[Christian Underwood]

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

[Ariana Angelos]

(Gabriel was used with Mark’s permission)

It came down to two Bombshells in the Battle Royal, Ariana Angelos had massively improved on her performance since the last time she was in a Battle Royal and her seemingly only friend during her recent mental turmoil Luna Vanity was her final obstacle! Ultimately though? Luna would score the final elimination and win her second title in SCW! But all was not lost for Ariana as the Greek American Bombshell would now serve as Luna’s first challenger at High Stakes as per the rules of the Battle Royal! One year ago Ariana successfully defended her Roulette Title at High Stakes meaning that her track record at the show was impressive but can Ariana finally win another title?

Go Gym, Las Vegas, Nevada
Monday the 8th of October 2023, 14:00pm

I have never been more ready for the end of a year than I have right now.

I may as well face facts, 2023 will go down as one of the worst (if not THE worst) years of my Professional Wrestling career, after a really strong start in the early months that culminated in a World Bombshell Title shot against Roxi in London things have really gone downhill fast and the only way I can make it right at this point is to win a title that I’ve spent a good chunk of the year chasing, namely? the Bombshell Internet Title.

And after coming so fucking close in last night’s Main Event Battle Royal? I’m getting a second chance at High Stakes.

In a way, I should be considering asking Luna for this week’s State Lottery Numbers because she managed to predict the outcome to the Battle Royal on Twitter! How you ask? She said that it’d be perfect if me and her were the final two which meant that we’d get a one on one match at High Stakes! Off course, that prediction came with the caveat that it was her that would be walking out the Bombshell Internet Champion but then again, everyone but the silent participants (Mercedes and Kat) was making those predictions.

And low and behold, not only were me and Luna the final two left standing in the Battle Royal but she ended up winning the whole damn thing!

In a way, I was glad that it had come down to me and Luna for one reason, I had never wrestled Luna before that Battle Royal so a one on one match between us would be a fresh match for the both of us! Throw in the fact that we are both high flyers and that we were both in our twenties (Luna being twenty eight whilst I was turning twenty three at the end of the month) meant that two young women with a lot to prove were about to tear the house down on the biggest stage of the SCW Callender!

If only my mind was all there.

”God damn it Christian! I’ll show that son of a bitch!” I muttered to myself as I kicked and punched away at a punching bag, the others in the Go Gym (students and graduates alike) weren’t paying much attention to me leaving me in my own world as I continued my workout. ”Every time I get a title shot I fumble it huh? That’s rich considering he refuses to do anything about three of his champions making a mockery of the rules!”

I continued my workout for a good half hour and I continued getting angrier over Christian’s words to me on Twitter hitting the punching bag with more ferocity each and every time as a result, I don’t need to tell you that the Go Gym uses top of the line gym equipment, the school wouldn’t have the reputation it has otherwise, and as a result the punching bag was really sturdy and easily holding up to my powerful blows with ease, at least at first.

“HEY! Watch where your aiming that thing!” A feminine Irish accent rang out and I briefly glanced up seeing Kelly, the Irish student who had enrolled at the Go Gym earlier in the year, standing there with a look of surprise on her face as the punching bag barely missed her face. “Seriously Ari, I thought Tempest was using that thing for a second there!”

”Oh get off my case Kelly! I’ve got a title match to prepare for.” I snapped at the Irish girl before I returned to my workout. ”And maybe next time don’t walk in front of a punching bag that’s in use!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Kelly responded as she rolled her eyes and I ignored the Irish girl, Kelly was good for her experience level, everyone at the Go Gym agreed on that, but she did have a temper on her. “Maybe don’t blame everyone but yourself for being a sore loser whilst your at it! Oh I’m sorry, I meant “your mental health……..”

Yeah, I couldn’t ignore that comment, I span on my heel and forcibly turned Kelly around by grabbing onto her shoulder. ”I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that, care to say that shit to my face?!” I demanded as I got in the shorter girl’s face and, well, anyone who wasn’t paying attention to me or Kelly was now. ”I’m waiting bitch!”

“Don’t call me a bitch!” Kelly insisted as she removed my hand from her shoulder and glared right back at me. “And you can blame your mental health all you want but sooner or later, your going to have to owe up to some of the things you’ve done or said!”

”I’ve spoken nothing but the truth on SCW TV!” I snapped back at Kelly not noticing the door to Gabriel’s office had opened and the owner of the Go Gym was stepping out. ”It’s not my fault that the bosses are too damn blind to see it!”

”ENOUGH!” Gabriel interrupted us as he marched over and put himself between me and Kelly. ”I will not let this argument disrupt the training any further! Either both of you drop it or you’ll be banned from the Go Gym! And yes Kelly, that would mean expulsion for you!”

“Are you fucking serious Gabriel? Ariana started the whole thing!” Kelly defended herself as she pointed an accusatory finger at me. “I was just standing up for myself.”

”Point that finger at me again and I might just break it!” I warned Kelly and Gabriel snapped his head around to me when I said that. ”She made a snide jab at my mental health Gabriel. If anyone was standing up for herself, it’s me!”

”Both of you, in my office, now.” Gabriel responded sternly and upon hearing the tone of voice he used? Neither me nor Kelly were about to argue with Gabriel as we followed him into the office.

Gabriel’s office, Go Gym, Las Vegas, Nevada
Monday the 8th of October 2023, 14:30pm

Calling the hallway that lead to Gabriel’s office his office was a bit disingenuous honestly, his office was the room at the end of a long hallway but whilst there was an open door policy regarding graduates who came to talk about their upcoming matches? When it came time for disciplinary meetings like me and Kelly’s? There was a strict “one at a time” policy, especially if the incident involved more than one student and/or graduate.

Gabriel had asked to see Kelly first leaving me to sit outside waiting for Gabriel to call me in, that didn’t take all that long because about twenty minutes after the argument Kelly left Gabriel’s office and marched right past me, I watched her leave only having my attention broke when Gabriel cleared his throat and motioned for me to come into his office when I glanced up.

”Close the door behind you Ariana.” Gabriel instructed me and I nodded before doing just that. ”How long has it been since you graduated Ariana?”

”Four years ago this month, right in time for my nineteenth birthday.” I responded with a nod before I sat down in front of Gabriel’s desk. ”Why?”

”I believe you know why Ariana, when you and Carter graduated and joined the SCU Roster in 2019 everyone had high expectations for you, your reigns with the Pride Tag Team and Bombshell Roulette Championships confirmed that we weren’t wrong, same goes for Carter and his reigns in SCU.” Gabriel explained as he shifted his weight. ”However your recent behaviour hasn’t gone unnoticed.”

”Really? You called me in because I got sick of being a glorified doormat?!” I demanded as I folded my arms and Gabriel said nothing. ”Where was this when I was attacked by Krystal? When she was breaking arms every other week in those public workouts? I could go on but we’d be here all day.” I added and Gabriel’s frown deepened. ”You confronted her once when SCW had those shows in Scotland and didn’t bother calling her for another try.”

”You forget that even when she was stateside, Charlotte lived in Grand Junction for a good chunk of the year, and besides, she blocked my phone number after our argument in Scotland.” Gabriel explained with a frown and I said nothing as I leaned back in my chair. ”Since Sin was expelled from her body Krystal has unblocked my number and I will address her actions if and when we officially welcome her back into the Go Gym, but until then? I want to prevent a similar incident with you.”

”And at what point have I displayed any behaviour similar to Krystal’s?” I asked pointedly as I learned forward. ”The most I’ve done is snap at people on Twitter and tried to get a rematch that I deserve far more than that bitch Julianna because I’ve never cheated to brat anyone! But I guess that’s okay with the bosses as long as it doesn’t mess with their plans……….”

”Can you stop and listen to what I have to say?” Gabriel interrupted me and I stopped in my tracks. ”Keira contacted me not long after the Battle Royal was announced, she figured that since I was one of your trainers I’d be able to get through to you but even I am having trouble getting past your defences.” Gabriel added as he messaged his forehead in annoyance and my frowned deepened. ”Everyone at the Go Gym is well aware of the fact that your mental health started declining in the wake of your title match against Roxi and that it has only gotten worse since then, I understand that you felt isolated from everyone, even Carter, during your struggles but we have the same message for you Ariana, get help.”

”That’s it? You interrupted my title match training to tell me something that everyone else has been telling me?” I asked with a frown as my eyes narrowed. ”I’ve got an Internet Title Match at High Stakes and I need to train for that else I might not get another title shot for the rest of the year! I don’t need this right now.”

”Yes, you do, because if you don’t get help you won’t be welcomed in the Go Gyn ever again.” Gabriel responded and I stopped cold when he said that unable to think of a comeback. ”I didn’t want to resort to this Ariana, but the argument with Kelly forced my hand, you are becoming more unstable by the day and it’s not getting any better.” Gabriel added as I glanced to the side. ”And before you ask? Kelly has been reprimanded for her comment, as it is her first offense I let her off with a warning but you won’t be so lucky next time.”

”What the hell do you expect me to do? Everyone’s turned on me because of the Courtney situation, calling me entitled because I refused to go to the back of the line after I was cheated!” I pointed out with a scowl as I glared at my trainer. ”You’ve known me since I was eighteen Gabriel, you’ve seen me blossom from a naive teenage girl to a twenty two year old former champion, how can you do this to me?!”

