{Our scene opens with Roxi sitting on the roof of a moderately tall building, looking out and seeing most of the city while she takes a break from her patrol. It looks very peaceful and serene, but just below Roxi is a different story. Below, there are at least 10 people being “Social media influencers” Men and women all with their friends, phones out, looking to find the perfect spot to do something to get the clicks and likes. Roxi only looks on with morbid curiosity as the “influencers” find their spot to pose, put on some dramatic scene or really, just talk very loudly, recording themselves using their phones. Roxi takes a moment to call Vision on her wrist communicator.}
Vision – What’s up LB?
Roxi – Please, please tell me something is going on around town?
Vision – I got nothing. Why? Is something wrong?
Roxi – A lot, actually.
Vision – Oh? What’s going on?
Roxi – I don’t understand people these days.
Vision – You and me both. But I take it you’re talking about something specific.
Roxi – Influencers.
Vision – Like... role models?
Roxi – Goodness I hope not. I hope nobody wants to actively be like these people.
Vision – I don’t know what you mean, then.
Roxi – Oh, right... Influencers are people who make a living on the internet. They attract a huge audience and they go around and find weird places and things to do to make themselves even more famous, but it’s all... it’s all fake. There’s maybe a handful of these people who actually mean a word of what they are doing. It’s all... way too much.
Vision – And this... makes people money?
Roxi – Somehow.
Vision – I think you might need to just step away from this, LB.
Roxi – It’s just stinks. We should be going after the Rejects. We should be tracking them down. We should be finding Amelia.
Vision – And then what?
Roxi – What do you mean, then what? We have to stop them!
Vision – I meant, once you find out what happened to Amelia.
Roxi – I... I’m going to do my job.
Vision – Are you sure?
Roxi – As sure as I can be.
Vision – Well, the edict is out from Captain Freedom. You know the rules just like I do. If you encounter them, everyone has to be alerted. You can’t do this on your own.
Roxi – I know. It’s just... I hate waiting around for something to happen. I end up looking at stuff like this.
Vision – You can’t worry about it too much. This is going to come to a head soon.
Roxi – I don’t know about that. They know we’re on to them. And at the end of the day, they keep killing people. They may be bad people, they may be criminals, but that’s not how heroes work, Vision. You know that.
Vision – There’s nothing else we can really do. We don’t know where they are. We can’t just go around and bust into everything we think could be where they are. We’re not a team a heroes at that point. We’re a mob. And that’s not what we do either, LB.
Roxi – It would beat sitting around while people die.
Vision – You and I both know, that we try our best, but even though we try to save everyone, the truth is, we can’t.
Roxi – And I can’t just accept that.
Vision – Could this just be that you want to have the final say with Amelia.
Roxi – I... No...
Vision – I have never heard you this upset over something other than the time the guild suspended you. And was a personal thing. You cannot make this personal LB.
Roxi – It will ALWAYS be personal with me and Amelia.
Vision – Don’t let them hear you say that. You’ll get booted off this mission even if it means the Guild would be outmanned. Captain Freedom is not about to let you jeopardize it if you’re more focused on personal vengeance.
{Roxi stands up and walks around the roof of the building, not really noticing she’s done exactly what the influencers are doing, just using her wrist instead of her phone.}
Roxi – I said I was going to do my job. And that’s what I’m going to do.
Vision – Fine. But just be careful.
Roxi – Yeah, yeah.
{Roxi looks down as she reaches the edge of the side of the building’s roof, and noticed a light coming from the alley. It’s another person with their phone, taking what looks to be video.}
Roxi – Huh.. That's an odd place to do some influencing. Vision, I’ll have to call you back.
{Roxi again, peers down, focusing on the person in the alley, as they walk around, not saying anything, but trying to find the right area When they step into the light, albeit for a few seconds only, the person is male, and appears to be of teenager age. When they find the right light, they start talking.}
Teenager – Man name is Francis, and I will become the next viral sensation. You may ask how I’m going to do this? the answer is simple.
{Francis is lit up enough to for Roxi to see what he is doing, and he rummages through some kind of bag lay on the ground, from it, he produces a high-powered rifle.}
Roxi – Oh no...
Francis – I am going to be the next big time viral shooter. It may be tomorrow at school, or I may go to the mall, I haven’t decided yet. Not that it really matters, it’s not about the location, it’s about the highest amount of damage I can cause. My goal is at least 20 people.
