~*~A Little Homesick~*~

The stateroom was dim, lit only by the glow of Bella’s tablet as she sat cross-legged on the bed, a fuzzy blanket tossed over her shoulders. The distant hum of the ship’s engines was the only sound beyond the occasional splash of water brushing the hull. It was late, almost 10pm back in New York, but Bella knew there was someone that wasn’t tired, not yet at least.

Her screen blinked to life, and within seconds, Máire’s face appeared, wide-eyed and full of giggles.

“Mama!” the toddler squealed, bouncing in Alanah’s lap.

Bella’s heart surged at the sound, “Hi, baby girl.”

Máire’s curls were a little messy, her cheeks flushed from running around. In the background, the soft glow of the Russow living room in New York could be seen, rain softly pelting the windows behind them.

“She’s been a wild one today,” Alanah laughed, adjusting the phone so Máire could get closer, “She’s missing you both, though.”

“We miss her too,” Bella said, voice thick with concern, “How are things there? Is everything alright with the rain?”

Alanah nodded, “We’re dry here, for now at least. Jack’s been keeping an eye on the basement just in case, but we’re okay. Just a lot of puddle-jumping and cabin fever. She’s been loving the chaos of it all, all the kids have.”

“Mama, I have boooots!” Máire chirped, sticking a tiny yellow rain boot up toward the camera, "Auntie Lala bought me dem and Uncle Jack says I can splash!”

Bella laughed, genuinely and warmly, "Did you splash the biggest puddle?”

“BIG one,” Máire said, her arms stretched out as wide as they could go, "Like size of ocean!”

“Well, I’m on a big ocean right now,” Bella replied, the smile never quite reaching the sadness in her eyes, “But I think your puddle might win.”

Alanah smiled gently but didn’t say anything. She could see the weight in Bella’s posture—how her shoulders tensed just slightly, how she clutched the blanket around her tighter.

“How are you holding up?” Alanah asked softly, keeping her voice low.

Bella nodded, "Oh I’m fine, just missing my little princess. I just needed to see her face and hear her voice. The matches and the press and all that, it doesn’t really matter right now. This is what matters.”

Máire suddenly yawned, stretching out across Alanah’s chest and starting to blink slowly.

“Oh, looks like it’s bedtime,” Alanah murmured, "We’ll call again tomorrow?”

“Yes, please.” Bella leaned closer to the camera, pressing a gentle kiss against the screen, "Goodnight, baby girl. I love you so much as does daddy. Sweet dreams.”

“Night night, Mama,” Máire murmured, her voice heavy with sleep, "Love you thiiiis much.”

She stretched her arms again, wide, wide, wide, before finally letting her eyes close.

The screen went dark a moment later, leaving Bella in the quiet.

She closed the tablet, held it to her chest, and stared out the stateroom window. Somewhere beyond the black ocean, her daughter was safe and dry and dreaming of puddles and rain boots. And that was enough.

For now.

The moon hung low above the endless ocean, casting silver trails along the water’s surface. The breeze carried just enough warmth to make the deck feel alive, the occasional muffled music from a bar below echoing faintly in the air. Bella stood at the railing, Malachi beside her, both sipping quietly from a pair of drinks they hadn’t really touched.

“She was wearing her boots,” Bella said, breaking the silence first, "Kept talking about puddles like they were portals to another world.”

Mal chuckled under his breath, "She gets that from you.”

“I get that from my mom,” Bella replied, her voice softer than usual, "I used to think she could fight a hurricane and win just because she told me bedtime stories like they were war chants.”

“She still could,” he said, "Have you seen her ref? I wouldn’t mess with her in stripes.”

Bella managed a smile, but it faded just as quickly as it came. She looked out at the horizon, arms folded tight against her chest.

“Everyone’s here,” she said after a moment, "Miles. Carter. Mom. Even Dad...and it still feels like something’s missing.”

Mal reached for her hand, "It’s not just something. It’s her.”

She nodded, biting the inside of her cheek, "I know she’s safe. I know Alanah and Jack are taking care of her. But I keep thinking, what if something happens and I’m not there? What if she wakes up crying and I can’t hold her?”

“She’s stronger than you think,” he said, "Because you made her that way.”

Bella glanced sideways at him, searching his face for a moment, then looking back out to sea.

“Do you ever wonder if this is still worth it?” she asked, "Being away. Fighting the same fights. Proving the same points. I’m not sure anymore if I’m chasing a legacy or just running from the idea of losing it.”

Mal didn’t answer right away, he gave her space, watching the water with her, letting the weight of her words settle into the night air, “Legacy or not,” he finally said, “You’ve already built something no one else can touch. Not Mercy. Not Lilith. Not anyone. The titles, the spotlight, you’ve always said this and it bears repeating....that’s just part of the story. The real fight? It’s always been about protecting what’s yours.”

Bella breathed in deep, the salty air burning her lungs just enough to make her feel something again.

“She said she loved me ‘this much’ tonight,” she whispered, holding her arms open just like her daughter did in the call, "Arms open as wide as the ocean. I have to win for her, Mal. Not just the belt. Everything.”

