Sunday July 12th
Staggs Dungeon
After Climax Control
The last time anyone has seen O’Malley tonight was earlier when Ms. Rocky Mountains had a confrontation with the Irishman and current SCU Underground Champion. As was the case quite often these days, he was in a grouchy mood as he was storming his way towards the parking lot. When questioned about the recently announced matches for Summer XXXtreme which would see O’Malley as one of the participants for the Ultimate-X match for the Roulette Championship, he didn’t seem very thrilled to be given that opportunity, and eventually he continued on his way to the parking lot.
Fast forward a little while to this very moment, and that is where he still is. He’s seated on the ground, his back against the outside wall, brooding. His knees are pulled up and his arms are rested on his knees as he refuses to make eye contact with anyone coming and going into the Staggs Dungeon. Because he has a match later on Underground against Stewart Mason, he can’t leave. Although it’s clear he’d rather be anywhere but there.
The exit door swings open a few moments later and two Bombshells who O’Malley is very familiar with walk out as they are leaving the building. Who might those two Bombshells be? None other than Team Hero, Roxi Johnson and Keira Fisher Johnson. They’re immersed in a conversation amongst themselves and when Roxi turns her head for a split second, she sees O’Malley sitting by himself. She stops, as does Keira. Keira narrows her eyes and prepares to walk away, but Roxi doesn’t move. She assures Keira she’ll be just a minute before she turns and walks over to O’Malley.
Keira: He better not hurt your feelings again! I won’t hesitate to punch him this time if he does!
O’Malley hears every word, but he refuses to acknowledge Keira. Roxi turns and assures Keira she will be fine as she turns and walks over towards O’Malley. She stops just in front of him, looking down at him with her arms crossed.
Roxi: Hey. You look like you could use a friend.
O’Malley laughs, but he still avoids eye contact.
O’Malley: I didn’t realize we were friends.
His words are cold, and while they should hurt Roxi, she doesn’t let them bring her down. In fact, it has the opposite effect, much to O’Malley’s surprise.
Roxi: I’ve always considered you a friend. But, if you don’t feel the same, I’ll walk away I guess.
Roxi goes to turn around, and O’Malley finally looks up and stops her.
O’Malley: I didn’t...mean it like that. Ye’d be better to hate me like everyone else.
Roxi turns back around to face him again. Keira keeps a close watch on the situation, ready to defend and protect her wife if needed.
Roxi: I make decisions for myself, and not based on what everyone else thinks of a person.
O’Malley: Apparently. But ye were only friends with me because of yer friendship with Misty. Ye had no obligation to continue that friendship after she died.
Roxi frowns at the painful reminder that Misty was gone, as the words just rolled out of O’Malley’s mouth so easily.
Roxi: We might have been introduced to one another through Misty, O’Malley, but I didn’t think our friendship would go away just because she died. Now, are you going to tell me what’s wrong or not?
O’Malley looks up at her, hesitant to say anything. He was tired of being judged, but he knew Roxi was different. She always sees the best in everyone.
O’Malley: I just don’t know what more I can do, Roxi. I feel like I’ve found me footing in SCU. Even won me first title. But SCW is a different story. Everywhere I turn, people are judgin’ me, and it’s pissin’ me off. I’m startin’ to lose track of how many matches I’ve lost, and suddenly I’ve got a Roulette title match at Summer XXXtreme. I’m feckin’ confused on it all.
Roxi nods. She lets out a sigh and lets her arms drop as she stares down at him.
Roxi: So you don’t think you deserve it?
O’Malley: When I was winning, sure. Hell, even before I started losin’ match after match, I thought I deserved it. But now maybe people are right. Why am I being given a title opportunity if I can’t feckin’ win to save me life?
O’Malley kicks his foot forward in frustration the more he thinks about it. Roxi steps over towards the wall and then sits down next to him, getting to his eye level.
Roxi: I’ve been in this business long enough to know that when it comes to championship opportunities, there really aren’t any rules. Maybe in our own minds there are, but when it comes down to it, the bosses make the decisions on who gets the title shots. It might be confusing, but winning doesn’t automatically earn us anything.
O’Malley: This business is so feckin’ confusing. I’ve got people tellin’ me that winning isn’t everything, because we can’t win ‘em all, but then others like to point out our constant failures. Which is it?!
O’Malley turns and looks at her. She cracks a smile and nods.
Roxi: I get what you’re saying. Trust me. But think of it this way. You can win any match under any circumstance. You can cheat to win. Someone can interfere on your behalf…
Roxi hesitates after that last statement and O’Malley frowns.
Roxi: It was intended as a general statement, but ok let’s use that as an example. What if Darcy continued interfering on your behalf and that is the only way you won. Would you still feel like you deserved a title opportunity?
O’Malley blinks, but he looks away and refuses to answer. Roxi nods and lets out a slight laugh.
