[Christian Underwood]

Please post all roleplays here! Have fun and good luck!

[Zoey Lukas]

Confrontation

She didn’t know why she was so angry.

She really didn’t have any right to be. If Aron wasn’t, why would she be? But love and hatred are a lot closer to each other than people realise. And this was a case of zoeys love leading her to hatred. Aron sat across from her, a concerned look on his face as Zoeys nostrils flared. Her bright blue eyes darkened as her pupils widened to almost take up all of her eye.

Aron was worried, concerned that her anger would cause her to do something she might regret.

Moments earlier Zoey had stood from her seat as she took a break at the gym, she had started to storm acids the gym floor, only to be stopped by Aron. His hand grabbing her elbow and holding her back asking her to come with him. Zoey took a deep breathe and complied. Stepping outside she let out a deep sigh and her shoulders dropped.

She was trying to let it all go. All the resentment and anger. The hatred. Aron closed his eyes and took his own deep breath and and prepared to ask one simple question. ”Why now?” Zoey shook her head and gave a small shrug, Aron say forward and reached out grabbing her hands. ”It was a long time ago Zoey, you’ve been back at Wolfslair a while…so why now?”

”I don’t know.” that was a lie. She knew it, Aron knew it. And Aron wasn’t going to let her off that easy. He sat back and folded his arms over his chest staring at her with a knowing frown. ”I just….what he did to you has always been there. In the back of my mind. But I always figured if you and Fen could let it go…I could to”

”And now?”

”Now he’s fucking my sister”

Aron blinked, his jaw was slightly ajar. He seemed to no know this, or atleast, was very good at acting like he hadn’t heard or noticed. ”Whaaaaat?” She gave a small nod and leaned forward placing her chin on her arms that were folded over her knees. Araon sighed and gave a small shrug. ”Well, I can see why you’d want to talk to him…”

”It’s not just that. It’s also the things he’s done. He threatened Alicia, she tried to be his friend and he threatened her, then he snapped and attacked you, put you in the hospital…and that’s not right…you’re not even…” She trailed off. Araon raised an eyebrow.

”Not even what?...tough? Able to defend myself?”

She shook her head and sighed heavily. ”You’re not a wrestler. You are in our world through your brother and through me. Austin went at you to get to Kristjan, what is to say others won’t do the same to get to me?...seems to be the way with these things, to go after our loved ones…”

Aron smiled and shook his head before standing up. ”He….he’s not the same guy Zoey…” She looked up at him raising and eyebrow. ”He had this look in his eyes, when he came at me. It was…terrifying. It was vacant, like nothing was there…I don’t see that anymore…now I see…regret…sadness. Loss. Humanity. And if Kristjan and I can forgive…so can you…and…maybe you should talk to him…like…actually talk…”

Zoey swallowed and pushed up off the step, smiling wide before kissing Aron on his forehead. ”Yeah….you’re right…thanks…you know how to balance me out…” Aron smiled wide, Zoey took a deep breath and moved back through the gym, walking around the main floor to the other side where Austin had just finished a workout, his hair and body drenched with sweat.

He turned as Zoey folded her arms over her chest. ”Zoey…”

She put her hand up and shook her head with a sigh. ”Look I…have a few things to say…” She pauses, Austin just stays silent and stoic, looking over at Alicia who just shrugged and had no idea what to say or what was going to happen. ”I understand you aren’t the same guy you were over the last few years. I even understand moss and wanting to move on…and both you and my sister deserve to be happy…”

He smiled and looked back over at Alicia again before turning to Zoey. ”Well, thank you, I appreciate that and I’m sure Alicia does to..”

Zoey nods again and sighs before leaning in. ”But, you hurt my sister….I will end you…..understand?” Austin just gave a nod, Zoey turned and tapped him on the shoulder, moving past her sister with a nod and back to Aron with a sigh of relief and release. Letting it all go.

Queen.

”This is a huge opportunity”

Zoey laughs to herself, shaking her head as a few strands of blond hair fall over her eyes.

”Stating the obvious right? The Queen for a day match, where three of us will compete and the winner gets to book their very own show. Putting themselves, their friends or their enemies in matches they choose. Champions have been crowned, revenge has been served, all due to this match and the consequences and fall out from it. And to be honest, it doesn’t take a Steiner college graduate to do the math here. Fewer competitors equals better chances for the ones left to win. So with Kim Pain no longer able to be in ther match, well…”

“My chances of winning just went up.”

“But the question remains, what would I do if I was to win the queen for a day? And in answering that question, I know some might be thinking that I’m looking past my two opponents that are left for this match and the opportunity that is presented. But, the truth is that it’s only natural to wonder what you’d do. And to vocalize it gives motivation.”

