(Gabriel was used with Mark’s permission)
It was the week of Inception IV and more importantly (for them anyway) it was the week off Krystal Wolfe and Ruby Steele’s PPV debut as they were taking each other on to settle their feud, the two young women were ready to prove themselves on the big stage but Krystal had another hurdle to overcome, her mental health issues were rearing their ugly heads stemming from when Krystal watched her father rape and beat her mother to death on Christmas Day 2012, can Krystal overcome them to win her first match on the main roster?
Thompson family home, Adelaide, Australia
January 31st, 2014, 16:00pm
My previous attempt at escaping my home life failed and ended with my mom’s death, now? I knew for certain that if I stayed in that house any longer that I would end up buried next to my mom in the back garden.
That’s not to say that I didn’t have a plan this time around, in the two years since my mom’s death I had met Makayla through a mutual friend and up until this point she had been the only one I had confided in about my past, that had to change.
I mentioned before that I was dangerously underweight by the time, I escaped my home, want to know how underweight? I was described as borderline anorexic by the doctor that tended to my wounds in the hospital and the initial few weeks that I spent at Makayla’s home were spent getting me back up to a healthy weight, translation? Lots of fattening foods and lounging around, how do you think she got me into gaming? And to make sure that my weight gain didn’t get out of control, I worked out at least twice a day, a routine that I keep up to this day.
Not exactly what the doctor ordered but by the end of the year, I was back up to the weight I was the year before at which was 115ibs, by the time I moved to America I was closer to my normal weight of 125ibs.
But I’m getting ahead of myself, I had to escape first and that bastard had provided me a brief window of opportunity to do just that, namely by falling asleep drunk on the couch, I carried my bags down the stairs as quietly as I could carrying only three bags with me, toiletries bag was in my luggage bag and stuff like my phone, charger and laptop (all birthday presents from my mom that I had managed to keep hidden from my dad knowing that he’d just sell them for booze) was in a small duffel bag slung over my shoulder.
“Where do you think you’re going?!” I froze when I heard my dad’s voice just inches away from the front door, i slowly turned around and breathed a massive sigh of relief when I realized that he was talking in his sleep. “You and that little cunt are my property and I treat you how I want!”
I blocked out the rest of his ramblings as I scrambled to unlock the front door, at one point I thought he had woken up thanks to the sound I was making but fortunately, he was a heavy sleeper and by the time he woke up again, I was long gone.
Once I was out the door, I raced down the path and out onto the streets and from there I just kept running, off course I wasn’t nearly as athletic then as I am now, so it wasn’t long before I ran out of breath, but I just kept going once I caught my breath, until I was as far away from my home as possible without leaving the city, now came the hard part as I got my phone out and dialled Makayla’s number.
“Maka, I made it! I’m out!” I explained as I let out a deep breath. “I’ll send you a picture of my location but come pick me up as soon as possible, I don’t know how long my dad will still be asleep for.”
“Don’t worry, my car’s tank is full, and I’ll risk a speeding ticket if it means getting you out of that situation.” Makayla assured me and I grinned in response even though I knew she couldn’t see me. “Do you want me to call the police before you get here?”
“No, wait util I’m settled In, I still need to find the evidence in my phone.” I responded as I shook my head before running hand through my hair. “And I know this goes without saying but I’ll need to go to the hospital ASAP to get my injuries checked.”
“We’ll worry about that after we get you settled in.” Makayla assured me and I grinned in response. “It’s the first day of your new life Charlotte.”
“Don’t I fucking know it, and I know I’m going to make the most of it.” I nodded with a grin on my face before we said our goodbyes.
I didn’t know it then, but that was the event that set me on my current path, the path to being a professional wrestler on the SCW roster.
Krystal’s home, Las Vegas, Nevada
Sunday the 24th of January 2021, 10:00am
I thought Inception IV’s date sounded familiar.
Yep, I had another flashback dream only this time it was a day dream brought on by the fact that I had been up all night the previous night streaming for charity and my dream was cut short (because it usually ends with me giving the evidence to the police and that bastard getting arrested) by the sound of a Skype Call, when I looked up I saw that it was Makayla and I quickly answered it, helped by the fact that I was at my downstairs laptop.
“Hope I didn’t interrupt your beauty sleep too much.” Makayla commented once she saw my tired state and I shook my head.
“I was in the middle of a power nap after last night’s stream.” I explained before glancing over at the computer clock, good, I didn’t sleep in too late. “And I had another flashback dream, this time to when you rescued me.”
