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Climax Control Archives / Poor Misguided Fool
« on: June 20, 2025, 06:38:33 PM »
Sunday 15th June 2025,
Colorado Springs.
He was fuming as he bounded through the curtain as the show closed, his plan to end Carter's title reign very short lived as it backfired for him, not only leaving himself embarrassed but leaving his partner in crime, Kevin Cater, blinded by the mist spat at him from that clown Guy. He could feel the hairs on his arms stand up through blind rage as the red mist of anger clouded his vision.
J2H: Motherfucker!
He wasn't speaking to anyone in particular and the production crowd and wrestlers alike backstage turned to not make any eye contact with him, so not to anger him further. They had all seen him enraged before, and knew it was for the best not to deal with him. Only the brave would attempt to even try and talk to him, and there was none braver around the backstage area then Austin Parker.
Austin: I told ya that wouldn't work.
There was a tone of told you so arrogance to Austin's voice as he approached J2H from behind, but J2H snapped his head around, staring at Austin but remaining silent for a few seconds. Part of him knew not to take it out on Austin, if anyone was likely to hit him around the head, it would be Austin, but the anger wouldn't subside, it burned in his chest as he spat out the words he could.
J2H: No one asked you!
Austin smiled, he knew J2H wasn't angry at him, but more likely at the world. He hated being embarrassed or his plans backfiring, he knew the wrestling world would still be talking about him the next day, but preferred it to be about his successes rather then failures.
Austin: Carter saw that coming a mile away and so did that clown. Hell, I reckon Artie saw that coming a mile away.
J2H just glared at Austin, burning a hole in his vest with his eyes. His vision was clearing from the proverbial red mist but the anger still boiled inside of him.
J2H: Good, I wanted them to know I could fuck them up any time I wanted. I wanted them to know that me and Kevin run this fucking place, and all the cry babies out there better know they're one step away from going down the same path as every other loser bitch that I have put out of this place.
Everyone knew the history J2H had of ending people careers and hurting people. Part of him wanted to make sure Carter was the next one he rid SCW of.
J2H: I hate Carter, he doesn't deserve that championship.
Austin had seen J2H like this a million times in the past, he knew to just let him vent his rage and he will be fine.
Austin: Why do you hate him so much?
J2H gritted his teeth, his mind racing with the millions of answers that he could answer with.
J2H: I hate everything about him! He's literally the kind of person I can't fucking stand, he's gay, we get it, but does he have to constantly be one of those guys who's whole life is based on sexuality? News flash! No one gives a fuck about who people choose to sleep with, but him! Ugh! The pride of SCW? Bullshit! I don't want this guy leading our company because he hasn't earned it! I hate him because he hasn't earned it, I hate him because he thinks he's better then everyone. I hate him because that stay humble bullshit is an act. I wanted him to lose tonight to know he is no better then me, because he need to be brought down a peg or two.
Austin was enjoying the show, not the first time he'd heard J2H rant somewhat incoherently, but he got a kick out of it, the complete opposite of J2H. He hated being angry at things that he could have changed.
Austin: Someone needs a nap.
Again, J2H glared at Austin, his eyes narrowed as he looked at a man trying not to laugh at his own joke.
J2H: You're not funny.
He turned his head away from Austin, kicking a nearby water bottle away from him, causing members of staff to turn around and look at what was going on, being seeing it was J2H, quickly turned and shuffled away, trying to avoid the man's wrath.
J2H: You know who I blame for this shit?
Austin: No, but you're gonna tell me anyway.
J2H: That fucking clown! Ever since he's been here, he's been nothing but bad luck! If he would have turned around sooner instead of spitting shit at Kevin, the plan would have fucking worked! That clown is a fucking Jonah around here. Was it so difficult for him to just turn around and look where he was supposed to look? No, but instead, he decided to try and fucking blind someone! He has been a fucking curse, pissing off people like me from the second his scrawny little neck came in to this place. He's been a pain in the ass of every single person he's come across! Don't get me started on his bullshit King for the Day shit!
It amused Austin more to see J2H get lost in a rant that he could see was pure anger and looking for reasons not to feel as embarrassed by his failure from earlier tonight.
J2H: He can go on the shit list alongside Carter and Miles, I will get him too, and Artie for that matter.
Austin looked confused at the inclusion of Artie being on the list of enemies. As far as Austin was away, these two men had little, if any interaction at all. J2H wasn't big on making friends with anyone at all, let alone a polar opposite in many ways, like Artie.
Austin: What has he done to you?
J2H: It doesn't fucking matter what he's done to me. He couldn't get the job done tonight. I handed it to him on a silver platter. I handed it to him, it was right there for the taking and he couldn't call out to that stupid fucking clown to make a pin.
Austin: He was dealing with Kevin.
J2H: Kevin was about to get down and out the way till that clown turned him in to a Simpson's character! Either way, Artie didn't get a simple job done when I handed it to him just like that, so he can go on the shit list along with the others. In fact, I got an idea.
He might not have been thinking too straight at that point, anger still tore through his body, yet to subside.
Austin: And what might that be?
He was almost too afraid to ask, he knew J2H's judgement was a little lax when it came to having an overwhelming emotion running through him.
