[Christian Underwood]

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

[Sean Parker]

Scene One
Off-Camera

A Meeting of Minds

I looked at the device in my hand. The source of so much heartache, so many headfucks over the last five months. But what did it say about me that I kept coming back for more? That there was always something else I needed to see. Something else I needed to experience. I didn’t want to. I needed to.

Like I always did, more out of a recurring habit than anything else, I rolled the contraption between my finger and thumb, clicking it open, revealing the faceless void. The red mist weaved and contorted like a starling murmuration, captivating and mesmerising.

But for the first time ever, I didn’t know what I wanted to see. Over the months I’d seen so many things I didn’t ever think I would. Going back to see my father’s funeral that I barely remember because I was just a toddler; a chance to give me the closure I so desperately needed after a lifetime of unanswered questions. A conversation with Nikola Tesla about how to stop a fucking space wizard from wrecking the world with a once-thought-to-be-mythical artefact. Helping Luna Pasilno see a future where she and Alex Raven were the loving parents she’d always dreamed they’d be.

That one was hard. Luna and I had developed quite the eclectic friendship over the past few months since our pairing for SCW’s Blast From The Past Tournament. I knew both her and Raven were both absolute shitheels. I’d seen the tapes and I’d personally encountered Raven himself back in December. Even so, something about Luna was endearing. I felt like I had an obligation to be the brother she no longer had. Help guide her to make the right decisions; keep her on the straight-and-narrow. So when she looked at me with those tear-filled glassy eyes during our trip into the Void, cradling baby violet in her arms, it really was like I’d just taken a flamethrower and torched everything we’d achieved together, the trust we’d built between the two of us.

The sound of a baby’s crying snapped me from my stupor. Amelia. My six-week old daughter. The most beautiful little thing I’d ever clapped my eyes on. Her face was contorted in a gurgling cry, her pacifier lying on its side just centimetres away.

“Sshh, it’s alright, sweetheart, daddy’s here,” I said in a calming voice, reaching down into her crib and gently stroking her cheek with the back of my hand. Her big Disney-like emerald green jewels stared up at me, realisation setting in as the combination of my voice’s familiarity and my face looking down at her started to calm her. I smiled exaggeratingly, as all dads do, and  nodded. “That’s right, daddy’s here, yes he is. Daddy’s here.”

Slowly but surely, her gurgling cries dissipated. That heart-wrenching expression she wore on her face steadily melted away and one of wonder and amazement replaced it. Amelia just looked at me, her mouth almost twisting into a smile as I reached over to her pacifier and let it slide effortlessly back into her mouth. The gentle sucking sounds that followed soon started to slow as her eyes started to get heavy. Seconds later, she was out for the count and all I could was smile. Then, something I didn’t expect disturbed the peace I was revelling in.

“My, my, such a beautiful child. So innocent, so free. She looks just like her mother, does she not? Minus the blue hair, of course. But her eyes? Those are her father’s eyes for sure.”

My instincts took over, whirling around throwing a backfist that hit nothing but thin air. I knew that voice all too well by now. It couldn’t be, could it? How could he be here?

“Mors?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, so primitive you humans, always resorting to violence.”

“Where the fuck are you, Mors?” I thundered in as hushed a tone as I could muster so as not to wake my sleeping daughter.

“You should know by now, Mister Parker, I’m where I’ve always been. Right here. Veni domum, remember?”

It then dawned on me. I had completely forgotten. The Key was still in my hand, clicked open, the red mist still flowing gracefully like a winding snake. A gateway to the Void. A gateway to him. It was as if he could see me, the way he talked, the way he eerily described Amelia, like he was staring at her through my eyes.

“Ahh, the penny drops at last. I thought you were more attuned than this, Mister Parker.”

I closed my eyes, running my fingertips around the edges of the Key, concentrating. I’d stumbled upon my ability to commune with Vita Mors through the Void by sheer happenstance during Luna’s inaugural venture. It was the first time I’d heard even the smallest semblance of surprise in his voice when I somehow replied back to him as he attempted to manipulate me to continue with the task he’d assigned to me. This time though, it came naturally, like riding a bike. I couldn’t explain it even if I tried.