”It’s not a decision I’m taking lightly, you have proven yourself to be one of the best Go Gym Graduates in recent times but you’ve let your frustrations over Roxi’s comments get into your head and your performances since May have suffered as a result.” Gabriel responded as he shook his heads and I just sat back in my chair, lost in thought. ”But I’m telling you this for your own good Ariana, and frankly? Someone should’ve intervened on your behalf much sooner, last night’s Climax Control was a great night for the Go Gym, two of my students in the Maun Event, Carter being announced for the Main Event of High Stakes, his boyfriend winning his first title in over a year.” Gabriel added as his frown deepened. ”You and Luna will put on a fantastic match as I have been extremely impressed with what I have seen from Luna since she signed and it seems that she has finally found her footing!”

”Yeah, I’m looking forward to wrestling someone with a similar style to mine.” I nodded in response as I let out several deep breaths. ”But what’s your point?”

”My point is that if you had gotten the help before you damaged your reputation then I could’ve been talking to the new Bombshell Internet Champion heading into her first title defence.” Gabriel responded plainly and my frown deepened as it set in. ”Instead? You entered the match with clouded thoughts and whilst you lasted until the final two? You still lost and now serve as Luna’s first challenger.”

”There’s still a chance that I’ll leave High Stakes as the new Bombshell Internet Champion, Luna’s Roulette Title Reign ended at Jessie’s hands and Jessie was my last my challenger before I lost the Bombshell Roulette Title in the Open Invitational Match.” I pointed out that as I played with my hand and Gabriel nodded. ”And I’ve been wrestling for a little longer than Luna despite the fact that she’s older than me by a good five years, I can and I will dethrone her.”

”That is true, but Luna has defeated Bombshells who are more experienced than her before, don’t underestimate her.” Gabriel responded with a nod and I had nothing else to say at that point. ”I have covered everything I wanted to up to this point, the incident between you and Kelly will be resolved with a warning for you both and advisement that you keep your distance from each other but remember Ariana, you are among friends here and we hate to see one of our youngest graduates struggling with her mental health, next time? Just reach out.”

I had nothing else to say at that point, I just stood up and left Gabriel’s office to resume training, Kelly had taken her warning to her, keeping her distance from me, and not even volunteering to be my sparring partner when I got into the ring in search of a sparring match, but at the end of the day? My goal remained the same.

I was going to end 2023 as the Bombshell Internet Champion.

Nevada Desert
Monday the 8th of October 2023, 21:00pm

*promo time*

Not how I wanted it to end.

”Well, I outlasted all but one of the other women in the Battle Royal, that means that me and Luna are about to go one on one for the Bombshell Internet Championship at the biggest show of the year.” I stated as I started to walk around the area I had picked for my promo spot. ”But it didn’t end the way I wanted it too, I’m not the one who is entering High Stakes as the Bombshell Internet Champion, Luna isn’t serving as my first challenger either, no, I’m Luna’s first challenger and Luna is the new Bombshell Internet Champion.”

This will be interesting.

”I’m not going to bother skirting around this Luna, as much as I like you? I should be the Bombshell Internet Champion by now, if I had just had the wherewithal to reverse your elimination attempt? Well, this match would still be happening, but under the circumstances that I just described.” I sighed as I folded my arms. ”But that leaves you at a big disadvantage, because as you know all too well? Winning the title is one thing, retaining the title is another matter and you’ve already failed at that once before.”

History repeats?

”See, whilst I haven’t been involved in the Bombshell Roulette Division since my reign ended in January I have been keeping a close eye on everything going on there, the only thing more shocking than your surprise win over Crystal was the fact that you lost the belt to Jessie two weeks later.” I added before I sat down on a nearby large rock and folded my arms. ”And look at our current situation Luna, you are entering the biggest show of the year as the Bombshell Internet Champion two weeks after you won it, against a Bombshell who has chased after that very belt for most of the year, sound familiar?”

It should.

”It should because it’s almost a perfect mirror of this match, only this time it’s on PPV and the challenger is younger than the champion.” I added as I brushed some hair over my shoulder. ”Tell me Luna, are you familiar with the saying “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”? because as far as I see it, you are dangerously close to repeating history in this match! And as much as I appreciate the fact that you’ve been the only one to look out for me during my recent mental health crises? I have every intention of walking out of the MGM Grand Arena the new Bombshell Internet Champion!”

Nothing personal.

”I must apologize Luna, this is nothing personal, just business, you’d be saying the same thing if I had won the Battle Royal and you were my first challenger, it’s the nature of the business, when titles are at stake and friends face each other for the title? Friendship goes out the window.” I looked around my surroundings and sighed. ”Maybe I should’ve picked an indoors location in hindsight to help drive my point home? Ahh well, my point still stands regardless of where I’m doing this promo, I’m sure we’ll still be friends when the dust settles Luna but that title will change hands!”

But what of the match?

”And I’m not going to lie Luna, for the first time since my match against Roxi, I am excited heading into a title match! Why? Because stylistically? This may as well be a mirror match.” I stated as I grinned broadly. ”Two dark haired women in their twenties? Check, both women employ a high flying style? Check, two high impact, high flying finishers? You have The Idolizer, I have the Angel’s Descent, it’s a battle of the athletic women with flashy high flying moves and I’m all here for it!”

Pity.

”It’s a shame that we never faced off prior to the Battle Royal Luna because I’m sure that if we had had this match earlier in the year? It would’ve been an easy contender for Match of the Year! But alas, our best bet is to wait for next year’s Year End Awards but let’s focus on the here and now for the moment.” I added as I flipped some hair over my shoulder. ”Because there is one area where you have the edge over me Luna, you are also a brawler, an area where I’m weak at, so on paper? You have the edge over me in that department.”

But……..

”But whilst that is true Luna, I need to draw attention to the last time I held a title in SCW, not just because my High Stakes debut as roster member was when that reign was at its peak mind you, but because it showed how adaptable I am.” I said as I shifted my weight. ”That reign pushed me as a wrestler because in reach defence the wheel refused to stop on a stipulation that favoured my wrestling style most of the time, first defence against Seleana? Submission Match, second defence against Melissa? Fall’s Count Anywhere, third defence against Seleana? Spider Web Match, fourth and final defence against Jessie? Black Friday Brawl, with the exception of my one and only PPV defence? Those matches pushed me out of my comfort zone and I still thrived! I’m not a brawler but if that’s what it takes for me to take that title from you? Then that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Will it be enough?

”And yet despite showing great adaptability through those four months I spent as champion, I’ve yet to be able to put it together again and win my second title in 2023, why? Some people would call me a choke artist, those people are fucking idiots and their opinions don’t matter! And yes, that includes the fragile as fuck former Bombshell Internet Champion!” I stated as I flipped some hair over my shoulder. ”Was it that my first non-title match was against Amber Ryan? Or that subsequent tag team match against Masque? Or was it the fact that that reign ended because of one mistake in the Open Invitational Match? One thing is certain, my time of waiting on the sidelines as other Bombshells walk around with titles is over!”

You heard me.

”Some Bombshells are content to be in the perpetual challenger ranks, people who will get a random title shot on an episode of Climax Control or a PPV only to fall short and go back to square one, not me!”  I said defiantly as I ran a hand through my hair. ”I’ve been someone who makes the most out of her championship reigns since I graduated from the Go Gym, I refuse to be another Seleana, I refuse to be another Mercedes, I refuse to be another Laura or Bella, I refuse to be another Georgie, I refuse to be another Bea do you get the picture? I didn’t graduate from the Go Gym to endlessly chase after titles I graduated from the Go Gym to win titles, that has been my dream since I started watching wrestling as a little girl, to be a multi-time champion and for too long have other Bombshells stood in the way of that dream, that trend is ending with you Luna.”

Lofty dreams.

”What’s that? An ambitious young Bombshell who wants to leave her mark on wrestling history? WE CAN’T HAVE THAT! Sorry, I was just imagining Mark and Christian’s reactions to that above quote when this promo goes live, I will say that we have that in common Luna, you have had your quarrels with the higher ups as well.” I stated as I flipped some hair over my shoulder. ”It’s a shame, because if we were in our thirties and had burst onto the wrestling scene ten years ago? Who knows? Maybe we could’ve been the Bombshell Tag Team Champions, no idea what our team name would’ve been but it’s a fun thing to think about right? But we are in our twenties, the Bombshell Tag Team Championships are things off the past and we find ourselves as rivals for one of the top titles in the Bombshell Division instead.” I sighed as I stood up. ”Makes you wonder what could’ve been, doesn’t it Luna? But make no mistake, I may be your sweet angel, but there is nothing sweet about what I’ll do to win that title!”

Not at all.

”Everything I’ll do will be within the rules off course, unlike some people? I’m not a hypocrite, I practice what I preach.” I added as I started walking towards my car. ”But I’m curious Luna, how far can we stretch the rulebook to give the fans a good show? I’m not suggesting that we kick the shit out of whichever referee gets assigned to our match, Michael Harris is a textbook example of just how bad an idea that is, but while rules were made to be broken? They can be bent as well, and I may just bend more than a few if it means victory.”

Try not to be shocked.

”Hey, if the Jet City scumbags and Julianna can get away with this shit? Why can’t we? That’s the precedent that the bosses are setting by refusing to do anything about it!” I pointed out as I through my hands up. ”It’s almost as if they don’t give a shit about the rules until it suits them, isn’t it Luna? We’ll see how far we can push them as we put on a Match of the Year candidate and all it took was for one toxic bitch to get injured for this match to happen!”