Roxi: Exactly. But if you put your heart and soul into every match, and gave it your all only for the other person to get the win over you in that one split second that could change the whole outcome, you think you wouldn’t deserve it? There’s so much grey area in this business, but if title shots were decided by wins and losses only, there’d be a lot of hard working people who might never get title shots ever.
O’Malley: Well when ye use that first example, then I guess I really don’t deserve it. I know how it all looked when Darcy was gettin’ involved. It’s why I asked her to stop. Funny how I couldn’t seem to win otherwise. Maybe I’m not meant to be in this business.
Roxi shakes her head. O’Malley glances over towards Keira and the two finally make eye contact. O’Malley chuckles as he looks at Keira’s stern glare.
Roxi: Maybe Mark and Christian are giving you this opportunity as incentive to turn things around? Prove that you do have what it takes and that they see potential in you? I’m sure Gabriel feels the same.
O’Malley shakes his head.
O’Malley: Not so sure I agree, Roxi. I might be a champ in SCU, but look how I won it? I had to bash Ben Jordan over the head with a briefcase, so I didn’t exactly earn that, either. I’m the biggest disappointment to walk out of the GO Gym. Ain’t no doubt about it. I’m a disappointment to Gabriel and Odette. I’m a disappointment to meself and Darcy. And I’m a disappointment to me own son.
O’Malley lowers his head as he brings up Owen, and that seems to hit him the hardest. Roxi stares at him for a moment, and instead of changing the subject, she keeps on the topic of Owen.
Roxi: Have you gone to see him at all?
O’Malley nods, but he can’t even speak for a few moments. It’s as if it’s too painful even talking about Owen. But he lets out a sigh as he responds.
O’Malley: His birthday was this past Wednesday, ye know. Can’t believe me boy is already five years old. I tried to go see him at Misty’s parents’. I shouldn’t have gone.
Roxi: What happened?
O’Malley: Nothin’ I shouldn’t have expected to happen.
He lowers his head again and the more hurt he shows, the more Roxi wants to help him, because it may help Owen in the long run, too.
Roxi: O’Malley, what happened? You know how much I care about that little boy, so tell me what happened.
O’Malley: Alright, fine. If ye really must know, I’ll tell ye exactly what happened.
He knew that the entire situation was his fault anyway because he abandoned Owen two years ago after Misty died. The events that transpired on Owen’s birthday was a direct result of that decision, so there was no reason not to tell Roxi what had happened…
Wednesday July 8th
Las Vegas, Nevada
The Painful Consequences
Today was the first day in four months that O’Malley had been anywhere outside of the GO Gym, the Saxon Hotel or the specified locations that SCU and SCW shows would take place at. And as the restrictions hadn’t been fully lifted as of yet, O’Malley had to gain special permission from Mark Ward and Christian Underwood to do what he is about to do. Today was an important day, and he had to be here.
Today is his son Owen’s fifth birthday. And while he hadn’t seen Owen in two years, due to this being such a milestone birthday, he wanted to try. He wasn’t sure how today was going to go, but he wasn’t holding out hope of a tearfully happy reunion, either. So he made the short venture to the home of Misty’s parents...the place he had left Owen at two years ago when he felt Owen would be better off.
He parks his car down the street, waiting for the right moment to go see him. As he waits, he bares witness to a very special “Birthday Parade” honoring Owen while keeping to social distancing guidelines. His heart skips a beat as he spots Owen in the front yard with his grandparents, waving excitedly to friends and family as they drive past the house. As two of the vehicles pass O’Malley’s, he recognizes Misty’s sisters in them with their respective significant others behind the wheel, but they don’t see him, fortunately.
Once the coast is clear, and the birthday parade passes, O’Malley makes his move. He puts his mask over his face and grabs the gift he bought Owen from the passenger seat before exiting his car. As he gets closer and closer to the house, the realization that he is about to reunite with his son, becomes even more real. He should have done this a long time ago. But the longer he puts it off, the worse it will be.
As he walks up to the house, on the edge of the front lawn, the front door bursts open. Owen comes rushing out, but he’s not even looking at O’Mally. He’s got his sight set on a toy he had left in the yard. When Owen looks up, he’s startled to see O’Malley standing there.
O’Malley: Owen…
Owen can’t see, but O’Malley is smiling behind the mask. Owen looks confused as he backs away and doesn’t say a word. Because they are far enough apart, O’Malley removes his mask, thinking that is why Owen seems afraid.
O’Malley: Sorry, boy-o. These stupid masks ruin everything these days.
O’Malley smiles at his son, taking a step forward to approach him, but Owen backs away nervously.
Owen: I’m not supposed to talk to strangers. GRANDMA! GRANDPA!
