Since she and Carter won the Strange Bedfellows Tag Team Match at the start of the cycle Krystal hasn’t seen much in ring action, mostly being on the side-lines and cheering on her friends whether that was fellow Go Gym Graduates Ariana Angelos and HB Carter or Bombshell veteran and mentor figure Jessie Salco who had been in action in the intervening weeks between that show and the show in Kolkata, but that was about to change at the penultimate match of the Supercard Cycle.
Why? Because Krystal was serving as the first challenger for Kayla Richards in a Bombshell Internet Title Match! This match was a huge one for the Aussie Bombshell for two reasons, the first was obvious as Krystal had never held the Bombshell Internet Championship before and a win here would mark the start of Krystal’s first title reign since her Bombshell Roulette Title Reign ended earlier this year but the second reason was causing the most intrigue, if Krystal won the title she would be added to the match between Keira and Kayla making it a Triple Threat! Can Krystal get the win?
Backstage at Climax Control 338, Bangalore, India
Sunday the 7th of August 2022, 3:42am
How can I be polite about tonight?
It was already off to a bad start for the Go Gym when Carter lost his first singles match to Miles Kasey and whilst things did pick up again when Ariana got the surprise win over Alicia Lukas things backstage where less than rosy.
Look, I like Jessie and I’m indifferent towards Melissa, whilst I hope that Melissa has a good reign after she retained the title over Jessie in the main event tonight, I haven’t really interacted with the former kickboxer that much, all I really knew about her was the fact that Melissa got the win over Ari to qualify for the Ultimate X Over the Pool Match where she won the title in the first place but watching Jessie humiliate Melissa like that made my blood boil.
I wasn’t even sure if I was going to run into Jessie after that interview, she obviously had her title match to worry about and I knew from personal experience that being in a title match for the main event, as champion or challenger, tended to make you zero in on that match and nothing else, but we ran into each other, words were exchanged, and then she had the audacity to compare my childhood to her title reigns.
Make no mistake, the events of my childhood still haunt me well into my adulthood, but that comment was so out of left field AND out of line that the only way I could responded was by punching Jessie in the jaw! I don’t know if my punch affected Jessie’s performance in the Main Event against Melissa, for one thing there was a significant time gap between the punch and the match itself, but what’s done is done!
Real question was, what was next for me?
”KRYSTAL!” I had to let out a deep breath when I heard my friend’s voice, Ari’s bubbly energy and personality was probably second only to Candy herself but she had plenty of reason to celebrate tonight because she had just scored the biggest win of her career to date. ”I DID IT! I GOT THE WIN OVER ALICIA!” Ariana exclaimed happily as she ran up and hugged me from behind, she at least had the decency to warn me first and give me time to brace myself for her running hug, unintentionally or not. ”I just pinned a former World Bombshell Champion!”
”A three time champion at that! Congrats!” I responded before prying Ari’s hands apart from around my waist and turning to face her, when she saw the look on my face her demeaner dropped a little because I was clearly still pissed off from what had happened with Jessie tonight. ”How’s Carter doing? I know his lip was busted open?” I asked trying to change the subject to avoid snapping at Ari again and she nodded.
”Yeah, Carter’s fine, ego’s a bit bruised from the match yeah but he’s fine otherwise, he’s just as excited for me as I am to be honest!” Ari responded with a laugh before we heard the text notification come through our phones which could only mean one thing. ”Sounds like the new card’s been announced!”
”Wonder if they’ll have anything for me this week?” I wondered out loud before we got our phones out, I’m a competitive person by nature and anyone who’s ever tuned in to my Twitch Channel knows that for a fact, well that and anyone who watched my Bombshell Roulette Title reign off course! I had to roll my eyes when I saw that Hitamashi was taking on The Troll in the opener because there were so many ways that could turn offensive that it wasn’t even funny, then I saw the penultimate match. ”I’m serving as Kayla’s first challenger?!”
”Wait, WHAT?! I’m still on the match between Mercedes and Seleana!” Ari exclaimed in surprise before she scrolled down to the match in question. ”You’ve read the description right?”
