Luck Be A Lady
SCW Climax Control #231
Blast From The Past
Otaki and Vanu Naufau versus Valentina and Travis Levitt
The scene opens up on the inside of a church. There is a large collection of candles at one end near an altar, and the light coming through a giant stained glass window, give the altar an almost regal look. The camera turns to see a priest is currently making his way towards the altar, frocked up and looking calm. He has long shaggy red hair and a thick beard, but his face is a friendly one. This man is Father Gabriel and his attention is diverted as he reaches the altar by the sounds of the doors opening at the opposite end of the church. Turning to face the entrance, he sees a hooded man walk in and speaks up loud enough to be heard.
"Sir, I'm sorry, but the service doesn't start for another half hour yet."
"Oh I know. I'm not here for the service. I'm just here for some guidance."
Gabriel's eyes crinkle as he stares at the figure as it walks closer, until finally they flip the hood back on his sweater to reveal the calm face of Travis Levitt. The SCW superstar stares straight at Gabriel as he walks closer, and when he reaches the Priest, the two men instantly wrap each other up in a tight hug, the kind you can only share with those that truly love you.
"You've been missed, My Son."
"You know I hate it when you call me that, right?"
Laughter echoes from the priest as he lets go of Travis, who steps back with a small smile himself. Slipping his hands into his pockets, and Gabriel turns to head towards a pew near the front.
"Sorry. Part of the job description. Everyone is His Son."
"Yeah yeah. Died on the cross. Absolved us of our sins. I remember the speech. Didn't buy it the first time, and nothing has changed my mind since."
Travis shifts to sit on the wooden bench, and Father Gabriel sits beside him. There is a bemused smile on Gabriel's face as he looks over Travis before speaking again.
"You're visiting a funny place to be a heretic."
"I'm visiting an old friend at work. The fact your work involves talking to the sky and believing you hear voices is not for me to judge."
"I'm getting a message through right now, actually. HE wishes you to go and stick yourself on something rusty."
Travis laughs and watches Gabriel smiling. This is one of the reasons Gabriel is one of his oldest friends. Even though he's a priest, Gabriel has a great sense of humor, and he's able to make Travis laugh. Plus, as someone who Travis repeatedly visited during his recovery, Gabriel knows all of Travis' secrets. Gabriel watches him for a moment longer, spotting the SCW superstar wringing his hands in his lap, before his eyes flicker up to Levitt's face and he smiles softly.
"Whats on your mind, Travis?"
"I....I told Pandora about Desiree."
"How'd she take it?"
"She didn't judge. Didn't run away. Just held me, told me she loved me, and made sure I knew she wasn't going anywhere. Reminded me that who I was, isn't who I am."
Gabriel nods along, listening intently as Travis speaks. When he pauses, Gabriel watches him for a moment more before speaking up quietly.
"you were expecting anger, weren't you? Some kind of screaming match? Her running away in terror?"
"I don't know. Maybe? I mean.....I deserve it. I sold my own dau--"
"For the last bloody time, you didn't sell her. Reece willingly took custody because he wanted you to get better. But any time you want, you can have Desiree back, and you know that."
Travis scoffs and shakes his head with a sigh.
"Sure. 'Hey Desiree. I know I tried to sell you, but I swear that was an accident. I love you and I want you back in my life. What do you say?' At best, she agrees and then she's scared every day that I'll do it again. At worst she screams in my face, tells me she hates me, and I never see her again."
"Right. Because you're seeing so much of her now."
"HE--!"
"Oh shut up. You know I'm right."
Travis's objection is quickly cut off by Gabriel's interjection, the Phoenix staring at the priest for a moment but then bowing his head again. Gabriel watches him for a moment and then leans forward and pats him on the back.
"I'm not telling you to go get Desiree back right now. I'm just saying, we're all watching you and believing in you. We all see how well you've dragged yourself back up. Two World titles to your name. Yo finally crossed that big hurdle, and got yourself the world title you always wanted. And I know, you need to ride this hand, and do as well as you can for as long as you can. But just....don't forget you have people out there that are watching you and missing you, okay? Desiree needs her father in her life, like you have your father in yours."