Roxi – This is not good.
{Francis continues on his manifesto rant.}
Francis – I can’t wait to see the look on all those people’s faces when I start shooting. They’re going to run, and I will have all the power. It’s going to be so great, and I will release this video and maybe one other one, right before I start. I mean, I could go right now and kill these stupid people over there, but nobody’s gonna care. I can’t go viral for that. But a mass shooting? That will go viral!
{Roxi has heard enough and she drops down, surprising Francis who backs away from her in fear and panic. Roxi makes sure not to raise her voice or even speak loudly. She uses a calming tone in her voice.}
Roxi – Relax. I’m not here to hurt you.
Francis – You... you’re like a cop or something?
Roxi – Yeah, or something. You just need to take it easy.
Francis – N... no I’m not doing anything.
Roxi – Francis, your name is Francis, right?
Francis – Y.. Yeah?
Roxi – Well, Francis, I think we need to talk about some things.
Francis – I don’t have anything to talk about. I was just... I wasn’t doing anything.
Roxi – I know, you told me that. But I just want to make sure you’re okay.
Francis – I’m f-ff-f fiine. I’m fine.
Roxi – Are you sure?
Francis – Y..yeah..
Roxi – I don’t know, Francis. You seem to be intent on doing some really bad stuff tomorrow. I’m afraid I overheard that.
Francis – Yeah? So?! That’s what it is for me now! You don’t understand! I need it! They deserve it!
Roxi – And why is that? Why do they deserve it?
Francis – W... Because of what they did to me!
Roxi – Who? What did they do?
Francis – Don’t try and act like you care! You don’t care! I’m just trash to you!
Roxi – No, you’re Francis. I don’t think you’re trash. If I did, I wouldn’t have come talk to you.
Francis – You... you don’t care!
Roxi – Francis, I don’t think you woke up today and decided that you needed to do, what you’re planning to do, just out of the blue. You’ve been thinking about this, right?
Francis – Y..yeah...
Roxi – So, tell me why.
Francis – I don’t want to talk about it! You don’t really care anyway!
Roxi – If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t have come down here and talked to you. That’s what we’re doing right now, talking. And I want to talk to you, I want to learn more about you.
Francis – No you don’t!
Roxi – Sure I do. I was thinking that maybe we could even be friends.
Francis – I don’t need friends. I hate everyone. I hate everything. I'm a reject! I’m just a big nobody. I was always a nobody!
Roxi – You couldn’t always haven been a nobody. You were somebody to someone, right?
Francis – NO! Never! Everyone rejected me! I’m gonna make them pay!
Roxi – What about your mom, your dad?
Francis – THEY’RE THE CAUSE OF ALL THIS!
Roxi – Okay, what happened?
Francis – You wouldn’t understand.
Roxi – Oh, I’ve had my problems with my parents. I bet I’ve got something like your story.
Francis – … No, you don’t...
Roxi – Maybe I do. Let’s see.
Francis – My parents are drug dealers. They kicked me out of the house, Look at me... I’m broke... I’m poor. I don’t even have a place to stay! I’m on the streets! They’re all making fun of me! They deserve to pay! I HAVE NOTHING! I AM NOTHING!
Roxi – I don’t see nothing. I see Francis. A boy who just needs to think about what he’s planning to do.
Francis – I know what I have to do.
Roxi – I can tell you right now, that if you do what you’re thinking about doing, you will go viral, and then... After a little while, you’re just going to be a name. You’ll be added to the list along with everyone else who has done what you’re about to do. You’re going to hurt a lot of people for 15 minutes of fame. It’s not worth it.
Francis – It’s worth it! They need to feel what I feel! Those worms, making me feel like I’m shit! I want them to feel like shit! And then we can all die! And I can have peace!
Roxi – Well, as your friend, I can’t let you do that.
Francis – You’re not my friend!
Roxi – If I wasn’t your friend, I would have said something to the cops after I overheard you. I would have had them arrest you, and then you have to go to all the things that they will make you do, and you wouldn’t even get the chance to turn yourself around, and nobody would understand you, Francis.
Francis – So... why didn’t you?
Roxi – Because Francis, it’s important to me, that you know, that somebody cares. I think we have a couple of options here. You can try and go through with your plan, but I can’t let you do that. You already know about that option and it doesn’t end well for anybody. The other option is, here and now, we get to start all over again.
Francis – What?