The words hit O’Malley hard, like a shot to the heart. Owen...didn’t recognize him. Owen turns around and runs inside, yelling for his grandparents. That was all O’Malley needed to confirm that he had made a mistake in coming here. He places Owen’s gift on the ground and turns to head back to his car. Before he starts walking away, however, Misty’s father walks outside. And unlike Owen, he knows exactly who O’Malley is.
Andrew: What the hell are you doing here?!
O’Malley turns around making eye contact with his former father in-law for the first time in two years. And the reunion was nothing short of hostile.
O’Malley: I...I just wanted to see me boy on his birthday. I brought him a gift.
Andrew: So you just thought you’d come here after two years and everything would be alright? You missed the last two birthdays because you walked away from him.
O’Malley nods.
O’Malley: I know that, Mr. Waters. I didn’t expect things to just magically be better. I just...I wanted to—
Andrew: Wanted to what, exactly? Come here, get Owen’s hopes up and disappear again? I’m not going to let that happen again, you son of a bitch.
O’Malley: I’m not gonna disappear again. I just want to make up fer what I did. I was in a tough spot after Misty died. I did what I thought was best fer Owen.
Misty’s father laughs and shakes his head. Just inside the door, O’Malley sees Owen try to make his way back outside, but his grandmother holds him back.
Andrew: So you thought abandoning your son after his mother had just died was best for him?! Do you know he cried for you for months after that? What were you doing the entire time? Chasing after that new whore of yours? I guess we know what is more important to you.
O’Malley holds up a finger and glares at former father in-law.
O’Malley: Darcy had nothin’ to do with it, so ye’d be—
Andrew: Bullshit she had nothing to do with it. How long after you went back to Ireland did it take for you two to start shacking up again? The grass hadn’t even started to grow on Misty’s grave before you replaced her and just forgot about your son!
O’Malley: I never forgot about him! I thought about him all the time! I can’t change that mistake I made leavin’ him like I did, but I’m damn sure ready to start makin’ up fer it.
Misty’s father shakes his head, flat out refusing.
Andrew: No. I won’t allow it. You made Misty believe you were dead when she was pregnant with him and then you just left him when he needed you the most. You’ve had your second chance. You’re not getting a third. Now, get off my property or I’m calling the police.
Misty’s father turns around and goes to head back inside. He grabs the door and just opens it when O’Malley yells towards him again.
O’Malley: Ye can’t keep me from my son! At least let me talk to him!
Misty’s father plans on just ignoring him, proving otherwise, when Owen darts past him and outside. He stares at O’Malley with a heartbroken expression.
Owen: Daddy?
Owen attempts to walk towards O’Malley, but Misty’s mother grabs him and stops him. Owen is completely clueless on how else to react and O’Malley just stares at him, nodding with a relieved smile.
O’Malley: Yeah, son. It’s me. Ye have no idea how happy I am to see ye again, boy-o.
Owen looks up at his grandmother, unsure of what to say. He then looks back to O’Malley with his eyes filling with tears. He doesn’t say anything before he turns around and rushes back inside the house. Misty’s mother looks at O’Malley and just shakes her head.
Colleen: That was confirmation that you should go. You can take that gift with you, because Owen doesn’t want or need anything from you.
O’Malley is left stunned as Misty’s mother turns around and heads back inside, closing the door behind her. The blinds to the front window are closed a few moments later, and O’Malley just stares down at the gift on the ground…
Roxi: Wow. Now that just makes me sad…
After reliving the events from Owen’s birthday, O’Malley just nods. He doesn’t know what more to say, and Roxi turns her attention back to him.
Roxi: Did you leave the gift there?
O’Malley nods.
O’Malley: Of course I left it. I bought it fer him. Chances are they threw it in the trash but I’ll never know.
Roxi: Look, as difficult as that was, it has been two years since you’ve seen him. I can’t blame them for wanting to protect him. I’m just as protective over him as they are, and I don’t spend every day with him. But what are you going to do now?
O’Malley shakes his head and shrugs.
O’Malley: No feckin’ clue, love. They’re not gonna let me anywhere near him, so what can I do? I guess just continue to prove them all right, and prove I’m a disappointment to him and he’s better off.
Roxi shakes her head. She pushes herself away from the wall and stands up, looking down at him as he looks up at her.
Roxi: Well, if you want to give up, that’s on you. If Owen gets hurt in all of this again, don’t come looking for me for advice again. But if you want to make it up to him and prove you’re not as awful as the mistake you made abandoning him two years ago, the answer is fairly simple.
O’Malley: And what is that?
Roxi: You work your butt off to prove you’ve changed. You fight to make him proud, and you fight to be in his life. It won’t be easy, and it may take a while, but if it’s what you really want...kick it in high gear, O’Malley.
Keira clears her throat off in the distance and O’Malley acknowledges her.
O’Malley: Ye better go. Yer other half is gettin’ impatient now.
Roxi: Do you know what you’re going to do?