“So, what would I do?”

Zoey shrugs and folds her arms over her chest with a grin.

”Well, I would be going after the winner of the bombshells championship match. And I’m being nice to Ariana here and even considering that she might win it. We all know that coming out of this SuperCard it’s going to be Courtney Pierce who is still the champion. So, if I win the Queen for a Day match, then that is my goal. I will be coming for Courtney Pierce, I will be coming for that bombshells championships, because I have been overlooked and shut aside long enough. I came into this company with all the momentum in the world. I started destroying every single woman that this company put in front of me, and I did it with style, flair, and dominance.”

“You cannot deny it. You can’t look at my history, my wins, and who I faced, and not be impressed with what I was able to accomplish. But a few key losses and momentum, falling by the wayside, have left me desperate in trying to find ways to keep climbing that light off both figuratively and practically.”

“And it all started..with Tempest.”

“The desperation all started at one pivotal point in my career. And it pains me to say it, or think about it, or bring it up. You say, when you are a family member of someone else in business, whether or not you are a son or daughter, or brother or sister or cousin of someone else who has had any type of success in professional wrestling. If you were the one that comes into a second, you are the one who ends up being in a shadow. Some people shine bright and cast the shadow back onto their family member and others stay cold and fighting.”

Zoey folds her arms over her chest and grits her teeth.

” My sister has had nothing but success. She burst onto the scene in this country and took it by storm. Dominating every single company she had stepped in, including this one. She stepped out of our father’s shadow and eclipsed him to the point where people don’t even talk about the legacy of Jason Maxwell. people forget that he was a huge dominant destructive force in the late 80s and early 90s and even into the 2000s in Japan. No one cares no one talks about it. It is all about Alicia and all about what she has done.”

“And she earned it. She earned through everything that she has ever done. but, I knew I could come in to any company on earth and do the same thing. And in other companies, smaller ones, that people really didn’t give a shit about, I did that. So when I got to this company, when Sin city wrestling decided to signed me to a contract, I was excited at the prospect of being able to do the exact same thing. And I did, right up until I ran into tempest.”

“You all saw it on climax control, the brawl we got into to close the match.”

“There is a mutual respect there. Because that needs to be said, tempest. You need to realize that I do respect you. Hell, from what I know about you, I even like you. But there is one point in our past, that makes me unable to reach out or ever want to be a friend to you, or to not want to knock your teeth down your throat. It’s the fact that all the momentum I had built-up, everything I had that I earned, you took away in beating me. And I can handle a loss, I can handle losing to someone better than me and on that night, you were better than me. But, you did nothing with it.”

“You beat me and then disappeared.”

Zoey throws her hands in the air and paces back and forth before putting them on her hips and tilting her head with a sneer.

”And I refuse to let that happen again, especially in such a big match. And people need to realize that you are the biggest threat in the match, literally. But that doesn’t mean that I’m going to look past Mercedes, Vegas. With Kim pain, no longer in the match, Mercedes is the one who we would consider to be the old school veteran. And while Kim had exploded in a new company, and looks like she might be going back in time, and turning back the clock to some sort of Renaissance for herself, Mercedes Vargas is looking to do the same in the company that made her name famous.”

“Mercedes is viewed as a legend in not just this company, but the wrestling world at large. She did time in WWH, IWF, a million other companies, but really found her biggest and brighter success here in Sin City wrestling. And I could sit here and do what everyone else does. I could do all the stuff that my sister does. And I could ask the question of “yeah but what have you done for me lately?”. And I get why they do it.”

“It gets under her skin.”

Zoey scoffs and shakes her head.

”There’s no point in denying it. We’ve seen it Mercedes. You let other people talk about you like that, and it gets onto your skin and you end up, overthinking it or trying to prove them wrong and you fail. The reason why your career has been on a downswing has nothing to do with advanced age and has nothing to do with whether or not you can, or can’t, do it any more. It has everything to do with the fact that you let people play mind games with you, and you come up on the short end of the stick. Mercedes Vargas could be a bombshells world champion in 2023 or 2024. I’m not going to sit here and say that you can’t do it. That would be foolish. And I don’t need to resort to such things.”

“However, what I will say is you are facing an uphill battle. And hey, Tempest and I have our weaknesses in this match. While she and I are both younger and much more physically intimidating, and we are, you have a few things on your side that we have to watch out for. While Tempest, all myself could grab you and break you in half. You have veteran instincts and speed and athleticism on your side.”

“Attributes that I won’t overlook.”