J2H: You go to Ward, or Underwood, or whatever person they've decided to pass the booking off to this week, and get them to get me on the card next week against none other then Artie. Call it his punishment for fucking things up. Go tell them that their star attraction actually wants to fight, wants to wrestle, wants to beat the shit out of someone and that someone is Artie.
Austin: Are you sure? The guy has been booked a lot lately. Maybe they wanna give him a break or something.
Austin being apprehensive had no baring on J2H's decision, he knew what he wanted and nothing was gonna stop him from getting it.
J2H: I couldn't give a fuck if you have to drag him to the ring kicking and screaming, that's who I want to beat up, that's who I will beat the shit out of. I want it to happen, you can make it happen, so go do it. Make it happen, go tell whoever the fuck is running this place to put me in a match with Artie so I can show him what happens when you let me down.
Austin shook his head, he knew it was anger talking but knew how angrier he would get if he didn't get the match he wanted.
J2H: While you do that, I'm gonna go check on Kevin, and maybe go beat up a fucking clown outside the building.
Austin sighed as J2H walked off in a stomping huff, shaking his head before walking in the opposite direction. The camera faded to black.
Monday 16th June 2025,
Somewhere between Colorado Springs and Beverly Hills
It was a long flight between Colorado and California, and J2H sat on a private plane on his own the morning after the show. He chose to stay in Colorado for an extra day, just as a way to calm down before heading back to family life for a few days and returning to another part of The Centennial State. He felt overly restless as the plane moved through the air at high speeds, getting him closer to home as the minutes passed by. He shuffled in his chair as he opened his laptop in front of him, pressing around at a few buttons as the thoughts from last night still weighed heavy on his mind. It wasn't the first time a plan backfired but for some reason, this one annoyed him more then most. He needed a friendly face to take his mind off things, so it wasn't long before he made a few more keystrokes and waited for that friendly face to appear, the face of his wife Melody.
Melody: Hey! Hi! How ya doing? Are you nearly home?
As soon as he saw his perky, upbeat wife, he instantly felt happier, she was always the light side to his dark soul, always the one who kept him anchored to some level of normality.
J2H: I'm good, maybe a couple of hours away from being home.
Melody was always great at gauging his mood, and she could instantly tell something was on his mind as he slumped in his seat.
Melody: Is something wrong?
He chose his words wisely, just taking a few seconds to breathe before answering.
J2H: I'm just a little pissed off at last night. I always said if I lose my edge, then I'm done, and man, last night, I should have been better with what I was trying to do.
Melody knew he was his own worst enemy when it come to critiquing his work. He was a perfectionist that wanted everything to go better then good. He raised his standards above everyone else and pushed himself past his own limits.
Melody: Everything looked great, and you know what it's about, it all leads somewhere good, even when things don't look as good at you wanted.
He knew what she meant. He had chance after chance to get himself back to the top but fell short every time, but something about this current run made him feel like he couldn't be stopped. The momentum from the Blast From The Past win, to the wins in between felt different, like he was being propelled to something greater.
J2H: Maybe but I hate looking like shit out there, could have been better. The whole thing just annoyed me. I need to be better next week.
Melody: I saw the next card, Artie, eh?
He nodded slowly as he looked down the camera of the laptop, slightly smiling.
J2H: Yeah, I asked for that match.
Melody looked surprised by his response. She knew her husband would take on anyone put in front of him but would rarely go out of his way to ask to share the ring with someone. As much as he had power and could pull strings and has done in the past, he rarely goes out of his way to request opponents.
Melody: Why? That's not like you to do.
Again, it wasn't like him. Maybe it was spur of the moment, maybe it was the anger from the night before, but he requested it.
J2H: I was pissed off but there was a voice in the back of my head telling me anything Carter can do, I can do better. If he thought he could look good against Artie, I could look a million times better. No matter who Carter faces, I can look so much better against them. I might make it a thing for the future. If Carter gets booked against someone, I request the same match to show that I'm so much better at what I do.
Melody: I feel sorry for the guy you both have to face back to back. He'd be in for a tough couple of weeks.
She was joking and he could tell from her smile that she was trying to lighten his mood.
J2H: Yeah, well it's a bad time for Artie to come anywhere near me. I'm surprised he didn't go and hide somewhere, cry on Bobbie's shoulder or something. Kevin made it look easy against him, beat him easier then the lesser Carter did. Now it's my turn to make sure that I look good.
Melody: He might like facing the top guys.
He might do, but J2H didn't care to know for sure.
J2H: It doesn't matter if he does. He's not even a wrestler, tricked in to it so chunky ass can keep coming to catering for free.
Melody: James! That's not nice!
Melody's emotions were serious as she frowned down the camera at her husband who casually smiled back at her.
J2H: Never tried to be nice but it is true. He's not a wrestler, she's there for catering, neither of them belong there. I'll be surprised if he even bothers to put the effort in, comes up with some bullshit excuse, while secretly crying in a dark room. Pretty sure this is gonna be the match that puts him in the mental hospital. By the time I'm done with him, he'll be begging for the days of opening the card again.
Melody: Well, I admire your confidence.