It's that simple.

”Gotta love karma sometimes, am I right?” I asked as stopped in front of my car with a grin on my face. ”All that aside? We’re barely twenty four hours short of when this match was made official and I’m already excited for it, I hope the feeling is mutual Luna because we both know that we’ll produce magic in that ring! But at the end of the night there can only be one Bombshell Internet Champion and I’m through being denied!”

And with that I decided to wrap things up.

”And here we are at The Fallen Angel Part III: Good Friends, Better Enemies, if you ask me? There’s no better title for my first promo for this match because I can’t think of a better descriptor for us, can you Luna?” I asked as I went to get in my car. ”Because whilst we’re friends, as opponents we’re more or less evenly matched and as you suffer in agony from the Dark Angel’s Light? I will be the new Bombshell Internet Champion, see you in the ring champ, good luck, you’ll need it!”

I turned off the camera and drove back home as the scene fades.

[Luna Pasilno]

Conversation with the Heater
Scene One | On-Camera

Alex had taken her as a plus one to the Triad pre-draft party. They’d been attempting to spend more time with each other. Despite how much she loved him, there was just this part of her at the moment that just didn’t want to be there. It wasn’t even directly Alex’s fault. It was a want to be away from everyone. From Alex, from Jimmy, from Ariana. From everyone. Instead she was dressed to the nines, all feathered up to match Alex. And she had spent a whole hour there before she couldn’t hack it any longer.

“I’m going home Lexi. Have a good night.”

He didn’t even hear her. It didn’t matter. She just wanted to be alone. A long walk back to their actual hotel. They’d never intended to stay at the Hotel California. She didn’t really like Penelope all that much. The whole place just gave her a weird feeling. A long path through a dark park. Low-lit. A dangerous place for a woman alone some would say. She’d be inclined to agree if she didn’t know herself. The little scrapper that she was. A man was sitting on a bench. A familiar looking man. The plain brown suit, the white undershirt. She smiled, despite the strangeness of it.

“Harry, baby. Is that you?”

The man looked up, a slight smile on his weary face. A sad man, something weighing heavy on his shoulders. She’d always liked Harrison. She’d always like Sullivan too. But she related far more to Harry. Someone brought for the looks, rather than the brains. He patted the seat next to him. Ignoring the bizarreness of it all, and her urge to be by herself. Luna sat next to him, crossing one leg over the other, and sighed. She felt like tonight was going to be a longer one than she wanted.

“Sul, cut me off. Twenty years, and he just cut me off like a cancer, Lulu. Farewell, good luck. Not even a gift of thanks.”

Those words cut through her. There had always been one constant in their world. Pleasant and Rines. Old school guys with old school mentalities. The guys who had done what needed doing whenever it was asked. They’d gone through a rough patch back when they first met Alex, James and herself. It was the reason they’d all become… friends? Friends for the most part, though Sullivan had always been more a business associate. Harrison had been a wrestler himself, way back. He’d always claimed he wasn’t worth much in the ring. But the guy was unbelievable to watch between the ropes. Moved like a gymnast, and hit like a truck.

Sully was never much of a fighter. Mouth-piece that got things done. They’d been a good combo, though Harrison did have a habit of choking in the big moments. As the years went on, Sullivan moved them from the ring to some more illicit activities. Old school mob types were the best way to describe them. Guys who got things done. They’d always been together. Alex had pulled them out of a rut and put them back on a path. So to hear that Sullivan had cut him free. It just didn’t seem possible.

“I’m so sorry Harry. What happened, sugar?”

Harrison sighed and placed his hands on his knees, gripping them slightly. He leaned back against the bench, and looked up into the sky. He breathed in deeply and shook his head. Wetness to his eyes. A hurting man.

“Said that… he’d just moved on. That his heart wasn’t in it anymore. I’d put my life on hold for that man. I did everything to try and make him happy. To try and prove that the time and money invested was worthwhile. I had done everything, and now there is nothing. The worst part? There ain’t no fucking Alexander to fix it this time. As fucking stupid as that your boyfriend can be. As dense and as fucked up as everything that happens around him. He at least was able to pull Sul out of this ruts. Out of his addictions. Out of his mistakes. And now? Nothing.”

It was bizarre, when she thought about it. All of them had been intrinsically linked to Alex. They’d always said it. The broken children, following their leader. Their Messiah. It was kind of fucked up, really. It was almost like a cult. Yet here they were, with Alex no longer leading, and everything was falling apart. And it made part of her bubble with a frustration she hadn’t felt in a long time. She was finally finding her own feet. Yet in doing so, she had never felt more alone. Sullivan and Harrison were going their separate ways. James and her weren’t speaking. Alex was losing his mind slowly, and drifting further away.

“So what are you going to do Harry? What’s next? Please. Tell me what is next.”

Her own voice caught in her throat. The reality of what was happening was really dawning on her. Their lives were about to change forever. And she had no control. She’d done everything to take control, and now she was without it again.

“I think I’m going to go home. Move back to the UK. Find somewhere happy and quiet in Ireland, and just… just be me for a little bit. I’m sorry Lulu. I adore you, truly. But, I need to get away from you all. You should too. It’s a fucking black hole that we live in.”

Harry reached over and gave one of her hands a squeeze, before he slowly stood up. Smoothing out his sleeves and adjusting his waist. He slipped his hands into his pockets and turned looking off into the distance.

“I know you didn’t want to know. But, I think you deserve to, Lu. We played with Alex’s head. At his request. It was like… it was a kind of hypnotism, I guess. MK Ultra stuff, if you want to get real weird with it. But, we went in. Planted a switch, if you will. ‘Leon is Dead’ was the trigger. Don’t hate him for losing his mind. He couldn’t have known the truth that would have come out of it. That boy… he’s always just skirting the truth. I hate him, but you don’t. And I don’t want to see either of you hurting as a result. Love him, and help him. He’ll help you too.”

Luna looked at Harrison, through watery eyes. The tap of his shoes as he walks away. Luna leaned back on the bench and breathed in deeply.

And then she screamed.

And she screamed.

And she screamed.

Like a banshee wailing, she continued to scream and cry. Every little bit of frustration. Every little bit of anger, upset and fear. Everything just boiled and bubbled to the surface. And she just wanted to cry, and scream and wail. To tear down the world for being so horrifically unfair. To be sad and allowed to be sad. Yet here she was. Unable to do anything but scream.

So she did.

She screamed.

An Angel is Falling
Scene Two | On-Camera

“Call it prophecy, call me the Idol that I fucking am. Last week I said that it would come down to you and me babygirl. And it did. I said that it would come down to you and me, and no matter what. No matter what it took, I would be the winner. That wasn’t a challenge, that was a suggestion. That was a fucking fact. A fact of fate and I proved that right. I walked out the Bombshell Internet Champion. The little whore that could. The doubters felt like they could out-think, out-wrestle and out-talk me. And then exactly as I fucking said, they all fell down and failed. Vargas with a disappointing 30th main event. Zoey Lukas falling into further obscurity. Kat Jones proving she should have stayed the fuck home. Seleana with another notch of failure for her failing family name. Not even sure why Marlowe showed up, but there she was. Tempest is still just a miserable little rain cloud, that is half the fighter she once was.”

“Then there's you and me Ariana. The only two that had anything to actually prove, and fucking did it. You and I are going straight to the moon, and beyond. The women of the inevitable future, pushing out the has-beens and never-wills. You and me, angel, we’re going to take the world by fucking storm. And there is only one thing you need to do, sweetheart.”

“Lose.”

Shimmering emerald waters, a cave entrance, the sun high in the sky. Luna is sort of lounging in a kayak. Alexander Raven is straining away, red in the face and looking wildly out of breath as he attempts to steer the Kayak through the waters of the Vegas Emerald Caves. The waters lapping lightly, the gorgeous green reflecting onto the rock faces and even onto the people on the water.

“Now, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way. I truly do believe in you babygirl. I believe in what you’ve been working toward. I have done my utmost to show you every bit of love and care. But the truth of it is, when it comes down to it. At the end of every road the outcome between us remains the same. I will do whatever I need to do, to not be just another transitional champion. I will beat in the face of every insufferable cunt who steps into my path to ensure that I am no longer looked down upon. That every single person that laughed and sneered at Luna Pasilno will be made to eat their own fucking tongue. And unfortunately, sweet girl. Despite my adoration for you, despite my love and care for the friendship we’ve fostered in the face of your adversity, doubt and depression. Despite it all, I have unending faith in your future. But, like all great things. Adversity must mould them, and you are still in need of some shaping. But let me tell you a story, lover. Let me tell you about why I know what it is like to have the world turn on you. Why I know personally what it is like to have people tell you how to act and behave, how to be and change. Let me tell you all about me, so you can understand why I know you. At the end of the day, I’m still a vain bitch.”

Alex mumbles something under his breath, catching the slap of a hand to the back of his head. ‘Shush you.’, proceeding to almost lay out on the kayak back itself. Groaning, he continues to paddle, beginning to veer off to the left. Luna is in a simple white sundress, with an array of coloured flowers all over it. Her hair is tied up in a loose bun, strands of hair cascading down and around her shoulders.