“But you, you need to not think that I’m looking past you. I know damn well that both you and tempest are threats to me in this match. I know that the both of you are looking to do the exact same thing that I am in restarting your career, and to make sure that you have a future. But I refuse to let either of you use me as a stepping stone or wrong on that ladder. I’m going to do everything in my power to become a queen for a day, I’m gonna do everything in my power to face whoever the bombshells champion is and take that championship for myself. This is the moment to do it, and I’m not going to let anyone, not a wiley veteran, not a dominating force, stand in my way.”

[Tempest]

Las Vegas, Nevada

She would have been surprised had she not worn out a groove in the floorboards beneath her feet as she paced back and forth in the front room of her small, Las Vegas apartment. Hands clasped together with fingers steepled, she paced back and forth as she waited for her invited visitor to show, altogether uncertain of how she was going to proceed with what she now needed to do.

The issue here was the fact that Tempest did not confide certain things to this little makeshift family here in Las Vegas that was predominantly responsible for opening her doorway into the world of professional wrestling. Reason being, she was an intensely private person and she simply did not want people feeling bad or sorry for her. Some might welcome such sympathy, while others might heartily encourage it. But Tempest? She found it both belittling and insulting. But here’s the simple truth; that was when it just involved her. Now, she had something else to consider. Someone else. And that was why she was preparing herself to step out of her comfort zone.

She needed help.

Luckily, that was when the rap on the door reverberated in her home. Her amber eyes turned toward the door and she closed them, drawing in a deep breath. Exhaling through pursed lips, she walked over and promptly opened the door to be greeted by none other than…

Gabriel: Alleyene.

Gabriel Stevens, co-owner of one of the world’s most premiere wrestling schools - the famed GO Gym, and the man responsible for her in-ring training. Tempest stepped aside, allowing the man to enter her home. As she shut the door behind him, he turned around to face her with a curious expression on his face.

Gabriel: Is everything okay?

Tempest: Why wouldn’t it be?

Gabriel smirked a rather knowing smile. True this student of his had her secrets but he had been around her and people in general long enough to be able to read them deftly with a rather unique precision.

Gabriel: Because you aren’t exactly known for inviting people into your home. It’s your safe house, your sanctuary… or, am I wrong?

Tempest cast an exasperated look heavenward. This was a reason why she wasn’t more forthcoming. It seemed these people around her could read her anyway so why even try? She finally lowered her head and shrugged her shoulders, hands tucked in her jean pockets.

Tempest: I need help.

Gabriel blinked, rather taken back by this admission.

Gabriel: Wow. That must have stung a bit.

Tempest just tilted her head and looked at the boss man, prompting another smile from her trainer, but this time it was more soft … genuine.

Gabriel: Seriously, what’s going on? How can I help?

That being said, Tempest turned and walked away from the foyer of the apartment and through the door frame that led to the inner sanctum of the bedroom. Gabriel remained where he stood, figuring if she wanted him to follow then she would have stated so outright. He heard soft spoken voices from the other room, recognizing one as Tempest’s but the other one…? He knew that whatever was going on, it would be the unexpected but what he was not prepared for was seeing Tempest emerge from her inner apartment dwelling with a young child, a girl of only perhaps nine years of age. Tempest led her into the front room by the hand, the girl never once taking her eyes off of the stranger in the home - Gabriel himself.

Gabriel smiled. He couldn’t help it. He loved kids – he had two of his own in fact. He watched as the little girl was being led closer to him but the little one eventually put on the proverbial brakes, not wanting to come any closer just yet, and Tempest wisely did not force it. Gabriel looked from the little girl to Tempest herself.

Gabriel: Who’s this?

Tempest a hand on the little girl's shoulder, ushering her ahead a step or two. The girls eyes never leaving Gabriel's own.

Tempest: Gabriel, this is Anela. My stepdaughter.


Gabriel: How long?

It was an invasive question, he knew. A painful one. But the floodgate had been left wide open and now was the time for questions to be answered. Especially if he was going to be able to help in the way she asked. Gabriel cast a glance from where the pair of them were talking quietly between themselves in the dining room, to the front room where Anela was curled up on the sofa, her eyes fixated on the television and an episode of Bluey. Tempest briefly followed his gaze before she looked back to him.

Tempest: Just over five years ago. Malulani's mother hated me from the start and wasted no time in taking her away from me after he died.

Gabriel: But you were the stepmother. Didn't you legally have the…?

Tempest: I was in totally unfamiliar territory and my mind wasn't right after losing her Daddy like that. She made threats and I took them seriously and thought there was nothing I could do.

Gabriel: Until now.

Tempest nodded.

Tempest: As soon as the old witch died, Malulani's sisters found out the truth. That she never had legal custody. Malulani wanted her with me and if I didn't take her, she would have gone into the system. You know, I had hoped for years that this would happen and now that it’s here…?

