Scene one-The HoneymoonOff Camera
Paris, France
6 Months AgoHer eyes fluttered open as the sounds of the city could be heard in faint moments outside the window. Alicia smiled as she remembered instantly where they were. Paris. The cliched honeymoon destination of destinations. But this was new for her. Alicia had only ever been to Paris to work. In, work and out again, onto another city, another country, another match, another company. As was the nomadic life of a professional wrestler not signed to any major company. As a rookie, as an unsigned talent and again as a young woman looking to make her mark she had been able to visit many different places.
Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, South America, North America. She’d been everywhere. Wrestled everywhere. But this was different. This was life, relaxing. It was real. They flew in the morning before. Michael smiling as he took a deep breath in as they found a cab. They spent the first day checking in and getting settled. Learning the layout of the surrounding areas near the hotel. They ate in the restaurant under the hotel, they drank wine. There was no looking at the time, there were no worries about an early bedtime to catch a 5 am flight for either of them. It was a real holiday. A time for the newlyweds to celebrate alone.
Alicia’s sons, Rory and Ryan were safe and sound with their biological father. Their house was being looked after by Alicia’s sister Zoey. Everything seemed perfect. Everything felt perfect. And then it hit her. She was content and happy being a wife, a mother. She could do as she wanted. Michael had a great job, a healthy business. Alicia had savings, a bank account and a name she could trade off. Did she really want to keep traveling? Did she really want to be away from Michael?. And then there was the other question. Did they want to try for a baby now?. The question burned at the front of Alicia’s mind.
She remembered what it was like at home. Seeing Michael with her boys, the smile on his face, the flush in their cheeks. She would stand and cook, laughing at them playing. It was the life her mother wanted for her with Ronnie. The life she was raised for that she had hated and rebelled against for so long. Now though, it seemed to clear. As she lay on the perfect white sheets in a wonderful hotel. She stared at Michael as his eyes opened, he looked down finding Alicia awake and her head on his chest, her hand sitting on his chest as her chin came to rest there too. They didn’t speak just yet. Letting the moment stay between them.
Her bright blue eyes stared into his as she pushed herself up to look at him. Her long blond hair swept over to one side, her left leg curled up and over his as they had slept intertwined. A small laugh escaped her lips as Michael was the first to speak.
“This is a beautiful way to wake up. And one that might spoil me as we grow old.” He shot out a grin, it was cheeky and boyish with a hint of attitude and charm. Alicia laughed again and buried her face in his chest blushing. Even now, two years after they first met. And now a married couple he was still able to make her act like a nervous teenager.
“You have to stop that sir. I will keep blushing until my face burns.” She sat up and stretched her arms out before sliding off the bed grabbing his shirt and some of her underwear. She slides them on and stood near the window looking down from the third floor to the street below. Her smile stayed locked as she let out a small sight that slipped down and outward. Michaels' ears picked up and at that moment their bond which had been so strong became more noticeable. He stood up moving beside her sliding a hand around her hip.
”A Euro for your thoughts?” Alicia scoffed and tried to hide her laughter under a snort before tilting her head.
”Just thinking. You make me happy, that’s all really” He gave a nod and kissed his wife on the cheek before sitting on the edge of the bed turning Alicia to him, taking her hands in his raising his eyebrows. After a few moments, Alicia cleared her throat getting ready to speak. Michael knew her well enough to know that if there was something, anything on her mind all he needed to do was wait and she would bring it to light.
She inhaled a deep breath and looked to the ceiling and back down again rubbing his hands with her thumbs.
”I just, I’ve never been this content and the more I think about it. The more I feel that maybe, maybe I should retire. From wrestling. Be at home with you and the boys.” There was still silence as Michael listened, he gave a small nod moving his lips together taking her words in. Alicia though continued.
”We could try for a baby, hope for a girl…” Her cheeks were red again, she swallowed hard as Michael smiled and seemed lost for words before shaking his head and getting to his feet, his hands drifted up to Alicia’s face, he cupped her cheeks and gave her a slow passionate kiss before placing his forehead against hers keeping them so close she could hear the speed of his heartbeat.
”I love you. But you and I both know that is the moment talking.” Her heart sank, she didn’t understand just yet. Michael, however, understood it all.
”Right now, that’s what you want. But the Alicia Lukas I know still has a lot left to prove and many miles in the tank. There will be a time for all that, retirement, another child, a quieter life. But if you did that right now?. You’d have regrets.” There was a pause as she let his words sink in. He was right of course. He knew Alicia better than anyone else on this planet. He understood what drove her, what she lived for and what she needed. He was in every essence of the word, her soulmate.