“I touched on it last week. See, I grew up with the world telling me what kind of person I was. The whore with the gay brother. That was the story of my upbringing. Shunned because I was happy enough to love who I loved, and because my brother James happened to not like girls like they all thought he should. So what do we do? We continue to live our lives, happy and free. Loving who we wanted. Problematically, I decided to make some mistakes. I put myself down a path of excitement and danger. Leaving comfort and happiness for the sake of fun and experience. Alcohol, drugs, sex. It was all just par for the course. Instead of battling against the accusations of the know-it-alls, I gave in. I became the emotional whore they wanted. I watched as my world crumbled as a result of my actions. I pushed everyone away, and allowed myself to fall into that pit. Fall into the whole of addiction and pain. The Masochist was born, because I enjoy the agony that I inflicted. The only reason I ever came back, was the idea of dying due to my arrogance was just a little too much for me. And so I reached out to my sweet brother. The light in my world, and he dragged me back to the real world.”

“Helped me get sober. Helped me get back into the life of my friends. But the one boy I hurt, he was no longer just waiting for me. That sweet boy had moved on. And I suffered as a result. I suffered because I had done everything to ignore the words of those around me. To follow my own path. To be my own person. This isn’t some story to tell you are wrong in what you are doing. To back-step on everything I’ve been saying to you for the last few months. No, quite the contrary. Despite the fact that I needed to get clean, I needed to come back to reality. To escape the abuse, and find my friends again. I wouldn’t change what I did for anything. I wouldn’t change my actions, I wouldn’t change my behaviour. I wouldn’t change a damn thing. Because I needed to be free to make my mistakes. I needed to be free to learn, to be sad. To be hurt and to see the face of death and decide I didn’t want to be the one to give into it. I needed those opportunities to be wrong, so that I could be right when I finally found my way. And I have found my fucking way, lover. I have found a path to a better tomorrow, and that better tomorrow exists in my standing on my own two feet. The self-love that I have. I am the fucking IDOL, Ariana. And as much as I love and adore you.”

Luna leaned over the edge of the kayak, dragging her fingers through the water, sighing heavily. Alex slowly stopped paddling and came to stop. They were now inside one of the beautiful emerald caves. The waters that perfect shade of green, the walls twinkling with the lovely light. He leans back a little, sort of laying out as they bobbed slowly on the water’s surface.

“No one is going to stop me from being the biggest bitch in this division. As much as I love and adore you, sweet thing. I will break every bone in your fucking body if I need to. Because I will not be walked over. I will not be stepped on. I will not be shit on for being unapologetically myself. I am a callous, cold-hearted bitch, Ariana. I will love you, but I promise I will fucking break you too. If I have to screw you out of a win, I will screw you out of a win. I have no desire to play clean and fair. I am the Idol and the Masochist. I am the Bombshell Internet Champion of Sin City. And when it comes to High Stakes. When it comes down to you or me, I promise you. I fucking promise you, that it will be me every single time. That’s not a suggestion. That’s not a challenge. That’s a fucking statement. That’s the truth. That is prophecy, because what I say into the world is manifested into inevitable truth. For I am the inevitable future of Sin City. Everyone will feel the impact of The Idol Luna Pasilno. You just have the unfortunate task of being the first. The first to fall, the first to stumble and the last to understand. That I love you, but you are not that bitch.”

“So let’s sign this off. With a moment of happiness, a moment of peace. A moment of actual love. Here in this place of beauty, these emerald caves, these perfect green waters. I see you as a gem, sweetheart. Not quite a diamond, but beautiful nonetheless. For diamonds imply perfection. Perfection under pressure. Turning coal into something immaculate. Nobody is that perfect, and nobody ever will be. No, the best we can hope for, is to become the gemstones of life. Of happiness, of peace. To be the jade that soothes the soul. The rubies that glitter on the pristine porcelain skin of the skanks who would scoff at our aggression. The sapphires that dangle from the jewelled ears of the far too well off. To be the emeralds who were mined by the blood of those who are taken advantage of. I am an emerald in this world. Paid for in blood. Paid for in agony, and mistreated as a result. I am the perfection of the imperfect. I am the cool, green bitch. And you’re just a simple piece of quartz. Pretty to look at, nice to own. A perfect little mantlepiece stone. But nothing of substance. Just another geode tossed to the gift shops and knick knack collectors. You can be something special one day. I’m sure of it, my sweet angel. But right now? You’re just another stone to my collection.”

Luna smiles, as she leans forward. Threatening to tip the kayak, but keeping it steady. She leans over Alex, who appears to have started to take a nap. A light kiss to his lips, her arms draping over him. A moment of peace, of contentment. The sun kissing both of their flesh a pinkish tinge. Smiles.

“I’m surrounded by love, Ariana. Don’t you think it is time for you to be surrounded by it too?”

And then…

Emerald Lovers
Scene Three | Off-Camera

“You’re a bit of bitch, you know that?”

She simply smiled, a slight laugh. Another light kiss. A moment of peace. The irony of everything was that their moments alone were her happiest lately. As much as she just wanted to be alone. To be allowed to stay at home, to stay by herself. To wallow in her momentary misery and listen to True Crime documentaries. Their moments out and about, their dates. They were something special. Thoughtful, unique. For the first time in a while, this felt peaceful.

But she couldn’t help but remember her conversation with Harry. Alex was one to do many things to help himself succeed. That wasn’t what really bothered her. If he wanted to Fight Club himself, that was on him. She wasn’t even bothered so much by the idea of him hallucinating dead person’s of his past. Which was surprising to herself more than anything.

No she was bothered that Harry had spent so long telling her to love Alex. There wasn’t much friendship between Alex and Harrison, so it stuck out. Did he even know about the Sullivan situation? Did he know that all of his friends were falling apart around him?

“Did you hear about Sully and Harry?”

Alex sighed. A pained look crossed his features, he sat himself up, her arms still draped over his shoulders. Her chin resting on his shoulder. It would seem he did know. And it wasn’t a particularly pleasant thought.

“Sullivan is making a mistake. There isn’t another person in this world that would put up with him. Letting go of that leash is bad for him. Harrison will be fine. Of everyone, he is the one I’m least worried about. Where’s he going, do you know? Ireland again?”

It was odd hearing him so… empathetic? Maybe not the right word. It was strange, he obviously seems pained by it, but didn’t seem particularly interested in righting the course. She pulled her arms tighter together, and wrapped them around his neck more so than his shoulders. Her eyes fixed on the water in front of them, the beautiful green ripples.

“Are you okay, Alex?”

He shook his head. It was slight, not much behind it. Just a slight shake, but it was enough. The pang of pain shooting through her heart. The drop in her stomach. She wasn’t okay, but he had been doing whatever he could to make sure she knew he was there for her. With space, with love, affection and everything else between.

“I want you to come home, Lu. I don’t want to wake up from nightmares alone anymore. I don’t want the smell of you to fade from my pillow. I don’t want you to fade from me. I don’t want you to forget me. I don’t want to be Harrison. I don’t want to be Sullivan, or James. Or any of them. I don’t want to be alone, I don’t want to fucking hurt. I want to be okay. I want to be happy, I want to exist. I need to exist, and the only fucking way I exist Lu. The only way.”

He dipped his fingers into the water, on either side of the kayak. Sighing deeply, wiggling his fingers for a moment.

“The only way I exist is if you don’t forget me. I feel like you’re forgetting me.”

Pain. He was in so much pain. Always in pain. She asked for honesty, and yet shunned him for it. She didn’t know why. There was everything in the world in front of them. Coming out of High Stakes, they could be the power couple of Sin City Wrestling. World and Internet Champions respectively. He was in with a chance of uniting the Triad, and he was being recognised by some of the biggest names in the industry. Yet he was hurting for the simple fact that she wasn’t available.

And her heart hurt.

“I’m sorry Lexi. I would never, could never. Forget about you baby. I came back from the brink, not for me. Not for anything but you. For you to see me again. I stood on the sidelines, watching as you were happy. Watching as you got to move on with your life. To shrug off the cape of pain I left in my arrogance. I’m always here Alex.”

He pulled something from his pocket. A small box. He lifted her arms off, and managed to turn himself around. A great feat of balancing in managing to kneel.. The box was held in his hand.

“My mama, she told me to keep hold of this. Of something special. For someone special. I want you to come home Luna. Please, come home.”

He popped the box open. A beautiful necklace inside. An ornate silver bird. A raven. With small little diamonds for eyes. It was beautiful. She remembered it well. His mother wore it every day. A gift from her loving, doting husband. Before substance abuse. Before he turned his fists on his family. A memory of happier times. Not even Lauren had ever been given this.

“Okay.”

He smiled. She smiled. Taking the necklace in hand, she linked it around her own neck. It felt cool, nice and somehow full of love. She was glad it was the necklace, and not a ring. For right now? She probably would have broken his heart. But she could come home, that much she knew.

“I love you, Luna.”

She smiled, placing another kiss to his lips. A moment of peace. A moment of happiness. It would be nice to at least have the familiar scent of whiskey and cigarettes in the bed. His smell of whiskey and cigarettes.

The sun began to dip, and with that the light of the area changed from its bright glowing, to a burning emerald flame. A beautiful sight, for a moment of actual peace. Perhaps one that will be their last.

And then…

Darkness.

Silence.

Nothing.

[Ariana Angelos]

(Keira was used with her handler’s permission)

It was the week of the biggest event of the SCW Callender: High Stakes XII and Ariana’s quest to win her second SCW Title (and singles title) continued as she challenged Luna Vanity for her recently won Bombshell Internet Championship! Luna and Ariana were the final two competitors in the Bombshell Battle Royal for the vacated Bombshell Internet Championship and due to the rules of the match Ariana would serve as Luna’s first challenger at High Stakes! But Luna had bad luck with titles previously after she lost the Bombshell Roulette Title in her first defence to Jessie Salco during the Unsolved Mysteries tour, will history repeat itself for Luna? Will Ariana end her title drought?