Gabriel: You’re not sure where to go from here?

Tempest only nodded silently. Gabriel casually looked around at their surroundings and then back to her.

Gabriel: Well, I think you’re going to need a bigger place. This is barely big enough for you.

Tempest: I know, I was thinking about that actually. I have my house in Hawaii and I was thinking maybe it’s best to pay off my lease and bring Anela back to…

Gabriel: Well, you can’t go back to Hawaii right now. … How is your family, by the way.

Tempest: Safe.

Gabriel nodded, satisfied. He was above all else, a family man and he knew what mattered most. His thoughts strayed momentarily as Tempest watched her stepdaughter watching cartoons, curled up against a mountain of pillows. He could already tell what was going through her mind, knowing she felt cornered, perhaps with no options. He’d respect whatever she chose was best for the little girl, but he wanted her to know that she did, in fact, have options.

Gabriel: You don't have to retire, you know. You're just getting back on your feet again…

Tempest: I know, and I hate the idea of doing it but what else can I do? I have new priorities. And I don’t see how I can raise her while still wrestling…

Gabriel: Why not!? Alleyene, do you seriously think you’re the first parent – or even single parent – that would be in this business? You can do this, without having to leave Vegas permanently. You have options now.
Tempest: I also have family in Hawaii that are going to watch to get reacquainted with my daughter.

Gabriel: Of that I have no doubt! But you can have the best of both worlds. You can do this! And if things get overwhelming for you, there are people who can step in and help you!

Tempest: But they’re in Hawaii, remember?

Gabriel stared hard at the woman for several long moments before he cleared his throat and pointed a finger directly at himself.

Gabriel: I wasn’t just referring to them. You have all of us too, you know? Synn can help you get a bigger place. Odette and I would be happy to help you get Anela in the same school as our kids. Lucas is close to her age, they may even wind up in the same grade. Or, if I know my boy, he might just pour on that charm of his.

To that, Tempest just snorted back a laugh, shaking her head. Her eyes were downcast, but Gabriel’s voice drew her attention back up to his own gaze.

Gabriel: So what do you say? Give it a chance? Let us help?

Tempest just exhaled, rolling her eyes heavenward, which to Gabriel was all but an admission of defeat on her part. Gabriel sat back, relaxed and he smirked.

Gabriel: You know, Despy has been saying for months that you were hiding something.

Tempest: Yeah, well … Despy needs to keep his nose out of other people's business.

Gabriel scoffed.

Gabriel: Yeah. You’d have a better shot at landing a hurricanrana.


“Queen For A Day.”

“Not a bad distinction at all to have, to call what will be the first of many. Funny thing about this match. Not a whole lot of people expected me to get this far. I heard whispers that people ‘in the know’ expected Luna Vanity to beat me and join her man cake Alexander Raven, maybe make the effort for the ‘happy couple’ to reign over Sin City Wrestling as the King and Queen together? Well … surprise! All of Luna’s hopes and dreams to be Queen…”

Tempest sliced a finger across her throat, making the appropriate sound effect.

“Off with her head! And the moment – the moment – that I gained a spot in this match, one particular person looked right past me in the assumption that I was just a number. A spot filler. A roadblock that she was just going to run right over to climb that ladder and be Queen For A Day. And I can’t really fault them for their assumptions. I know that when it comes to singles competition, I’ve had a person or two take their shots at me and my relative lack of success where championship gold comes into play. And trust me when I say there is a very simple reason for this, but I’ll get to that later.  But for the moment? Yes, I am talking about that washed up geriatric Bombshell known to most as Mercedes Vargas.”

“Girl, ever since I earned my way into this match, you have been running your mouth non-stop. A feat you hold a particular talent for. And last week, when you and I finally met one on one to build this match the way it was meant to be? Well, if you had just slowed down that motor mouth of yours, maybe you wouldn't have got your foot wedged and made a damn fool of yourself! Oh trust me, I watched every minute of that little promo you shot at my expense, and even if I didn't go out of my way to show it, I really appreciated each and every word that you said. Because for every negative thing you said about me, about my career and where I stood in the grand scheme of things, I wouldn't have been so inspired – so enthusiastic – to go out there and spay you like the old bitch that you are! Vargas, you could say everything about who I lost to in my time as a singles wrestler, but I noticed that at the same time, you never mentioned the women that I have beaten. Namely – Zoey Lukas. You remember her, don’t you? The third woman in our little court? And who else? Oh, I remember now!”

She snapped her fingers and pointed right at the camera.

“You, Mercedes. I. Beat. You! Do you know deep down the meaning behind that accomplishment? It means that without Kim Pain involved in this match, I am literally the only woman in this match that holds a victory over the other two participants. That means, logically speaking? The smart money would fall on…”

She tapped a finger to her chest.

