Love In All Forms
Scene One | Off-Camera | 7th February 2023
“Slow down racehorse. You’ll be floating with the bees at this rate Lulu.”
James had finally found his bar. A neat little tuckaway Irish style pub. It was different to the dive they ran back in Melbourne. It wasn’t as free feeling. It wasn’t as chaotic, and the lack of defaced currency and carvings on the counter top really didn’t make her feel like this was her home. But James had an eye for these things. Luna always knew to trust James’ eye when it came to this stuff. Man wasn’t great with most things, but he had an eye for potential boozers, and this was his choice. She was taking full advantage of their newly founded watering hole, and was four shots of Jameson deep. She’d be somewhat miserable since she came up just short in her first match, and even more so that now she was risking tainting the winning streak that Alex had found himself on.
So, here she was, drowning her sorrows. James was not the best companion when it came to dealing with her sorrows. Yet another shot was poured, a deep grumble from the generally well maintained man told her all she needed. He was irritated and wanted her to stop drinking. So, she was going to continue knocking back shots and drinking beers until Alex came from his session with the psych. Then she was going to make somewhat of a drunken fool of herself, and he would sweep her off to bed. It was a routine that she had missed, and she was glad it was back in her life.
“Do you think he loves me, Jimmy?”
James breathed deeply, as he sat himself down on the bar top, hunching forward to stop his head from banging against the top shelving that skirted the top side of the bar. He tentatively put a hand on her shoulder, and then lowered it to the bottle to pour himself a shot.
“I don’t know, Lulu. I don’t know. Rockstar is a hard cat to read at the best of times, but he ain’t thrown you on your ass this side of Sunday. Give him time. Man was still pining for the dead only up to the kiss of dawn. He loves you in his own way. Same way he loves all of us. Just give him time, he’ll see light. Else, we’ll beat some into him, ya feel me?”
James smiled, as he knocked back his own shot, and took his phone out. He’d been checking his phone a lot today. More than usual. More than a glance every few hours was more than usual. Today was once every ten minutes. He was waiting for something, be it a phone call or a message. Luna knew James was anxious about something, and it took a lot to make her big brother anxious.
“I think I love him, Jimmy. Truly, this time. Not some childhood adoration. Not the young girl in love with the older boy. Not the sister pining for her brother’s best friend. He’s so gentle when he needs to be. Soft, you know?”
James smiled, slipping his phone back into his pocket. He lifted his legs up into his chest, holding them tightly, as he swiveled around to drop his legs on the other side of the bar top, slipping into the bar itself. He pulled a few beers from the fridge, putting one in front of Luna, another where he’d just been sitting, and cracked one for himself.
“I know you do, Lulu. Ravey-gravy is an older boy now. Still trapped in his own head, but he’s more mature. The fact he lets you mosy up into his house whenever you done feel like it. That’s a good sign little miss. Real good. Keep at him. He’ll come round. He’s already coming to his senses. He ain’t ever gonna stop lovin’ the dead. But he’ll love the living as much one day.”
Luna sighed heavily, dramatically and exaggeratedly. She collapsed her head and arms onto the bar, looking at the beer in front of her. She wasn’t crying anymore, which was generally a good sign that beers were doing there thing. James phone dinged, pulled quicker from his pocket than she’d ever seen, and a big smile spread across his face.
“Who’s the lucky boy?”
“None of your fuckin’ business, little miss.”
He smiled, tapping away a response, suddenly lost in his own world. There was a light tapping at the door, a knock of arrival, before it swung wide and open. Luna shot upright, and took the beer straight up to her lips. Alex walked up slowly, her eyes tracking him as he crossed the floor, his hand gently resting upon her shoulder as he came to lean on the bar in front of the free beer. James nodded at them, and walked away. Off to talk to whoever his new suitor was. Poor boy, she thought to herself, didn’t know what he was getting in to.
“These celebratory drinks, or is James just trying to get you to stop your crying?”
His psych session had obviously touched some nerves. Ice cold, missing the general warmth that he’d had for her lately. She sighed inwardly, her own brain screaming at it her to not give in to the attitude. To make a point, to say something. To take her own goddamned advice about self-love and empowerment and apply it to her own life.
“Oh these? These are gossiping drinks. We’re talking about all your dirty laundry.”
Alex just shook his head, a slight smile spreading across his face. Relief washed over her. She really couldn’t take him being cruel right now. She needed the soft Alex. The gentle Alex. The one who strokes her hair when she ‘falls’ asleep on his lap. She felt like a teenager in love again, and it made her sick.