Roxi – Sure. It’s never too late to start over. We can consider this, a reset. Okay, I’ve listened to what you said, and I get it. Life has been rough. Beyond rough for you. You have made that very clear. And you’ve come to this fork in the road. I can see how you thought this was a way out. But it’s only going to be temporary. You want to make it permanent? You want to get back at people who made fun of you? You don’t need to do what you think you need to do. You, need to prove them wrong.
Francis – What? How?
Roxi – By doing what they say you can’t. By being better. I bet those people who bully you say a lot of mean things. People say mean things a lot, and they don’t understand how bad they hurt people. But when you rise above that, you win. I look at you, Francis, and I see somebody who can do great things. You may have not gotten off to the greatest start, but that’s not your fault. We can get you right where you should be. But you have to help me.
Francis – He... help you?
Roxi – You’re the only one I can trust to help me with this. We have to work together and you have to trust me on this. Can you do that for me?
Francis – W... W.. What?
Roxi – I know you have a gun in that bag. I saw it. I need you to give it to me. I know what that gun means to you, power, control, and you feel powerless without it, but if you trust me, if you help me, we’ll take that power back. Please.
{Francis looks at the bag, still scared and confused. He slowly reaches for the bag, Roxi not making any sudden moves as Francis pulls the gun from the bag. He holds it close to his chest.}
Francis – I...
Roxi – You don’t need the gun, Francis. Don’t let it fool you.
{Francis stares down at the rifle.}
Roxi – Hey, eyes on me. I’m here, and I’m not gonna leave you. But until you trust me, I can’t help you. Please. I want to help you. But I need your help. I need you. Please.
{Francis begins to tear up. Roxi moves slightly closer, and Francis extends the rifle sideways into Roxi’s hand. She takes it, and places it aside, before hugging Francis tightly, as he starts to cry.}
Roxi – You did it. I knew you could do it. Thank you! You did a good thing. Now, let’s get you what you need. I’m going to do everything I can to help you. You have my word.
Francis – … Really?
Roxi – I promise. I’m proud of you.
{The two continue to embrace as the scene fades.}
{The new scene is at Roxi and Keira’s home, where they return from grocery shopping. Both get out of the car and begin carrying bags into the house. With Keira’s appetite, it’s obviously a lot of groceries. As they continue to walk back and forth, it is obvious they are being watched. Roxi and Keira both stop, looking at the figure who isn’t even trying to hide themselves. Keira walks over to Roxi.}
Keira – What is she doing?
Roxi – She’s getting impatient, like the rest of us. I’ll take care of it.
Keira – Be careful.
{Keira goes back to unloading the groceries as Roxi walks up and confronts the person watching them. It is of course, Lei, a stern look still on her face.}
Roxi – Lei, you need to be patient.
Lei – I'm tired of waiting. When will you do something?!
Roxi – I’m working on it.
Lei – You have been working on it for week now! The mistress could be dead!
Roxi – She could be, or she could alive. But things like this, they aren’t helping.
Lei – YOU, are not helping! You said you would!
Roxi – My hands are tied, Lei. If I run into them, I will take care of it. Until I do, I can’t stop my life just for Amelia.
Lei – You agreed to help find her!
Roxi – I know that. And I will. I can’t just go looking for a fight right now.
Lei – Then I will.
Roxi – They’ll just kill you. And if you want to get Amelia back, attacking them head on is suicide.
Lei – I would rather die with honor then wait like a coward. I will kill them all if I need to.
Roxi – You’re not going to do anything. You’re going to wait.
Lei – If you will not help me, I will do it myself. And then, once I have the mistress back, I will kill you, and your family.
Roxi – Don’t threaten my family, Lei. I told you what I was going to do, and I’ll do it. I can’t just find them magically!
Lei – I have.
{Roxi pauses.}
Roxi – Excuse me? You found them?
Lei – Yes. I have tracked you and your heroes for a long time. They are underground.
Roxi – Well, we kind of figured they were underground. That doesn’t help.
Lei – This last one I followed. They have some sort of power to move faster than human. They reach a certain point, and then when they are alone, they speed off, and I could not follow.
Roxi – Where do they stop?
Lei – A few miles outside of the town. West.
Roxi – How do you know it’s not one of our heroes?
Lei – Because they kill. They rob and steal from other criminals.
Roxi – Sounds like them.
Lei – Then you will help, yes?