“Me. And as for you and that broken record you tend to play every single time someone points a camera in your direction? The one where you take the time to remind everyone of your championship record in SCW? Of your Hall of Fame status? Your last tag team title run was in January OF LAST YEAR. And the last time you had a singles championship around your waist was in 2019 – FOUR YEARS AGO! So yes, dear. You certainly have had a stellar career inside of the ring – but has anyone else besides you fallen from grace so hard, and so fast? When was the last time you had a significant win – of ANY kind!? And what does it tell you Vargas – that people were paying more attention to Zoey Lukas last week as a referee than they were to you in the actual match that you were officiating?”

“How does it feel Mercedes, to be the third wheel inside of the ring? In your own match?”

Tempest shook her head and looked aside before giving the camera a sidelong glance.

“But don’t think for a moment that I’ve forgotten about you, Zoey. Sister, the moment that fist of yours came down across my face I lit up like a Christmas tree in the summer! You Zoey, you above anyone else reminded me of one of the reasons why I got so involved mentally into this sport! Not just for the leisure of breaking a Barbie doll or two, but to get the chance to face women like yourself. A REAL woman who doesn’t give a DAMN about what the world around her says or thinks! Chick, you are you – and for that…”

Tempest clapped her hands together.

“Respect! But…”

She then held a finger up.

“Respect will only get you so far when you get in my face the way that you did. The way that you got in my business! I don’t give a DAMN about you being the referee or whatever mistake Vargas made where you were concerned! I did not WANT your help against her, nor did I NEED it! Vargas does not get enough calcium, Zoey. Her bones are growing more brittle by the day and I had her one way or the other in that match, and you involving yourself like that? I might have walked away the winner but all you did was cause people to question me and whether or not I could have done it had you not gone rogue! Now here’s the thing…”

She motioned for the camera to come closer.

“I don’t like being questioned. I don’t like people having doubts about me and what I can do! I know myself. I know what I can and can not do and in the ring? There is very little that I can’t do! I mean, I beat you – after all. And no, you didn’t make it easy on me which is, believe it or not, the way I prefer it! But the fact remains! And if I can best you in your own environment, the one that you were groomed for by birthright? What the hell do you think I’m going to be able to accomplish when all I have to do is climb a damn ladder!?”

She sneered.

“Eight days away Zoey. Let’s beat the holy hell out of one another and make it something to remember before I get that crown. Then we can dump Vargas back at Shady Pines and grab a beer.”

[Mercedes Vargas]

August 13, 2023
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

[Open on Mercedes Vargas as the camera pulls back to show the SCW Hall of Famer pacing backstage long after Climax Control 370 has left the airwaves. There are a few promotional posters of the Violent Conduct supercard plastered on a wall.]

Mercedes Vargas: If anyone else did what they did to Christian Underwood or Mark Ward, how much do you want to bet they'd get their walking papers via FedEx?

[SCWrestling.net cameras caught up with Mercedes as she was bewildered after the events that went down tonight.]

Mercedes Vargas: Forget that I lost tonight, forget that Kim won't make the supercard. Let’s get one thing straight: Zoey and Tempest should be fired tonight. And before anybody gets the idea that I'm looking for an easy way out of this match, I'm not.

[A pause is met as Mercedes shakes her head and breathes a small sigh before looking back at the camera.]

Mercedes Vargas: Zoey is not better than me. Tempest got lucky. Whether she calls herself *using air quotes* extreme or not, she is just out of her element.

Cameraman: Do you think tonight was the last we could be seeing Zoey and Tempest in SCW?

Mercedes Vargas: What other punishment is there? You saw what they did out there, the whole world did! The whole of Brazil!

Cameraman: We’re two weeks away from Violent Conduct and the Queen for a Day. If Zoey and Tempest are hypothetically fired, do you think you will face new opponents or will the match be cancelled?

Mercedes Vargas: Don't know, don't care. I'm just glad I won't have to hear Christian tear into Zoey and Tempest in the morning.