Mal leaned in, brushing his lips against her temple, "Then you will. Because no one burns brighter when they’re fighting for home.”

And for a while, they just stood there, together, quiet, surrounded by stars and the soft hush of the sea. Bella’s hand slowly gripped the railing tighter, her heart heavier but clearer. Máire was her world. And Bella wasn’t going to let anyone take that world from her, not even for a second.

~*~Meet n Greet~*~

The sun had barely climbed past the mid-morning horizon when Bella and Malachi stepped out onto the open-air deck where the fan meet-and-greet was already in full swing. The Princess Cruise ship had transformed the upper deck into a makeshift SCW fan festival, banners waved in the breeze, autograph booths lined the edges, and the smell of sunscreen and overexcited adrenaline clung to the air.

Mal had his arms crossed and sunglasses on, taking in the crowd warily. Mal was not one for crowds like this and thankfully he was not on the clock. Bella, on the other hand, looked amused.

“You’d think they’d never seen a wrestler before,” she joked, watching a group of teens in custom ‘MADISON FURY’ tank tops sprint past them with squeals of excitement.

“They’ve definitely never seen you this close,” Mal said dryly, nudging her with his elbow, "Are you ready for this insanity?”

“I’ve survived cage matches, Wolfslair training and childbirth,” Bella smirked, "This’ll be a breeze.”

Before she could say anything else, a fan dressed like her, down to the leather jacket that was damn near a replica of her own, purple gear-inspired tank top, and combat boots, came running up, barely containing her excitement, "Bella! Bella! Can I get a selfie? You’re like, literally my queen.”

Bella laughed, already pulling the girl in, "If I’m the queen, what does that make Mal?”

“Uh…” The fan looked over, starstruck, "The scary bodyguard-slash-husband who could throw someone off the side of the ship?”

Mal nodded solemnly, "That is correct.”

“Yup, sounds about right,” Bella said, posing for the camera with a wide grin and tossing up a devil horns hand sign, "What’s your name?”

“Shay! This is like, the best cruise ever! You’re totally winning that match, right? You have to! Mercedes sucks and Lilith’s cool, but you’re the GOAT.”

Bella snorted, "Well Shay, I’ll do my best not to let my superfan down.”

A crowd began to form behind Shay, and soon Bella was signing shirts, posing for TikToks, getting hugged by little girls in sparkly boots, and playfully sparring with teens doing their best wrestler impressions. Mal hung back, watching with arms crossed and that proud, I-won-the-lottery-with-this-one expression on his face.

At one point, a kid nervously handed Bella a drawing, stick figures of her, Mal, and a crayon-scribbled Máire with "Team Madison" written in big purple letters at the top.

Bella’s voice caught a little when she said, “This is going right on the fridge when we get home.”

Then came a surprise: an elderly couple, both in matching SCW T-shirts, ambled up to Bella’s table. The man leaned in and said with a wink, “We just wanted to say we’ve been watching you since your first match, and if you don’t win that Internet Championship back, my wife’s gonna riot.”

The woman nodded solemnly, "And I make a mean Molotov.”

Bella laughed until she had tears in her eyes.

An hour later, back in their suite, she collapsed on the couch with her arms full of fan gifts and her cheeks sore from smiling.

“That was…” she started.

“Pure chaos,” Mal offered, tossing a signed poster onto the nearby dresser.

“And exactly what I needed,” Bella finished, softer now.

Because sometimes it wasn’t about the title, or the mind games, or the battles still ahead. Sometimes it was just about showing up, being seen, and knowing there were people, little girls in sparkly boots, cranky superfans, and Molotov-wielding grandmothers, who believed in her.

And that meant everything to her.

~*~

The moon hung low over the ocean, reflected in shattered silver ripples across the surface. The Princess Cruise cut through the dark waves like a ghost ship, lights glowing warm and welcoming against the black sea. But Bella Madison sat alone on the rear deck, far from the bars and the music and the illusion of luxury. The scent of salt lingered in the air, mixing with the faint burn of oil and metal. Her elbows rested on her knees, hands clasped loosely as she stared out at nothing in particular, her mind anywhere but here.

“Lilith Locke.”

The name was a weight on her chest, more than just a competitor. Lilith was complicated and chaotic. She’s fairly certain that in a previous life they were probably friends. But there was something about her that tugged at the edges of Bella’s resolve, not because she feared her, but because she saw pieces of herself reflected back in Lilith’s sharp words and haunted eyes.

“Hope.”

That’s what Lilith said made Bella vulnerable. That it was worse than fear. Bella let out a breath, slow and quiet. Maybe she was right.

“I do hope, Lil. I hope like hell. I hope that this fight will mean something. I hope that my sacrifices have built more than just scars. I hope that when my daughter looks back one day, she’ll see a mother who fought for what mattered. But if hope makes ME vulnerable? Then so fucking be it. Let it be the soft spot in my armor, the thing that makes me human. Because I refused to give it up. Not for Lilith or Mercy. Not for anyone a single solitary fucking soul.”