”Yeah, if I get the win over Kayla then I’m getting added to the match between her and Keira making it a Triple Threat, let’s hope no one makes any KKK jokes.” I commented as I shook my head, Mark and Christian had been running the company for almost ten years now, how exactly did THAT escape their attention?! And judging from the wince on Ari’s face she had just caught on herself. ”Unfortunate name combinations aside, I can’t deny that this is a huge opportunity for me!”
”Yeah, can’t argue that, can’t you?” Ari commented with a nod as she folded her arms. ”But on the other hand though, will you be able to focus? After the spat with Jessie?”
”There’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll have cooled off by then, I may be pissed at Jessie for what she said but I’m not holding a grudge all week long!” I responded as I shook my head and Ari gave me a curious look, tonight was far from the only time another Bombshell had wronged me in some way since I joined SCW but an offensive comment made in the heat of the moment paled in comparison to what others had done to me. ”Forgiving Jessie will be another issue but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it, being able to focus during the match against Kayla?”
”It’ll be another bridge to cross in the future, right?” Ari asked and I nodded in response, Ari looked deep in thought for a minute, don’t let her bubbly personality or YouTube Channel fool you, Ariana was no idiot, naive due to her youth? Yeah, she’s only the third youngest wrestler I know personally (second and first being Cassie and Adrienne off course) but she was an intelligent young woman under all of that. ”You and Carter gave me a much needed pep talk last week after my disappointing performance in the Battle Royal Krystal, and considering how tonight’s match went for me? I think it’s only right that I return the favour!”
”Fine, but don’t use the “diamonds under pressure” line on me.” I responded and that request got a raised eyebrow from the Greek-American Bombshell. ”Holding the Bombshell Roulette Title for just under a year comes with a ton of pressure! If that didn’t turn me into a diamond, I don’t know what will.” I explained and Ari nodded as she got the idea, there was other stuff as well, like being a young mother to a toddler aged daughter with more health issues than I care to count whilst also being an High Functioning Autistic Woman just as one example but I was trying to restrict it to wrestling stuff. ”Don’t get me wrong, it obviously worked on you, just look at who you beat tonight! But there is a world of difference between us Ari!”
”Okay, yeah, I’ll grant that you’ve got a point there.” Ari admitted with a nod before thinking for a minute. ”You had enormous success as Bombshell Roulette Champion when everyone said that you’d lose it on the first defence, what’s stopping you from doing the same with the Bombshell Internet Championship?”
”The fact that even if I win this match, I’ll be thrust straight into another tough match against two of the best Bombshells on the roster?” I pointed out that and Ari paused to give it some thought. ”Still, I’ve risen to the occasion before, and outside of the Queen for a Day Match I haven’t lost a multi-person match since I won the Bombshell Roulette Title and I don’t really count the Queen for a Day Match since it was a ladder match.”
”Yeah! That works!” Ari exclaimed happily before we let out a yawn, we were still looking at the card on our phones and I used that opportunity to check the time. ”Geez it’s getting seriously late! At the rate we’re going we’ll sleep right through the flight to Kolkata!”
”Guess this is my chance to experience how tired Makayla’s been since the tour began!” I joked and Ari giggled in response, I wasn’t feeling all that tired so driving back to the hotel wasn’t going to be that much of a problem and despite competing in a match tonight Ari didn’t look that tired herself, still it didn’t hurt to check. ”Are you going to be okay driving to the hotel or do you want to catch a ride with me? Pick up your rent-a-car in the morning?”
”Thanks for the offer but Francisco has been driving me to the shows since we arrived in India and tonight’s show is no exception.” Ari explained and I nodded in understanding. ”See you at the hotel!”
”See you!” I waved her off before Ari walked away in the direction of the parking lot, once I was alone though I let out a frustrated yell. ”Ugh! What a fucking night!” I grunted before I started walking after Ari knowing that Makayla was likely to have a few words for me after everything that happened tonight. ”That title match is the gold at the end of the rainbow, gotta keep that in mind!” I muttered to myself before I walked off.
Heading into any title match was a tough ask in SCW, any Bombshell or Superstar who’s been on the roster long enough to get a title shot will tell you that, but after what happened between me and Jessie tonight I wasn’t sure if I could concentrate fully heading into the title match against Kayla.