Ariana’s home, Las Vegas, Nevada
Sunday the 15th of October 2023, 14:00pm

So, how has your week been?

Normally the final two weeks before a Supercard means one thing, training, and lots of it, and even if I wasn’t competing for the Bombshell Internet Championship against Luna at this year’s High Stakes? It would go double for High Stakes.

Why? Do I really need to explain why? It’s the biggest SCW show of the year, this will be my second High Stakes and my second time competing for a title! Now granted, last year I was entering my first High Stakes as the Bombshell Roulette Champion set to defend against Seleana Zdunich in what ended up being the only successful title defence on PPV during that reign and this year the shoes on the other foot as, like I said, I’m challenging for the title but it still rings true.

And hell, after chasing after the Bombshell Internet Championship for the better part of the year, winning the title on the biggest show of the year was going to be the perfect way to end it, so, why am I not training?

The incident at the Go Gym that happened last week.

Everything about it really, my argument with Kelly, the chat with Gabriel, I was keeping my distance from the Go Gym until I had everything figured out with my mental health, it didn’t matter how long it took me, until the day of High Stakes or until the end of the year, I didn’t want to go back there until I felt I was ready.

Besides, Keira and Roxi had been gracious enough to let met use Hero Academy in spite of my argument with Keira after Taylor Parker attacked me, their facilities would have to do for now.

”At least you guys don’t judge me.” I sighed as the Golden Labrador Zeus and the Boarder Collie puppy Oreo lay down beside the couch I was lying on whilst I was playing on my Nintendo Switch, I was soon joined by Athena as the cat leapt onto my stomach before laying down just beneath my breasts. ”And thanks for making me glad that I’m not wearing a crop top Athena.” I sighed as I set my switch to the side and started scratching Athena behind her ear, the cat purred in response and I grinned enjoying the moment of bliss.

The moment ended sooner than I would’ve liked because the front door started to unlock and the dogs raced off to greet whoever was at the door, I had an inkling that it was Franky for one reason: he had gone off to the shops to grab some stuff that we had forgotten during the weekly shop on Friday. ”Ari, I’m home.” Francisco called out confirming my suspicions and Athena was gracious enough to jump off me and move to another chair where she lay down on the arm rest, allowing me to stand up and greet my husband. ”Did you check Twitter today?”

”I checked it once and the only thing I saw was that pissgate nonsense.” I responded as I shook my head and Francisco nodded, trust me, you don’t want to know what I’m talking about. ”Why? Did another gross thing happen when I wasn’t looking?”

”Fortunately no.” Francisco responded before he moved into the kitchen with the shopping bags in hand and I made sure to close the door before either of the dogs got out. ”Unfortunately Carter’s father has taken a turn for the worse, he lost his battle with renal failure.”

”Oh no, that’s awful!” I gasped in response and Francisco nodded solemnly. ”Where’s Carter now?”

”His last update was when he announced his dad’s death, he also said that he was flying out to Seattle.” Francisco explained and I quickly got my phone out without a second thought. ”Are you booking a flight to Seattle for us.”

”No, it’s too last minute and I didn’t really know the man aside from his strained relationship with Carter, besides, I need to train for the match with Luna.” I responded as I shook my head and Francisco nodded in understanding as I started typing a text message. ”What I am doing is sending him my condolences via text, if Carter will allow me to go to the funeral with him then I’ll go but given our recent falling out?”

”I’d suggest calling him but he might still be on the plane for all we know.” Francisco nodded in understanding and I agreed before adding “call me ASAP” to the text and hitting send. ”It’s bittersweet isn’t it? That this might be the key to salvaging your friendship with Carter.”

”I guess it is, especially given the timing, what with me going after the Bombshell Internet Title and Carter being one of the six wrestlers competing for the World Title.” I nodded in agreement as my text went through and I pocketed my phone again. ”I never wanted my friendship with him to become this strained but I was under so much emotional stress after that confrontation with Courtney that I was just lashing out at anyone and everyone.”

”And it hurt me to see you like that, because I knew that wasn’t the woman I married.” Francisco sighed and I gave him a sad look as it set in. ”Maybe you should try mending that bridge with Keira? She’s only been trying to help you.”

”You’re right, but I need to think about how I’m going about this.” I grumbled as I flipped some hair over my shoulder. ”You were there when she told me about the Battle Royal that main evented the last Climax Control, you saw how fiery I got! Granted, us Greeks can be a passionate lot but still.”

”She’ll understand, in the meantime, do you want to help me unpack?” Francisco offered and I nodded before doing just that.

Hero Academy, Las Vegas, Nevada
Monday the 16th of April 2023, 11:00am

There was an undeniable buzz in the air as I entered Hero Academy this morning.

It didn’t take me long to figure out why either, between Team Hero’s final match against Whisper and Kat Jones at High Stakes and Harper winning her second ever championship at FCW’s event in New Orleans on Saturday there was plenty of reason to be excited, but I was here to speak with Keira first and foremost and with Harper being out of town for her match on EWC’s Prime brand? That did make things significantly easier for me.

Especially when it didn’t take me long to find Keira or convince her to have a chat with me in her office, it was hard to miss a legend like Keira in a sea of trainees and perspective wrestlers after all.

”Look. I know we had that blow up the other week after the Battle Royal was announced but Gabriel threatened to ban me from the Go Gym if I didn’t seek help.” I explained bluntly after closing the door to Keira’s office and the blonde Hall of Famer nodded as she got the idea. ”And no offence but you are a hell of a lot cheaper than any psychologist.”

“I’m just gonna put this disclaimer up front, I’m not a mental health professional by any means nor do I claim to be one.” Keira stated matter of factly and I nodded before I sat down opposite her. “I’ll here you out Ari but if what you have to tell me concerns me enough? I’ll recommend you to a psychologist I know, maybe even get Jenny to front the bill.”

”Giving her an excuse to give out money like it was candy in the process.” I muttered to myself and Keira chuckled before nodding. ”Where do I even start? I don’t think I need to remind you of how my last Supercard ended.”

“No, you don’t.” Keira responded as she shook her head and I said nothing as she continued. “And the same goes for everything that lead up to it, after you snapped me and Roxi went over the past few months of your SCW Career starting from your first World Bombshell Title Match onwards, if you ask me? The problems really started there.”

”You mean when Roxi told me that I wasn’t ready and I felt my childhood dream shattering around me?” I asked with a frown on my face and Keira nodded in response. ”Don’t think I really need to go over that either, you saw how badly I took Roxi’s words for yourself and those words plagued me in the months that followed, Gabriel thinks that the fact that I let Roxi’s words get to me like that is what led to my declining performances since that match, me? I’m not sure, because it definitely felt like the bosses kept putting me in no win scenarios for a while.”

“Is that how you really feel about your matches in SCW?” Keira asked pointedly and I gave her a confused look. “Because they have tried to put you in situations where you can thrive, that’s how I see it at least.”

”How many times have I been booked against Kayla? Every time I’ve faced that bitch she’s beaten me! It’s gotten to the point where I’m her personal punching bag!” I exclaimed in frustration as I ran a hand through my hair. ”Or hell, just look at the past few months in general, I asked for that match against you, I could’ve qualified for the Mixed Tag Team Championship Match instead but no, I instead chose to wrestle my idol and when I did finally get another shot at entering that match, me and Carter got cheated! That combined with my losses to Aleesha and Georgie set my momentum back big time and just when I had recovered some of it with me and Carter’s win over the Barnharts? Boom, another god damn match against Kayla because god forbid something actually goes right in my career!”

“Are you really that focussed on winning that you can’t even focus on the great matches you’ve had? You’re one of the best young wrestlers on the SCW Roster Ari!” Keira pointed out and I just glanced to the side without a word. “Your not the first one to be cheated out of a match, your not the first one to be cheated out of a title match, it’s how you bounce back from those setbacks that matters Ari.”

”I’ve been trying to bounce back! I’ve been trying to take control of my destiny for once! And what did it get me? Bosses that think they know better than me and are perfectly willing to overlook me getting cheated out of my moment! A roster that thinks that I’m entitled just because I’m the only one who speaks out about it! For fucks sake, The Troll got on my case and it took that moron two fucking years to win one match!” I exclaimed as I leaned back in my chair with my arms crossed. ”And I bet they would’ve been all too happy to leave me off the High Stakes card if it weren’t for the rules of the Battle Royal dictating that the runner up would serve as the new champion’s first defence! I put up with so much shit from my parents because of love of this sport, I didn’t nearly break my leg sneaking out of my bedroom window to go train at the Go Gym to put up with all that bullshit!”

“Ariana, I understand your frustration but you are going about it all………” Keira trailed off as she heard the last part and I raised an eyebrow at her. “Wait, what?!”

”You’ve heard the stories about how I got disowned by my parents for wanting to go into wrestling, right?” I asked Keira and she nodded in response. ”When I refused to give up on that dream, they turned abusive, emotionally, physically, it got to the point where the Go Gym was my only respite.” I sighed as I brushed some hair over my shoulder. ”In hindsight? I know that I couldn’t keep it up forever, but my parents did eventually find out and followed me to he Go Gym, don’t ask me how they got past Despy, I never really got around to asking him, when they got physical with me? Gabriel got pissed off and they gave me the ultimatum, my wrestling dream, or my family.”