Travis slowly looks up at Gabriel and raises an eyebrow dramatically.
"But.....my father died years ago."
"What am I, Chopped Liver?"
The two old friends share a laugh before Travis gets to his feet. Turning to face Gabriel with a grin, just as the doors open and the two turn to see a small throng coming in. Travis looking back at Gabriel and smiling.
"Looks like a service is about to begin. I'll get out of your hair."
"You could always stick around and listen. It's about redemption and rebirth."
"I don't need the sermon. I'm living it."
Travis grins and walks away, Gabriel watching him for a few moments before turning to head for his dais as the scene fades out.
---
The cene fades back in on a shot of Travis sitting on an airport bench seat. Glancing around at the lobby of the airport, and happy to see it's mostly deserted, he turns to the camera with a grin.
"Hey Guys. Been a while since I spoke to you, I guess. Just been.....its been one of those months, you know? Top one moment, rock bottom the next. Who ever turned my life into a save file of Rollercoaster Tycoon, please stop adding loop the loops to it. But, I got enough jabs off Mercer last month, so here I am to give some of those....uhhh.....promotional materials? Is that what he called it? Right. Anyway. Here I am! Hi. You can stop trolling me on twitter now Austin, I showed up."
"Anyway, this week I'm actually feeling kind of excited. It's time for the Blast from the Past! And I have a partner that is coming all the way from Underground. And....I've watched a few of her matches down there. I know Valentina is good. Not quite great yet, but she's getting there. So I' excited to see how we do this week. I've been emailing her a little, feeling her out, getting some ideas in mind for how we go this week. She seems confident, maybe a little cocky? But hey, I can't begrudge her that. So long as her confidence translates into the ring, I'm happy to be the guy in her corner."
"And as for our first round opponents, Vanu and Otaki....well, I've done my research on them too. I know Vanu got brought in and given a huge first match against Mr. Mercer himself. Now, you lost, but you gave him a fight. So props to you for that. You've shown you've got a lot of fight in you, and that does make me just a little nervous about this week. Because you're new and eager to fight as best you can, and that means you won't hold anything back. You're not as big as I am, but you are quick and nasty, and that makes me nervous. But I'm still confident I can put you down. Still believing in myself, that this tournament is mine and V's. But I know you'll bring me a fight, and thats all I can really want anyway."
"And as for Otaki......I've watched a lot of your stuff, Otaki. I know how happy you can be one moment, and vicous the next. I know you've got an inner heart thats almost as big as mine. An unwillingness to let yourself be walked over or beaten. And I'm impressed and excited to get to see that first hand. But as good as you might be Otaki, you won't be good enough. See, this tournament is as much about the past as it is about the present. And the things you've done in the past have hurt you, the same way I've been hurt. But while I accept what I did, shoulder it, and use it to make myself better, I get the sense you shutter off the past and try to be someone entirely new."
"You can't beat it, if you don't accept it."
"This is just the first round, but I'm ready for a long tournament. Because I know that between me and Valentina, we are too good to be taken out in the first round. This entire year so far has been a massive redemption story for me, and with every passing week, I find more and more of my groove. But I'm still human, I still stumble and make mistakes, like I did at Blaze of Glory. But I pick myself up, I dust myself off, and I get ready for the next battle."
"That battle is this week. That battle is Blast from the Past. And with Valentina in my corner....we're going all the way. Between Mrs Perfect, Valentina and The Phoenix, Travis Levitt, there isn't a single team that can stand in our way. Just tune into Climax Control this week. You'll see."
Travis is all smiles as he finishes up, but then his phone starts vibrating. Looking at it puzzled for a moment, he answers it with a curious voice.
"Uhhh.....hello?"
"Travis! It's Desiree! She's gone missing!"
And on the shocked face of Travis Levitt we FADE! TO! BLACK!