Roxi – You meet me tonight. Here.
{Roxi reached into her purse, and pulls out a tracking device.}
Roxi – When you see this person, hit that button. We’ll meet up, and we’ll track this guy, and if he is, who you say he is, we’ll find the rest of them.
Lei – This is your only chance.
Roxi – You have my word.
Lei – Very well.
{Lei simply nods and walks away. Leaving Roxi to shake her head, although she pumps her fist, having a lead. She walks back and sees Keira, having finished unpacking the groceries.}
Keira – Well?
Roxi – She has a lead. But she’s not going to wait much longer. We have to move.
Keira – Finally.
Roxi – She’s gonna find whoever she’s found, and let us know.
Keira – And then we go and end this.
Roxi – Yeah.
Keira – Roxi...
Roxi – What?
Keira – If you get the chance... don’t make the mistake of giving her another chance.
Roxi – We’ll cross that road when we come to it.
Keira – If this goes down, and I have the chance... I will end it.
Roxi – We’re going to need everyone on the same page Keira.
Keira – I don’t care if they kick me out the guild. She’s caused too much damage.
Roxi – I... I’ll deal with it.
Keira – You better.
Roxi – Let’s... just see where it goes.
{Roxi and Keira head to the living room to relax as the scene fades.}
{The new scene opens with Roxi and Keira in costume, waiting patiently for the notice from Lei}
Keira – Do you trust her?
Roxi – We don’t have any other options. They are keeping a low profile, except for this guy, apparently.
Keira – What if it’s a trap?
Roxi – That’s why we have backup.
{It isn’t long before the device activates, and Roxi and Keira follow the trail, finding Lei, standing in an alley in what is the center of the city. They join her.}
Keira – Well?
Lei – He is there.
{Lei points and a man in a hoodie looks around suspiciously, having come to a stop and making sure no one is around. He then raises his arms, and in a flash, he’s seemingly disappeared. Keira instantly takes flight, shooting high above the alley.}
Lei – You see?
Roxi – Yes. Kat, you got him?
Keira – His energy signal is quick, but not that quick. He’s going to... The Balbin Brother Cigar Factory.
Roxi – Right. Thanks.
Lei – We go now.
Roxi – No, “we” are not going anywhere.
Lei – You will not stop me!
Roxi – We're going to take care of it from here. If Amelia is alive... I will bring her back to you.
Keira – The energy signal has stopped at the factory, that’s totally where they are.
Roxi – You have my word, Lei.
Lei – If you fail, I will kill you.
Roxi – Yeah, I heard that before. I’ll be back.
{Roxi soon joins Keira, with Lei rushing to follow them on foot. Roxi looks down at the factory, staring at it for a moment before turning to Keira.}
Roxi – The cigar factory makes sense.
Keira – And it’s right near the Ybor tunnels. It gives them easy access whereever they want to go.
Roxi – Well then... let’s do this.
{Roxi opens up her wrist communicator.}
Roxi – Vision, we have found the Rejects hideout. This is not a drill. It is a pure Code 99.
Vision – We have the alert. Everyone is on the way.
{Roxi ends the call, and turns back to Keira.}
Roxi – Are you ready?
Keira – Of course. Just... do the right thing.
Roxi – I will. I promise you, I will.
{Heroes start arriving as the scene fades.}
“There is a difference between you and me. We both looked at the abyss, and when it looked back at us, YOU blinked.”
Batman (Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths)
Hello SCW.
You know the deal, so there’s really no reason to repeat it at this point. It was already repeated enough and I think the point has been made. All of the time to be like that is now gone. There’s no extra number one contender’s match, there’s no random championship defenses left. It comes to down to one match, at High Stakes. It is obviously not the match I wanted, but this is where we are. I made that mistake and I let Crystal into the match because I didn’t do enough. Period. So, now I’m dealing with the consequences. I had everything planned out so well, and then, there’s one little hiccup and the whole plan goes awry. It’s annoying and now I’m staring at two opponents, instead of one. What was carefully put into place, now has a wrench thrown into it. So, therefore, we must adapt and overcome.
Being the referee for the chaos last Sunday made me think about a lot. But I was there to do a job, and I did it, despite the boys getting a little overzealous, I think I did a good job. I was there to make sure nothing happened, and nothing did happen that would ruin anything at High Stakes. I was actually a little surprised that no one really did anything at all. Nothing. Amber nor Crystal took a swipe at me, or even looked in my direction twice. And that, for all intents and purposes, worked out like it should have. But that is last Sunday, and that is over with.
