A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
SCW Inception III
Golden Briefcase Ladder Match
SCENE ONE: LATE NIGHT THOUGHTS (feat. Pandora Barrett)
Thwock!
Thwock!
Thwock!
Thwock!
*click*
Light filled the screen, the darkness broken with the flick of a switch, and it takes a few moments for the fuzziness to clear away. When it does, a shirtless Travis Levitt is revealed to be sitting with his back against the tiled wall of a bathroom. His hair is disheveled and draped around his face, and in his hand is a simple black bouncy ball. He blinks a few times to try and get his sight back, as in the doorway stands Pandora Barrett in an oversized t-shirt and some panties. The Malicious Mademoiselle has one hand on the doorway, the other reaching up to run through her hair as she looks down at Levitt.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?"
"So late that its early."
Levitt sighs and throws the ball again, watching it bounce off the floor and hit the wall with a Thwock! before coming back to his hand and being caught easily. The Phoenix squeezes the ball for a moment, knowing full well Pandora is just staring at him and waiting, and he finally looks up at her and sighs.
"Did I wake you?"
"No. Well....I woke up when I turned over and didn't feel you there. But the ball didn't wake me. Lack of balls in my bed did."
Travis looks up at her, grateful to see the smile on Pandora's face as he lets out a soft chuckle. There are few people that can get behind his guard, but Pandora is easily one of them. She's always seemed to know when he needs to be left alone, or when he needs company and to be kept away from his own thoughts. He throws the ball again - Thwock! - catching it as Pandora moves over slowly, slipping down to sit beside him, and just watching as Levitt squeezes the ball a little. The two of them sitting there for a few silent moments before Pandora reaches up to rub at his shoulder.
"How bad is it?"
Of course she would know just what to ask. They'd talked about his problems before. Travis didn't lie to her when they got together. He'd wanted her to know everything. To know just what she was getting into. She'd never judged him, and he wasn't sure he could ever thank her enough for that. He squeezed the ball again and then shrugged slightly.
"Bad enough. Couldn't sleep. Just....got this loop in my head, ya know. Get some soma. Sleep enough to find my cycle again. It'll just be this one time. I'm strong enough now. I can do it. Just once, thats all I need, just this once...."
Levitt lets out a long sigh as he looks down at the tiled floor of the room, teeth sinking into his lip, and clearly fighting against an inner desire right now to give in to his addiction. Pandora watches him, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck, just being beside him and letting him know she is there. It takes him a few moments but he finally chuckles and looks back towards her.
"Its not easy. I knew it wouldn't be easy. But I can't help but think......what am I fighting for? Why do I have to fight? Why can't I just....who cares if I have just one pill?"
"You would care. And you know you would."
Levitt looks at her and nods softly, her words easy but enough to make him see the truth behind them. He lifts his hand to throw the ball again, but then stops himself, just looking at the ball, and then lowering his hand with a sigh. Pandora leans over to press a soft kiss on his shoulder, and he looks at her with a small smile. Slowly feeling the urge fading away as with each passing moment his control slowly takes back over, and he looks at her with a grateful smile.
"This is what I was afraid of, you know. Getting back into the business.....I knew there'd be nights like this. It's not about the wrestling. That's the easy part. The moment I step out from behind that curtain, it's game on Girlfriend and all my instincts are driving me. And I can do that part in my sleep. It's this. These moments. This life on the road....this is where the dangers are."
"Is it one of your triggers?"
"Kind of. Stability is suppose to help with recovery. You find a routine, and you stick to it. Wake up. Eat. Hit the Gym. Work. Go Home. Sleep. Thats the ideal life for a recovering addict. And for 6 months thats all I did. Just got into that routine, and stuck to it. And it worked for me, and it kept me sober."
Pandora watches him with a worried look in her eyes, her fingers idly running over his bicep as she just listens for a few moments. This is one of the reasons Travis loves this woman. Pandora has always known just when he needs to vent, and when he needs to just sit in silence. Their not conventional, they never have been, but they work well together and they both know it. Pandora watches his face for a few extra moments before speaking up quietly.