[***Fade.***]

~~~

Blog: Almighty Fire
semana del 11 al 19 de agosto de 2023

This has been a roller coaster year for me. When I'm good, I'm really good, but when I'm bad, I'm terrible. My thoughts on my last match with Tempest? You mean other than the fact that she's partly responsible for the most heinous act committed in SCW history? Heat of the moment? That remains to be seen. The other thing is, Tempest and Zoey were trying to send a message. Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.

Well, message sent, message received. I'll let SCW management deal with that. Me? I'm getting ready to make history in Mexico. It's going to be my greatest win to date.

What? I won at Violent Conduct last year, I plan on winning again this year, whether I have opponents to face or not. Because, let's face it, everyone and their grandma knows that Zoey and Tempest should be gone from SCW. They shouldn't even bother booking a trip to Mexico because the CC 370 in Rio should have been their last match. Conventional wisdom says I don't stand a chance because both Zoey and Tempest have beaten me in the past. Statistics say my chances are be 33 percent in winning next Sunday, but my confidence is 100 percent that I'll be grabbing that briefcase.

A lot of the Bombshells in the lockerroom think that they know me pretty damn well, and saying how I’m all about two things – counting the many championships in my career, and my huge ego, but really, the only thing they should be counting on is  yours truly overcoming the odds just like I have in my career. I’m going to show Zoey and Tempest that underestimating me will be their biggest mistake. And trust me on this one, they're going to get everything that’s coming to them next Sunday. I can promise you that.

Long before they knew and long after they remember.

~~~

MERCEDES: If I'm feeling bitchy, I'm still suffering from jet lag, so you might want to think twice about asking anything because I'm going to be spending more time in the air before I'm through.

IRMA: You look like a glass-eyed junkie standing in the middle of Midtown on a weekday. You sure you're going to be alright?

[Six o'clock in the morning. Mercedes reaches for the coffee pot and pours another cup. Black. Her third. Because  the difference between a good day and a bad day is caffeine.]

MERCEDES: Ask me after this cup.

IRMA: Do you take anything seriously?

MERCEDES: My parents said I could be anything, I choose caffeinated.

[Mercedes glances at her Twitter feed. The silent shake of her head clues anyone that what she was looking at was not good. She looks up from her smartphone in disgust.]

MERCEDES: You have GOT to be kidding me.

[Irma raises an eyebrow and gives Mercedes a confused look.]

IRMA: What? Is your flight cancelled?

MERCEDES: No, my match is still happening, sadly.

[Mercedes has a defeated look on her face.]

MERCEDES: I just reached my Twitter limit. God, I hate this Elon guy. Ugh!