It was something he always had, no matter who the opponent, no matter what the challenge. Confidence was always his key to success. It was something he was taught about many years ago.
J2H: If I wasn't confident, I just wouldn't be me. I'm confident that I not only go on and win this match, but I go on and beat Carter too. I'm not letting this one slip through my fingers.
Melody: That's what I like to hear, but I need to get going, so I will see you when you get home.
J2H: Alright, speak to you soon.
He watched Melody blow a kiss before the screen went dark, and closed the laptop down. Family man James was kicking in and just seeing his wife for a few minutes changed his mood. He was ready for what waited for him over the next week. Finally the scene faded to black.
20th June 2025.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre,
Denver, Colorado.
He needed time away to a much peaceful place, a place to reflect on what was about to happen in just a couple of days time. He's heard about The Red Rocks Amphitheatre and waited for the crowds to leave before making an appearance, sitting down about half way up to take a moment or two to breath and relax. J2H was always known to be calm before matches and even leading up to them, because he had faith in his abilities, but everyone needs a place to clear their mind, and this was where he chose to clear his. He wasn't too concerned with facing Artie, he didn't see him as a challenge at all, and Artie's past form when it came to matches backed up his thoughts. Still, he knew his job, he knew he had to get people interested.
He took a long deep breath, as he looked around, the sun setting behind him before he began to speak down the camera.
J2H: Momentum, the thing that keeps us going, pushing us to where we deserve to be in life.In this sport, win after win gets you there. Being known for what you do gets you there, even those idiots that sit there and boo because they're too stupid to see the bigger picture, they get you there. They drive you to your goal, because they motivate you and give you momentum.
He paused to briefly think about his own momentum. Everything was going great for him, win after win since coming off the Blast From The Past, the highest rated segments on the show, his presence in a city seemingly raising the interest of the place. He was truly becoming a force of nature.
J2H: Can't say the same for everyone though, like you Artie.
He smirked a little as he looked around.
J2H: So much to say about you Artie, so many flaws to pick on in the ring, so many character flaws to rip you to pieces for. You must have pissed off the wrestling Gods or something for your last few weeks, because getting your ass beat by Kevin, sneaking past Carter and then coming up against the end game here, because make no mistake about it, I am the end game for everyone. What the fuck did you do to piss off all those people to find yourself in this position where you're now facing me? Doesn't matter because we see how it goes with you in big matches. You get there and you choke, you get there and you can't handle the pressure of being there in these big matches and you fucking know as well as I do, that matches come no bigger then facing me when I'm building towards a place you will never get to in a thousand lifetimes. In your head you could tell yourself they were testing you, seeing if you was ready to step up to be their next big thing, someone who could chase me down after I'm done with Carter and become Sin City Wrestling's World Heavyweight Champion again. Maybe they were testing the waters to see if you could swim amongst the big boys, but you proved that you can't, that you wave your arms around like a toddler thrown in a pool for the first time and you sink to the bottom. You should be disappointed in yourself.
He slowly shook his head. He was disappointed in not only Artie, but the fact SCW might have considered him to be someone they could rely on.
J2H: They should have known it wouldn't have work out. Not one person in this world called Artie has ever drawn a dime for anything. It's a stupid name, and it's no fucking surprised you got tricked in to wrestling. A name says a lot about a person, shows strength, shows power, shows intelligence, but the name Artie just screams the kid who got bullied at school, the kid who was picked last for every sport and the kid most likely to grow up and spend his life sitting behind a desk in an office, in like a bank or something, with no prospects of a life anywhere. It screams unpopular, and anyone in this fucking company who thought a man called Artie could one day lead this place, or even deserves to be in my spotlight. No one good has ever been called Artie, no one who has led anything has been called Artie, so whoever thought it was a good idea to give you the chance, fucking idiot.
He gritted his teeth before he continued.
J2H: When did you last win anything Artie? I mean anything at all? I know you haven't done much in SCW, I know you haven't won here for a long time, but how about at home? I mean I know you're never gonna win the grab the last slice of pizza contest with that thing you chose to be around you for eternity, but win at anything? People like you don't win at anything. You were born to lose at life and that's what you do. You are just existing, you're not living, you're just on this earth to make up the numbers, like a non playing character in a video game that someone randomly gets out of their car to hit with a baseball bat. That's your role in this world, it's not to be someone like me, someone to be known for something special. There's nothing about you that screams you could change the world or be something different from the average accountant working out of a shitty little office above a stinky Chinese takeaway. There is no it factor with you and yet you find yourself in the ring with a guy like me. Sad thing is Artie, is that when you look back on how I started, and how you started, it's not very different.
He had that in his mind for a while, but hearing it out loud made him cringe inside.
J2H: Before you get excited and piss your pants or expect me to give you praise or some bullshit like that, chill the fuck out. When I say that, my early career, I was treated like a joke because of the way I got here and it's the same for you. I paid my way in through a charity thing, and you got signed up to do something you never wanted to do. I wanted to be here to wrestle and be a champion, you wanted to be on television around your pet hippo, but the eyes of the cranky old bastards we have here now and then, still looked at us the same. They saw us as not paying our dues, that we are not wrestlers, that we shouldn't be here. I mean there was this cranky old bald bastard with anger issues that would remind me of that every fucking time he saw me. He loved to remind me I didn't belong cause the way I showed up, and people will look at you through the same eyes. Tricked in to being here, you don't belong here, but I proved every one of them wrong, I made them eat their words. We might have both come in to this place as joke acts, but you're never gonna get away from that.