“Don’t stress Lu. They are just another obstacle on our path, got it? Now pour me a shot. I want the happenings on James’ new boy to.”
She beamed from ear to ear, and quickly tipped the bottle of Jameson up. Minutes turned into hours. James was in and out, before he left a key for them to lock up. Off to see his flavour of the week. Out of all of them, James was the purest when it came to matters of the heart. Never could hold anyone down, but was always happy to give it one more shot. Luna envied him. She’d only ever loved two men. One had been run off by her brother and friends. The other sat next to her, slowly filling himself with liquor. She was lost at the best of times.
“Death scares me, Lu. Scares me to my fucking core. And I’ve come to realise. It scares me, because I don’t know if you, or James, or anyone. Will be on the otherside, if there is one. I don’t ever want you guys out of my life again. But I don’t want anyone to ever get hurt around me again. I’m scared, Lu.”
They’d been talking light for hours. And this came out of nowhere. And her only solution was to place her hands either side of his face, pull him in, and place her lips to his. She kissed him, and for a moment. It felt like all their worries had faded away.
The Vain Conspiracy
Scene Two | On-Camera | 8th February 2023
“Short-comings are to be expected when trying something new. You offer something new, and people take advantage of it. Dawn was my dawning, that’s for sure. Showed me the truth. Something that nobody can truly prepare you for. The first time you really go in to battle, the hits hit harder than you ever could’ve experienced before. The prettiness wears off, and the warriors go to battle. But a beauty is found in that. A beautiful pain, a beautiful agony, a beautiful tragedy. A tragedy that at some point, somebody will give, body and soul, and they will fail to meet the three. That’s fine. I’m used to getting knocked down. Hell, if I didn’t get a little bloodied and bruised, how would I get myself ticking, you know? A punch here, a kick there. It’s all good babies, it gets the juices flowing. You know what I mean?”
An empty pub, wooden aesthetic, dark stained timber flooring. Empty booths, and a starkly empty back bar. Luna was sitting, legs crossed on the counter top, an excessively full glass of red wine held loosely, far too loosely, in her right hand. Her left outstretched in front of her face, her fingers wiggling. Eyes focused, a simple black tee, and maroon skinny jeans that clung to her. Her hair hung loose, pulled over her left shoulder. Her eyes somewhat bloodshot, speaking too a lack of sleep or a big evening preceding.
“I’m excited for this week however. This week, The Conspiracy gets to show the world who they are. The reformation of the cute little babies in Team GO, and an expression of love for the world to see. The team of besties. Former champions, if research does me right. All is good and lovely, and they have the experience. That’s what truly matters isn’t it? The experience of the team will do wonders. Yet how long has it been since they actually had each others backs? The rust, the decay. The agony of the thought. I wonder if they truly have the experience today, or if, like most things. Time has dulled the actions. The ticking hands of the clock must be wound every now and then, and yet. They think they have more experience than Alex and I? Oh, sweet little doves. How wrong you are. But that’s okay. Sweet baby Carter, you interest me. You see, my brother, bless his heart. Cannot stand you. Doesn’t like they way you parade yourself on line. Doesn’t like the way that you use wrestling as a way to air your laundry to the world. See my brother, he isn’t a huge fan of expressions of love. Much more a behind closed doors man. Bit of a prude, if you ask me. Me, however? I adore you. You my sweet, you make my blood bubble with the flavour of love. I’m all about finding it where you can, when you can, with who you can. When it works. Now, don’t take that the wrong way. I’m selective with my love. I choose who gets to have it. I just happen to find it when I want it. With who I want it with. Call it my ego, if you will. My vain self-admiration. It doesn’t really matter, what does matter, is you, sweet Carter. Whilst I like you, I do not like your pretty little toy, Miles Kasey.”
“And what is there to like about that arrogant little fuck? Lacks respect, lacks decorum. Was offered the olive branch when he got the win over Alex in India, yet stands to spit in the face of his actions over those far better than him? Alex chose him for that match, and the incredulous little fucker doesn’t even have the decency to thank him for it. You need to teach your boy toy some manners, Carter. I do not appreciate the lack of respect shown. But that’s okay. It’s okay, because this week, after putting your lover down last week. We get a chance to make him see what happens when he is disrespectful. You see, this is a golden opportunity. We get to show you, the power of truth. You get to show Miles, the truth of his disrespect. Alex has so many other things to be focusing on. The Godly one wants to go one more time with Alex, and at least he has the fucking respect to acknowledge the ability of the man who is on track to being the longest single reigning Internet Champion in history. At least he has the respect to acknowledge that man. See, I did happen to see your sleight. Your lack of thought, and in turn your disrespect. Getting choked out due to stubbornness doesn’t negate the victory. It doesn’t negate the loss. The Broken Messiah did exactly what he said he would. He broke that little boy, and showed him the truth. He lost, even if you don’t want to admit it. Wins and losses don’t discriminate, and getting choked out is as big of a loss as tapping to it.”