“She thinks she’s going to ruin me,” Bella murmured, her voice barely above the ocean breeze. “She thinks this moment will be the one that breaks me. But Lilith, you don’t get to decide that. Because for every jagged truth that poured out of Lilith’s mouth, for every dark mirror she held up to MY light, there was one thing she couldn’t touch: I know exactly who the fuck I am. I don’t wrestle to be liked. I sure as hell didn’t wrestle to be famous. I wrestle because this is me. And Lilith? Lilith, you fight like a woman who has nothing left to lose. I have something, and those are a legacy, a family, a daughter and a name I am very proud to carry. If Lilith wanted to smother hope in the ring, then baby, I will GLADLY bring enough fire to reignite it tenfold.”

Bella softly whispered to the waves, like a silent affirmation, “I want to be the last one standing.”

And then there was Mercedes.

Bella’s jaw tightened.

The audacity of that woman.

Mercedes Vargas was a cockroach dressed in diamonds—shiny, smug, and impossible to get rid of. She’d been handed opportunity after opportunity, and somehow always managed to slither her way back into a spotlight she didn’t earn. She held Bella’s title like it was a birthright, not a trophy stolen in the night.

“You didn’t have the guts to face us at Climax Control,” Bella said, louder now, venom creeping into her tone. “You let Lilith do the dirty work, and you sat pretty with that title on your shoulder like a queen watching peasants fight for her amusement.”

But this wasn’t Mercedes’ kingdom.

This was Bella’s territory.

This was the place she built with blood and fury and every broken piece of herself she refused to bury.

“You’re not a champion. You’re a placeholder. A footnote. A distraction until someone with a spine came along to end the story.”

And that was what Bella was going to do.

End it.

On the Princess Cruise, at Summer Xxxtreme, under the stars and above the water, she was going to rip that championship back out of Mercedes’ smug little hands. And if Lilith got in her way? She’d go over her, through her—whatever it took.

This wasn’t about respect anymore.

This was about reclamation.

Bella stood slowly, the wind tugging at her hair like ghostly fingers. The storm clouds she had watched earlier were closer now, threatening. But that didn’t scare her either.

She turned and walked to the edge of the deck. A torch sat in a sconce there, lit for ambiance. She took it.

Some people called her dramatic. Maybe they were right.

But when you had everything on the line, when they tried to take your crown and bury your name in the rubble of broken hopes—you made them remember.

She returned to her suite, silent and slow, and then walked the perimeter of their private balcony.

A ring of fire.

It danced along the ledge, small and contained but alive, wild like her.

Bella stood in the center of it, the flickering light casting her in gold and shadow.

“This is mine,” she whispered. “The title. The legacy. The moment. You don’t get to take it. You don’t get to walk through my fire without getting burned.”

And at Summer Xxxtreme?

They were going to learn exactly how hot it could get.

The torch flame cracked as it sputtered in the ocean wind, casting wild shadows across Bella’s features. The fire behind her had gone out, but the heat still radiated in her chest.

And now, the voice in her head wasn’t Lilith’s anymore.

It was Mercedes Vargas. That purring, polished tone full of smug superiority, like she was sitting on a throne made of every shortcut she ever took.

"Wide-eyed optimism."

Bella’s lip curled into a humorless smile. That was rich, coming from someone who clung to nostalgia like it was a championship belt. Mercedes didn’t want competition, she wanted a museum exhibit with her face plastered on every wall. She didn’t want to fight; she wanted to be worshipped.

“The blog was really cute,” Bella said, mimicking her tone with a sneer. “I’m amazed that you took your precious time to focus completely on the match instead of random retweeting stupid shit. Mercy, You think I haven’t been tested? That I haven’t earned every scar, every loss, every moment they didn’t cheer?”

She stepped away from the balcony and paced the deck like a caged animal, pacing toward the storm.

“No, what you see when you look at me isn’t optimism. It’s resilience. And that fact....that scares the hell out of you. Because Mercedes really wants everyone to believe she’d already done it all. That there was no mountain left for her to climb. But as for me? I’m still climbing, still clawing, still evolving. And that make me dangerous.”

“You think respect is something I expect to be handed?” she asked the air. “Please. I’ve fought for it harder than you’ve ever had to. You coast on your name like it’s a golden ticket, but names fade. Names crumble. You’re not unforgettable, Mercedes. You’re just loud.”

Her voice rose with each step, matching the rhythm of her pulse.

“You act like I’m chasing you, like I want your validation? No. I’m chasing the version of myself who doesn’t flinch when the lights get bright. I’m chasing the moment I get to look in the mirror and say, ‘You did it.’”

“You, Mercedes, wanted to talk about applause? Oh please do it. Because I know exactly what it felt like when the cheers stopped. When no one believes in you but you. And I am going to keep it that way.”

“That’s the difference,” Bella said. “You think you’re extraordinary because you say you are. I become it, day by day, fight by fight. You don’t get to dismiss me because I haven’t peaked yet. You should be scared of that because darling...you. have.”

She turned sharply, grabbing a towel and dousing the last of the flame from her impromptu ritual, smoke curling up into the night air.

“You think I can’t beat you?” she asked, her voice low, biting. “History says otherwise.”

She paused. Then turned toward the camera mounted to her balcony, the little red light blinking.