“What do you want, Mors? I did what you asked, I showed Luna what you asked me to and now it’s completely wrecked any trust she had in me.”

“The status of your association with Ms Pasilno is of no interest to me, Mister Parker. I must say though, I was rather disappointed that neither you nor Mister Rabenschwarz were able to take ownership of the TRIAD. Alas, I will need to explore other avenues."

“What did you expect? It was never a foregone conclusion, Mors! I did my best and I’m proud of what I achieved inside the Great Illuminatus! Both Alex and I-“

“Pride is inconsequential, Mister Parker. The fact remains that both you and Mister Rabenschwarz failed to fulfil the tasks I set for the two of you. Shame really, I had such high hopes for you both. Nevertheless, you have proven yourself to be useful, Mister Parker. Your ability to traverse the Void so seamlessly and your… other skills… you have been most impressive. I may yet have more use for you in the future.”

“Look! I showed Luna what you wanted her to see! That’s what you asked me to do and I did it. There’s nothing else for us now. I’m done being your puppet on a set of strings.”

I suddenly felt a pinch inside my head, that same feeling I had when I tried to renege on what I showed Luna beforehand. Like the stem of my brain was being squeezed. My eyes widened in pain but no noise came out of my mouth when it happened. My hand instinctively navigated to the back of my head as if to stop whatever it was but I knew it was to no avail. A desperate, guttural grunt was all that I managed to eke out of my throat.

“That is where you are wrong, Mister Parker. When it comes to you and I, there is always something else. Let’s take a walk, shall we?”

What happened next was like nothing I had ever experienced when traversing the Void on my own. I had grown accustomed to the butterflies in my stomach, the feeling like going from zero to a hundred in less than a second. The feeling of slight disorientation when I ‘landed’, like getting off a rollercoaster.

Not this though. This was like being thrown off the rollercoaster mid-flight. The feeling at the back of my head had disappeared but had travelled instantly to my spine. The same surgically-repaired, metallic-alloy-infused spine I had fractured as a teenager. It felt like Mors had literally shoved his hand inside my back and wrapped it around my vertebrae. That same pain I’d felt all those years ago was suddenly as present as it was back then. My legs started to tingle, growing numb. Panic set in, a coldness creeping over my body. I was suddenly fifteen again, lying in the middle of the ring, terrified of the unknown. I knew this time though.

Again, all I wanted to do was scream out and collapse to my knees but it was like I was being held in place and then… nothing. Just blackness. Had I passed out? Like before too, my hand reflexively journeyed to my back, rubbing the area only seconds before I’d felt that searing pain but it was gone. A fingertip then nestled under my chin and lifted it up, inclining my head upwards. And there he stood. My eyes widened for a second time. Expecting to see the incomparable masked figure of Vita Mors staring down at me, it was the smiling face of my… father.

“Dad?”
 
He didn’t speak. Instead he used the finger still resting under my chin to guide me back to my feet. It couldn’t be home. After everything I’d seen in the past few months, I knew this was likely just a trick.

“You’re not my dad.”

I reached out to touch him and he disappeared into a cloud of smoke. I looked around me. It was still nothing but blackness all around me. I held my arms out, in a beckoning fashion.

“You’re gonna have to do better than that if you want to get inside my head, Mors!”

“On the contrary, Mister Parker. Why would I want to get inside your head when we’re already here ourselves?”

Mors voice again echoed through me. A young girl’s voice then suddenly caught my attention.

“Daddy! Daddy! You’re home! I missed you!”

I spun around in the direction of the sound. And there, running towards me was a little girl, probably about ten years old. Long, dirty blonde hair, the biggest emerald-green eyes. She wrapped her arms around my waist, hugging me tightly.

“Amelia?!”

Seeing a glimpse of my own daughter as a beautiful, young lady caught me off-guard. I wanted so badly to just wrap my arms around her too but I resisted. It wasn’t real. Was Mors testing me? I screwed my face up, shutting my eyes tight and bit down on my bottom lip and pushed the apparition away and she too vanished into a plume of nothingness.