Kayla was a dangerous opponent, her only loss in her career to date was in the Bombshell Ultimate X Over the Pool Match and since she wasn’t pinned in that match I highly doubted that Kayla counted it, especially after she bounced right back and won the Bombshell Internet Title a few weeks later! And now, I was serving as her first title defence and no matter who won the match next Sunday Keira was going to be waiting for the champion at Violent Conduct VIII.
It was just a matter of whether the match remained a singles contest between Keira and Kayla or became a Triple Threat with me thrown into the mix.
Krystal and Makayla’s hotel room, Kolkata, India
Monday the 8th of August 2022, 16:00pm
All things considered? Things were quick and relatively painless when I got back to the hotel room last night.
Makayla was waiting for me outside our hotel room when I got there (which was surprising since she had been struggling with jet lag since the tour began and it was at least 5:00am by the time we got back) but she at least understood why I was so angry at Jessie for that comment, then again, why wouldn’t she? Makayla was the one who helped me escape from my broken home and abusive dad all those years ago, the fact that it was one of the prettiest girls at my high school helping the loner goth chick with anger issues made it seem like something out of a romantic comedy written for lesbians in hindsight!
Off course, the fact that Makayla was actually a lesbian helped with that particular idea, even if she didn’t come out of the closet until years after her high school graduation! Point is, she was one of the few people who knew how horrific my childhood was from first hand experience, the others off course being the SA (South Australian) Police Force officers who responded to my call, the doctors who examined my numerous injuries (especially the doctor who flat out told the officers that I was borderline anorexic at the time and that they needed to arrest my dad as soon as possible) and my close family members.
The only family member I don’t count among that group was Cassie and for one very good reason, she was only eleven years old at the time and from what I understood, her parents waited until she was eighteen to explain what had happened to her aunt and why I had moved to America, whether that had an impact on her decision to become a wrestler herself was unknown because, well, I’m not a mind reader, but the dates do line up perfectly to make that a possibility.
Speaking of Cass………
”You know, when I asked if I had jinxed it on Twitter, I didn’t think I had jinxed it THAT badly!” Cass admitted over video chat and I shook my head with a chuckle, Cass had been in the US since she graduated from Hero Academy earlier in the cycle because she wanted to focus on getting her wrestling career off the ground and so far? She was doing well. ”That argument between you and Jessie is almost enough to make me wish that I had kept my mouth shut!”
”I was joking when I accused you of jinxing it Cass, I’ve never been that superstitious to begin with!” I assured my eighteen year old cousin but before she could respond I had to pause as I went over the past several months in my head. ”Aside from the Blast from the Past Tournament, I still think I managed to jinx myself two years in a row when competing in that thing!” I added and Cassie nodded in agreement before I continued. ”That argument was just a coincidence!”
”A coincidence that ended in you punching one of my main supporters when I was still in training in the jaw!” Cassie pointed out and I let out a sigh, we may have been thousands of miles apart right now but I could feel Cass’s disappointment in me from here in India and I knew I wasn’t going to hear the end of this when we returned stateside after Violent Conduct VIII. ”At least you didn’t attack Jessie unprovoked or without reason, then we’d have real problems!”
”I know we technically share the same first name but do I look like Crystal Hilton? Don’t answer that, already had enough confusion with her thanks to Melissa!” I responded half-jokingly and Cassie laughed in response, off course we both knew one of the biggest stories to come out of last night’s show was Crystal’s firing, between me being there in person and Cass saying on Twitter that she was planning to tune in it was inescapable. ”I’m surprised that they didn’t fire her outright after she attacked Chloe.”
”I bet Christian would’ve if it was someone like Georgie Robertson, but he would’ve stapled a pink slip to her forehead and yeeted her off the ship if she did attack Chloe instead!” Her response did get a good laugh out of me but I had to admit, there was probably some truth to that, Christian may have hated Crystal’s guts before the attack but she was a former World Bombshell Champion. ”But I guess former champs get second chances at the drop of a hat! Speaking of champs, I just saw the card for next week’s Climax Control, you don’t have another hospital to check yourself out of, right?”
”Haha, very funny!” I responded sarcastically as I rolled my eyes, yeah the events surrounding the last time I challenged for the Bombshell Roulette Title weren’t my proudest moment. ”If I take you aboard next year’s Summer XXXTreme Cruise I’m talking to Christian about MCing a Rap Battle Tournament where fans and wrestlers alike try to outrap you!”