He thought back at how hard he fought to get away from that and couldn't see Artie having the same passion.
J2H: Difference is I wanted to be here so bad, I made it happen, I earned respect and made them see I belonged here, but you're always gonna be the guy in their eyes that was forced to be here and no one is gonna respect you for that, no one is gonna ever think you have the passion to be here. You'll always be that joke in peoples eyes. No one will take you seriously because you don't have the heart to be a wrestler.
He knew what it was like to deal with all the mocking words and the side eye glances and knew he had the character to break it but also knew Artie did not.
J2H: I know you're thinking you're getting trained now, you should be better, you are improving but you backed the wrong horse when you chose Fenris to be your trainer.
He couldn't help but grit his teeth as soon as the words fell from his mouth. He had a history with Fenris, with Fenris being one of the few that beat him in a controversial style that caused a lot of backstage friction.
J2H: Not a good person to be around Artie. People think I got an ego but his is off the fucking charts. He had to use some serious underhanded tactics to get through me and he didn't give a fuck about it, this is the guy you're looking up to. Let me tell you something about that person you see as a mentor, the man who is doing what he's doing to help you. He's not actually helping you at all, he's only helping himself. He's only doing this for his own ego boost. The thing when Fenris is although he got one over on me, he will never be thought of like I am. People look at guys and remember when they got in the ring with me, but no one does that for him. He's using you Artie, you're not actually learning from him, he's using you to stay relevant. No one cares about him anymore and it hurts him, it breaks him down inside because no one thinks of him. He doesn't see any fucking potential in you at all, none at all, all he sees in you is to have his name mentioned on television so maybe a couple of people prick their ears up and say they remember that guy. Believe me, there's no other reason he's doing it, it's not out of the kindness of his heart because he don't fucking have a heart. His fucking theme song has that damn line in! It's the name of his fucking theme song!
J2H stared blankly down the camera, as if to give people time to catch up.
J2H: And Miles Kasey? Fucking really? I mean he's had no success here but hey, he's the one that's gonna help you get to the promise land and be something special?
A look of disbelief passed over the number one contenders face.
J2H: They're not doing this for you and they never has been Artie. They're both doing it for the name drop, for the fact that you can add something to their dying legacies. These are the people you surround yourself with and expect to be a success? No Artie, you need better people around you, serious people around you. Just like I did.
He was referring to Austin Parker, a man with years of experience in the wrestling business, a World Champion in more then one company.
J2H: That's how I broke the mould. I became serious and look at you right now Artie, you're not serious, you're nowhere near serious, your bullshit drama should be on daytime television on those shitty soap operas, cause no one gives a fuck about your little personal plights, no one gives a damn about your wife's problems, which for your information, makes you the side character in every little thing that you do. It shows me you're never gonna be any good while that big anchor is weighing you down. Maybe someone out there likes it because look at you getting the big matches but that's the reason you can't perform in these big matches, because you're too tied down to what is going on at home. Separate it Artie, but it won't make a difference in this match because I got you beat already and I haven't even stepped in the ring with you, I had you beat when I got you thinking about what I was doing last week.
He paused to reflect on last week and smiled.
J2H: Everyone was wondering my motivation about why I was there, why did I get involved?
He tapped his chin.
J2H: People even thought I did it to get the belt on you because you're gonna be much easier to beat then Carter will be. Well, you will be much easier to beat then Carter but that was not my motivation to be there. If I could have made you both lose, I would have, but what's the fucking point? I didn't do it to put the belt on you, fuck, even for a few weeks you'd be an embarrassing champion. I just don't like Carter, I want him to know that I see the irony of him being the SCW World Champion while calling himself the pride of SCW in pride month. I just wanted him to know that I can control his destiny whenever I wanted, nothing to do with you.
He shrugged his shoulders as he looked as confident as he felt.
J2H: But Carter got by you with a little distraction, but anything he can do, I can do better and that is why you're here Artie. I'm following his path, hunting him down and showing him that no matter how well he thinks he beat you last week, I'm gonna beat you better this week. There might be some strange fucking clown in the ring as the ref again, but I get to upstage him and Carter. You're the unwitting dumb fuck sitting there thinking yay, another main event, I'm really going places, I'm getting that rocket strapped to my back because they're trusting me with their top people. Fact is, you're just becoming the jobber to the stars right now and the trend don't change when you step in the ring with me. There's not a bookie in Vegas that would give odds on you beating me because I can't be stopped Artie. Everything about me screams that I am better then you in every single way.
He was confident in his words and he felt it rush through his body,
J2H: You can't out talk me, you can't out fight me, there's not a single thing on this planet you can do better then me, not one thing. You surround yourself with fools and expect to be something special from it all? You're more stupid then you look if you think that. You might have think you've had a tough run of things leading up to this, but things are about to get a whole lot worse for you.
He looked down the camera with a smile on his face.