[***Fade***]

~~~

Present Day ♦ S A N T A M O N I C A, C A L I F O R N I A

[REC•]

[As the scene opens, we’re met with Mercedes Vargas reading a book while sitting with her legs draped over the arms of a wicker chair. A week removed from the go-home show in Brazil and less than a week to go before she has to fly out to Mexico for a high-stakes showdown against Zoey Lukas and Tempest for Violent Conduct in the hopes of climbing the ladder and seizing the prized Queen for a Day briefcase, which guarantees the winner gaining control of Climax Control on the next show following the supercard, there was much to be had from the week that was. Her hair is styled in messy curls, adorned with a red flower, and she's in jeans and a tube top.  As if on cue, she closes the book, sets it aside, looks into the camera with anticipation.]

"Climax Control 370, the go-home show to Violent Conduct was pretty wild, huh?

"Now, I don't know if there was something in the air in Rio that night, or maybe something in the water, but what happened this past Sunday is a night that will live in infamy. I thought Zoey and Tempest would be better than that then do something that will likely get them suspended or even fired from Sin City Wrestling. M

"I want to believe that, I want to tell you that, but here we are. Zoey and Tempest actually went through with putting Christian Underwood, the co-owner of Sin City Wrestling, the sometimes General Manager of the company we all work for, through a table."

[She turns away briefly, eyes tight and getting a look of disbelief on her face. Slightly looking down while shaking her head, she looks up again in earnest, holding up her hands innocently.]

"I know Christian isn't the easiest person to get along with - even we had our disagreements at times - but this doesn't make it right. Do you know what could have happened to Christian? He could have suffered a back injury or a concussion, maybe both! What gives some of these Bombshells the audacity to do these heinous acts, I'll never know. I mean, Seleana Zdunich slapped Christian for no good reason. Christian firing her that night wouldn't have hurt the women's division. I honestly hoped for her wife's sake that Seleana could find something else she's marginally good at, and earn a living, but I guess Christian has a soft spot for the Swede idiot because even though she's proven she's on the fringe of the Bombshells Division, she's still getting undeserved opportunities when she should be the gate keeper opening shows against the new competition."

[A smile tugs at her lips for the first time as she waves her hand around airily.]

"But then again, karma must be a bigger bitch than I am because Seleana is a raging dumpster fire this year. Have you seen her win-loss record? Oh my God! Pathetic!"

[She throws her head back and laughs.]

"I'm willing to bet there were a few smiles that broke out in the locker room when Christian was put through the table. In the days after CC 370, I hope Christian actually goes through with suspending Zoey and Tempest for putting an authority figure in harms way and just declare that I won Queen for a Day by outright. Sounds like a smart business decision to me. Choosing a two-time SCW Hall of Famer over someone who is selfish at best and dangerous at worst and another one who will end up as a flash in the pan in the next two to three years? This is an EASY decision."

[Her mouth widens, the corners lifting heavenward. The idea did sound pretty tempting though.]

"Don't get me wrong, I would love nothing more than for the Queen for a Day to happen, it's one of the biggest matches at Violent Conduct. Now, it may not even happen because two idiots only cared about beating each other up instead of someone else's safety.

"Getting to Mexico is nothing for me since I live in Los Angeles. Tijuana is five hours tops; Cancun is seven. Either would be better than flying to Yucatan. That being said, I have my own match to worry about next weekend."

[Clicking her tongue partly out of dismay and partly out of the sheer wonder of it all, Mercedes' smile faded as she briefly shook her head, a look of disappointment is there too.]

"Now, if people want to compare victories and look past me as a threat, by all means continue. Because now you've put yourself in a bind that I don't think you'll escape from."

[Mercedes pauses, taking time to wipe away a strand of hair from her eyes. For some reason, she remains eerily calm, despite her voice raising slightly.]

"Tell you what, Tempest, if you win next weekend, congratulations. If you win, Zoey, you most definitely earned it. But if either of you don't, well, you can't say I didn't warn you. I know how good you both are. The matches I've seen of you both proves it. But come Violent Conduct, despite what anyone else tells you, I'm not enhancement talent, far from it.

"It's necessary to take risks in order to achieve something. So, I'll take this dare, because I've got nothing to fear from either of you. I'll take this match, because, in the end, she who dares, wins. So, I will take your advice. I'm walking away from this match...Walking away as Queen for a Day."

[With that, the scene fades on Mercedes' confident smirk before she offers a heart gesture with her hands before breaking it in two.]

[***Fade***]

[Zoey Lukas]

Confession

”So the…conversation went well?

”Yeah.”

”You seemed really…adamant about it all. I kind of get it, but….it really seemed to affect you.”

Zoey simply nodded. Giving such a small reaction as she thought back, realising she’d never gone into exactly what happened with Michael and why she not only didn’t have a relationship for years but also disappeared from wrestling and her family. Aron sat there, next to her on the couch, silently waiting, showing his patience and respect. After a few moments Zoey took in a long deep breath and turned looking Aron dead in the eye. ”It did…cause…I know what my sister and I have gone through in the past.”

Aron took a deep breath and sat back. ”I know, well…some of it…”

Zoey swallowed hard, closing her eyes and thinking about the past. All of it, where she was, what she has gone through. All of it. ”I know Austin isn’t a bad guy, entirely. I know he went through horrible things, and loss. And I know that this is the wrestling business so things like what happened to you are not that rare.” She paused and shook her head, thinking carefully. ”When I first came into wrestling, I wanted so bad to impress my sister, my brother and my father….impressing my brother was easy, the second I went out of the state he was freaking out, he stays in the same three indies…”

She couldn’t help but laugh and Aron raised an eyebrow. ”Family business is always built on outdoing those who came before.”

”Don’t I know it…” She paused again and shook her head before swallowing hard and looking away. ”I wanted to explode onto the scene. But then I got distracted. By a guy. Michael Murtagh. A average wrestler with a big personality. I fell hard for him and quickly my career became all about him, about pushing him, about him being the best and a champion while I became nothing….”