”I have skillsizzle to pay the billsizle, my rap is whack yo, my name is MC Cassie and I’m here to say, all those gosh dang giddy fools had better get out of my way!” She responded with some heavily exaggerated rap movements and there was no way Cassie could continue past that point, we were laughing way too hard. ”Please tell me you didn’t record that? I must be the whitest small town South Australian girl in Las Vegas right now!”
”I wasn’t but I wish I were recording it! That one sentence probably set rap back about fifty years!” I responded with a laugh and Cassie shook her head. ”But seriously, this is a huge opportunity for me and Kayla’s only loss in an SCW ring was during the Ultimate X Over the Pool Match, as of this week’s Climax Control she’s yet to taste defeat by pin-fall or submission, I plan on changing that but I can’t deny that it won’t be easy!” I explained and Cass nodded as she got the idea. ”Especially considering the circumstances surrounding how my Bombshell Roulette Title reign ended.”
”I know I said that it needed to happen at the time, you know, bring you back down to earth and all that, but even with that in mind I can’t deny that your reign deserved a better ending than that!” Cassie admitted with a nod as she thought back to my last cycle as champion, I wasn’t about to admit how I had felt in the months following that title match, but I had been feeling directionless since then. ”To think, that whole thing was set in motion when Diamond Steele scored a non-title win over you! And on Matthew and Marty’s first night as your managers!”
”I know, right? It’s almost like that whole arrangement was doomed from the start!” I nodded in agreement before letting out a sigh, I could’ve contacted literally anyone following Ari’s attack by Char Kwan, why was the first name I thought off someone who hadn’t been on SCW TV for years and was long retired due to injuries?! ”Me and Jessie had a chat over dinner back in Bangalore, Makayla would’ve joined us but she was still sleeping off the jet lag, in hindsight that conversation was what led to last night’s argument turning as nasty as it did but she did bring up a good point, the biggest mistake I’ve made in my career to date was letting them manipulate me for that long!”
”I’d say the only good thing to come from that was us meeting up for the first time in years but it’s like you often say, it was a matter of time before ran into each other again!” Cassie responded with a shrug and I had to admit that she had a point. ”Gonna have to have wrap this up soon because I’ve got some Aidan Reynolds tapes to study in preparation for my PWE: Conquest debut, do you think you can beat Kayla? And then go on to retain the title in the Triple Threat Match?”
”See, if you had asked me that during my Bombshell Roulette Title Reign, my answer would’ve been “absolutely” to both.” I explained to my cousin and she nodded as she got the idea. ”But since it ended and my ego came crashing back down to earth? I’m not so sure, winning the Bombshell Internet Title for the first time would definitely give me a major confidence boost though but Kayla’s a different beast from Royal Purple and Violet Amelia Holt!”
”That’s an understatement if I ever heard one! But you built your Bombshell Roulette Title reign on the back of proving people wrong!” Cassie pointed out and she was right off course, so many people said that the reign would end on the first defence against Maki, those same people were proven dead wrong when I retained the title against her and were left holding the bag as I held the title for the rest of the year. ”Who’s to say you can’t do the same thing with the Bombshell Internet Title?”
”I can think of two women who will have something to say about that, and I don’t think I need to namedrop them!” I responded as I shook my head and it didn’t take Cassie long to figure it out, I respected Keira a lot, she had done so much for me and Cassie over the past several months but I had been clambering for a tie breaker since she took the title from me! I don’t count the Queen for a Day Match because neither of us were pinned and when the dust settled, it was Amber Ryan who walked out with the power to book a Climax Control! Kayla on the other hand was a wildcard, this was my first time wrestling her and I knew she was tough from watching her matches since Kayla’s arrival, not counting that clerical error off course. ”It’s funny, I won my first title in a Triple Threat Match and defended it for the first time in a singles match, now I’m about to win my second title in a singles match and defend it for the first time in a Triple Threat!”
”I’m pretty sure that’s a coincidence, a hell of a coincidence sure but still a coincidence!” Cassie commented as she shook her head. ”Good luck in the match anyway Charlotte, I’ll be rooting for you!”