“But what happens when I do?” She didn’t smile. Didn’t blink. Just stared forward with fire in her eyes. “Be ready, Vargas. Because this isn’t a puppy barking at its reflection.”

She tapped her chest once.

“This is the future, looking dead in the eyes of the past and about to put it out of its misery.”

The scene opens up with Justin Smith standing on the deck of the Princess Cruise. Before he goes to get a drink, he decides to call his friend and former trainer Casey Williams.

Justin-Hey Casey, are you excited to see me kick some ass in the battle royal?

Casey-I am, even though you may not be the one to win, coming from a guy who never won a battle royal.  Everyone used to target me cuz of my size. You will be targeted due to your cockiness”

Justin-I am ready for anything and everything. If I win, great! If I get tossed out first, back to the drawing board I go.

Casey-Ifigured, and I can see you having confidence in yourself.

Justin-Yeah, and I will do my best to win the match, regardless of what needs to be done.

Casey-I’ll send Dying Breed and Hitamashii to train with you.

Justin nods and waves off the cameraman, asking him to leave so Justin can continue his conversation as the scene fades to black.

Early the very next day, Justin is seen at his cabin, on the way to the gym to meet up with Dying Breed and Hitamashii. He arrives at the gym to see Dying Breed members Andrew Garcia and Ivan Darrell already there sparring with each other and Hitamashii.

Andrew-You’re late!

Justin-Sorry, got stuck behind some slow people on the way here.

Ivan-Let’s work on some different techniques.

Justin-Let’s do this!!![/b]

Andrew-At least your skill set can hopefully shine in this match!

Justin-How so?

Ivan-You are known for your power and speed, right?

Justin-Yes.

Andrew-Let us see how we can use that to your advantage in this match, given some of the guys are more agile than you.  Let’s see you do a crucifix powerbomb.

Justin and Ivan get into position and Justin attempts to give Ivan a crucifix powerbomb.

Andrew-That’s good. Now I want to see you try it again.

Justin and Ivan get into position again and Justin’s 2nd attempt of a crucifix powerbomb looks much better than the first time.

Andrew-Good job!

Dying Breed and Hitamashii continue working with Justin as the scene fades to black.

Later that night, Justin is seen at the cafeteria for dinner, but turns to the camera with an evil look in his eyes to call out his opponents, first Eddie Lyons.

Justin-”Eddie, I may be a fool, but I am still here in this match getting the same opportunity you are, so I am doing something right in the bosses eyes to keep getting opportunities even though I am not successful. The bosses know I go out week in and week out and wrestle my heart out and am willing to do whatever is best for business, and having confidence in myself is worth more than anything. I will prove my worth to you, if it’s the last thing I do. Nothing you can say bothers me!”

Justin then gets a coke before turning his attention to Miles Kasey.

Justin-”Miles, you can talk about being the present all you want, but I will prove to you that you are nothing but a one trick pony and that the future is now. Guys like me, Liam, and Logan are the guys that are going to prove to the world that we are the hungriest guys here with the most to prove and the most to gain from winning this match, and that you are nothing but a stepping stone to our successes”

Justin then gets 2 slices of pepperoni pizza. He sits down to eat it and then turns his attention back to call out Liam Davis.

Justin-”Liam, I know you like me and respect me, but that will only go so far in this business.  People cross each other all the time, and I am as vicious as the best of them. Its those whom you trust most that will end up burning you in the end. That is exactly what I will do to you when I eliminate you from this match and being the victor, going on for the World Title here in SCW while you are floundering in the mid card.

Justin breathes, finishes eating, disposes of his trash and then goes to the deck as he calls out Aiden Reynolds.

Justin-”Aiden, you think I’m a joke, but I will prove to you and everybody else that I deserve to be here as much as you. You claim I am part of the reason the Blast From The Past tournament was changed, but in reality, that’s farther from the truth.  I show up every week without question. I go out to the ring and wrestle my heart out for the fans for better or for worse.  Yes, I may be overconfident in myself, but in this industry, if you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else will. It’s a shark eat shark world, and I am the hungriest shark of them all, with the most to prove.”

Justin arrives at the deck, sits in a chair, takes a sip of his coke, and calls out Bill Barnhart.

Justin-”Bill, you seem super confident you are the best wrestler in this match, and that you don’t care what others think about you, but in reality, you will fail and you’re a shell of your former glory. A washed up has been who needs to retire and hang out with your ugly wife and dog.  There is nothing worse than an old timer trying to remain relevant many years past his prime, like you and Felix Hernandez. I hope that when you get tossed over the ropes and off the boat, nobody will be subjected to watching another Bill Barnhart match again.”

Justin cackles before calling out Logan Hunter.

Justin-”Logan, you claim I can’t lace up your boots. I will show you how good I really am when I toss your ass out of the battle royal, causing you to throw another temper tantrum because things don’t go your way. Unlike you, when things don’t go my way, which has been a lot, I put in the work to try to improve my game. You just like to cry like a little bitch and I will make you my bitch com Summer XXXtreme!!!

Justin then hums his theme song “Madness” by Liliac as the scene fades to black.