For the first time since I’ve met her, Keira was speechless, I knew Keira was a mother herself so I could only imagine what was going through her head. “The fact that we’re having this conversation in the first place tells me everything I need to know about how you reacted, but where you homeless after that?” Keira asked and I quickly shook my head.

”Gabriel wasn’t about to let one of his students go homeless, so he made an arrangement with Carter as he was in the same Go Gym class as me.” I explained as I leaned back in my chair. ”I stayed with him for a few months until I found a place of my own, but it was during those few months that me and Carter became best friends, the same best friend who I snapped at when I went off the rails.”

“That’s good at least, Gabriel’s a good man and your lucky to have such a good friend in Carter.” Keira nodded in response as she started looking for something. “Have you talked too anyone else about this?”

”Mostly the other students at the Go Gym and by extension, the graduates.” I sighed as I brushed some hair over my shoulder. ”Growing up I thought all that was normal, that all parents treated their kids like that, it wasn’t until I started talking to the other students at the Go Gym ad they reacted either with shock, horror or anger, at my parents that is, that I realized that I was being abused.” I added as I glanced at the floor. ”That same year Gabriel invited me to Christmas dinner with his family, too see what a normal Christmas was like for lack of better word, and since my graduation I’ve been spending it with Carter and his family, even after I met Francisco.”

“Francisco’s a good man, he’s lucky to have you.” Keira assured me and I grinned in response. “And for what it’s worth? Your parents don’t deserve a daughter like you, despite all the crap you went through you’ve grown into a beautiful and intelligent young woman, though I do wonder if that’s the cause of your mental health issues.”

”It goes deeper than that, there’s a history of mental illness among the women in my family, it was never bad enough for any of them to be institutionalized but I worry that if/when I have a child with Franky and it’s a girl? Well, I don’t think I need to say anything else really.” I sighed as I brushed some hair over my shoulder. ”But there’s a problem with me, it’s the fact that I’m the first woman in the family to be in the national spotlight through my work with SCW.”

“And it’s putting your family’s struggles in the spotlight by extension?” Keira asked and I nodded without hesitation, it was at that point that Keira handed me a business card. “I’m sorry Ai, not just for what your parents put you through but for letting it go this long without having a chat like this, I’m not a mental health expert but this woman is, she’s good, she can help you.”

I took the card and looked at it, after looking it over I pocketed the business card. ”I guess that’s everything.” I commented before I stood up and made my way to the door. ”I have a title match to train for if you don’t mind.”

“Just one last thing Ari.” Keira said as she walked up to me and I turned to my childhood icon and before I knew what was happening, Keira held her hand out for a handshake. “Friends?”

I looked at Keira’s hand for a few seconds before nodding. ”Friends.” I responded before accepting the handshake at which point Keira pulled me into a tight hug. ”Thanks again for hearing me out Keira.”

“No problem, and for what it’s worth Ari?” Keira asked as I turned to her. “I believe you’ll be a fantastic mother one day I should know., I am one myself.”

I had nothing to say to that, I just headed out to the training room so I could get some reps in against some of the students, both new and old, starting with a student from Australia called Jazz (short for Jasmine) who had just started.

Who knows? Maybe this would be enough to break my title drought.

Ariana’s home, Las Vegas, Nevada
Monday the 16th of October 2023, 21:00pm

*promo time*

It’s all come down to this.

”Luna, Luna, Luna, you think you’ve got me all figured out, don’t you?” I asked as I stepped into view having commandeered the garage for my promo. ”You think that idle threats about breaking my bones and doing everything you can to retain the Bombshell Internet Championship scares me? I’ve experienced the fear of growing up with abusive parents who had very specific ideas for what they wanted their only daughter to grow up to be, they didn’t give a damn what I wanted, it took me following my dream to see them for the monsters they are Lua, and I’ll do everything in my power to prove that wrestling is my future!”

This will be good.

”For too long have other roster members taken advantage of my nice nature, “oh it’s just Ari, she’s the girl scout of the Bombshell Division, sure she’s talented but she doesn’t have the killer instinct” and yet the moment where I finally grow a backbone and start standing up for myself after years of being treated as a doormat they trat me like I’m lower than dirt, like an entitled brat jumping the line because she lost a World Bombshell Title Match, this division is full of fickle fools!”

To say the least.

”How quickly they forget that the only reason why I’m not the World Bombshell Champion right now is because Courtney relied on her injured wife to win the match for her! Some champion, right? But because I refused to go to the back of the line after getting screwed. They are all too fucking happy to overlook it, is it any wonder why I snapped Luna?” I asked pointedly as I folded my arms. ”Take a piece of advice from me Luna, when I beat you for the Bombshell Internet Championship on Sunday, don’t go straight to the bosses and demand a rematch, otherwise? They’ll trat you the same way they treated me! Like an entitled brat.”

Disgusting.

”And I bet they wonder why young Bombshells like you and me can’t even crack the top of the card, what with their blatant favouritism towards the World Bombshell Champion! Luna, we are allies with a common goal, to break that glass ceiling and show the world what we can do, but this Sunday? The only thing that’ll matter is that Gold Belt that you’ve been carrying around with you for the past two weeks.” I said as I made a belt motion around my waist. ”I don’t need to go into how this match came about, at this point, even my pets, two dogs and two cats, know the circumstances that led to this title match, but there is one thing I need to get into, my own personal history with High Stakes.”

History lesson time.

”Let’s go back a year, a few months before you signed your SCW Contract, I was defending the Bombshell Roulette Championship against Seleana literally one day before my twenty second birthday, I off course retained the title in what ended up being the only successful title defence on PPV of that reign but more to the point Luna? It’s proof that I’ve got a good track record when it comes to title matches at High Stakes.” I added as I brushed some hair over my shoulder. ”I will grant that I thought the same thing about Violent Conduct heading into my title match against Courtney, but I’ve ranted enough about that injustice at this point, but it does leave a big question hanging over my head doesn’t it Luna?”

And that question is?

”Can history repeat itself almost a year later? Can I succeed in a title match for the second High Stakes in a row?” I asked as I leaned against a wall. ”As far as I see it? The only difference between this match and my match against Seleana from last year’s High Stakes is the fact that I’m serving as the challenger rather than the defending champion, it’s still a title match at the biggest show of the SCW Callender that I’ve found myself in, sure it’ll be higher up on the card as opposed to my last title match which opened last year’s event and the title itself is higher up on the totem pole than the Bombshell Roulette Title but those differences don’t matter much to me.”

Why?

”Because history’s about to repeat itself in two more ways, your reign will end after one defence again Luna and my next title reign will come at one of the last Supercards of the year. Albeit THE last one unless the bosses are planning to bring back December to Dismember.” I commented as I flipped some of my long back hair over my shoulder.  ”As for how I plan to celebrate my championship win Luna? I might pop down to Jessie’s bar actually, heard they serve good food there, but let’s not get to far ahead of ourselves, not when we’re not even at the halfway point of the week.”

What does the future hold?

”Don’t get me wrong Luna, you are an excellent wrestler and if it was anyone but me serving as your first challenger? I’d be happy for you, but you had to eliminate me last, you had to win the title that way, you had to ensure that the Bombshell Internet Tile Match at High Stakes XII would be contested between two young women who have had crappy luck all year.” I added as I folded my arms. ”Personally? That’s fine by me, it’s much better than me being stuck with a filler match or worse, being left off the biggest show of the year entirely, a fate being suffered by two of the women from that Battle Royal, but this is where the ride stops for you Luna.”

But for me?

”To be frank? That Bombshell Internet Title has had my name on it since I lost the Bombshell Roulette Championship at Inception VI, I just had a few hurdles to overcome along the way to get where I am.” I added as I brushed some hair over my shoulder. ”But High Stakes XII will be the end of that road for me, the end of a long, painful road filled with obstacles, roadblocks, and false hope because Luna? When we wrestle on Sunday that title will be leaving the arena with me one way or another!”

My condolences.

”I know you’ve worked hard to get here Luna, I emphasize, I really do, but so have I and I’ve been an SCW Bombshell for a year longer than you have.” I stated as grinned broadly. ”At the end of the day Luna? You’ll become what you feared, a two time transitional champion, and at Fallen Angel Part IV: History WILL Repeat I will ensure that I will end the worst year of my wrestling career as the Bombshell Internet Champion.”

It’s that simple.

”Ever since we found a common connection through our respective frustrations with the other Bombshells and/or bosses, you’ve called me your darling angel Luna, I’ll admit, it’s a nickname that’s taken some getting used too, not even my husband calls me that and, well, we’re married!” I commented with a slight chuckle as I shook my head. ”But our friendship won’t amount to much once that bell rings Luna, I’ve wrestled people I’ve respected before, friends, co-workers, even my idols, and they all got the same treatment from me, outside the ring I’ll be the best friend you could ever ask for, inside the ring?”

And with that I decided to wrap things up.

”It’s all business I’m afraid, even when a title isn’t at stake I strive to be the best wrestler I can be and to put on the best matches I can, no matter who my opponent is.” I added as I made a belt motion around my waist. ”But at the end of the day, this match is all about the gold and you and I Luna are destined to put on one of the best matches of the night, who knows? Maybe it’ll show up as a candidate for Match of the Year in a year’s time when High Stakes XIII rolls around? But there’s one thing I do know, as you writhe in agony from the Dark Angel’s light? I’ll be carrying my newly won title well into the new year! See you on Sunday Luna!”