“Come on, Mors, is that the best you've got?!" I shouted, “What is this?!”

“You should know better than anyone, Sean. We’re in your head after all. I would’ve thought you would’ve been able to give me the guided tour!”

I tried to keep my composure. Mors always had a method to his madness but this one was a headfuck beyond anything I’d experienced before and that was saying something. Why was he testing me and what was he testing me for?

“Sean! Hey fella, come on, we’ve got a match to prepare for, so we do! Get in your gear!”

Nah, no way. The thick Northern Irish accent was a dead giveaway. I craned my neck to see my former tag team partner and best friend from my HWA days. Matt Miller. We were destined for tag team championship glory before my uncle, the company owner, had decided not to renew my contract after my spinal injury.

“You’re not real, Matt,” I said bluntly, trying my best to refuse to buy into whatever game Mors was playing. Just like before, as soon as I pushed my hands through the apparition, it too vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to do here, Mors, if this is some kind of test or what?!”

Suddenly, the blackness that I stood in was replaced by a familiar setting. I recognised the churchyard, the church itself, the small cottage next to it with the red tiles on the roof.

“My dad’s funeral? Really?” Nice try, Mors, but I’ve made my peace with this!” I shouted defiantly as I looked on to the familiar scene playing out in front of me. The group of people standing in front of a pre-dug plot in the cemetery, just like the many times I’d made this trip before, I wasn’t seen. A ghost, for all intents and purposes. I looked at the people in mourning, adorned from head-to-toe in black. I saw the adults with their backs to me - Uncle Butch, Aunt Diana and Sergeant Reynolds, my dad’s old commanding officer. And the small child with dirty blonde hair. Two-year old Sean, unable to understand the gravity of what was going on.

I rolled my eyes. I’d seen this a thousand times before and like I’d just told Mors, I’d made my peace with it. So why was he subjecting me to it again? I walked around the plot, noticing the coffin being lowered. My brow furrowed. Something wasn’t right. No Union Jack draped over it. Instead several championship belts were. I recognised them! The XWF Universal Championship, the SCW World Championship, the Zion Wrestling Endurance Championship and the FCW Great Lakes Championships. All belts I either held or had the desire or opportunity to compete for in the future. A lump caught in my throat. Then I saw the adults. Not Uncle Butch, Aunt Diana or Sergeant Reynolds. Eve! My wife, veil over her face, tears streaking down her face. A man and woman next to her. Luna?! Her arm wrapped comfortingly around her shoulder. The man… no fucking way. Raven?! The child, their back still to me, was leaning into his leg, and pointed towards the casket. When I heard their voice, my heart sank.

“Uncle Alex, is daddy sleeping in there?”

As I saw her turn her head, my chest felt like it was being crushed as Alex Raven crouched down in front of my daughter. He stroked her cheek and pulled her in close.

“Yeah, Amy, daddy’s sleeping in there.”

I couldn’t breathe. Like my lungs had suddenly disappeared and my chest was filled with nothing. I shook my head from side to side, refusing to believe what I was seeing. The priest then started to speak.

“May Sean’s soul find peace and eternal rest in the loving embrace of God. And may his wife, Eve, his daughter, Amelia and their closest friends, Luna and Alexander, find comfort in the memories they shared, the love they received, and the support of those around them. May they find strength in each other and may they be surrounded by compassion and understanding as they navigate their grief. Amen.”

I collapsed to my knees, watching my wife sob her heart out. Watching Luna comforting her. Seeing Alexander fucking Raven picking up my daughter in his arms. No! This wasn’t real! As much as it felt like real, it couldn’t be! I clenched my fists tight, so much so my knuckles turned white as I climbed to my feet.

“THIS ISN’T REAL, MORS!” I bellowed. “WHATEVER THIS IS, I’M NOT FALLING FOR IT!”

I squeezed the Key to the Void with one of my fists, focusing, concentrating.

“VENI DOMUM!”