Her outstretched hand and arm lowered, the glass of wine being brought up to her lips. A deep, long sip. Her eyes glazing over in the momentary ecstasy, a smiling spreading across her face. She lowers the glass again slowly, placing it on the bar top next to her. Uncrossing her legs, to then cross the opposite leg over the top. Her now free hand going to her hair, running her fingers through it absentmindedly.
“But that’s okay. It’s okay to be wrong, angel. It’s okay to be incorrect. Because the truth is sometimes the hardest thing to accept. You see, it took me a long time to accept the truth of my love. That my love is a gift, not to be given to anyone. My love is reserved, held for those deserving of it. Now Miles? Miles is fickle. Escaping matters of his own love into the arms of others, over and over. First the cunt, then to you. But first he had to run away to the the other side of the world to actively use the arms of another. Weak, insufferable and callous. Childish. And now you, you have to teach the boy to be better, Carter. You have to teach him how to be a real lover, who doesn’t use others as a shield for his own problems and fears. Love is a powerful motivator. It’s something that we learn in The Conspiracy, real early on. Love is something that will push and pull us in any direction that it so whims. Yet it is in the truthful, that the ship may be stewarded where we see fit.”
“I want you to understand something, lover. I want you to understand this. Climax Control may be the reunion of Team GO, but it is the beginning of the truth that comes from the foundation shaking and rattling of The Conspiracy. It is from us, that the truth of everything that Alex has been saying, comes to light. No more flaunting, no more upsetting. No more frivolity for the sake of frivolity. Endearing? Do you think your actions endear you to others? Do you think that the choices you make endear you to anyone but your own sycophantic echo chamber? No, sweet angel, no. Your actions do nothing but perpetuate the filth that Alex has been telling everyone flows through every orifice and slum hole of this company. Echo chambers are dangerous, and I know how the hypocrisy sounds. Yet there is something that people seem to forget. The Conspiracy isn’t a brainwashing echo chamber. Every person gets the right to determine and decide their own path forward. It’s an option, where the only demand is truth. Truth is the requisite of growth. Truth is all that people need, and truth is what shall be shown. So I want thank you, Carter. For giving The Conspiracy it’s chance to show the world, the truth. The truth that just like the dogs that now cower with their tails between their legs, you too Carter, are perpetuating the lies. Ignoring the truth doesn’t make it less so. It just means that when you get hit with it, it becomes harder to ignore. Harder to escape, and far more painful to deal with. And when you come to grips with the truth, there is only one thing that can save any of us. Love. Self-love. Enduring and eternal vanity, and admiration at the growth one achieved.Their own vanity. I want you to know, that I like you Carter. But you hold company with wolves, and they’ll eat you up at any given chance.”
The hand from her hair quickly down to grab the glass once more, drinking it deeply, finishing it off. She replaced the glass on the counter, and slid off the bar top, dusting her legs off slightly. A twist, elbows down on the bar top, her head lowered, hunched forward slightly.
“But the real focus here, is you, baby girl. Sweet little Ari. The fire of Greece bubbling inside that over-achieving and over active mind. The number one contender. I wonder, what spanner gets thrown in the works, when the fresh team of Luna Vanity and Alexander Raven get the victory over the experienced, grizzled veterans of Team GO? What does that do for your desire to get back to the apex of your career? The Bombshell Roulette Championship. I’m a pretty good hand at blackjack. Not the best at roulette. Can’t read the table very well. But I don’t mind gambling. I quite like the thrill. The rush of danger in putting it all on the line on nothing but chance. I like the danger in it all. Do you like the thrill, Ari? I know I do. I like the thrill of not knowing. I think that’s what enticed me to step into the ring. For me, watching both Alex and my brother throw themselves into the ring every week, never knowing who would walk out the winner. It was exciting. I had to be part of it. Over-protective for a long time, they did their best to make sure I was there, but never in danger. The hand that guides, but never holds the whip. The one that blows the whistle, but never deals in the punishment. It wasn’t enough for me. It was never going to be enough. So I made the decision. I made the decision to share my love, with everyone. I made it my decision to show people that Luna Vanity wasn’t just the pretty little queen that sat at the side of Alexander Raven. That Luna Vanity, that Luna fucking Pasilno, wasn’t just the baby sister of big bad James Phenomenal. Arrogance seems to bleed into our every aspect. Vanity and Phenomenal. It’s like we love ourselves. Who would have thought that people so obsessed with their own self-image, that were so ‘pretentious’ could be so lost. So broken, and without happiness. Seeking a truth. Do you seek the truth too, baby? I wonder. I want to help you. Like I wanted to help Dawn. Like I want to help everyone. To show them there is happiness in the truth. The truth that nobody is special, when everyone is in touch with themselves. When everyone lives their lives in their own ego, they lose the self-righteous superiority.”