She trailed off, Aron leaned over, taking her hand in his and giving it a small squeeze. ”If you don’t want to talk about this you don’t have to, but I’ll always listen. She squeezed his hand back and pushed out another breath.

”I let him think I only mattered because I was dating him. And he used me, chewed me up and spat me out. Went off with another woman. I didn;t know how to deal.” She shrugged and chuckled under her breath before sitting back and throwing her hands in the air. ”I disappeared. I just ghosted. I ghosted bookings, I ghosted my friends, my family. I just left.” She swallowed and calmed herself down. ”I always ran…with everything..”

”What do you mean?”

She bit her bottom lip, not wanting to go into this, but feeling safe enough to talk to Aron. ”I didn’t have the best time growing up Aron. Alicia left, my brother was a lo0ser, my mom remarried, my dad was nowhere to be found. I was…alone.” She trailed off, looking over to the side before pushing up off the couch and moving around the room. ”I looked for acceptance everywhere. But I was always..looked at as weird. Cause I was bigger than literally everyone. I thought it changed when I joined the volleyball team…the whole, tall athletic thing seemed to work in my favor…till other teams started lodging fake complaints…saying it was “unfair” to have me on the team…”

Zoey growled, Arondid too, getting to his feet, clearly angered about how she had been treated. ”Kids can be cruel Zoey….especially teenagers. She nodded again, Aron leaned forward, placing his hands on her shoulders and rubbing them lightly before kissing her forehead. ”Hey…if I’d known you back then, I would have totally meekly asked you out.”

This made Zoey laugh, she shook her head and smiled. Aron was great at making her laugh, getting her to release pain and anger. He was her rock. ”Alot of people see me as…I dunno. Cold. Arrogant? I don’t know. I’m just glad you have been able to see through that I guess.” She trailed off and cleared her throat with a smile. ”God I sound like I’m a whiny bitch….thanks for putting up with it.”

Aron smirked, he leaned forward and kissed her lips before pulling back with a laugh. ”Anytime…anytime at all.”

Life and death

”Respect. It’s a simple enough word. Can you respect someone without liking them?”

“Of course you can.”

“Just like how you can like, even love someone and not respect them.”

Zoey shakes her head, folding her large arms over her chest with her blond hair swept to the side under a black baseball cap that is spun backwards.

”In my world, you live and die by respect. The respect you show others, the respect shown to you. The respect you beat into others time and time again. The fact is, if someone tells me they hate me, it’s dirt off my shoulder. I don’t care and never have. Yet if someone looks me dead in the eye, if I have gone to war with them, whether I have won or lost, and they tell me they don’t respect me? Well, that shit cuts me deep and makes me want to end that persons entire career. To take everything from them until they have nothing except their respect. And then…when they have nothing but that left…”

“I’ll take that too.”

“So Tempest, you need to watch your mouth when addressing me, you need to watch your tone as well as what you say. See, so many people can point to me and say my career has somewhat stagnated, since you beat me. I came in like a ball of blazing fire only to stumble in a loss to you and struggle to scratch and claw my way back.”

“But what about you?”

“You walk around here and talk like you’re the be all end all in SCW and the bombshells division. And despite your fearsome size and strength, when was the last time you actually won anything important? Hmm? You beat me and halted my momentum but then did nothing with it.”

She pauses again and scoffs, throwing her hands in the air.

”You refuse to show any humility, despite the fact your entire history is one of failure. The only time you looked impressive was when Austin carried you to a mixed tag team title reign. And without him, you are nothing. And the fact is, you should be. You should have been the Internet champion, you should have been the roulette champion and should have been the Bombshells champion. You should have been a mainstay main event force and a star, steamrolling over everyone who stands in your way but instead you just simply…”

“Fail.”

“And instead of looking in the mirror and vowing to be better, to do better and rise up you just feel comfortable and stagnant. So, no, I’m not going to sit back and let you become the queen for a day and watch what you want to do, I’m not going to let you run your mouth time and time again without any comupence. Instead I am going to make it my mission to wake you up and make you realise that size and strength isn’t enough…”

“You need heart…and yours is lacking, being held captive by ego and arrogance you FAILED to earn.”

Zoey sneers and sits down before grabbing a bottle of water.

”Speaking of arrogance. Mercedes Vargas. You atleast earned your arrogance. Unlike Tempest who has been dragged to championship glory you have earned yours time and time again. I watched you go toe to toe with Kayla Richards older sister Amber, I watched you go to war with MY older sister and each time you showed the world that you were good enough to hang with the best. And I told you before, I wasn’t going to talk shit about you like you’re not a threat, cause I’m noit that stupid.”

“But, you let me down Mercedes.”

“You let me down hard, as someone who was a fan of yours when I was a teenager.”

“You broke my heart.”

“I wanted an impassioned promo about how you aren’t done yet and you’re going to be queen for a day and you’re the best, instead what we got was lazy. A lazy promo, a lazy moment and someone who clearly is going through the motions because she had no idea what she wants to do or is really capable of anymore. Truth is Mercy…”

“You’re a ship with a broken rudder. Spinning in circles.”

She takes a drink, swallowing and shaking her head.

”You are at the end of a path, and in front of you is a fork in the road. One side, you keep going. You keep fighting on the off chance that you can pull yourself together and your skills are still enough to be a force and a world champion in 2023. It’s a big ask, it is. And I think, personally, you are up to the challenge.”

“However. It’s still a slim chance.”

“To recreate magic.”

“So, there’s the other path. One that many in this company wish you would take. This path is to go out, to bow out. To wave to everyone, give a heartfelt speech nd leave. Retire with some dignity. Cause in this business, we see so many former greats overstay their welcome and now see the writing on the wall. And for you Mercedes the writing is there.”

“But the queen for a day could change that. Give you that one last moment in the sun and in the spotlight…but to win it, to beat Tempest and myself, two women that are bigger, stronger and younger…it’s not impossible…but it’s going to be like ice skating uphill for you…and that is never fun.”