Orlando.
It was all in placer. The new gym, the transfers, the ideas. Alex smiled as he finished filing the paperwork, a sigh escaping his lips. The last few weeks had been hectic but rewarding. New contracts had been signed, new ideas and policies put in place. The Wolfslair twitter accounts had been active and interest had flooded in from new names and talents. There was a part of Alex that felt bad, conflicted. His sister had agreed to take up a head trainer position in Orlando. They wouldn’t see each other as much. And as such, in taking the position, she had resigned her spot in Kingdom Pro, vacated her Atlantic title.
Charlane “Charlie” Jones was a star there, she had returned to the wrestling world after a stint in MMA and also as a bodyguard and personal trainer. She had been successful in everything she did. But now, now she was stepping away from the ring. It was her decision, her idea, but that didn’t make Alex feel any more uneasy.
He swallowed hard and shook his head turning around to sit at his desk, his eyes flashing over to the background. It was a “team” picture. The originals. Charlie, Alex, Sonja, Alicia, Austin. The first ones there. In the beginning it was Alex and Sonja, his wife inspiring him to do it, to open it. Then his sister, then Austin and Alicia. He smiled and shook his head, how far they had come in the last couple of years still astounded him. From a small gym with a small group to the name they had become and the group that had taken over SCW.
The door opened and Charlie poked her head through with a small smile. ”You got a minute?” Alex smiled and gave her a nod, she stepped through the door closing it behind her. It was just Alex and Charlie in there, Sonja having stepped out to go talk about merchandising the new logo. Charlie sighed and sat down across from Alex, her arms folding over her chest as she swallowed hard. Alex raised an eyebrow, her body language showing trepidation and anxiety.
”You ok?” Charlie shrugged and sat forward clasping her hands together on the desk.
She let out a sigh and looked her brother right in the eyes. Her long black hair was braided and tied back, she and Alex looked similar, in everything. Height, build, fac%ial features. You could tell instantly they were related. ”I wanted to talk to you about Orlando…” Alex stayed silent, he gave her a small smile trying to be warm and understanding, he wanted to know what was on his little sisters mind. ”I have no problems moving, I have no problems helping out, but...are you sure I should be head trainer?”
Her voice faltered, she looked away, Alex was confused, Charlie had usually been so confident, in traini9ng and in her career. She had come a long way from the awkward, unsure teenager who questioned her place in the world. ”I can’t think of anyone else that would be better for it, why?” Charlie looked back up and shook her head.
She turned and looked out at the gym through thew window, she watched Alicia Lukas and Johanna Krieger talking, Austin James Mercer and Aiden Reynolds working in the ring and Kallie Reznik chatting toi Lachlan Kane. She let out a sigh and looked back at her brother. ”You’ve been the leader here, the driving force. Wolfslair has become a success because of you. I just don’t want Orlando to fail...and I don’t know if I should be the one leading it, Maybe Austin sh-”
Alex put his hand up and shook his head. ”This place got successful because of all of us. You put in just as much work as me, I couldn’t do this without you…” He sighed and pushed to his feet moving over to the window, he pointed up and out at the wall where replica belts and trophies hung, he turned back to Charlie with a smile. ”You see all that? All those titles our members have held? We have all been a part of that Charlie. You, me and everyone out there.”
Charlie gave a nod and smiled, but there was still doubt, doubt that Alex could see and feel. ”I’m glad you have that confidence in me. But still. I have no idea what to do Alex. I can’t go both….wrestle and train...and I’m hoping I made the right decision.”
His heart dropped, he looked away from Charlie and his eyes moved to trail upwards. The replicas of Charlie’s Portland Pro Rogue title, her TFW MMA womens featherweight title and the Kingdom Pro Atlantic Championships all hung next to each other. ”I’m sorry, I’m sorry I put you in this position.” He turned and Charlie went to talk but Alex kept going. ”You have given up and sacrificed so much for this, and now it’s cost you a championship run you earned and deserved…” He trailed off, Charlie got to her feet moving across the office.
She reached out, her arms wrapping around Alex pulling him into a hug, he squeezed her back, the feeling rushing over them as it was awkward, both siblings never being good at expressing their love for one another. ”It was my decision Alex. Not yours.” She paused and stepped back with a small smile. ”If I didn’t believe in Wolfslair so much then I wouldn’t have done it..”