The churchyard suddenly fell apart, like a collapsing sandcastle and within seconds I was back in my house. It took me a moment to regain my bearings. Amelia was sleeping peacefully away, sucking on her pacifier without a care in the world.

“I’m proud of you, Sean. You’re ready. This is going to be fun.”

“Let’s play a game of ‘Fuck Off’, Mors. You go first.”

I clicked the Key shut and put it back in my pocket. Out of sight, out of mind.


Scene Two
On-Camera

Sorry, Not Sorry

“The mind is cruel. Capable of great but terrible things. The quintessential double-edged sword. In gaming terms you’d call it a glass cannon. Capable of performing brutal acts more hurtful than any blade, firearm or fist. But when it comes under siege itself, it collapses quicker than a noob in over his head.

Astonishing, isn’t it? That something so frail is responsible for such a valuable payload. But the mind is very much a Jekyll and Hyde. A rampant, uncontrollable monster, snaring you within its powerful grasp. The same beautiful mind that can inspire greatness can also paralyse with crippling anxiety, making you doubt everything you ever knew. Make you question every lesson you ever learned.

It’s a never-ending battle I don’t think any of us ever truly master. To keep our balance as we traverse that almost indistinguishable line between tapping into the mind’s beautiful potential and yielding to its less-than-desirable, darker impulses. What do you do? Learn to control it, mould it, bend it to your will and make it your greatest strength? Or yield and allow it to become the nemesis you wish you never had, greater than any foe or rival you’ve faced in the ring. The kind that leads you down the path of no-return that few ever come back from?

We’ve experienced both sides of the coin, haven’t we, Alex? Felt the uplifting feeling that fills you with euphoria. But the darkened face. That’s the kicker, isn’t it? To be on the brink of despair only to be pulled back with just the slimmest glimmer of hope as a bargaining chip. That’s you, Alex, isn’t it?

Such a cruel tool, the mind. The perfect duality. To both plant seeds of greatness and birth the origin stories of our grimmest fears. However, only a select few can balance between the dark and the light and emerge unscathed. I’m sorry, Alex, but that’s not you.

I’m sorry, but the mind is a double-edged sword, Alex, and you’ve gripped the blade with both hands. Those cuts running down your palms are as deep as the dark thoughts you can’t seem to ever escape.

I am so sorry it’s come to this, Alex. I really am. I wish things had worked out differently. After everything that’s happened before, in the days and weeks leading up to this moment. I’m sorry. For a great many things. For putting you across from Luna. For everything you went through with Vita Mors and the horrors you had to endure to make it through the Great Illuminatus. For not being your friend. For subjecting Luna to a glimpse into a reality that’s just beyond her fingertips. For giving her false hope. For showing her an incarnation of you that’s nothing more than a shitty pipe dream. The happy, carefree, doting father living his best life without the weight of the world he placed on his own shoulders like a fucking martyr.

I’m sorry about James and the sacrifice you felt had to make just to see him again. But do you know what I’m most sorry for? What’s going to happen at Into The Void. I’m sorry for the journey we’ve had to make to get here. We’ve sure come a long way, haven’t we, you and I? Two very different peas of a not-so-different pod. Taking roads less travelled over the years to reach a point where we’re finally getting the one thing we’ve craved. Not championships. We’ve both been champions before, we’re both champions now and we’ll be champions in the future. No. Respect. After all, that’s all guys like you and I have ever strove to earn from those around us. To be more than just the almost-theres of professional wrestling. To be looked at with admiration, to know that our hard work and all the blood, sweat and tears was truly worth it.

It’s because we don’t do things by half-measures, Alex, do we? We go big or go home. The hard way. Sure, we might have taken different routes but we’ve still arrived at the same destination. On the precipice of greatness. A shot at the World Championship agonisingly close. The only issue for you is that, more often than not, when you’ve tried to go big before, you've always gone home.

I’m sorry for what you had to do to gain the notoriety you’ve craved not just your career but your entire life. I’m sorry that, to earn the respect you deserved, you felt the need to go outside your comfort zone and enlist in TRIAD. Drafted into the fold as a bonafide nobody, somehow eking through and emerging from the Ghost Ship on the winning team. A textbook case of the right place, right time. But still a bonafide nobody.