So, let’s just get started, shall we?
It’s not a secret that I was referring to Crystal as being a wrench in the plan. She was not supposed to be part of this match, but that seems to be the way these days, make enough noise, and have a few things go your way, and you can get involved with anything. I do consider it my fault that Crystal is in this match, and while Crystal may indeed see that as a slight, and I don’t blame her, it’s not a slight. It’s the truth. Prior to that fatal four-way match, Crystal was nowhere near the SCW Bombshell’s championship picture. Whereas I had made my intentions perfectly clear as to want to gain a championship against either Amber or, at the time, Myra Rivers. And I made it my goal to beat every single challenger placed in front of me to stop me from that goal. And I did that. All except one, because I didn’t actually win or lose, that fatal four-way. Instead, I had to make a decision that would cost me short term, but reward me long term. Crystal would have gladly, without hesitation, taken that away from me, and not thought twice about it.
I went ahead and voiced my opinion, and I even did as was advertised, and I did it on Climax Control, and yet, Crystal did not. She had to post a tweet about not doing as was asked and actually helping her own situation, but it didn’t matter in the end, because the triple threat match was made. And, as I feared, and predicted, Crystal is of course, telling all of you that this is where she belongs now. She should be at the top of the card in the main event. Why? Because she also didn’t lose one match. And now every single cliché statement is coming from her about how this means so much to her now, but it is only because she is in the position that she’s in now. It’s a strictly because she found her way into this match, that this championship is all part of a giant redemption arc.
Please, do not be fooled by the new nickname, by the new outlook on life, by the new problems, and new values. It is all the same. It’s all part of the same story we’ve had countless times. I think I would know about this since it has been this way for... at least 8 years. It happens all the time, over and over, and over, and over and this is no different. It’s just worded differently. She is the human equivalent of the Grand Theft Auto trilogy. You can enhance it, remake it, remaster it, but at the end of the day, it’s the same game you’ve been playing for 20 years. The same lines, the same missions. All the time. But at this point, the writers of the Crystal Zdunich saga have lost the plot, because they aren’t even bothering with the issue that is plaguing this series and has since its inception.
Do you want to know the problem with Crystal? The real problem with my good friend, Crystal Zdunich? I will tell you, and again, I can say this, because she no longer cares of what people say about her. Only, she does as she has already stated and seems to have forgotten as she just told Amber that the thing Amber says affects her. The issue is, is that Crystal is almost literally “The Boy who cried Wolf” and so, when there is meaning, when there is actually a sense of genuine truth coming from her mouth, we’re already past the point of taking it seriously. And this is coming from me. Believe me, I tried. I tried for a long, long time to believe that THIS time, THIS is going to be where Crystal finally figures it out and pulls it all together. I wanted to believe in my friend. I wanted to keep giving her the benefit of the doubt. I did it for so long that people openly questioned why I did it. People drug my name down because of my belief that at some point, Crystal would finally get it together. And now? now I look like a fool for doing so. And now I’m hearing Crystal blaming Amber for destroying her motorcycle. Apparently, Crystal only did this, because of what Amber did to her. That’s the only reason. Again, I am not a new viewer to this series, so I know better. And so do a lot of other people. So do most people who have followed Crystal.
You see, Crystal has done so many awful, mean-spirited things to people in the past, without provocation. She has never needed motivation to be full of herself or get one over on people. I know this, I’ve been there, I’ve always been there, Crystal is probably the only one who doesn’t notice this stuff, but I do. She has used, and abused so many people, for her own personal gain. And the thing about all of it is simple: Saying “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that” works. But it works, when you’re young. When you don’t know any better. I can forgive, say a 15-year-old kid, who says something dumb, malicious, hurtful and things like that. When you’re 15, you make mistakes.
I cannot give Crystal that same forgiveness, because she’s what... 30? So, for the past 8 years, at least 5 of those years, Crystal has been, and should have been, an adult. This redemption story, should have played out ONCE, and then, Crystal grows, and becomes a better person. Why are we still talking about making amends and asking for forgiveness, when it has been proven that as soon as Crystal has that inch, she will take a mile and then bat her eyelashes like “it’s just me!” She never meant any of it, an she continues to not mean any of it, there’s so many holes in the redemption story, I don’t know why the pretense in still there. At this point Crystal is tripping over her own words, going back on them, and then stepping on them just to make sure everyone understands that she has violated every single person’s trust.