"If it worked....why change it?"
"Because it took six months for the wrestling bug to overtake my sobriety."
Levitt looks at Pandora and she can't help but smile, because they both know what the wrestling bug is like. This business isn't the kind of business you can just dip a toe in and then leave. Once you're in, there's no way out. Not if you truly love this business. Its worse then any drug that way, and they both know it. Pandora nods as she realises what he means and Levitt turns to face the wall, tossing the ball again with another thwock and catching it. He looks at the ball for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.
"When that happened, when that need to wrestle overtook my sobriety, I knew I was in trouble. Knew I'd be diving headfirst right into the deep end of my recovery. Sink or Swim. And I thought I'd be able to handle it, and so far, I have. But every now and then, there's a night like tonight. A night where my brain is so busy trying to go over every little thing I know about my upcoming matches, that it just won't shut up and let me sleep. And so.....so those thoughts creep in. And once they find a foothold, their hard to shake off. It starts as a little tossing and turning in bed...."
"And before you know it, your tossing a bouncy ball at a bathroom wall and trying to shut your brain off entirely."
Levitt looks at him, a soft smile stretching her lips and Travis sighs.Leaning back and resting the back of his head against the wall, while staring up at the ceiling. He just stares for a few moments and then speaks softly.
"Maybe it was a mistake to come back. Maybe I should just go home, try and find a normal life."
Pandora doesn't say a word in response, just watching his face as Levitt keeps staring up at the ceiling. The Scream Queen just letting him be for a moment, until she reaches up to grab him by his goatee. Travis gasps, but Pandora is insistent as she pulls Levitt's face down until he is staring into her eyes and she smiles softly.
"Stop being stupid. You hear me? If you hadn't come back, we wouldn't be here. You're well liked and respected, and you're getting exactly what you want, remember? This week you have a chance in SCW to get yourself a guaranteed World Title Shot. So, stop being stupid. Put your ball down, get your ass up, and come back to bed. I need my snuggles."
Levitt stares at her, and Pandora deliberately keeps a firm hold of his goatee until Travis does his best attempt at a nod with his goatee still being held onto. Pandora lets go with a smile, and then leans in to kiss his cheek gently before standing up with a big grin stretching her lips. She holds a hand out towards Travis, and he takes her hand before shaking his head as he climbs up.
"Is it bad that seeing you get so bossy is such a turn-on?"
"Of course not. You're my Bitch."
Pandora keeps her hand in his as she walks him back towards the bedroom, and Travis can't help but tilt his head slightly and nod.
"Yeah that sounds about right."
And with a final CLICK the lights cut out and the scene cuts to darkness.
END OF SCENE ONE!
----
SCENE TWO: REACHING NEW HEIGHTS
The scene opens up on a shot of the ring inside the Gold Coast Casino. It's hours before the show, so there is still some roadies around getting stuff set up, but there are no fans here yet. A couple of the roadies turn towards the doors as they open, and into the room walks Travis Levitt in a hoodie and a beanie. Levitt nods at them, and they give him a polite nod back before turning away and getting back on with their job. Levitt himself just stands a few steps inside the room and staring at the ring, and then around at the seats. It's empty right now, but he can already picture what it's going to look like tonight, and the rush is slowly buzzing inside him. Stepping down the aisle, he walks closer to the ring and reaches out to run a hand over the apron. Spotting a nearby production member, Levitt reaches over to pat the man on the shoulder and point at the camera nearby.
"Can you....."
The man nods and Levitt smiles appreciatively. Watching for a moment as the man hefts up the camera, and then gets it rolling. The shot now switching to a facial shot of The Phoenix, as he stands poised, hands in his pockets and his eyes on the ring. Turning to look at the camera with a soft smile.
"Hello SCW. This is 'The Phoenix' Travis Levitt, coming at you live from the Gold Coast Casino, all thanks to my friend.....uhhh......what was your name?" "My name's Jeff." "Of course it is. But that's the only word you'll be hearing from Jeff today. Isn't it, Jeff?" "I....I guess s---" "Jeff! What did I just say? Ixnay on the alktay!"