I exited the garage as the scene fades.

[Luna Pasilno]

A Crack in the Glass
Scene One | Off-Camera

Themes include drugs, addiction, suicide, self-harm and depression. Please take care of your own mental health and skip this scene if you feel uncomfortable.

“I remember the days, where it felt like I was floating.”

The boys were out riding horses. Living their best cowboy lives. Luna liked looking at horses, but saddle sores were not her idea of a good time. Actually, she wasn’t really sure what was a good time these days. It wasn’t uncommon to have hard days. Recovery was an on-going process. Once an addict, always an addict. She’d spent years spun out. Ice to bring them up, horse to bring them down, coke to bring them back up, ketamine to mellow out. It felt like she was rolling in honey most days, and when things were good. It was unlike anything else. Things were rarely ever that good.

Chasing a high.

Things were a little different. She’d been clean for a while now. Over five years. They’d all kicked the substances for the most part. Alcohol was  the vice. Alcohol would likely always be the vice.

Once an addict.

This morning she’d laid in bed. Her head hurt from a lack of water. Living on the brink of dehydration was a skill she was quite apt at. Living on the edge of life was a skill she’d long spent developing. The girl who spent her whole life self-destructing and hoping that an updraft would catch her before she bottomed out. She was sad. Not just the average sad, but really sad. It was the first time in years that she was yearning to just be free. Free of the day to day, free of the pain. Free of life she was living. She wanted to be floating again. To be buzzing but feeling stuck in honey.

Always an addict.

She poured herself some coffee. One thing she’d never get used to was the shit pot coffee that America seemed so obsessed with. She’d enjoyed it when she was younger, but years spent drinking in nice cafes and bars in Melbourne had really turned the drip stuff into ash on her tongue. Even more so when her head wasn’t in it. Looking out the window, she could see the start of a storm cloud rolling in.

“The world fucking hates us.”

Apathetic. That was the best way to describe how she felt right now. Apathetic, and excruciatingly depressed. Broken children had a habit of staying broken. No amount of medicating, self or otherwise, seemed to help. No amount of talking it out, walking through her mistakes, any of it. None of it helped. She could count her blessings most days. She still had moments of joy. Was still able to laugh and interact like a normal person. Her brain hadn’t been completely fried by the abuse.

But fuck she wished it had.

She rubbed her temple and sat down, sipping quietly at the coffee. Allowing herself to have a moment of peace. She still wasn’t really talking to Jimmy. A point of pride more than anything else. She’d been spending nights at Alex’s apartment again too. But her skin crawled at the thought of being touched at the moment. Every part of her was screaming to be alone. To be allowed to wallow, to eat at her. The little voice in the back of her head. The voice that was hers, but not really.

“Don’t you think it’d be easier if you just gave up? You’re just hurting them by being here.”

She closed her eyes slowly and pinched the bridge of her nose. Shaking her head as the bitter laughter of that dark passenger filled her skull. Made her brain ache. Made her skin itch. She just wanted to get it out of her skin. Get this creature out of her body. She hadn’t even noticed how tightly she was pinching her nose. She didn’t notice how loosely she was holding her cup. She hissed, having accidentally broken skin on her nose. The cup slipping and smashing to the floor. The splash of coffee sizzling at her bare legs. Not hot enough to burn too badly, but enough to be uncomfortable. She breathed heavily, and leaned down not thinking.

One of the shards slicing into her finger. She didn’t even bat an eyelid, just picking the shards up in her bare hands and putting them on the table. Holding a rather large shard. She looked at it, the blood trickling from her fingers. Her nose wet from the small wounds on the bridge of her nose that were also leaking. Letting the darkness that pollutes her mind slowly seep out with the blood. Escaping through the wounds.

Addiction took many forms.

She squeezed slightly harder, the shard digging into her hand. More lacerations appeared. No reaction. She couldn’t feel it. She knew it hurt, but she just watched. Watched as she was cut and the world was numb around her. Begging her to continue cutting. To continue bleeding. To…

The crack of thunder shook her from her daze. She sucked in deeply as she let go. Her hand was pretty badly cut up. She was a moron. So close to such an important match and she was out here nearly maiming herself. Maybe she deserved it though. Maybe she deserved to be at a deficit. To be handicapped walking into that match. Ari had done everything to try and beat her demons. To stand above it all. She was certain of herself. Of the success of what was coming to her. It made her heart hurt to think about being the source of sweet Ariana’s next bout of sadness. No one should be sad.

Alex came through the door. She was sitting there, hand bleeding, nose bleeding, eyes wet from the sadness of her thoughts. He didn’t say anything, he just grabbed a towel and helped her to her feet.

“I don’t know…”

He smiled and shook his head. The sweet boy, not enough asking why. James was outside still, trying to calm the horses as the storm continued to rage on. Alex took her to the bathroom, searching the cabinets for some bandages and antiseptic.

“You don’t owe me an explanation, Lu. You never need to explain.”

She breathed in deeply, watching through distant eyes as he mended her hand. Disinfecting, cleaning and then wrapping. It wasn’t as bad as she had thought. But it was in the creases of her hands and fingers. Sensitive spots that were going to sting when her body finally caught her brain up. She looked at him, and it hurt her soul. Hurt to know she was killing him slowly, but couldn’t do anything to stop it. He just smiled. He always smiled. Never asked for her to get better. To be better. He just… smiled.

“Alex. I wish I was dead.”

His smile fell. His eyes were heavy. She looked upon him, and pressed herself up against the wall. Trying to keep herself up right. He didn’t stop her, he just nodded. And he gave her a warm look. A look of understanding. Of knowing.

“Sometimes, I wish I was too. Hell, I don’t know how many nights I sat there. Sat there thinking about it. About how much easier it would be, if I just took another step. If I gave into those thoughts in my head when I was driving. If I just kept swallowing more and more pills until I couldn’t move anymore. To float on that cloud into tomorrow. Go to sleep and never wake. Sometimes, I wish I was dead too, Lu.”

“How do you stop yourself?”

“I don’t know. Truly, I don’t. Dying scares me just as much as living. I don’t think I could do it to you guys. As much as I hate myself, I don’t think I could do it.”

She looked at him, arms slipping around his waist. James knocked on the door.

“You guys fuckin’? At least wait until I’m asleep, perverts.”

She laughed.

She fucking laughed.

For the first time in weeks. For the first time since she’d fought with everyone. Since she’d started pushing everyone away. She actually laughed. A true, happy laugh. And then he laughed. Alex’s smile was permanent, and she didn’t want to see it fade. She wanted to float. But she’d stay grounded if it meant that he kept smiling.

Addiction takes many forms.

Clean
Scene Two | On-Camera

“Despite appearances. Reality is that I’m not a particularly happy person. I’ve been in and out of therapy for years. Addiction, self-harm. The whole shebang. It’s not a sob story though, lovers. No, this is a little bit more about me. To understand who Luna Pasilno actually is, you need to know the good and the bad.  You see, it’s not entirely true that I simply ran off with the bad boy. It’s part of the truth, for sure. Definitely not the whole of it. I liked the way that drugs made me feel. Take that as you will, but I enjoyed how it felt to not be me for a little while. An all day party became an all week party became an all month party became an all year party. My everyday life was just another day of partying and I loved to party. I loved how it felt to just… float.”

“ See, I wanted the world to love me, when I didn’t love myself. A whore to the experience, I enjoyed it all. But, I got clean. I got straight. I have my days. My bad days are just as bad as everyone else's. The only difference is when that monkey climbs on my back it can be hard to fight it off. You see, the thing about addiction is that it’s a disease that isn’t just cured. You treat it, and you continue to treat it. Life doesn’t get better simply by hoping it will. No you need to face that monkey and tell it to fuck right off. Every single day, you need to give that monkey the double birds and tell it where to stick its bullshit. I didn’t do that for a long time. I was content to just… float. To be stuck in the honey of better days, and watch as my brain slowly fried. To forget what sleep was, to lose my teeth and feel the bugs under my skin. I was content to be what I was told I was going to be. A junkie whore who was just like her momma.”

“But, I did see a better life for me. A future. A place where I could be happy without the assistance. Without needing to take some downers to mellow out my uppers. Without needing more uppers because I was strung out too heavily on the downers. No, I took my brother’s hand. And I asked him for help. I asked him to guide me to a better place. To help me help me. That was five years ago, and I’m still fucking clean. That was five years ago, and I’m still the baddest bitch going. That was five years ago, and in that five years I’ve found happiness. A life to live. A place to exist. A fucking skill I didn’t think I’d ever want to get involved in again. I’m more than just the transitional Bombshell Roulette Champion. I’m more than the mistakes of my past, and I am changing for the future.”

“So, Ariana. Sweet angel. I need you to listen closely, and I need you to understand. I need you to understand this isn’t just about being a champion. This isn’t just about needing to prove that I can do it. That I’m not just the woman who holds it for someone else. This is about proving that the woman who got clean, five fucking years ago, is the baddest bitch in all of Sin City Wrestling. I need you to understand sweet angel, that this isn’t personal. You just happen to be the woman who is in the way of my light. And I will take out anyone who stands in my fucking light.”

Delusional Angel
Scene Three | On-Camera

“Let’s talk about history shall we?”