And you may be asking why I am even concerning myself with it at this point. If I know so much, why am I bothering? That’s just the thing. I have been a part of this for almost a decade. And I have been the victim for far too long. I’m just done with this now. I worked for almost 3 months to get this championship opportunity, and then with the snap of her fingers, Crystal is here now, based on happenstance, and now, she wants to get her hands on Amber because of what happened with her and Amber, back in MARCH. I’m sorry but am I hearing all this correctly? Did Crystal not come back and immediately go for the mixed tag team titles, or did I miss something? Where was this in April through August? Crystal went on her merry way, or “on the back burner” as she put it. I’m sorry, but did Crystal not Where was Crystal earning her rematch? Where was this anger and “I need to get my hands on you for what you did to me.” for the last 5 months? Now we’re going to play this game? Now we’re doing that? All of this part of the story is because she is in this match. She had plenty of time to do this, she could have easily tried for her rematch or getting another opportunity, but instead, like a lot of people around here suspiciously, Crystal had to go on hiatus and find herself, yet again. And now, here she is, back in the main event, so the story must be working.
And I have nobody to blame but myself for that.
So, I have to apologize to all of you, that you have to listen to this story one more time. Yes, she no longer cares what people think, even though she does and it’s hurtful. She only does things in retaliation and she’s really sorry she used her own wife to get herself something in return. Except she’s done plenty of awful things before, she’s not going to be sorry about any of the things she’s saying she is, should she win. You see, the win, that makes it all okay. To Crystal, the ends have always, ALWAYS justified the means. So, if Crystal walks out of High Stakes the champion, that means all that was worth it. Then she will again turn around and say “See, this is who I am, I’m embracing it now.” Because she’s getting something out of the deal. This is just another version of the same mixed messages we’ve all been getting for as long as Crystal has been in the ring competing. This goes well beyond Sin City Wrestling. Which, again, I need to apologize for, because if not for me, Crystal wouldn’t even be here, and wouldn’t be in this match.
So, I’m going to everyone a favor at High Stakes, and beat not only Amber Ryan, but Crystal Zdunich. That is the end goal here. That is everything I’m striving for in this match, and I’m not about to let Crystal sneak in the back door and take what she has stumbled into, and yet, I worked so hard for. I’m didn’t do everything I did, to have my “Good friend” greedily, and readily take from the palm of my hand. I’ve given Crystal way too many handouts as it is with our friendship, so I’m going to take her approach, and let her know that in this match, there are no friends, there’s just two people, standing in the way of me becoming the SCW Bombshell’s champion again.
And so, I will move them out of the way.
But, I’m not going to forget the champion herself.
It has been some time since Amber and I were in the ring together. A long time, because, well, not to speak for Amber, but I think we both needed a break. Considering all that happened, and went down, she enjoyed walking, or well, hobbling away for an extended period with a broken ankle. But she got to enjoy the big win. So, there was that. I told Amber, right then and there, that after all that, we would go our separate ways. We would move on to other things, and we did. For one year. One long year, we have not fought one another, we did some really even engage one another, save for a few instances here and there. As she so correctly put it, communication is not the strongest feature of our relationship.
But, that’s okay. We didn’t need to constantly be at each other’s throats over who is better. But let’s understand exactly what happened over a year ago. Amber Ryan came here, and she came here, for me. She can tell you anything she wants to about championships or fame or prestige. She’s already had plenty of those before she came here. She knows that as well as I do. She didn’t come here to be part of the SCW family initially. She came here, to fight me. Right away, she targeted me. It wasn’t Crystal, it wasn’t Evie, it wasn’t Andrea, it wasn’t Alicia. It was me. Everyone else, was second. Amber can tell you a close second if she wants, but at the end of the day, it was me, and it wasn’t even close. And while Amber tried her best to play mind games with me, while she tried to make me the bad guy because I knew what was about to happen, she didn’t win the mind game battle with me. And eventually, she got tired of playing that game, and what happened?
She threw fire in my eyes.