J2H: And that's real talk bitch!
And with that, the camera faded to black.
Colorado Springs.
He was fuming as he bounded through the curtain as the show closed, his plan to end Carter's title reign very short lived as it backfired for him, not only leaving himself embarrassed but leaving his partner in crime, Kevin Cater, blinded by the mist spat at him from that clown Guy. He could feel the hairs on his arms stand up through blind rage as the red mist of anger clouded his vision.
J2H: Motherfucker!
He wasn't speaking to anyone in particular and the production crowd and wrestlers alike backstage turned to not make any eye contact with him, so not to anger him further. They had all seen him enraged before, and knew it was for the best not to deal with him. Only the brave would attempt to even try and talk to him, and there was none braver around the backstage area then Austin Parker.
Austin: I told ya that wouldn't work.
There was a tone of told you so arrogance to Austin's voice as he approached J2H from behind, but J2H snapped his head around, staring at Austin but remaining silent for a few seconds. Part of him knew not to take it out on Austin, if anyone was likely to hit him around the head, it would be Austin, but the anger wouldn't subside, it burned in his chest as he spat out the words he could.
J2H: No one asked you!
Austin smiled, he knew J2H wasn't angry at him, but more likely at the world. He hated being embarrassed or his plans backfiring, he knew the wrestling world would still be talking about him the next day, but preferred it to be about his successes rather then failures.
Austin: Carter saw that coming a mile away and so did that clown. Hell, I reckon Artie saw that coming a mile away.
J2H just glared at Austin, burning a hole in his vest with his eyes. His vision was clearing from the proverbial red mist but the anger still boiled inside of him.
J2H: Good, I wanted them to know I could fuck them up any time I wanted. I wanted them to know that me and Kevin run this fucking place, and all the cry babies out there better know they're one step away from going down the same path as every other loser bitch that I have put out of this place.
Everyone knew the history J2H had of ending people careers and hurting people. Part of him wanted to make sure Carter was the next one he rid SCW of.
J2H: I hate Carter, he doesn't deserve that championship.
Austin had seen J2H like this a million times in the past, he knew to just let him vent his rage and he will be fine.
Austin: Why do you hate him so much?
J2H gritted his teeth, his mind racing with the millions of answers that he could answer with.
J2H: I hate everything about him! He's literally the kind of person I can't fucking stand, he's gay, we get it, but does he have to constantly be one of those guys who's whole life is based on sexuality? News flash! No one gives a fuck about who people choose to sleep with, but him! Ugh! The pride of SCW? Bullshit! I don't want this guy leading our company because he hasn't earned it! I hate him because he hasn't earned it, I hate him because he thinks he's better then everyone. I hate him because that stay humble bullshit is an act. I wanted him to lose tonight to know he is no better then me, because he need to be brought down a peg or two.
Austin was enjoying the show, not the first time he'd heard J2H rant somewhat incoherently, but he got a kick out of it, the complete opposite of J2H. He hated being angry at things that he could have changed.
Austin: Someone needs a nap.
Again, J2H glared at Austin, his eyes narrowed as he looked at a man trying not to laugh at his own joke.
J2H: You're not funny.
He turned his head away from Austin, kicking a nearby water bottle away from him, causing members of staff to turn around and look at what was going on, being seeing it was J2H, quickly turned and shuffled away, trying to avoid the man's wrath.
J2H: You know who I blame for this shit?
Austin: No, but you're gonna tell me anyway.
J2H: That fucking clown! Ever since he's been here, he's been nothing but bad luck! If he would have turned around sooner instead of spitting shit at Kevin, the plan would have fucking worked! That clown is a fucking Jonah around here. Was it so difficult for him to just turn around and look where he was supposed to look? No, but instead, he decided to try and fucking blind someone! He has been a fucking curse, pissing off people like me from the second his scrawny little neck came in to this place. He's been a pain in the ass of every single person he's come across! Don't get me started on his bullshit King for the Day shit!
It amused Austin more to see J2H get lost in a rant that he could see was pure anger and looking for reasons not to feel as embarrassed by his failure from earlier tonight.
J2H: He can go on the shit list alongside Carter and Miles, I will get him too, and Artie for that matter.
Austin looked confused at the inclusion of Artie being on the list of enemies. As far as Austin was away, these two men had little, if any interaction at all. J2H wasn't big on making friends with anyone at all, let alone a polar opposite in many ways, like Artie.
Austin: What has he done to you?
J2H: It doesn't fucking matter what he's done to me. He couldn't get the job done tonight. I handed it to him on a silver platter. I handed it to him, it was right there for the taking and he couldn't call out to that stupid fucking clown to make a pin.
Austin: He was dealing with Kevin.
J2H: Kevin was about to get down and out the way till that clown turned him in to a Simpson's character! Either way, Artie didn't get a simple job done when I handed it to him just like that, so he can go on the shit list along with the others. In fact, I got an idea.
He might not have been thinking too straight at that point, anger still tore through his body, yet to subside.
Austin: And what might that be?
He was almost too afraid to ask, he knew J2H's judgement was a little lax when it came to having an overwhelming emotion running through him.