17th July 2025

He had managed to get through the week, avoiding as many people as he could on the floating prison he had been stuck in since Sunday, hating every minute. He hated being around most of the people he worked with, very little respect for any of them, but hated the general public even more. Stuck at sea around the public was his idea of hell, but he'd managed to avoid many of them, while still being the husband and father that he is. Melody had taken James Jr off to the pool, but J2H knew it was time to put the work in, in the gym. He was fully focused on Sunday, he felt unstoppable but still wanted to be sure to put the work in, instead of doing what a lot of the roster was doing and treating things like a vacation.

He found himself in the gym of the cruise ship, looking around to take note of who was around, but the gym was fairly empty, considering most were enjoying the sun, or getting hammered. He had been running on a treadmill, his ear buds in his ear as he picked up the pace over time, but a tap on his shoulder got him to glance around to see Austin Parker standing next to him with a bottle of water. It took seconds for J2H to tap the machine in front of him and stop it from moving. He removed the ear buds from his ear and jumped off, the sweat dripping from him as Austin handed him the bottle of water and he unscrewed the cap, drinking deep from the ice cold liquid.

Austin: Hitting it a bit hard today, are ya?

J2H continued to drink before stopping and wiping his mouth, looking at Austin with a blank look plastered on his face.

J2H: I'm not like everyone else around here Austin, I'm built differently then all these people around here.

Austin considered making a joke at his expensive, by raising a finger, but shook his head to himself.

Austin: Too easy, but what do you mean?

Austin's look was met with an eyebrow raise from J2H, staring dead in to the cowboy's eyes.

J2H: It's like ten in the morning, and people are out there drinking, and acting like they're on vacation on a show that gets watched by a lot of people but they don't give a fuck, they're happy drinking and treating this shit like a vacation, then expect to be able to fucking wrestle to a top level. Then you've got some idiots practicing toasts for a wedding and all that shit, when this ain't some bullshit vacation this is work. I bet most of these people haven't seen the inside of this place since they got here but know the bar staff by name.

Austin had been on these cruises before, he had seen how the SCW roster tend to act while on this show cycle, but couldn't help but be impressed by J2H.

Austin: You're probably not wrong, but ya know, you could take some time off from this and relax before ya big match. Y'all been in here every day.

He had been busting his ass every day, but there was a new level of determination about J2H since he won Blast From The Past, deep down I think he knew if he didn't win this time, he was going to have to really start at the bottom.

J2H: Fuck relaxing, I'll relax when I'm SCW World Heavyweight champion again. I can't let this place go the way it's going Austin. If I do, no one will have a fucking job by the end of the year.

Austin: Look at you playing the hero.

He knew Austin was mocking from his tone, but in J2H's head, there was some truth to that. In his mind, in his story, he was the hero, saving SCW from a future of disappointment, a future where he has to sit and watch the drama unfold that belonged on daytime television.

J2H: I am the hero, but people don't see it yet. People don't realise that I have been the hero all along and that they've just become part of the story. This place has got piss poor, it's got dull, it's got boring for a year or so, but the only person who was doing things to capture the headlines, was me. I was the one going out there and putting it all on the line for everyone to have something to talk about on Monday morning, what else did we get? Baby drama, box ticking, an evil clown and a hissy fit from an over entitled prick. I have been the only one doing anything worth watching, so yes, I am the hero.

Austin couldn't help but roll his eyes, but J2H looked at him seriously, not a look of a joke of cockiness on his face. He believed every single word he said.

Austin: That's one way of looking at it.

J2H: It's the only way to look at it. People don't see what I've been doing for them all this time, people don't understand I have done it for them, so fuck them, they'll see on Sunday what it's really all been about. While they've sat watching all the over dramatic bullshit fed to them, I've been doing everything that leads me to Sunday.

Austin just looked at J2H as he drunk deep from the cold water bottle, trying to think back to a time where J2H might have been this determined to be a champion again. He didn't how deep that passion was, how hot the fire was inside him.

J2H: This is why I'm a cut above, everyone makes their shit about everything other then wrestling, but I have been making mine all about wrestling. Seriously, name one other person here that puts wrestling above their love life making it to the screen.

Austin looked at J2H thoughtfully, his mind trying to race back to thinking about one other person. He knew what J2H was talking about, he knew so many showcased their family lives over their links to wrestling. 

Austin: Ah can't think of one.

The smug look instantly appeared on J2H's face because he knew he was right in this situation.

J2H: I haven't watched a damn thing Carter had aired, I've not listened to a word he said about me. I really don't give a shit, but I'd lay money that it's all dramatic bullshit, where you can hear the doubt in his voice and all that.

Austin: Ah wouldn't know, I've not seen it either, but why haven't you?

J2H: Cause I don't give a shit about the drama, I'm not gonna watch it and be intimidated by anything he says or does. I don't care what my opponents do, I don't care if they make their dog more over then them, I don't care if they chat to plants, I couldn't give a fuck what they say about me at all. I don't worry about them, I make them worry about me. I always have done, I couldn't give a damn about them or what they say.

Austin had known J2H for a long time, a big driving force in the success of J2H, but he was seeing a different side to him, a side that he had never seen before. 