Amber Ryan fired the first shot, not me. Because she knew she needed to. All of those mind games, and everything else, were simply to give her some kind of edge. And when it had the best chance of success, she took it to that level and literally tried to blind me. She tried to take me out, and she failed, because I came back. My eyes healed, and I came back and I played her game. I played her game and I gave her everything she could want in a fight. I just didn’t know that, what the level we were going to play at. I can tell you right now, in all honesty and sincerity, that Amber Ryan beat me up, she beat me down, she flat out kicked my ass. But if Amber is honest with herself, she wasn’t the same either. At Summer XXXtreme in 2020, I was a beaten, and bloody mess, but do you know what I remember most about that match? It wasn’t the chair shots, it wasn’t the blood. It wasn’t even the brass knuckles that Amber had to use to win. No, what I remember most is one look on Amber’s face. One look that told me everything I needed to know. Because that one look, was all I needed to see.
See, if you go back and you watch Summer XXXtreme 2020, you will notice one thing, Amber Ryan threw everything she had at me. Everything she could muster, and she could not keep me down. No matter what she did, I got up. I came back each and every time she knocked me down. She tried everything, and I could barely see from the blood in my eyes, but I tell you right here and now, I saw that look on Amber’s face and it read plain as day to me.
“How?”
Even if it was for a split second, Amber Ryan was questioning herself. Amber was questioning how I was getting up, and questioning if she could keep me down. There was one moment of doubt, and it crossed her face and as quickly as she tried to wipe it away, it was there. And I knew right then and there, that no matter what, I’m going to come forward against Amber Ryan. And that’s what I did.
For SIX MONTHS, Amber and I tore each other apart, and neither one of us were going to back down. Every single time we came within eyesight of each other, we had to fight. We tore apart the backstage, we tore apart the buildings we were in, inside and outside. At the end, I tried to put the whole thing to an end, because I saw what would have happened, and it almost did.
One of us, wasn’t going to survive.
Because I was swearing to myself that if I was blind, crippled, and bleeding, I was going to drag my broken body forward, to fight Amber Ryan. And that’s exactly where we were headed. Amber knows this, as well as I do. At the end of those six months, both of us were in the hospital multiple times, both of us were nearly broken beyond repair. And if, I had not called for last woman standing, neither one of us would be. And at that point, part of me was ready for that outcome. But I understood, after seeing Amber’s face, that she knew that it was going to take more than she could muster to stop me.
Amber Ryan tried to blind me and burn me with fire.
Amber Ryan bloodied me with a chair, and her fists.
Amber Ryan hit me with just about every strike she could think of.
Amber Ryan bruised me with brass knuckles.
But she didn’t get the job done.
Oh yes, Amber Ryan got her hand raised at Summer XXXtreme last year, but it wasn’t because she beat me. She got her hand raised because Drew Patton, believed he was doing the right thing. He stopped the match and he awarded it to Amber. I’m sure Amber is very proud of that, but the fact is, she got her hand raised, but she did not beat me. I think that’s most been lost in all the carnage. And I am happy to remind Amber of that fact.
In fact, in our 3 matches, only one of us, took a pinfall loss, and it wasn’t me. I have beaten Amber Ryan. I pinned Amber Ryan, and she has yet to do it to me. She got a referee stoppage, and well, the last time, she piled everything that wasn’t nailed down on top of me, and even then, even then, she did not stop me. She again, got her hand raised, but at the end of the day, she didn’t keep me down.
And while this triple threat match will do nothing to the 2-1 edge she has over me in singles competition, it is the opportunity in front of me now. I know that Amber watched me for the past 3 months, cut through people, and I know that she wanted this to be one on one as well, but we’re not there, but... it’s been a full year since we clashed, and you know what? I’m ready to fight her again. I told her that if after all the hell we went through, that I would be here. I have taken everything Amber Ryan, in all her brutally vicious glory could dish out, and I am STILL HERE.
I am right here, ready to fight Amber Ryan once again. I wasn’t going to back down last year, and I’m not going to back down now. I am not afraid or intimidated by Amber Ryan. Because I know, I can, and have beaten Amber Ryan. And now, not only will I beat Amber Ryan, I will win the SCW Bombshell’s championship.
It is a championship I have held before, but not for a long time. Why? Because I don’t get picked at random for championship matches. I don’t get to be the mystery opponent for a mid-run championship match. That’s Crystal’s department. She gets those. No, prefer to let the champion know I’m coming, and I go out of my way to earn it. I earned this match, I earned this opportunity, and will NOT let it go to waste.
And believe me, I’m just getting started with both of my opponents.
I'll be back soon.