I’m sorry that you’ve had to continually scratch and claw your way through the ranks of Sin City Wrestling, only just managing to carve a modest reputation for yourself. Enough to keep you relevant, your name just on the tip of everyone’s tongue but not quite enough for it to roll off seamlessly.

Two years it took you to earn an opportunity you swore you’d get in six months. And yet here you are, another eight months later, finally, FINALLY getting the same opportunity you allowed to slip through your fingers back in October.

Almost three years of fighting, of having people doubt you, question you, slander you, write you off. Mister Irrelevant. The Third Bird. Three years of having to remind everyone just who you are. Three years of ‘I’m Alexander fucking Raven!’

Three years of TL;DRs where you’ve taken a long way for a shortcut. Three years of empty promises and broken dreams. Three years of declaring yourself the man to step to in Sin City Wrestling when instead you’ve become nothing more than the man to step on.

Three years of relying on exploits in places long-forgotten to convince everyone you’re capable of winning the big one. Three years of self-deprivation and wallowing in the doldrums of self-pity. Of being a bitter, angry, stubborn bastard.

Three years of proclamations of being the workhorse of Sin City Wrestling when instead you’ve just become nothing more than its cautionary tale. 

Three years of back to the drawing board. Back to formula, trying to work out what went wrong this time, unable to shake that J2H monkey off your back, wondering just what you have to do to get over the finishing line. Just what does Alexander fucking Raven have to do to extinguish the fire of self-doubt that’s engulfed him for so many years?

I’m sorry, Alex. Sorry that this wave of positivity you’ve been riding these past few weeks isn’t going to last. The Spirit of the Fight Championship win in Pro Wrestling Valor. Beating Matt Knox in Nepal. And of course, reaching the Blast From The Past Final. I’m sorry, Alex, that you’re going to have to look at your wife when this is all over and concede she’s had a better SCW career than you.

After all, you know what all this is, Alex, don’t you? Nothing but a glorified purple patch. A rich vein of form. You’ve got the Midas touch where everything around you turns to gold. But you know what happened to King Midas, right? He turned everything he loved into lifeless statues. He realised that even gold becomes a curse when it's all you have left to fight for. And just when you think you’re going to get your hands on the Blast From The Past trophy, it won’t turn to gold, no. It will disintegrate into ash in your hands, sifting through your fingertips like every other opportunity you’ve allowed to fritter away in Sin City Wrestling.

You see, the thing about purple patches is they don’t last forever. Eventually, momentum fades, luck runs out and reality sets in. And I’m sorry, Alex, but for you, the reality is that there are some things destiny doesn’t have planned for you anymore. Destiny has grown bored of giving you the benefit of the doubt, time after time and you can’t fuck with destiny. No more than you can argue with a brick wall. Destiny is like a tsunami. You can’t surf it or stop it. All you can do is brace yourself and wait for it to wash over you, accepting that some of us are destined for second place.

I’m sorry, Alex. I truly wish things were different. I wish it were Mark Cross I was facing instead of you, so I could spare you this pain; this heartache. But SCW management opened the forbidden door and in doing so, they let in something far more dangerous than a lazy, overfed dragon. Far more dangerous than a reinvigorated Raven. Far more lethal than a Janitor whose best days are behind him. They let in an Assassin who very rarely misses. See, whilst lately we’ve been on similar trajectories, Alex, the main difference between us is I don’t do purple patches. Like Knox said, I’m no longer the underdog in professional wrestling, no longer the guy that’s brought in to make up the numbers. I’m now the one you can’t ignore. The one that when his name is said, you turn your head.   

Inside that Nepalese pyramid, whilst you were committing aviancide against another Raven, I was putting the most dangerous wolf in professional wrestling out of her misery and taking down the SEB Empire. I did what you couldn’t do in your set of Trials and that was take them by storm instead of humming and hawing; trying to figure out where I fit in.