O’Malley: Not completely, but I got a better idea now. Thanks, love.
Roxi nods with a smile.
Roxi: It’s what friends are for. You know where to find me if you need me. I’ll catch you later. Good luck on Underground…
O’Malley just nods and waves as Roxi turns and walks off, heading back over to Keira. Keira and O’Malley exchange glances one more time before she and Roxi turn and make their leave. A few moments later O’Malley stands up, dusts his legs off and then disappears back inside Staggs Dungeon as the scene fades to black.
I’m being tested. That’s the only possible explanation fer this one. I know it ain’t a secret that I’ve hit a bit of a rough spot in SCW, losin’ what, three in a row now? But I’m tryna wrap me head around how they’re bookin’ these matches. I mean...the last two was Christina and Jack’s doin’, but this week and then me match for Summer XXXTreme? That’s all on Mark and Christian.
So...I still don’t quite understand why I’m bein’ given a Roulette title opportunity at Summer XXXtreme, but I guess I better stop lookin’ a gift horse in the mouth and just shut me trap on that one, because it makes me look ungrateful as shite. I don’t plan on wastin’ that opportunity either, but I ain’t gonna focus on that right now. I’ve got a much bigger problem ahead of me, and I mean that quite literally. And that problem is a three hundred and fifty-five pound behemoth named Brandon Sludge.
Brandon Sludge? Seriously? What the feck kinda last name is Sludge? And is this fella related to that dipshite on Twitter, Otis Sludge? Nevermind. That doesn’t matter. What matters is that this week I find meself goin’ one-on-one against this fella, and I’m not sure how the hell I’m supposed to be lookin’ at this one. This fella is normally a tag team wrestler, and I dunno if he’s even had to fight on his own before.
Is this meant to be one of those ‘easy win’ situations? Ye know, the pity bookin’ because ye’ve been on a losin’ streak and they want to do ye a favor by bookin’ ye against someone who doesn’t really stand a chance at winning? Or, is this a big feckin’ test as I head into Summer XXXtreme to fight fer the Roulette title? Not entirely sure if I want to know the answer honestly. Or maybe I’m just an idiot thinking this one will be easy?
Nah. This fella might have nearly two hundred pounds up on me, but that doesn’t mean he’s any tougher to beat. Added pounds make ye slower in the ring, and it ain’t no secret speed is one of me advantages. But, jaysus christ, I’ve never faced an opponent this massive so I can’t hardly be overly confident now can I? Talk about a crazy situation I find meself in!
But I’m bein’ given what I’ve asked fer. I’ve been so sick of the multiple opponent situations I’ve been dealing with lately, and this is one-on-one. Beggars can’t be choosers, right? I’m just a little more confused on why they booked a fella who’s been in nothin’ but tag team matches in a singles spot. Seems he’ll be a little out of his element, but I guess that’s another advantage to me.
Brandon, boy-o, I’m now talkin’ directly to ye. If yer listenin’, anyway. Fer all I know, ye could be one of those idiots that doesn’t give a crap about what his opponents have to say so ye just up and ignore everything. I hope fer yer sake, that’s not the case, because I want ye to realize something. As badly as ye might want to prove that ye don’t need one of those lovely lasses to help ye get a win on yer record, I’ve got a lot more to prove than that so I need this win more than ye do, fella.
I’m the SCU Underground Champion. I’m the only superstar currently active on both brands, and at Summer XXXtreme, I’m gonna walk out as a champion to both brands. I’m bustin’ me arse not only to prove myself in SCU and SCW, but to be secure me name in the record books of both brands. I’ve had a tough go of it in SCW, but I know what I need to do to turn it all around, fella.
Yer that first road block. Yer the feckin’ boulder standin’ in me way this week, but let me tell ye that I’m comin’ at ye like a wreckin’ ball(yeah I quoted Miley Cyrus!), because I ain’t about to lose a fourth straight match. And I sure as shite ain’t about to walk into Summer XXXtreme without a win. It seems like it don’t really matter either way fer ye because unless me hearing is off, I didn’t hear Mark Ward mention yer name in the line up fer Summer XXXtreme. Guess ye can’t even hack it as a tag team wrestler either if yer little Trenton Tigers aren’t booked, huh?
I ain’t intimidated by ye, Brandon. And I ain’t worried, either. Size difference or not, I’m ready to turn the corner on this losin’ streak I’ve got goin, and then head on to win another title. And ye, Brandon? Ye’ll just sit in the back, bein’ useless and a waste of a roster space.
I’m ready fer whatever ye plan to throw at me, Brandon. I’m prepared fer all the brute force ye will unleash, but it won’t be enough to stop me, fella. I’ll tire ye out faster than it’ll take ye to even get to the ring. And that’s just the cold hard truth. The win on Sunday belongs to me, fella.
See ya Sunday, Sludgey Boy!