”You will take the world in your hands and rule it with an iron fist….but right now. Breakfast” He laughed louder and kissed her lips again before turning and grabbing the menu and the phone, he started ordering in French. Bad French. And Alicia just slowly smiled and chuckled. She was still in heaven…..
Scene Two- Look back to go forwardOff Camera
Kyoto Japan.
2 Years AgoShe swung the door open and stepped in. Her long hair tied back in a bun, very similar to how it was the first time she stepped foot in the hallowed dojo. She took a deep breath in, memories flooded back as a smile came across her ruby red lips. She took her sunglasses off and slid one side in the neck of her black and red
“Kyoto-sun dojo” shirt. It was faded and clearly very worn. Alicia stepped across the floor and stopped just inside before slipping her shoes off, bowing as she crossed from the hardwood to the carpet. Despite being alone she felt comfortable.
Her feet touched the training mat, they felt the same as they did from day one. Oddly smooth and very little give in them, the balls of her feet being able to feel the floor underneath. Alicia moved across looking over at the old ring. The ropes tightened after the morning training session. A smirk came across her lips as she walked over to it, reaching out with her fingertips she smiled as a little shock shoot up her hand and arm from the canvas. She walked around it tilting her head as the experiences of the past which felt like a lifetime ago came alive in her memory.
A smile shone across her face as she leaped up onto the apron, she grabbed the top rope and pulled herself up and over it with a jump landing on the canvas before spinning on the balls of her feet like a ballerina would on a stage. She turned and spun before standing in the center, she closed her eyes remembering every movement, every bump, every shot. The pain shooting through her back. The anger at herself when her mind begged her body to quit. The feeling of crawling along the mat throwing up in a bucket.
Her eyes sprung open and she took off hitting the ropes crisscrossing the ring hitting them harder each time. The tight cables leaving welts against her back, arms and shoulders with each whip. She rolled across the canvas popping up to her feet bouncing up and down stretching out before shadow boxing, throwing a few punches a duck, a weave and a running bicycle knee. Alicia breathes deeply with a smile and a chuckle under her breath.
She turned to look at the mirror across the room. It was the full length from the ceiling to the floor and ran along the entire south wall of the dojo. Her eyes trailed across her own body. Her hair back to the length it was when she first walked in here six years ago. But the rest has changed. Her body once too thin and untoned was now replaced with a fit, toned somewhat muscular frame. A woman's body with hips and thighs, she was now an athlete. Her face while still pretty was strong and fierce with burning blue eyes. The innocence and weak nature long lost along with her fears.
There was nothing she feared now. Nothing that worried her to the point of tears. She looked down at the canvas. She used to be ruled by her emotions, her fears. For so long it was fear that drove her. Fear of losing, fear of letting people down, fear of being nothing and nobody. But that was gone now. Now there was a need for competition. A need to face people as strong as her, a need to be beaten to grow. The only fear she had left burning in her mind like a hand, held over an open flame.
Just how far would she go?. Alicia looked back in the mirror before noticing something. A young girl, maybe 18 years old was in the corner folding towels. A task Alicia knew very well. She walked to the ropes leaping out and to the floor. As she moved closer she realized the girl was caucasian. A gaijin like her.
“They have you on towel duty too huh?. That wasn’t very fun...better than toilets though right?....” The was no answer. The girl just stayed focused on her fast. A large bruise under her right eye and a cut on her lower left lip. Her long blond curls hung loosely down the sides of her face. She was tiny, skinny and her body looked beaten in other ways. Her knuckles were skinned, her legs bruised. She moved quickly folding the towels and leaving them in piles of three. Alicia gave a nod folding her arms looking over at the wall of graduates.
“I was right where you are now. They haven’t had many women here, let alone western ones. And I’m the only one to leave here with honor…. “ Alicia smiles focusing on the wall, the names around her, many now a who’s who of names in Japan. But one picture stood out. A small frame with a skinny girl with short pink and blue hair. Underneath it had her birth name “Violet Maxwell” and under that, it said


???or Peru u~ori?. Pale Warrior in Japanese.
“They don’t want people like us to succeed kid. So I know things are tough right now. And I had no one. There was one guy here who seemed to care but in the end, he was a quitting bitch like everyone else. No one will ever have it harder in a place like this than us and we’ll also have the lowest expectations….but fuck that….we can also be the toughest, the baddest….and the ones with the biggest heart and resolve. So I’m telling you...not asking you….to hang in there….cause I-” Alicia looks down to the girl and stops. Where she was is an empty space. The towels still left in a pile. None of them folded. It was like no one had been there. Alicia looked around and shook her head as she noticed the classes filling in, she smirked as she walked past them, many stopping recognizing her from the picture bowing as she passed.