”I’ll do the same for you in that match against Aidan, remember, you’re fighting for South Australia against Queensland, don’t let us down!” I responded and Cassie let out a nervous laugh before she ended the video chat.
”Cassie’s definitely gained confidence compared to how she was before her graduation match!” Makayla’s voice rang out and I turned around seeing my well rested wife sitting on the edge of the bed. ”She’s got a bright future ahead of her if she keeps that up!”
”Off course she does, Cassie’s a blood relative off mine!” I responded with a laugh before I stood up, walked over to Makayla, and joined her on the bed. ”A cousin on my late mom’s side of the family but still a blood relative! If she succeeds then it’ll be prof that wrestling talent runs in the family, which means we might see more of my relatives deciding to follow in our footsteps!”
”And the bidding war between the Go Gym and Hero Academy would be a sight to see!” Makayla responded with a laugh before we shared a kiss, a long drawn out one but before it could lead to anything X-Rated we felt our stomachs rumbling. ”Thought you grabbed some street food on the way to the airport in Bangalore?”
”I did but that was a few hours ago.” I admitted after checking the time on my phone. ”So, restaurant food or street food?”
”Restaurant food, you’ve still eaten too much street food since we arrived in India and besides, even after my nap I’m still too tired to go searching for street food!” Makayla admitted and it was hard to argue against her points. ”Don’t get me wrong, the Indian street food I’ve had has been fantastic but we’ve got to change it up sometimes Charlotte!”
”Fair point, and I’m guessing you want to just go down to the hotel restaurant rather than go out into the city?” I asked Makayla and she nodded in response before we headed out.
Echo Park, Kolkata, India
Tuesday the 9th of August 2022, 17:00pm
*promo time*
I mean, Jessie and Ariana did their promos from a local landmark in Bangalore and it worked out well for them (more so for Ari than Jessie but still) so why not?
”If I had to use a term to describe last week’s Climax Control for the Go Gym, it would be mixed bag! On one hand Ari picked up a huge win over Alicia Lukas, on the other hand Carter suffered his first loss in an SCW ring and this week I’m getting a chance to break that tie.” I stated as I walked through the park taking in the local sights as I did, it was a beautiful park after all. ”But unlike Carter and Ari’s matches, there’s more on the line for me than just bragging rights! This Sunday Night I’m serving as the first challenger for Kayla Richards’ Bombshell Internet Title in a match that will have consequences for Violent Conduct VIII, namely the fact that when I win the match the title match at Violent Conduct VIII will become a Triple Threat after I’m added to the mix.” I added before flipping some hair over my shoulder. ”In other words, I’m entering this match with nothing to lose and everything to gain!”
A golden opportunity.
”Not only that but since this is Kayla’s first title defence, it’ll be her first test as champion and the eyes of the SCW Universe will be on her to see if she can perform under that much pressure.” I stated plainly as I walked through the park. ”If it sounds like I’m speaking from personal experience, it’s because I am! But don’t fret to much Kayla because the same would be true if your first defence was against Keira instead, both me and Keira have been in your shoes before Kayla, the honeymoon period is over and the time has come for your first title defence, and we both have first-hand experience of how difficult it is to hold a title in SCW’s Bombshell Division.” I added before smirking at the camera. ”And you’re about to find out the hard way how vicious the competition in SCW is when there’s a title at stake!”
It's the bitter truth.
”If you’ve ever wondered why so many titles have ended up being hot potatoed around in SCW History, it’s because the new champions quickly realize that holding onto a title is a lot harder than winning it in the first place hence why I said that this title match will be your first real test Kayla.” I continued before pausing to consider my next words. ”Now, looking at your achievements list on your SCW Profile tells me that on paper you SHOULD be well prepared for this Kayla, before winning the Bombshell Internet Title you’ve held titles in almost every promotion you’ve competed in which is no small feat for sure.” I added as I continued walking through the park. ”But how ready are you for this really?”
That’s a good question.