“Hopefully, that’s a good sign.” Makayla commented once she realized what I meant, and I gave her a curious look. “The bosses have started the BFTP draw, we did say that we’d watch it together if you ever made it to SCW.”
“Well yeah, aside from the fact that we thought we’d be in the same room.” I pointed out and Makayla nodded sadly. “You start.” I added before grabbing my phone and accessing Twitter.
“Okay, first up is London Underground’s Daniel J Morgan.” Makayla commented and I nodded hoping that he’d be my partner, having a former tag champ as partner wouldn’t exactly hurt and there’s also the fact that we’re both from the Go Gym. “And his partner is……...oh no.”
“Please tell me he didn’t get Ruby Steele?!” I groaned and Makayla nodded grimly prompting me to let out a deep breath. “That’s something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, hell I wouldn’t wish that on Veronica Taylor or any member of GRIME!”
“I think it’s a safe bet that you’ll find him at the Gold Coast Bar after Inception IV is wrapped up.” Makayla nodded in agreement getting a laugh out of me. “Provided he isn’t there already, you’re up next!”
“Okay next up is a guy who could be going into the Tournament as Roulette Champ, Lincoln Daniels.” I commented before pressing the quote tweet to see his partner. “And he’s got Bella Madison, not a bad team there.”
“Two young lions, could be a Darkhorse team.” Makayla nodded in agreement before she got her tweet up. “I think we found the team to beat, Senor Vinnie and Alicia Lukas.”
“Two former World Champs, hate to get them in the first round.” I nodded in agreement before I went to the next tweet. “We’ve gone from the team to beat to the oddball team, Lachlan Kaine is teaming with Mikah.”
“Lachlan’s probably looking at it as a positive, Mikah is a former World Bombshell Champ and the current Mixed Tag Team Champ!” Makayla nodded in response before she noticed something. “Getting impatient?”
“It was one thing to watch the draws when I was a fan, as a wrestler who threw her name in the hat for the tournament it’s nerve wrecking.” I responded with a shrug before Makayla let out a low whistle. “Another tough team?”
“I’ll say, the undefeated Mac Bane got the luck of the draw with the current Bombshell Internet Champ Myra Rivers, provided Candy doesn’t dethrone her next Sunday.” Makayla nodded and I groaned in response. “You were hoping to get Mac?”
“Yep, and you’ve already said why.” I nodded in response before checking the next tweet. “Huh, I thought Joshua Acquin retired after his neck injury?”
“He’s one of the mystery men?” Makayla asked and I nodded in response before she checked her phone. “I’ve just seen Christian’s tweet he’s got Sam Marlowe.”
“Interesting team there, no idea how much ring rust Acquin has but we’ll wait and see.” I responded with a nod before motioning to her to check the next tweet.
“Next up is Andrea Hernandez’s favourite tag team partner of all time, Bill Barnhart!” Makayla informed me as her voice dripped with sarcasm and I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. “And she’s incredibly jealous of Maki!”
“Good thing Andrea’s not in the tournament, I think you would’ve killed me with your sarcasm if she was.” I responded once I regained my composure and Makayla gave me a cheeky grin before I got the next tweet up. “Wow, and I thought Lachlan got lucky, Garrison Reed just got Roxi Johnson.”
“Daniel’s probably trying to think of a way to talk him into partner swapping.” Makayla commented dryly before I gave her a knowing grin. “Shut up! I didn’t mean it like that! Does Garrison even have a girlfriend?”
“If he does, he’s being really private about it.” I shrugged my shoulders in response before Makayla got the next tweet up.
“Okay, behind door number nine is Mark Cross.” Makayla commented before her grin widened. “Err, Charlotte?”
“What?” I asked with a confused look before I checked Twitter, when I saw Christian’s tweet I nearly jumped through the roof. “YES!!!!!!!!!!”
“You did say that you were hoping for him as a partner!” Makayla responded with a big grin on her face as I went around the room chanting yes. “Good grief babe, you didn’t say “yes” this much whenever we had sex!”
“Heh, sorry!” I responded sheepishly before I returned to my seat, as soon as I did however, I heard a dog barking from the open window. “And I think I just woke up my neighbours German Shephard.”
“Hey, he’s being a good doggo at least.” Makayla shrugged her shoulders in response, and I shook my head.
“It’s she actually and I’ve met her a few times since I moved here, her name’s Athena and she’s a lovely doggo.” I nodded in response before I regained my composure enough to check the next tweet, or so I thought. “Sorry, you read the rest of the tweets, I’m too pumped from getting Mark as a partner to get through them.”