Austin: What the hell is going on with ya, y'all seem different?

J2H took that as a compliment, he had been adapting his style to being more based on what he's paid to do, wrestle. He decided to be more honest with Austin at that point, and lowered his tone to a softer version.

J2H: The truth is for years I've been here, and so many write me off, so many say I'm not who I used to be, because they don't look close enough. I have done nothing but work my ass off here. That shit with the Harris lot, death matches and shit that's enough to make the average wrestler feel sick, I did all that and if I don't win on Sunday, all that shit will be for nothing, all of that would be worthless. This is the end game Austin. This is the start of the end game at least, because once I win that belt, I know where it all leads, I know where it goes, I've seen it but I've also seen what happens if I don't win.

Austin just looked at him, allowing him to continue.

J2H: If I don't win, then I gotta go back to the bottom, work with the Logan's and the Bill's of this world and I am fucking better then that. I end up doing that, and this place goes to shit. This place needs me to be there cause I can light a fire under anyone in this place. I can drag anyone up to my level for a short time. Look what I did with Artie, the guy can't wrestle for shit but I pulled him up to that level. Without me winning that belt, this place dies.

Austin could almost hear the vulnerability in J2H's voice, he could hear the tone he was talking as being genuine. J2H believed in his heart that he needed this, he needed to win this for the sake of not only himself, but for the sake of SCW.

Austin: That's.... pretty deep.

J2H: It's also very true. The average fan can listen to the bullshit stuff of people giving the history of their matches with their opponents, they can watch people tick boxes, but none of that is gonna save the company like me winning that belt will. There's no momentum behind anyone in SCW like there is with me. I am that guy with the force behind him and if I don't walk out with that belt, everything I've done building that, is wasted, so I can't let that happen.

Austin nodded slowly, buying in to everything J2H was saying, believing word after word he said.

Austin: Well it's damn lucky you ain't gonna be losing this one.

He knew Austin was trying to build his confidence but nodded with acceptance regardless.

J2H: Fucking right. It's not written for me to lose this one. It's written for me to remind everyone just what SCW is all about, it's to remind people just who I am. This one is not falling through my fingers on Sunday.

Austin nodded and smiled at J2H.

Austin: Well, y'all can get back to work now.

J2H shook his head at Austin.

J2H: Fuck that, let's go do something else.

Austin nodded as J2H stepped away from the machine, walking towards the exit with Austin. The two made their way to the right as soon as they exited the gym, unaware that just to the left, the eyes of Logan Hunter burned a hole right through J2H's back. Eventually, the camera faded to black.

---

18th July 2025.

He walks through the halls and makes his way towards the deck of the ship. His mind had been thinking constantly for days to get to this moment and let out his last words before rising to the top of the mountain or falling on his sword, years of work down the toilet. His mind was focusing heavily on that when he turns the corner, only to see a figure in a place where he through was going to be free for him to talk.

J2H: What the fuck?

His tone was quiet, barely over a whisper, but the person in front of him didn't hear him. He looks closer to see a female figure mumbling to herself. J2H's face turned in to a frown as he heard her talk about fires.

J2H: Is she mental? They need to start giving background checks to all these unwashed they let on to this ship.

He decides to walk towards the woman, his footsteps intentionally getting louder as he approaches her from behind, clearing his throat as he got near her. He watches as her body tenses up, startled from her own little world. He moved closer to see her look up at him. His eyes narrowed as he saw the woman to be Marissa, still in the same spot (as seen here in Logan's promo work)

J2H: Unbelievable.

It was just a whisper to himself but he could see Marissa freeze up.

Marissa: I'm.... I'm...

He put his hand up, stopping her stumbling words from falling past her lips.

J2H: What are you even doing out here? Everyone got the stupid schedule sent out about cutting promos in this place cause someone in the boardroom thinks its a pretty fucking setting when it's cliche and I stand here every fucking year and talk cause every fucking year they put me here. It does not explain why you're standing here. Are you like that idiot brother in law of yours? Does it run in the family about trying to get in J2H's spotlight? 

Marissa looks nervous around J2H, partly for the reason that it is indeed J2H berating her, but also partly for the fact that she is a fan, not that she'd openly wave a flag with his name on for the wrath of Logan would be swift and apparent. Talking to J2H was a hidden dream she never thought would happen.

Marissa: It was just.... I can just....

He didn't know why but he felt some kind of empathy to her, probably for having to deal with Logan on a daily basis.

J2H: You know what? Just stand to the side over there cause the focus will be on me, will always be on me, and watch how a real promo is done. None of that shit that Logan calls a promo and if you ever lace up those boots yourself one day, you'll already be better at speaking then him because you've done something no one else gets to do and watch J2H up close. Now take notes.

A smile appeared on her face as J2H waves her off the camera. He waits till he feels she's off the scene and turns to speak.

J2H: Oh look at that, something people don't do anymore and have a little build up before speaking.

His sarcastic tone filled the air.