”There’s a reason why the Bombshell Division has a reputation for attracting some of the best women’s wrestlers in the business, it’s because it’s known for being fiercely competitive.” I added before I stopped and leaned against a nearby tree to get the weight of my feet. ”See Kayla, you probably thought that you had an easy ride after you first arrived, wins over Bea Barnhart, Ariana Angelos, and Levana Cade? Only losing the Ultimate X Over the Pool Match because you got overconfident and caught up in the moment? Winning your first title just a few weeks later? Not a bad start is it?” I asked before shaking my head with a grin. ”Thing is, winning a title in SCW is very much a monkey’s paw situation, because the bosses aren’t afraid to have their champions defend titles on the regular shows as you’ve just found out and the longer you hold onto the title, the tougher the competition gets, those who can adapt rise to the top, those who falter crack and are left regretting whatever mistake they made that cost them the title.” I stated as folded my arms. ”I’m well aware that you didn’t ask me Kayla, but I see you faltering! And I dare you to prove me wrong on Sunday!”
But can you?
”It’s the power to overcome that separates the paper champions from those who can handle the pressure of holding a title in a division as vicious as the Bombshell Division.” I stated as I started to walk through the park again. ”And in theory, you have all the makings of someone who can handle it Kayla, no one holds as many championships in as many companies as you without at least some talent for the business but at the same time, being so decorated makes you think that your untouchable, you’ve already demonstrated that when you lost the Bombshell Ultimate X Match and the way I see it? That arrogance is going to cost you again, only this time? It’ll mean you losing the Bombshell Internet Title on your first defence, and if you think for even a second that I’m too soft to take advantage of your arrogance?” I scoffed to myself as I shook my head. ”Guess again bitch!”
Don’t make that mistake!
”You’ll probably have something to say about the women I faced during my title reign, don’t worry I’ve heard all that bullshit from much better wrestlers than you! But holding a title for just under a year doesn’t make you soft, no matter who stood in your way during that time period, it just proves that I can and will rise to the occasion!” I added with a grin before brushing some hair over my shoulder. ”Judging from your matches in SCW so far Kayla? You’ll fight like a lioness to hold onto that title come Sunday Night but this wolf is more than ready to bite back! The last thing you should do if you want to retain the title Kayla is underestimate me but I can tell from your Twitter feed that you’re doing that already and that you’re dismissing this title match as a minor bump in the road that takes you to Violent Conduct VIII and that match against Keira.” I scoffed again as I folded my arms. ”I’m not a bump in the road that ultimately does little to hinder your journey Kayla, I’m a sinkhole and you won’t realize that your about to fall into it until it’s too late!”
Enough with the analogies.
”In other words? This is your first and last defence of the Bombshell Internet Title and I am your first and last challenger.” I stated plainly as I reached the centre of the park, at this time of day it was mostly quiet with little activity which made It perfect for the impending wrap up. ”You see Kayla I’m entering this match with my eyes firmly on the prize and the prize, off course, is the Bombshell Internet Championship that’s around your waist, don’t feel too bad after you lose the title though Kayla, you’ll get another chance at Violent Conduct VIII after all, oh wait!” I stated as I flipped some hair over my shoulder. ”I plan on retaining the title in that match to boot!”
It's that simple.
”Off course, it’s all too easy to make plans, somehow I doubt your planning to lose the title on Sunday Kayla but the best laid plans go to waste!” I added as I flipped some hair over my shoulder. ”But I’ve been in the SCW Title Picture before Kayla and I know what it’s like to mot only hold the title but fight off challengers left, right and centre, you’ve done the same in other companies but this is your first time defending an SCW Title and you’re about to find out that it’s not as easy as others make it seem.” I added before staring right into the camera. ”And I’ll reinforce that fact when I take the title off you!”
And with that I decided to wrap things up.
”But just because I’ll win the title from you Kayla doesn’t mean that things will be over between us, after all, once I take that title from you that Triple Threat with Keira will be just over the horizon!” I stated as I leaned forward on the railing, I was wearing a shirt that covered up my torso so sorry boys, no free shots of my cleavage! ”But this title match on Sunday comes first and I’ve gone too long without a title to my name! and as I turn the page on this chapter of my SCW Career I start a whole new chapter with me as champion looking towards an even bigger challenge At Violent Conduct!” I flipped some hair over my shoulder before grinning a broad, confident smile. ”Until then? I’m about to kill the Dreamkiller’s dream of a long and prosperous reign with the Bombshell Internet Title! I’ll see you on Sunday Kayla and keep that title warm for me!”
I headed towards the park’s exit as the scene fades.