“Sure.” Makayla nodded as I put out a tweet in support of my team, she ratted off the remaining teams but aside from Despayre and Amber Ryan (which produced a wince from me) I didn’t pay much attention to them, until Makayla cleared her throat. “Charlotte, I know your excited and all but “ducking”? Since when did you censor yourself?”
“Huh?” I asked with a confused look on my face before I checked my tweet, then ran a hand down my face before issuing a correction tweet which nearly killed Makayla when she saw it.
“Fucking, goth dam if auto cucumber?” Makayla asked in between fits of laughter. “Watch yourself, you might kill one of the bosses.”
“Not a good look the week before my first PPV with the company.” I nodded before I heard scratching at my glass door that led to my back garden, then I looked up. “Athena?!”
“Guess she decided to check out the noise.” Makayla chuckled before I went over to the dog, she was three years old and had the traditional German Shepard colour scheme and had all the intelligence you’d expect from a German Shepard.
“Hey cutie, did you get out of your back garden again?” I greeted the dog who wagged her tail as I opened the door.
“Again?” Makayla asked with a confused look on her face as I stroked the dog. “Your neighbours don’t have high fences?”
“They do.” I responded as I stroked the dog. “But they have a back entrance that she can easily reach and open, and they spend most of the day working, luckily they gave me their number when I first met Athena.”
“I take it they left some filled bowls of food and water for her.” Makayla asked and I nodded before letting Athena into the house knowing that it was better than letting her wonder the streets. “Let me guess, back entrance only opens from the inside.”
“Yep, and I’m not about to commit break in and entry to return Athena to her house.” I nodded in response before getting my phone out and dialling their number. “Hey Shaun, it’s Krystal, yeah, Athena got out again, don’t worry, I got her safe in my house until someone pops round to let her in yours.” I explained to the homeowner as I patted Athena on the head. “You’re on shift for another three hours? Text me as soon as you are off shift, I don’t have any dog food in the house for obvious reasons.”
“There’s a thought.” Makayla commented as I hung up and started to think off what to do. “Maybe you should get a dog for yourself, could even call it Andrea?”
“Why would I name a pet after someone the rest of the roster despises?” I pointed out as I fussed Athena around. “Even if she is a bit of a bitch.” I added with a grin and Athena gave me the tilted head look. “Not you, even if that is the correct term, I’d better go get some dog food for you.”
“And that’s my cue to hang up.” Makayla nodded as she went to end the skype call. “I take it you know what she can and can’t eat?”
“Her owners told me that she doesn’t have any allergies or illnesses so that shouldn’t be a problem.” I nodded before I stood up and ended the Skype call on my end, once that was done it was off to the shops for me.
Krystal’s home, Las Vegas, Nevada
Monday the 25th of January 2021, 18:00pm
After having yet another conversation with my neighbours about replacing the back entrance in their garden I returned Athena to them as soon as they returned home, not that I was complaining about having a four legged friend around the house for a few hours.
Right now, I had two things on my mind, recovering from my hangover from meeting O’Malley and Daniel at the bar (and yes, he was drinking heavily) and making final preparations for my match against Ruby this Sunday, fortunately I wasn’t scheduled to be at the Go Gym today, otherwise they would’ve had to deal with hungover, cranky Krystal though I did note that they would’ve been done by now.
“Okay, streaming schedule for the week.” I muttered to myself as I got my schedule up on my Twitch page. “Watch_Dogs Legion is starting tomorrow morning, Mario Maker 2 Troll Levels in the evening……” My train of thought was interrupted by a knock at the door and I glanced up. “That had better not be Shaun asking if I’ve seen Athena because she got out.” I sighed to myself before I stood up and went to answer the door.
Whilst it was someone I knew, it wasn’t my neighbour, rather it was one of my trainers. “So, I heard from Daniel that you were pretty excited about your Blast from the Past Draw.” Gabriel greeted me and I grinned before letting him in.
“You could say that.” I responded as Gabriel sat down in my living room and I sat down opposite him. “I had a shortlist of best possible partners and Mark Cross was right at the top.”
“Can’t go wrong with the defending champion, at least in theory.” Gabriel nodded as he got the idea whilst I made myself comfy. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only reason I popped round today because Odette told me about the talk you had with her last week.”
“I should’ve known.” I sighed in response before running a hand through my hair. “If your worried about my performance in the tournament and this Sunday, don’t be, I am in much better spirits this week than I was last week, thanks partially to the Blast from the Past Draw.”
“I’m glad to hear it Charlotte, though in my opinion you should at least consider seeing a psychiatrist about this.” Gabriel advised me and I nodded reluctantly. “Even if it means going through BetterHelp.”