“But, let me simplify it for you, shall I? I don’t like you very much Ari. I don’t like you at all in fact. The happy go lucky and plucky attitude of the dolts here truly upsets me. Nobody seems to really be in touch with themselves. All living these ideas of who they should be. Of what they want to be. And I know. I know making the choice to be a wrestler didn’t come easy. That there was challenges and obstacles to overcome. I’ve done my hard yards to get to where I am. I’ve dealt with my past, I’ve dealt with my traumas. I’ve found solace in my love, and the love of others. I’ve found my happiness, and my happiness is found in the guidance of those who were once as broken as I. Showing them the truth of who they are. Helping the broken, become whole once more. Fractured realities becoming the one truthful one. I want you to understand what I’m saying to Ari, because it’s really quite simple. You make me fucking sick.”
Shaking her head she stood upright once more. She lifted the empty glass, the residue of the wine having streaked its way down the sides of the glass, small tinges of red settling upon the surface. She holds it up to her eyes, holding the rim at eyeline. Her grip on the stem rather stiff, her forearm tensed. Irritation etched across her every feature. The slighest twitch in the nostrils, the flaring of them following. Anger.
“I don’t like being underestimated. And I know, I just fucking know, everyone will underestimate us. The expectation is for The Conspiracy to fail. Do you think we’ll fail too, Ari? I’ll be listening real close. I’ll be listening, because I want to hear the words from you. I want to hear how you see and perceive me. I want to know how your eyes lie to you, because I intend to show you a truth. That you are already at your ceiling, and you will not surpass it. You have reached your apex, and that’s upsetting. It’s upsetting that after all your turmoil, you are still the lesser of every person you stand beside. The nobody of Team GO. The forgotten graduate of the Go Gym. The champion that couldn’t even hold her title reign. Now we’re subject to Crystal as a champion, and the rest of us have to listen to you, week in and week out talk about how you intend to change that. How you will get back what you once had. The hands of fate are not in your favour, because I can guarantee you this. Alex has nothing to prove, and I have everything. I’m the one that nobody knows. The only person that has any idea of what I’m capable of is standing in my corner. And I know. I just know that he will let me show the world. I will be the one to win the match. Carter and Raven can come to blows, but at the end. At the end I want it to be me and you, Ari. Just us. So that when I put you down, the world sees the truth. That you are nothing but the lesser half of every team, and a failure when it comes to standing on her own two legs. Understand this well. I will be the one who gets the victory. I will take your contendership away if I need to, and I will make people see.”
She screams, the frustration bubbling up to the surface. The angry queen lying beneath the porcelain painted exterior. She threw the glass down at her side. The sound shattering glass bouncing off the wooden room, echoing for a moment. Her fingers flexing and curling with anger, balling into fists.
“Everyone is being put on notice. I may have failed in my first encounter, but that is just a taste. That is just the beginning. A learning experience. The Dawn of Queen if you will. I am Luna Vanity, The Queen of The Conspiracy. But beyond that, I am Luna Vanity, the one who will win at Climax Control. Because babies, I have fucking control of every climax. Team GO, is going to be gone. And nobody is going to be talking about Sweet baby Carter and his forgettable sidekick Ariana Angelos. No, everyone will be talking about Alexander Raven and Luna Vanity. And you will be made to understand. To acknowledge and to accept the truth. That it is only in the truth that understanding can be made pure. That in the truth, you will be set free. For you, baby, are nothing.”
Her eyes are fixated on the smashed glass on the ground, her hands still curled up into fists. Slowly her left hand uncurls, her fingers still stiff. SHe moves to pinch the bridge of her nose, shaking her head slowly, a deep sigh escaping.
“The Conspiracy has arrived. And you will be the first victims. Team GO, I hope you’re both ready. Ready to be fucking gone.”
And then…
Darkness.
Silence.
Nothing.