For over 160 days I’ve ruled dominion over Anarchy in XWF, its longest-reigning champion, running my blade through every challenger. I’ve made history in Zion Wrestling by becoming the first-ever two-time Endurance Champion. And here, on your hometurf of SCW, Luna and I have become the perfect, well-oiled machine the Conspiracy never was. I crushed poor little Artie’s fledgling career before it even got off the ground. I put a stop to Teddy’s little resurgence before he could barely get a foot back in the door and bulldozed through the perennial gatekeeper that is Bill Barnhart. That’s the difference between us. What I’ve achieved? What I’m STILL achieving? It’s evolved beyond more than just a purple patch. I’m sorry, Alex, but this isn’t a phase. This is what consistency looks like. This is dominance.

And those wings of yours, my sweet Raven? They aren't made of feathers. They're made of wax. You've felt the rush and excitement of a few noteworthy victories and it’s made you fly higher each time. However, this is one flight you shouldn’t have made, Icarus. Those wings are going to melt and you will plummet back down to earth. As for me, whilst you’re flying too close to the sun, blinded by its light, I’m harnessing it because I was meant to fly, Alex, destined to soar. Whilst you’re the architect of your own self-destruction, I’m the artist of my own success, every brush stroke precise and thought-out and in Hawaii, I’m going to finish my masterpiece.

And of course there is no show without punch, is there? Whilst I’m sincerely sorry for what’s going to happen to Alex Raven, when it comes to you, Alexandra Calaway? I’ve got no apologies, just an empty bag that used to be filled with fucks but for you? I’ve got none left to give. Because what can I say to you that Mark Cross didn’t cover before? Your penchant for hitting the block button on Twitter harder than any opponent you’ve ever faced? That your skin is thinner than the ice you’re skating on? And to think that, once upon a time, when I burst onto the scene in Zion last year, that I actually had you on my dream match list. But before I could shoot my shot, you did what you’ve done practically everywhere you’ve wrestled - slithered out the back door and vanished like a fart in the wind. And now? I’ve outgrown you. I’ll let Luna have her fun with you. So do your worst, Alexandra, compile all the stats you can about me and compare my style to Raven’s.

In fact, I’ll do it for you, save you the time and effort. I’m five-foot-ten and I weigh two hundred and fifteen pounds. I was born in Dunfermline, Scotland but I now live in Pasadena, California. My first pet was a guinea pig called Squeak. My wrestling style is a mixture of high-flyer and technical and my finishing move is the Masamune Decapitation. Did you get all that? Need me to write it down for you? That should be enough to give you a head start at least. Call it a small mercy or a free pass, whatever the fuck you want. But trust me, it’s the only free pass you’ll get from me, Ally. At Into The Void, like I told Alex, there’s a tsunami of destiny coming in over the horizon and you can’t escape it. Once Luna and I are finished, you'll be left to drown in a tide of home truths you’ve been hiding from this entire tournament. That you’re not meant for this. Neither of you are.

This is where a Blast From The Past becomes a brutal reality check for why some things are better left on the cobbles of memory lane. And this little nostalgic trip is about to collide head-first with the reality you've both desperately tried to ignore. Don’t worry though, because if losses are just lessons in failure, you both should be wiser than Master Yoda by now.

I am genuinely sorry though, Alex. But this Broken Messiah’s altar is fractured beyond repair and I no longer believe in you. I have to take matters into my own hands. Luna isn’t getting the dub this time. I’m unsheathing Masamune and I’m slicing her across your neck. It will be quick though, I promise. I owe you that much.

I need to know though. Are you listening, Alex? Are you following? Do you understand? I need you to listen. I need you to follow. I need you to understand.

I am Sean Parker. King of the Skies. The Sky Assassin. XWF Anarchy Champion. Zion Wrestling Endurance Champion. Soon-to-be 2024 Blast From The Past Winner and future SCW World Champion. I’m sorry.”

And then…

Darkness.

Silence.

Nothing.