“That’s as likely to happen as Daniel’s liver surviving his team with Ruby should they make it to the finals” I deadpanned getting a laugh out of Gabriel, albeit one that was too loud for my liking. “Not so loud, still nursing the hangover.”
“My apologies.” Gabriel apologized once he saw me messaging my aching forehead and I nodded in response. “My visit is going to be brief because Odette wanted me to check on you, are you sure you’re alright?”
“If you had asked me on Friday, my answer would’ve been no.” I responded with a frown on my face before I flipped some hair over my shoulder. “But on top of my Blast from the Past Draw being one of the best I could’ve asked for? I had another flashback dream yesterday, this time to when Makayla helped me escape my home life, though it was cut short before I could send that bastard to jail.”
“If that doesn’t raise your spirits then it might be a lost cause.” Gabriel nodded in understanding before he got up to leave. “I’m off home but just remember that me and Odette are always available for a chat, and Team Go wanted me to let you know that they are available for Dungeons and Dragons on Wednesday.”
“Great, they were the last people I needed to confirm before I started on the session plan.” I responded with a grin before it hit me. “That I should probably save until my headache from the hangover has passed.”
“That’s probably the best idea.” Gabriel nodded in understanding before he went to leave. “Good luck on Sunday but don’t underestimate Ruby, as annoying as she is, she is a graduate of Jet City South.”
“Uh huh, call me when they produce champions at the rate the Go Gym has.” I snarked as I rolled my eyes and Gabriel left my home.
Krystal’s home, Las Vegas, Nevada
Monday the 25th of January 2021, 21:00pm
*promo time*
With my headache from the hangover finally gone and my session plan for this week’s Dungeons and Dragons session done it was time for my second PPV promo, and yeah, I mean that literally.
“As a fan, I always looked forward to the week two promos whenever SCW did a PPV because they almost always set the tone for the PPV itself and Inception IV is no exception, well, for me at least, This is still a huge milestone for me and Ruby as it is our first PPV match but now that we know our pairings for the Blast from the Past Tournament, has that affected our moods heading into the PPV Match?”
You already know the answer.
“Based on Ruby’s Twitter, why I still follow her on Twitter I don’t know, she is her usual obnoxiously hyper self who is liable to drive Daniel J. Morgan to alcoholism if they make it past round one, me on the other hand? The news that I’m teaming with the reigning Blast from the Past Champion in “The Dragon” Mark Cross has done a lot to motivate me into kicking Ruby’s ass this Sunday live on PPV, in fact I’m half tempted to dedicate my victory to Daniel’s liver, who knows? Maybe that’s what it’ll need to survive the pairing?”
I said before shaking my head.
“Okay, real talk Ruby, Daniel and the rest of London Underground can be an ass at the best of times but he’s also one of the most professional men I’ve met in this business, I realize that’s not saying much because for every Daniel J. Morgan there’s at least ten Slappy McGoos but my point still stands, you haven’t even teamed up yet but the fact that you drove him to drink mere hours after the draw was announced would normally make any sane person look at themselves in the mirror, I say normally but you are a cousin of Kate Steele, that should say everything really!”
I added before shaking my head.
“Seriously, is there a more fucked up family in wrestling than the Steeles/Warrens? At this point I wouldn’t be surprised if your great, great grandfather was Jack the fucking Ripper Ruby! All joking aside I have one goal heading into this match and that’s winning my first match of 2021 live on PPV and hopefully setting the tone for my performance in the Blast from the Past Tournament, you on the other hand Ruby? I think this would be the one time Daniel wouldn’t complain about being eliminated in the first round!”
It’s that simple.
“I swear to fucking god, if my first round Blast from the Past Opponent is you Ruby, I will scream so loud that you could hear me out in the fucking Nevada desert! Until then, my goal in this match couldn’t be simpler, win the match and move on with my life whilst leaving you in the dust! And as for any song titles, I have a couple, Shut Up, We’re Not Going to Take It from you and if by some miracle you make it to the Blast from the Past Finals, I’m gonna have at least some Faith that Daniel’s liver will survive.”
And with that I decided to wrap things up.
“The time has come! And I Wanna Rock this PPV by telling you Ruby to Beat It and faster than you can say I Will Survive you will be beaten by me and you won’t be too Headstrong to realize it, hopefully! Also, I hope your fucking happy because I just referenced one of the worst One Hit Wonders of the mid-2000s in Trapt! But at the end of the day, I will be the Last Man Standing, or woman in this case, and I will bring you down with the Down Under Thunderbomb courtesy of Krystal Wolfe!”
I went upstairs to start my stream as the scene fades.