J2H: This is what it's all come down to, this is what everything comes down to. I've sat and listened to things for a long fucking time where every single brainless fuck in SCW has echoed the same words over and over again. J2H is part time, J2H comes back when he wants and does what he wants, J2H should step away for people who are here every week. There's so much wrong with that, it's laughable. The people who say that are the same people you couldn't get a segment out of if their life depended on it. The same people who say that are the ones that don't pay attention to any shit of anyone else, just their own. If these people would clean shit out of their eyes, they might see for a second I'm not like one of these returns that came back to try and get a shortcut by winning the Blast From The Past. I'm not like one of these guys who laced their boots up and stepped in the ring in SCW for the first time to try and add a World title to their accolades. Fuck no, I have been working solidly for years to be here, back to back Blast From The Past winners, working my ass off in matches that people are too scared to do, yet I'm the part timer who comes back, and don't deserve to be where I am?

He was irked by that saying when it came to himself. He had gone through wars with The Harris Family, through chambers and Blast From The Past to get this shot, yet people still thought of him in that way.

J2H: Well fuck you!

He took a deep breath and waited for a few seconds.

J2H: I deserve to be where I am because I put in the work to be where I am and you all should be thanking me for doing that, because I am about to do you all a solid and turn SCW back in to the way it should be, instead of this flag waving, woke bullshit circus it has become because of people like HB Carter.

He wasn't a fan of the way SCW has become lately, with people phoning it in.

J2H: Pride month and Carter wins the title? Come on, woke bullshit, box ticking, wave the flags all that shit. This is what the place I built, the place I gave credibility to has become, yet I'm the fucking problem? 

He slowly shook his head.

J2H: I've been the one who's been working while everyone else is on vacation. I've been the one putting myself through hell to drag this place up by it's neck. I've been the one stealing the show and yet I get looked down on. This is what you idiots, the people who follow Carter like he's the next big thing, don't seem to see. This place doesn't need a wholesome champion, it doesn't need someone with a respectful attitude at the top, because that just gets boring. You need someone like me to lead this place, someone who works, someone who drags the best out of people and that's me. No one is gonna work hard against Carter, because they all like him so much, yay Carter! Get your cheerleaders waving their pom poms, built you up with all that respect but when it comes down to it, all that's gonna do is give you an easy ride. No one will tell it how it is, but I fucking will, I'll tell it exactly how it is, and how it is, is this place don't need that, it needs a disrespectful bastard at the top to force these fucking idiots to work, and I am that disrespectful bastard.

He points to himself as he smiles.

J2H: I am that bastard because you might not see it, but I do. SCW is trying to build people up to challenge, there's a match on this fucking show to do that. They gave that bitch boy Artie main event, after main event to build him up before he fucked up. Not one of those people will put in the effort against you Carter, but they will against me. That's why this place needs me to be the champion, it's crying out for me to be the fucking champion Carter and I won't let this place go downhill and have a bunch of average bullshit matches at the top. This is why I will become champion on Sunday, because this place needs me.

He was confident in his words.

J2H: While you might have had the classic underdog story and it was a classic. The guy no one expected to get to the top, finally made it to the top, people have not seen that I have been doing the same thing. If I gave a shit about these people and made them cheer me, they would have seen every fucking thing I have done has been classic underdog too. I have had chance after chance to get to be number one contender and I flopped. I should have been champion along time ago, but like the classic underdog, I fell at the last hurdle. I didn't get the his time will come speech, I got the haha, J2H fucked up again line, but did I really fuck up? True underdog story is it was all building to this moment and it's now upon us and well, now it's about to come true, because those stars are now lined up. Camera monkey, show the sky.

On demand, the cameraman shows the sky.

J2H: Now back down here...

The camera refocuses on J2H.

J2H: That's why you earn the big bucks.... Those stars are now lining up for me Carter to the point you are one of the few champions in history going in to this match that people know is not the favourite to win. They know the momentum is on my side and that alone must fuck with your head. You're sitting there knowing that your time against me is up, that you're about to say goodbye to that championship for the last time. You know deep down you're unspectacular reign is coming to a very short end. Then what? Gonna keep fighting? Gonna go take some time off like every other bitch who loses a title? You need to start thinking about that Carter because that is in your very near future. 

He smiles with pure confidence on his face.

J2H: I'm not the poison everyone thinks I am Carter. I'm not the man who comes back and drags this place down. People like you drag this place down with all the soap opera bullshit, while people like me, we focus on the wrestling. This is wrestling, everything that hits the screens should be wrestling related. Does anyone really give a shit that every time we come on this cruise, some idiot does a cringe worthy wedding? No! Does anyone give a shit about what you get up to at home? Fuck no!

He slowly shakes his head.

J2H: It's a subtle change and I'm sure no one noticed, but I stopped that lately and even made the non talking parts more about wrestling, feel free to check out my stuff later and you'll see there is no more soap opera bullshit.

He smiles smugly, a feeling matched within himself.

J2H: You know why? Because I'm a fucking wrestler! I'm the man to lead this company, I'm the man to put the clowns out of their misery. This is where this place has gone so wrong over the years. I stepped away from challenging for a World championship for a year and I didn't jump to the top just like that and get a shot, I worked for it, because I am a wrestler but stepping away made this place a fucking circus. First you had some guy who speaks in riddles, a guy who could over complicate reading the alphabet, hold that belt for so long without doing anything interesting, strangle the life out of this company, then you had someone who I respect win the belt, but couldn't hold on to it for more then five minutes, and then you Carter.