Silence is the only answer and Travis shakes his head as he turns his gaze away from the man behind the camera to look back into the lens. His posture is showing his calm demeanour as he takes a slightly backwards step, turning to look at the ring and staring for a few seconds before speaking up again.
"So, here we are. SCW's first supercard. My first supercard as an SCW Superstar. Inception 3! CLASH! OF! THE! CHAMPIONS!"
Levitt bellows out the last four words, hands raised as if putting them across the marquee himself. A couple of the roadies glance over to see what is going on, but most of the staff around the ring area is too busy still setting things up to giver Levitt any notice, as he stands there posing for a moment and then looking back at the camera. Arm raised to the camera, and he pulls back the arm of his hoodie to show off his skin.
"You can see the goosebumps, right? Tonight is going to be amazing. I've had goosebumps for days just thinking about it. tonight, in this ring, it's me and five other superstars, all looking to bring our best, do our best, and try our best, and all of it for one thing. Just. One. Thing."
Levitt smiles softly, letting out a soft breath as he looks back at the ring and then up towards the rafters. Eyes visualizing his target for tonight before he looks back at the camera.
"The Golden Briefcase. A guaranteed shot at any SCW Title. the stakes don't get much higher then that. Since the very first day I entered this business, I have always dreamed of being a World Champion. But whenever the opportunity has come up, I've choked on my chance. Every. Single. Time."
Levitt looks down at his feet again for a moment, scuffing at the floor before he shakes his head and turns towards the ring. Stepping over to reach out and run a hand over the apron, as if somehow touching the ring will give him some sign of how his night will go. He waits a moment but then turns back to face the camera.
"And yet.....if I had the briefcase, that curse would be all but over. Because I could cash in whenever or wherever I like. No more fighting on neutral terms, or at the champions advantage. The advantage would be /all/ mine. And you should know, I have no hesitation in cashing in when a champion is at his weakest or most vulnerable. Won't stop me even a little. I want to be World Champion. I /will/ be the SCW World Champion. And while tonight gives me a great chance at getting my shot, my goal doesn't change tonight. Win or Lose. I am still coming for that title."
Levitt's intently staring into the camera again, seemingly considering stepping closer, but he instead reaches back, resting his palms on the apron of the ring and hopping up to sit on the edge. A slight smirk on his lips, tilting his head as he stares into the camera.
"But, before I can go for that briefcase, I have to face a few facts. Like the fact that all five of the other men in this match want it just as badly as I do. That all five men know the stakes, know their chances, and are coming for it just as hard as I am. Caleb Storms. Joshua Acquin. St. John Cross. Slappy McGoo. Senor Vinnie. Five men that are coming into this match ready to give it their all, and will happily step all over my bloodied broken body if it means they can take that briefcase."
"Now, since I came to SCW, I've had two matches. One where I stomped the holy hell out of Joshua Acquin. And one where I went to war with St. John Cross and Lachlan Kane. I'm one and one. And I'm okay with that. Because I knew coming back into this business that it wouldn't be as simple as coming back and winning every match. Nothing is ever that simple. But I can guarantee you, Cross felt our match every bit as much as I did the next day. And thats the thing that is important. If you're going to beat me, I'm going to make damn sure you feel the effects the next day. I will fight, and I will claw, and I will scratch for every last inch inside that ring. Every. Last. Inch. So a victory over me....thats no small thing, Cross. And I tip my....well, beanie to you. You got the win. You didn't pin me, but you got the win. Good work."
"And now, here we stand again. Yet another match where you don't need to pin me, but can still beat me. Intriguing prospect, isn't it? The chance to win that briefcase, get some sort of bragging rights, while still not actually beating me. Impressive. But thats if you make it up that ladder first, Cross. You're fast, I know that from experienced. You're determined and you have every bit of a chance to get that briefcase. But thats just it. You have a chance. And I just.....I can't see you doing it again, Cross. Not beating me twice in a row. Something tells me you're in for a fall from grace."