J2H: You go to Ward, or Underwood, or whatever person they've decided to pass the booking off to this week, and get them to get me on the card next week against none other then Artie. Call it his punishment for fucking things up. Go tell them that their star attraction actually wants to fight, wants to wrestle, wants to beat the shit out of someone and that someone is Artie.
Austin: Are you sure? The guy has been booked a lot lately. Maybe they wanna give him a break or something.
Austin being apprehensive had no baring on J2H's decision, he knew what he wanted and nothing was gonna stop him from getting it.
J2H: I couldn't give a fuck if you have to drag him to the ring kicking and screaming, that's who I want to beat up, that's who I will beat the shit out of. I want it to happen, you can make it happen, so go do it. Make it happen, go tell whoever the fuck is running this place to put me in a match with Artie so I can show him what happens when you let me down.
Austin shook his head, he knew it was anger talking but knew how angrier he would get if he didn't get the match he wanted.
J2H: While you do that, I'm gonna go check on Kevin, and maybe go beat up a fucking clown outside the building.
Austin sighed as J2H walked off in a stomping huff, shaking his head before walking in the opposite direction. The camera faded to black.
Monday 16th June 2025,
Somewhere between Colorado Springs and Beverly Hills
It was a long flight between Colorado and California, and J2H sat on a private plane on his own the morning after the show. He chose to stay in Colorado for an extra day, just as a way to calm down before heading back to family life for a few days and returning to another part of The Centennial State. He felt overly restless as the plane moved through the air at high speeds, getting him closer to home as the minutes passed by. He shuffled in his chair as he opened his laptop in front of him, pressing around at a few buttons as the thoughts from last night still weighed heavy on his mind. It wasn't the first time a plan backfired but for some reason, this one annoyed him more then most. He needed a friendly face to take his mind off things, so it wasn't long before he made a few more keystrokes and waited for that friendly face to appear, the face of his wife Melody.
Melody: Hey! Hi! How ya doing? Are you nearly home?
As soon as he saw his perky, upbeat wife, he instantly felt happier, she was always the light side to his dark soul, always the one who kept him anchored to some level of normality.
J2H: I'm good, maybe a couple of hours away from being home.
Melody was always great at gauging his mood, and she could instantly tell something was on his mind as he slumped in his seat.
Melody: Is something wrong?
He chose his words wisely, just taking a few seconds to breathe before answering.
J2H: I'm just a little pissed off at last night. I always said if I lose my edge, then I'm done, and man, last night, I should have been better with what I was trying to do.
Melody knew he was his own worst enemy when it come to critiquing his work. He was a perfectionist that wanted everything to go better then good. He raised his standards above everyone else and pushed himself past his own limits.
Melody: Everything looked great, and you know what it's about, it all leads somewhere good, even when things don't look as good at you wanted.
He knew what she meant. He had chance after chance to get himself back to the top but fell short every time, but something about this current run made him feel like he couldn't be stopped. The momentum from the Blast From The Past win, to the wins in between felt different, like he was being propelled to something greater.
J2H: Maybe but I hate looking like shit out there, could have been better. The whole thing just annoyed me. I need to be better next week.
Melody: I saw the next card, Artie, eh?
He nodded slowly as he looked down the camera of the laptop, slightly smiling.
J2H: Yeah, I asked for that match.
Melody looked surprised by his response. She knew her husband would take on anyone put in front of him but would rarely go out of his way to ask to share the ring with someone. As much as he had power and could pull strings and has done in the past, he rarely goes out of his way to request opponents.
Melody: Why? That's not like you to do.
Again, it wasn't like him. Maybe it was spur of the moment, maybe it was the anger from the night before, but he requested it.
J2H: I was pissed off but there was a voice in the back of my head telling me anything Carter can do, I can do better. If he thought he could look good against Artie, I could look a million times better. No matter who Carter faces, I can look so much better against them. I might make it a thing for the future. If Carter gets booked against someone, I request the same match to show that I'm so much better at what I do.
Melody: I feel sorry for the guy you both have to face back to back. He'd be in for a tough couple of weeks.
She was joking and he could tell from her smile that she was trying to lighten his mood.
J2H: Yeah, well it's a bad time for Artie to come anywhere near me. I'm surprised he didn't go and hide somewhere, cry on Bobbie's shoulder or something. Kevin made it look easy against him, beat him easier then the lesser Carter did. Now it's my turn to make sure that I look good.
Melody: He might like facing the top guys.
He might do, but J2H didn't care to know for sure.
J2H: It doesn't matter if he does. He's not even a wrestler, tricked in to it so chunky ass can keep coming to catering for free.
Melody: James! That's not nice!
Melody's emotions were serious as she frowned down the camera at her husband who casually smiled back at her.
J2H: Never tried to be nice but it is true. He's not a wrestler, she's there for catering, neither of them belong there. I'll be surprised if he even bothers to put the effort in, comes up with some bullshit excuse, while secretly crying in a dark room. Pretty sure this is gonna be the match that puts him in the mental hospital. By the time I'm done with him, he'll be begging for the days of opening the card again.
Melody: Well, I admire your confidence.
It was something he always had, no matter who the opponent, no matter what the challenge. Confidence was always his key to success. It was something he was taught about many years ago.