He run his hand over his chin as he looks deep in to the camera.

J2H: It's been a shit show since the second I put that belt down and stepped away from it for a year. Do you know why I did that? Because I knew I would be fucking unstoppable, but hey, I'm just a selfish prick in the eyes of so many. It was a mistake because I saw what followed and I will not make that mistake again by letting the clowns run this place. That was on me, I let that happen but on Sunday, it stops. Carter, it stops right there and then because the soap opera bullshit stops, it's time to make Sin City Wrestling an actual wrestling company again instead of Days of our Lives.

He never was a fan of soap operas.

J2H: It doesn't matter who is in your corner, who is cheering you on, these fans here, your little group in the back, it doesn't matter, because it's time to put your fucking title reign out of its misery. It's time to put the sick puppy down because that is what it's been. It's like watching an animal slowly die but it just won't go. It just clings on for the sake of fear cause it doesn't know what's next and that is you Carter, clinging on for dear life because you don't know what's next, but I'll tell ya what's next. You get to see a real champion at work, you get to see a real championship run. I'm not only just thinking of you in this Carter, I'm thinking of those people who can become number one contender, I'm thinking of smacking Logan Hunter in to the middle of next year.

J2H side glances towards Marissa, seemingly lost in his words, with a slight smile on her face.

J2H: I'm thinking about doing all those things as a champion, as the SCW World Champion. That's what I'm thinking of, that is what I'm aiming at. I know the stars are lined up and it is my time to recapture that championship belt. Everyone knows it, anyone with half a brain in the crowd, can see what I've done. It's just the dead beats in the locker room that sit there and only give a fuck about what they do, that can't see it. It's time for everyone in the back to open their eyes and see what's about to hit them, it's time for them to see it's the time of J2H once again, once again to save this place from being dragged down by the real doses of poison in this place.

He knew who he was talking about but was sure that they wouldn't have a clue.

J2H: This is what I do usually, I come in and do what I want but all those years of working Carter, I know you're nervous, I can feel you're nervous, I can sense you're nervous and so can everyone else here. They can tell that you're a dead man walking. Everyone can tell that on Sunday night, in that ring when it's all said and done, those fireworks are not going up for you, everyone know those fireworks are going up for me when I lift that belt above my head. They'll be going up for me when I'm celebrating with Austin and Kevin my fifth World Heavyweight Championship win. Not many people get to do that and win five, but I will, I can, because there's just something about me that is so much better then everyone else here. Some people can not get that far, there's better wrestlers then you Carter that has tried to become a World Champion but could never make it, they just couldn't grab that brass ring and break that ceiling, but I have constantly. I have broken that thing time and time again and I will do so again on Sunday.

He presses his hands together.
 
J2H: I am a once in a lifetime wrestler Carter, and all you are and all you're ever gonna be is a one time World Champion. That's the difference with us, because I got knocked on my ass, I got back up and I went again, and again, and again, but you don't have that kind of heart that I do. People say I seek the attention, but I don't, people are drawn to me, where you have to work hard for people to even notice you. This is what makes me so much fucking better then you on every level, because I am that guy, I am the guy who people want to see. You have to work hard for it because it doesn't come naturally. This is why I'm better because championships are drawn to me, they want to be around me, they don't come easy for you. There's no championship advantage in this one, there's no momentum on your side, you've been a fucking poor champion and it's time for someone better to take over.

He points a thumb at himself.

J2H: I will give you credit for one thing. At least when you won the belt, you showed up pretty much every week, that's fucking rare around here.

He smirks and shrugs.

J2H: But that's it, that's all I will give you credit for and it's time to step over for a real champion to take your place, someone who's gonna do something you never could and elevate this place higher then it's ever gone before, push the company through the roof again, because you know who the last champion was who got this place firing again was?

He smirks as he points to himself.

J2H: Me.... And I gave that belt up right away to let the jokers and the clowns have their fun for a little while. I did that without even doing much but this time, it's gonna be so much more. It's gonna be different from the last time, because any dick who thinks I'm gonna win this belt and give it up again, just cause I can, has another thing coming because I'm getting this belt, I'm keeping this belt and there's no one on the roster who's going to stop me from breaking Finn Whelan's record that he took from me. There's no one on the roster that can stop that, there's no one SCW can sign who will stop that. Carter, you're just in the way of greatness, greatness that is about to start on Sunday, greatness that will eclipse every little thing you've ever done in SCW, greatness that is gonna eclipse everything anyone has ever done in SCW.

Confidence jumps out of his words, as he feels it running through his body.

J2H: You can tell my tone is different here Carter, and you can tell just how much not only I want this, but how much SCW needs this. You've been a good little place holder, but it's time for the real men to get to work and that's real talk bitch!

J2H turns to walk away, walking past a smiling Marissa

J2H: That's how you cut a fucking promo.

And with that, the camera fades to black.