Alex laughed to himself and smirked. ”And you proved the kind of leader you can be by making that sacrifice. So why are you doubting yourself?” It hit her, the realisation that he was right, she again gave her older brother a nod and smiled.
”Well...I guess I’m moving to Florida.”
The king’s fall.
Alex Jones holds the Sin city wrestling roulette title in his hands, his eyes looking over the ornate design, the clever use of the roulette wheel in the middle, his name at the bottom, his head shakes as he laughs to himself and looks forward.
”And still the champion.”
He scoffs and shakes his head before setting the title down next to him and pushing himself to his feet.
”That’s what I’m supposed to say right? I’m supposed to celebrate the fact I’m still the roulette champion and that I defended my title again. See, that’s what a weak person would do, that’s what someone insecure would do. I defended my championship against Miles Kasey and Caleb Storms, that was a defence, that was something to be proud of. But the match against The Troll? Should I be proud of that? Should I look at the records and smile about having two defences? Or should I move on and be prepared for my next match? The truth is, I’m not sure where to go with my career in SCW. None of us do. Austin is gearing up for a tag title defence, Alicia and Johanna are both wondering where their place in the Bombshells division is, and me? Well, I’m going to do everything I can to keep this SCW Roulette title and to make the title mean something greater.”
“I want it to become a prize jewel in this company. To continue my resurrection.”
“My rebirth.”
“And that is what the last few months have been about. Reinvention, coming to terms with the fact I may no longer be the competitor I once was but accepting the simple fact that even though I’m not the competitor I was I’m still better than most of the roster. I am still a goddamn threat and I am still good enough to not only defend the roulette title but maybe win the Internet title in the future, become a grand slam champion and maybe even become a two time SCW world champion. And, truth be told, even though the grand slam is a goal, if I were to defend the roulette title enough to perhaps elevate my name back to the main event scene, well, I wouldn’t say no…”
“Because I have unfinished business.”
Alex swallows hard and shakes his head slowly.
”My world title run was horrible. It was an utter disaster. I did all I could to win it, I said everything I could to get in the mind of the champion at the time. And once I won it, once I held the Sin city wrestling world title in my hands I felt an urge to defend it, to be the champion the title deserved. Only to be beaten by a kid with a chip on his shoulder. A talented kid, but still a kid. And my title reign was so bad, so shitty, that even the company forgot about it. That is how bad my time as the champion of this place was. So, one day, when I am done defending the roulette title and someone is good enough to take it from me...well...maybe I will pull my socks up and come for the Sin city wrestling world title again…”
“Now, why am I mentioning this dark time in my own history and my career? Why am I bringing up the fact I failed as a world champion? Simple. I’m facing someone who I have that in common with. Senor Vinnie.”
“The six foot eight former world champion from Tijuana. A guy who has been the thorn in the side of Wolfslair for a long time now. A guy who Austin has gone to war with many times and lost not one but two championships too. A guy who teamed with Alicia Lukas in the blast from the past tournament. Someone who she was too nice to say cost them the tournament. It seems like Vinnie has been involved in our business for years. And, hey, I can’t deny he has had success. Vinnie has been at the top of the card and has been a main event player since we came into the company years ago…”
“But, consistency has been an issue. And it’s something I can relate to.”
He shrugs and sighs heavily.
”Vinnie and I are both talented, both former world champions and both have unfinished business in the main event scene. And I like you Vinnie, I do, I like you more than I like alot of others in this company. You put it all on the line every time and you never quit, you stay in SCW and always have a goal in mind and want to be successful. You even admit your faults and admit when you lose and when someone has been your better. It’s something to be admired.and respected.”
“Now, I know you’ve got under Austins skin, I know he hates you with a burning passion and a desire that I honestly think needs to be let go.”
“See, that much anger, that much hatred is never good for people like us. It gets in your head and you have been able to win matches against him before the bell rings.”
“But, I’m not going to fall into that trap. I’m not saying you’re not good enough to beat me Vinnie, truth is you are. You’re good enough to beat me without resorting to the cheap cheating tactics you have been using. But, with that being said, I am on a renaissance in my career. A rebirth leading to my future in this business. And as good as you are, as good as you have been and could be again, consistency has not been your friend. It hasn’t been your friend in or out of the ring and as you walk down that road I want you to know that I understand and get it...and that I will never underestimate you.”