J2H: If I wasn't confident, I just wouldn't be me. I'm confident that I not only go on and win this match, but I go on and beat Carter too. I'm not letting this one slip through my fingers.
Melody: That's what I like to hear, but I need to get going, so I will see you when you get home.
J2H: Alright, speak to you soon.
He watched Melody blow a kiss before the screen went dark, and closed the laptop down. Family man James was kicking in and just seeing his wife for a few minutes changed his mood. He was ready for what waited for him over the next week. Finally the scene faded to black.
20th June 2025.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre,
Denver, Colorado.
He needed time away to a much peaceful place, a place to reflect on what was about to happen in just a couple of days time. He's heard about The Red Rocks Amphitheatre and waited for the crowds to leave before making an appearance, sitting down about half way up to take a moment or two to breath and relax. J2H was always known to be calm before matches and even leading up to them, because he had faith in his abilities, but everyone needs a place to clear their mind, and this was where he chose to clear his. He wasn't too concerned with facing Artie, he didn't see him as a challenge at all, and Artie's past form when it came to matches backed up his thoughts. Still, he knew his job, he knew he had to get people interested.
He took a long deep breath, as he looked around, the sun setting behind him before he began to speak down the camera.
J2H: Momentum, the thing that keeps us going, pushing us to where we deserve to be in life.In this sport, win after win gets you there. Being known for what you do gets you there, even those idiots that sit there and boo because they're too stupid to see the bigger picture, they get you there. They drive you to your goal, because they motivate you and give you momentum.
He paused to briefly think about his own momentum. Everything was going great for him, win after win since coming off the Blast From The Past, the highest rated segments on the show, his presence in a city seemingly raising the interest of the place. He was truly becoming a force of nature.
J2H: Can't say the same for everyone though, like you Artie.
He smirked a little as he looked around.
J2H: So much to say about you Artie, so many flaws to pick on in the ring, so many character flaws to rip you to pieces for. You must have pissed off the wrestling Gods or something for your last few weeks, because getting your ass beat by Kevin, sneaking past Carter and then coming up against the end game here, because make no mistake about it, I am the end game for everyone. What the fuck did you do to piss off all those people to find yourself in this position where you're now facing me? Doesn't matter because we see how it goes with you in big matches. You get there and you choke, you get there and you can't handle the pressure of being there in these big matches and you fucking know as well as I do, that matches come no bigger then facing me when I'm building towards a place you will never get to in a thousand lifetimes. In your head you could tell yourself they were testing you, seeing if you was ready to step up to be their next big thing, someone who could chase me down after I'm done with Carter and become Sin City Wrestling's World Heavyweight Champion again. Maybe they were testing the waters to see if you could swim amongst the big boys, but you proved that you can't, that you wave your arms around like a toddler thrown in a pool for the first time and you sink to the bottom. You should be disappointed in yourself.
He slowly shook his head. He was disappointed in not only Artie, but the fact SCW might have considered him to be someone they could rely on.
J2H: They should have known it wouldn't have work out. Not one person in this world called Artie has ever drawn a dime for anything. It's a stupid name, and it's no fucking surprised you got tricked in to wrestling. A name says a lot about a person, shows strength, shows power, shows intelligence, but the name Artie just screams the kid who got bullied at school, the kid who was picked last for every sport and the kid most likely to grow up and spend his life sitting behind a desk in an office, in like a bank or something, with no prospects of a life anywhere. It screams unpopular, and anyone in this fucking company who thought a man called Artie could one day lead this place, or even deserves to be in my spotlight. No one good has ever been called Artie, no one who has led anything has been called Artie, so whoever thought it was a good idea to give you the chance, fucking idiot.
He gritted his teeth before he continued.
J2H: When did you last win anything Artie? I mean anything at all? I know you haven't done much in SCW, I know you haven't won here for a long time, but how about at home? I mean I know you're never gonna win the grab the last slice of pizza contest with that thing you chose to be around you for eternity, but win at anything? People like you don't win at anything. You were born to lose at life and that's what you do. You are just existing, you're not living, you're just on this earth to make up the numbers, like a non playing character in a video game that someone randomly gets out of their car to hit with a baseball bat. That's your role in this world, it's not to be someone like me, someone to be known for something special. There's nothing about you that screams you could change the world or be something different from the average accountant working out of a shitty little office above a stinky Chinese takeaway. There is no it factor with you and yet you find yourself in the ring with a guy like me. Sad thing is Artie, is that when you look back on how I started, and how you started, it's not very different.
He had that in his mind for a while, but hearing it out loud made him cringe inside.
J2H: Before you get excited and piss your pants or expect me to give you praise or some bullshit like that, chill the fuck out. When I say that, my early career, I was treated like a joke because of the way I got here and it's the same for you. I paid my way in through a charity thing, and you got signed up to do something you never wanted to do. I wanted to be here to wrestle and be a champion, you wanted to be on television around your pet hippo, but the eyes of the cranky old bastards we have here now and then, still looked at us the same. They saw us as not paying our dues, that we are not wrestlers, that we shouldn't be here. I mean there was this cranky old bald bastard with anger issues that would remind me of that every fucking time he saw me. He loved to remind me I didn't belong cause the way I showed up, and people will look at you through the same eyes. Tricked in to being here, you don't belong here, but I proved every one of them wrong, I made them eat their words. We might have both come in to this place as joke acts, but you're never gonna get away from that.