It’s good to be a goddess….].i]
Scene Three- A true champion
On Camera
Atlanta, Georgia
Present Day”Do I really need to do this?Alicia Lukas sat with her legs crossed on her front porch. Her hat flipped backward as her heart sank realizing a few days away from High Stakes she was being forced to do another promo. She had planned just to save up all her anger and frustration over her opponents till the match and just unleash it with fists, kicks, suplex’s and submissions. But here we are.
”Ok. Well, first off let me be real fucking clear on this. I am the only real champion in this match. The other three, as good as they might be in the ring aren’t in my league in skill, attitude or fucking looks. See the second I found out who I was facing I went about my business. Researching strengths, weaknesses, habits, height, weight, shoe size...IQ...and trust me, with one of you those last two numbers were a little too close together.”
“Hi, Brittany…”
“Now, it’s hard to just pull things out of my ass for a promo without repeating myself and unlike Brittany, I don’t want to say the same thing five different ways. But, it’s really annoying and insulting to me that I put so much effort into promoting this match, for MY title in SCW at one of the biggest shows of the year and my efforts have not been matched by any of the women who want to take this title from me. See Winter has been silent. She’s been silent in promoting the match, on twitter, on shows. Which if you know Stephanie it’s really really out of character for her since usually you don’t find her with her goddamn mouth closed or her phone not sitting in her hand.Alicia pauses for a moment and takes a deep breath taking a drink from her water bottle trying to calm herself down. The anger, frustration, and rage building up.
”I know Winter better than most people. I’ve been through alot with her. From friend, to rival, to enemy. And never have I gone up against her and it’s come this close to a match where she hasn’t had some smart ass bullshit remark and gone on about how she’s better than me and how she wants to make outlandish promises she never backs up. But nope, this time there has been silence. This time she doesn’t care. But here’s the thing. I care. I care about this title, I care about the legacy of Honor wrestling and the SCW merger. I do not want the memory of that company to die and get swallowed whole by SCW.”
“But then again, some people obviously don’t care. Like Trinity Jones. Does she even know she’s booked?. Is she alive?. Has anyone checked local hospitals or morgues?. Her apartment?. A dumpster behind an Arby’s maybe?. Has anyone seen this woman?. I want to believe she cares, but it’s obvious she doesn’t. And why should anyone else care if she doesn’t?. Why should SCW fans and management care if Trinity Jones can’t be bothered to open her mouth?. Again, I care, I care because I am what a champion should and does look like. Trinity and Winter have been guilty in their silence…”
“But Brittany Williams has been guilty in opening her mouth.”
“See Winter and Trinity so far have not said anything stupid due to not saying anything at all. But this silly little idiot ranted and rambled for way too long. And now, well now before I destroy them all physically I need to destroy Brittany Williams verbally….”She sighs deeply and shrugs.
”The word “overrated” gets thrown around way too much in this business. And to have it used by a wet behind the ears, worthless rookie daughter of a pair of wannabe has-beens is something that doesn't so much wound me as it does enrage me to the point of furious anger. And not just that but I want you to slowly look in the mirror Brittany. Realize that the woman staring back at you, in one word did more damage to her own family’s legacy than I could ever hope to do.”
“See Brittany, you said I was a stranger who insulted your family. I’m not a stranger to your mother. See Crustal and I have battled it out before and she even has a win over me. One single win, in LAW. Every other time in Honor I was better than her. I made her my bitch yet you called me OVERRATED. So tell me, if I beat Kenzi Grey, Your mom, Mercedes Vargas, Jesse Salco and every other big name in Honor and most of SCW as well as big names all around the world then you, YOU, just insulted all of them.”
“Good job,”
“But this right here is a problem with people like you Brittany. Your youth is a great asset, it means you can learn, you can grow and you have your whole life ahead of you and you have a great youthful energy, but you’re also inexperienced. In and out of the ring. You can’t beat me in the ring, in a promo or in anything else. Maybe one day you will, maybe one day you’ll be better than your mother or father or anyone else in your stupid family. But right now, when you make stupid comments on social media about being “booked to take the pin” you automatically lose. When you loop yourself into a spiral of comments that say the same thing fifty different ways and think you’re clever because you have “so much to say” you just look like a rambling fool. And now, well Brittany...sweetheart….I’m going to have to destroy you...and break you...and end you. And at High Stakes, when I hold MY title in the air….you’ll know that “overrated” is the last thing you should EVER call me”