time in this tournament is done, you will know what I’m capable of and why they call me the Sky Assassin! And it starts with you, Kat and Teddy, here, on the fabled site of Hastings on April Twenty-eighth.

Ms Jones, you and are no strangers. You have my respect, you’re probably one of the standout Bombshells of this whole thing. Your WGWF exploits are certainly nothing to be sniffed at. But from what I’ve seen, your record in Sin City Wrestling is significantly… less than stellar. Your first match of the year was what? Three weeks ago? And before that, you hadn’t won a match in how long? Eight months?! You bottled a chance to win the Bombshell Internet Championship and couldn’t even drag yourself to victory in a straightforward tag team match. Still, at least you’ve managed to scrounge enough chips together to pay for one more buy-in.”

I walked across the fields of Hastings, my eyes scanning the beautiful, picturesque scenery before me.

“But, I have to wonder if throwing yourself into the Blast From The Past Tournament is the brightest idea, Kat, knowing the next card you could be dealt could be a joker. Or perhaps it’s you that’s the joker of the pack but you fancy yourself a queen? Is this one last big call? A chance to prove you’re still the same Bombshell that won the Roulette Championship all those months ago. Whatever it is, you better come to this table with an ace or two up your sleeve because you’re gonna need every trick in the book to survive Luna.

And that brings me to your partner… the person I’m more concerned with… Teddy Warren. Apparently, according to the next Climax Control card summary, Teddy, you're…”

I brought my hands up, making a set of mocking air quotes with my fingers.

”...’Unique and controversial’. But, from what I gather, the only thing controversial about you is your decision to drag yourself out of the doldrums of anonymity, thinking you have even the slightest chance of reviving a career that’s little more than a dying ember at this point. In fact, by the time the sun sets on Hastings, England come the twenty-eighth of April, my one match in SCW is going to eclipse everything you’ve ever done in this company.

See, Teddy, whilst you’ve been doing…whatever the fuck it is you’ve been doing since your name last held any semblance of relevancy, I’ve been establishing myself in the pantheon of professional wrestling. And It’s actually ironic that this week’s Climax Control is taking place in Hastings… the site of the historic battle. Do you know the history of the Battle of Hastings, Teddy? Do you know what was actually at stake? Well, allow me to educate you! You see, our match? It’s not all too dissimilar from what transpired all those centuries ago. Much like the Would-Be-King, Harold Godwinson, wanted to claim Edward the Confessor’s crown for his own, you want Blast From The Past 2024 to be your crowning achievement, a return to form…

…But your ignorance and stubbornness blind you, Teddy, just as Harold’s did. Blinded by the arrogance of his own prowess, unaware of the impending storm that approached. Just as he faced the fury of William's army, you’re going to come face to face with the relentless onslaught of my own ambition and skill. And just like the arrow that flew through the air and pierced through Harold’s eye and skewered his brain like a kebab, you won’t see me coming, Teddy. Except it won’t be an arrow, it’s going to be a Masamune Decapitation separating your jaw from the rest of your head!”

I took another brief moment of respite, thinking on my words, allowing for the weight of them to sink in.

“But you know, William’s conquest of Great Britain back then doesn't even touch the sides of some of the greatest conquests in history, Teddy… You’ve got Alexander the Great… Ghengis Khan… Julius Caesar, the Dictator of Rome… Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France… Attila the Hun….Timur… Francisco Pizarro, the Conquistador of South America…. Mahmud of Ghazni, the First Sultan…and now, in 2024… Sean Parker in Sin City Wrestling...

But I am no mere conqueror; I am the embodiment of destiny, the architect of my own legacy. Just as William claimed victory at Hastings, like Alexander the Great took a stranglehold over half the world, this little comeback of yours will be snuffed out and you can skulk back into the shadows of mediocrity where you’ve made such a comfortable home for yourself this past year. See you at the weekend…”

As I prepared to walk off camera, something in my peripheral vision suddenly caught my eye. Now, it’s worth noting that when I arrived for my media duties here in Hastings, I was made well-aware the ruins here were private property and that interacting with them was strictly off-limits. I had to squint to get a better look at whatever this was and soon found myself hurriedly walking across the fields to get a closer look. It then started to twig… Surely not? I thought to myself as I got closer and closer. Someone was actually climbing the sacred ruins of Hastings and not just anyone. I don't think I could have rolled my eyes any harder when it eventually dawned on me who it was…

“Luna! Fuck sake!” I shouted. I was then acutely aware the cameras were still live… I turned to the crew who had been following me around. ”Aye, um…you might want to stop filming… unless you want SCW to get into legal trouble…”

The scene quickly cut to black.