"And as for the other man I've already faced.....Acquin, I don't know what logics or decision making went into deciding which people were in this match, but there is a giant part of me that believes you were picked as the sacrificial lamb. the man thrown into the match just to be a body for all of us to stomp on. Seriously, when was the last time you actually entered a match with ANY actual chance to win? It hasn't been lately. Before our last match, I told you that you were the welcome mat. The example I'd use to make sure everyone understood just how dangerous I can be. And now, we're going to be in the same ring again, and this time there's no disqualifications. I am going to /love/ messing you up all over again. And tis time, I'll be able to use a lot more then just my body. Survey Says Mr. Nightmare is in for a hell of a time."
"And then.....Jeff, who was I upto?" "Uhhh....Cale---" "Jeff! I told you not to talk! I didn't want you to actually answer the question! Anyway, Caleb Storms. I can't say I know much about you Caleb. I'm sure if I wanted to find footage, I could. If I wanted to discover more of your dreams and aspirations and hopes, I could. And that would make it all the more fun when I crush them at Inception. But, unfortunately, I'm almost....it almost feels bad to say, that to me you're just like Acquin. A body to fill up this match, but not an actual threat. Tonight's forecast says that you're going down in flames. No storm warning. Oops."
Levitt shrugs slightly, and then lets out a breath. Looking left and right he finally spots something he is after, hopping off the apron, and walking away. the camera moves to follow him, and we see Levitt walk over to a catering table. Picking up a bottle of water, he cracks it open and takes a deep swig, letting out another breath before looking back towards the camera.
"Man.....five opponents sure makes a guy have to talk a lot, huh?" "I mean, yeah I g--" "DAMMIT JEFF! YOU HAVE ONE JOB!"
Levitt shakes his head, taking another swig of his water and then heading back towards the ring. Reaching the apron again, he hops back up so he's seated once more, and looks at the camera for a long moment and then speaks again.
"And now, we move onto the two men I know only by reputation. Senor Vinnie and Slappy McGoo. Now, while they are both stupid names, neither man is actually stupid. And I certainly would never want to imply that Slappy is anything other then a fine upstanding and amazing citizen. Mostly because I'm afraid he'll eat me if I do. Slappy is the kindest sweetest young man I have ever met, and if there really is an everafter and an Almighty Father then....well, you got one sick sense of humor. Putting a soul that sweet and innocent in a package that looks like it's going to jump on your head just for looking at him....I get the joke. I just don't like it. Especially since I have to share the ring with him. But there is one small mercy to be granted here. This is a ladder match. Which means in order to win, you need to climb a ladder. And I don't think mankind has yet evolved to the stage where we can develop a ladder that can hold that boy. It's a small mercy, but considering the situation, I'll take it."
"And now, finally, we reach Senor Vinnie himself. the one man in this match that has more motivation then any other. How many times have you choked against Fenris now, Vinnie? Two? Four? Twenty? Does it even matter? Time and again you've had your shot at the gold, and you just.....you keep falling short. So, I think I speak on behalf of all the people that have been forced to listen to your mariachi 'skills', when I say we hope you fall on your cactus and meet a prickly end. The same way there eardrums did. You are the man in this match that has already fought for the World Title, and been taken seriously doing it. And then....you just choked."
"I get what that's like, Vinnie. I do. I've choked every single time I've had my shot at the big one too. And as much as there is a part of me that wants to step aside and let you get another chance.....I can't do that. No matter how much Petey tries to bribe me for it. Because I need this as much as you do. I want this as much as you do. This is my chance, my moment, my night! And I don't care if its a cactus, a guitar, or a UFO itself spinning out and around inside this arena to try and confuse me.....I will not be denied. Not this time."
"Tonight, I'm entering that ring, with five men each as hungry as I am. Well, Slappy might be hungrier. But thats in a literal sense. In a figurative sense, I think I might have him beat. But even though every man is coming in to give it their all, their can be just one winner.....and your looking at him. Tonight, I take the next step on my road to redemption, when I climb that ladder and I seize MY Golden Opportunity! And there is nothing any of you can do to stop me." "They could climb the ladder first..." "DAMMIT JEFF! ONE JOB!"
And with that the scene fades out as Levitt hops down and storms off in an angry mood.