A vanity table. Adorned with lights, many mirrors and an array of different cosmetics. A plain white stool, and on the stool Luna Pasilno. The left half of the table is currently illuminated, the right side of the world bathed in darkness. A calm, happy demeanour. Muted make-up compared to usual, an almost neutral looking Idol. The slightest bit of a smile tugging at the edge of her lips.

“Misdirected anger, sweet girl. I am not the focus of your vitriol, yet you throw it at me like I am what is wrong with your world. That I am what is wrong with your life. I lift and I lift. I support, and I love. I acknowledge and offer guidance, and you spit in my fucking face in response. Maybe I was misdirected in my forgiveness of your insolence? Maybe I was misguided in offering you an olive branch of understanding, if at the very least you took that chance to be introspective. Oh woe is the girl who cried a river and drowned the world. For she is scorned by those who she sees as friends. For she is hated by those she once looked up to. For not giving into her delusions. You want to talk about history, let’s talk about history. Historically, you are a better wrestler than me. Historically, most people who stepped into that battle royal on Climax Control were better than me. Most had more years of experience. More wins, hell, more loses. More championships, lest we talk about the uber failure in Zoey Lukas. Half the competitor she was once seen as, and even lesser than that in the shadow of her better sister. Let’s talk about history, shall we? Our first ever encounter, which you very conveniently forgot walking into Climax Control, need I remind you. Our first encounter was a mixed tag. You beat us. Carter beat Alex more accurately, but you both beat us. You got the win, Carter was destined to be the eventual challenger for Alex’s Internet Championship, yet fate had other things in store. If we talk about history Ariana. I’ve done more in my fucking year, than you have. You want to talk about history? That’s because you’re stuck living in the past baby girl. And let me tell you, lover, you’re going to remain stuck there if you can’t pull your fucking head out of the trench you’ve dug yourself in to.”

“I did everything to help lift you up. I argued with your friends. I fought the cranky old slags who do nothing but spout their infinite wisdom and ignore their own hypocrisy. I did what I needed to do to make you even slightly what you once were. You want to talk about history? You’ve done fuck all since High Stakes last year, and you can do nothing but blame the world for your own short-comings.”

The left side goes dark. The right side lights up. A crying woman. Her tears streaked her make-up down her face. Her face in the ebbs of a whirl of agony.  A stark contrast to the neutral woman who sits on the left side of her body. On the left side of the world. The mirrors reflect her sorrow, her upset.

“It pains me, sweet angel. It pains me that I must be the one to show you the fallacy of your belief. The fallacy of your way. You bang on and on about how the false queen who sits atop Sin City, used her wife to screw you. The real question is, why the fuck do you expect anyone to play fair? For the good of sportsmanship? The good of competition? No, my dear. No, there is nothing fair in love and war. And as much as I love you, I need you to understand. If I have to screw you over, to get what I want. I will screw you every day until the end of time to ensure that I stay atop the world where I fucking belong. I never screamed about how unfair my outcomes were. I never cried about being screwed by the world. I didn’t even ask my sweet surrogate fathers, Mark and Christian to enter me into that Battle Royal. No, I did what I needed to do. Got my head straight, and started down a path to redeeming myself. To become that bitch I know I am. That bitch that everyone will learn that I am. To be the lover of the world, and their fucking Idol atop it. My sweet baby angel, I need you to actually look at what is before us. I need you to look at what you’re doing. For you are choosing to push the only person in the world who gives a damn about you. The only person in the world who weeps for your misfortune and understands that fracturing of your mind. But if you continue to spit in my face. To say that our friendship ends because you value a trinket more than the friendship, understanding and love I’ve offered you? You’re breaking my heart, lover. You’re breaking my fucking heart.”

“And if you break my heart, sweet girl? I will do everything to break you. To show you this tirade of anger. This business of hatred, anger and disdain. It all ends here. That High Stakes XIII marks the end of your journey towards salvation. That the last year of your life is nothing but a failure. And maybe this time. Maybe with the fucking knock your skull you’ll remember this time. Maybe this time you’ll acknowledge that my presence exists in your world outside of the important matches. It was bad enough that you forgot our match once. But twice. That’s unforgivable. Do not let the blindness of your arrogant mind lead you to thinking that I will simply allow myself to be slighted for your friendship. I am a vindictive, angry and upset woman. I am the fucking Bombshell Internet Champion for a goddamn reason. If it wasn’t us now, it was going to be Aleesha Jones and I, and I can guaran-fucking-tee it. Because as bad as I am, that mouthy little cunt? She needed to be silenced. And I’m fucking glad she took herself out. Because as much as I intend to hurt you, for your back-handed and upsetting remarks. That bitch needed a fucking reality check.”

She shakes her head slightly, as the lights click off once more. Silence, darkness. Time ticks by. Then another click and the left side is back on. Calm, happy Luna Pasilno. She raises a hand up, running her hand up into her hair, cupping the side of her head somewhat. A soothed look, almost a twinge of a smile.

“See, that is where you and I diverge. I don’t do this for the accolades. For the monikers. I don’t do this so people will look at me and go ‘wow’. People do look at me and go ‘wow’, but that’s for entirely other reasons. You want to talk about stretching the rules? Bending them? Making the rules look like a suggestion? Oh, sweet girl. I never follow the fucking rules. You don’t get to be a sweet, eye-batting thundercunt of a human being, by following the rules. Be nice, be sweet. Knees together and pull your skirt down. Shut your mouth, unless the sweet boys ask you to open it. Be independent, but ensure subservience to another. Oh the world of rules that apply, and not a single one of them meant a fucking thing to me. You want to bend the rules, lover? I’ll bend all the way for you, sweet baby angel. And when I beat you. Hand on the rope. Illegal choke. An interference. Whatever it may be, just remember. Remember that you asked to bend the rules to give them a show. A show babygirl, is exactly what I will give them. A show, because that is what I am. A fucking showgirl. A performer, an advocate for amazement. I am the Idol, sugar. The fucking idol. The world may hate what I offer, yet they cannot look away, and that. That is why you and I are so alike, but so different. See the world wants to see us both fail. For horrifically different and unfair reasons.”

“They want to see me fail, because it’s always lovely to see the confident bitch fall on her own sword. It’s always good to see the one who bats her eyelashes and makes the world swoon, collapse, tumble and fall into her own dug grave. I like to walk that tightrope. Between being the focus of their ire, and the focus of their desire. Unfortunately, for you sweet angel. The desire to see you fail, to see you fall. To see you collapse beneath the weight of your own short-comings is a little more vindictive than that. They want to see you fail, because watching you self-destruct? It’s the greatest gift in the world. It means the likes of Jessie Salco, Keira Fisher and Roxi Johnson get to turn their noses up and scoff. The likes of Kat Jones and H. B. Carter gets to spit down on you and act high and mighty. Act like they are better simply because they don’t react the way you do. I wonder, sweet girl. What will they do, when you finally hit rock bottom?”

She sighs and tilts her head to the side, resting her ear on her left hand. Closing her visible eye. The click, and the lights off once more.

“I wonder, are you more afraid of The Idol or The Masochist? The performer, or the girl who can take all the punishment and ask for just a little bit more, please. Do you think you can hold her down, sweet girl? Or are you hoping that the woman who likes to shine shows up so you can taint her?”

The right side illuminates once more. A hard line between the two sides of the face is more visible now. Her head is still resting, but now on her right hand. Leaning to the right side. Her make-up still smeared, but there was a steady stream of red running down into her open eyes. Blood flowing from a wound under her hairline. A pained smile across her face now.

“I’m trapped, you know? Trapped in my head, trapped in my life. Trapped in this flesh that won’t let me escape unless I do something with it. Unless I let it hurt. Unless I bleed and break and push the darkness from my mind into every wound. Into every bruise. Bruises are like little galaxies in our skin, lover. A world that exists in our blood. I’m a little unwell lately. I don’t know if that was clear. I’m sure you’ve picked it up. The more ironic thing is, the more I try to help you. The less I help myself. The less I help myself, and the deeper I fall into this pit of anger, self-loathing and regret. So I have to take a stand, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you are the victim of that. I don’t think you are faster, I don’t think you’re stronger. I don’t think you want this more than me. I know you’re just a touch slower. I know you’re just not as powerful behind each punch as I am. Behind every backhand, every kick, every slap. Every action I do is just that little bit stronger. I know you think you want this. I know you think you need this. I know what it is like to hate yourself and blame the world. Yet this is where it all ends for Ariana. My sweet baby girl. If you don’t beat me, there are no more excuses. Every opportunity handed to you becomes a failure of your own doing. No more the actions of others. No more the behaviours of others. No more can you scream from the rafters that you’ve been screwed at every step. I have offered you the fucking world on a silver platter. Here we stand ready to change it all. Here we stand ready to end it all.”

“High Stakes XIII is indeed High Stakes. I either repeat history and become the filth that I refuse to acknowledge. The failure that I have been told I am my whole life. The addict who is just addicted to the pain. You fail? It all ends. A year of nothing, and nobody to blame but yourself. I’m sorry lover, truly. I’m so sorry. For what I need to do, will probably break you in two. There’s nothing to be done about it.”

Her face contorts in anger. And then the lights click off. Darkness.

“I am going to make you say sorry, for every foul action you’ve made.”

The lights come on, illuminating the whole vanity unit. No longer occupied, just an empty seat and a smashed hand mirror. The name Ariana scrawled across it. Bright purple letters.

“The Conspiracy is here.”

And then…

Darkness.

Silence.

Nothing.