He thought back at how hard he fought to get away from that and couldn't see Artie having the same passion.
J2H: Difference is I wanted to be here so bad, I made it happen, I earned respect and made them see I belonged here, but you're always gonna be the guy in their eyes that was forced to be here and no one is gonna respect you for that, no one is gonna ever think you have the passion to be here. You'll always be that joke in peoples eyes. No one will take you seriously because you don't have the heart to be a wrestler.
He knew what it was like to deal with all the mocking words and the side eye glances and knew he had the character to break it but also knew Artie did not.
J2H: I know you're thinking you're getting trained now, you should be better, you are improving but you backed the wrong horse when you chose Fenris to be your trainer.
He couldn't help but grit his teeth as soon as the words fell from his mouth. He had a history with Fenris, with Fenris being one of the few that beat him in a controversial style that caused a lot of backstage friction.
J2H: Not a good person to be around Artie. People think I got an ego but his is off the fucking charts. He had to use some serious underhanded tactics to get through me and he didn't give a fuck about it, this is the guy you're looking up to. Let me tell you something about that person you see as a mentor, the man who is doing what he's doing to help you. He's not actually helping you at all, he's only helping himself. He's only doing this for his own ego boost. The thing when Fenris is although he got one over on me, he will never be thought of like I am. People look at guys and remember when they got in the ring with me, but no one does that for him. He's using you Artie, you're not actually learning from him, he's using you to stay relevant. No one cares about him anymore and it hurts him, it breaks him down inside because no one thinks of him. He doesn't see any fucking potential in you at all, none at all, all he sees in you is to have his name mentioned on television so maybe a couple of people prick their ears up and say they remember that guy. Believe me, there's no other reason he's doing it, it's not out of the kindness of his heart because he don't fucking have a heart. His fucking theme song has that damn line in! It's the name of his fucking theme song!
J2H stared blankly down the camera, as if to give people time to catch up.
J2H: And Miles Kasey? Fucking really? I mean he's had no success here but hey, he's the one that's gonna help you get to the promise land and be something special?
A look of disbelief passed over the number one contenders face.
J2H: They're not doing this for you and they never has been Artie. They're both doing it for the name drop, for the fact that you can add something to their dying legacies. These are the people you surround yourself with and expect to be a success? No Artie, you need better people around you, serious people around you. Just like I did.
He was referring to Austin Parker, a man with years of experience in the wrestling business, a World Champion in more then one company.
J2H: That's how I broke the mould. I became serious and look at you right now Artie, you're not serious, you're nowhere near serious, your bullshit drama should be on daytime television on those shitty soap operas, cause no one gives a fuck about your little personal plights, no one gives a damn about your wife's problems, which for your information, makes you the side character in every little thing that you do. It shows me you're never gonna be any good while that big anchor is weighing you down. Maybe someone out there likes it because look at you getting the big matches but that's the reason you can't perform in these big matches, because you're too tied down to what is going on at home. Separate it Artie, but it won't make a difference in this match because I got you beat already and I haven't even stepped in the ring with you, I had you beat when I got you thinking about what I was doing last week.
He paused to reflect on last week and smiled.
J2H: Everyone was wondering my motivation about why I was there, why did I get involved?
He tapped his chin.
J2H: People even thought I did it to get the belt on you because you're gonna be much easier to beat then Carter will be. Well, you will be much easier to beat then Carter but that was not my motivation to be there. If I could have made you both lose, I would have, but what's the fucking point? I didn't do it to put the belt on you, fuck, even for a few weeks you'd be an embarrassing champion. I just don't like Carter, I want him to know that I see the irony of him being the SCW World Champion while calling himself the pride of SCW in pride month. I just wanted him to know that I can control his destiny whenever I wanted, nothing to do with you.
He shrugged his shoulders as he looked as confident as he felt.
J2H: But Carter got by you with a little distraction, but anything he can do, I can do better and that is why you're here Artie. I'm following his path, hunting him down and showing him that no matter how well he thinks he beat you last week, I'm gonna beat you better this week. There might be some strange fucking clown in the ring as the ref again, but I get to upstage him and Carter. You're the unwitting dumb fuck sitting there thinking yay, another main event, I'm really going places, I'm getting that rocket strapped to my back because they're trusting me with their top people. Fact is, you're just becoming the jobber to the stars right now and the trend don't change when you step in the ring with me. There's not a bookie in Vegas that would give odds on you beating me because I can't be stopped Artie. Everything about me screams that I am better then you in every single way.
He was confident in his words and he felt it rush through his body,
J2H: You can't out talk me, you can't out fight me, there's not a single thing on this planet you can do better then me, not one thing. You surround yourself with fools and expect to be something special from it all? You're more stupid then you look if you think that. You might have think you've had a tough run of things leading up to this, but things are about to get a whole lot worse for you.
He looked down the camera with a smile on his face.
J2H: And that's real talk bitch!
And with that, the camera faded to black.