[Alexander Raven]

“It’s good to see you again Sean. Though the circumstances have changed, the situation before us is another unenviable one. Last time we met, I’d run a full gauntlet of people, and I came up just short. I’d just experienced the death of my best friend, and I was half a step too slow. Blinded by anger, rage and frustration. That’s the story of our past. Success for you, at the fault of my own bad luck and short-sightedness. This time, the reality is one of questioning. The same question that has been posed to me, to Luna, this entire tournament. What happens if we end up on opposite sides? What schemes and plans do The Conspiracy have?”

“To tell you the truth, Sean? I don’t know. I don’t know what will happen from here. I don’t know what Luna and I will discuss, what we will say. The truth of it is? People have been asking the right questions, even if they were assuming the wrong answers. Luna and I? Equals. In everything we do, in everything we say. We are equals. I’ve never had to prove myself independent of her, but she has been hounded since day dot. Accused of being my hanger on. Accused of riding my spotlight. Accused of being the lesser. The opposite side has been people questioning my own marriage. Questioning how I ‘benefit’ from this marriage. It’s an interesting little dichotomy we’ve got going on here.”

“Nothing I have ever done has been to use my wife to my benefit. In the same way, no action she has ever taken has been at my demand. We work because we know each other. We’ve always known each other. Since we were kids. Since we were forming. My first love. The first to break my heart. The first to show me the pain of the world in a way that only someone who truly loves you can hurt you. Reality, Sean? This is a test that we have not had in a long time. For in our equality, our years of understanding. I know this for sure. There is only one person in this world who wants to prove themselves more than me, and that is Luna. So for a moment, you can breathe. For a moment, the doubters of the world can go and shove their own arrogance straight back inside their vitriolic spewing mouths.”

“You, Sean. You however do not get that reprieve. You do not get to breathe a sigh of relief that there is no doubt in your partner. There is not a moment you get to take to think to yourself. There is not a moment you get to spend in momentary bliss. No, you don’t get to do that, because there is a far worse inevitability in front of you. There is one truth here in Sin City. One truth that the mucking filth continues to ignore. There is one truth that I continue to shine the light upon. The truth is that without me, there is Sin City. Without me, there is no Sean fucking Parker. Without me, this right here? It means nothing.”

“Confidence is the name of the game, I understand that. Of everyone, I understand it completely. For there are far fewer in this company more confident in their ability than me. There are far fewer people who work as hard as I do. You’re not just facing any old bird. You’re not facing a ghost of the past, a fickle man who prances about on pretense alone. You’re not facing anything you truly understand. No, Sean. You’re facing the workhorse of Sin City Wrestling. You’re facing the man who decides who climbs and who falls. You’re facing the fucking Napalm Kingslayer. I don’t need any gimmick, or magic hoopla. I don’t need a mask to hide behind, and I sure as hell, don’t need anything but my own two fists to beat your goddamn face in.”

“See, I liked you Sean. I liked you, until you made a crucial mistake. You made a faux pas that I cannot forgive. You made Luna cry. You made a choice, a choice to hurt her, in protection of yourself. You made a choice, that affected her and her confidence. You made a choice to hurt the only woman in this world that has ever given me unending love. You hurt the one person who matters to me, Sean. So this? This is personal to me.”

“At the start of this year Sean. I didn’t want to do this anymore. I wanted out. I wanted my retirement. I demanded that should I lose my last shot at the World Title, I’d be forced to retire. The powers that be? They decided not to grant me my wishes. I didn’t even get a break for my honeymoon. To grieve my best friend. No, I didn’t get any kindness shown my way. So what I did, Sean? I made myself indispensable. I made it so that when my contract comes up here in October? I’ll tear this fucking place to the ground. I’ll ruin everything for them, and then? Then everyone will learn. You don’t fucking with Alexander Raven.”

“So not only, is this personal to me Sean. I have to win. I have to be the person who takes the crown. Not only to redeem my short-comings last year. No, that’s just a part of the journey. No, what I need is to be the man in the suit. Crowned with the guaranteed opportunity to stand across from Finn Whelan for a third time. To be the man who is still at the peak of his game. To be the man expected to be the fucking World Champion. This is personal for all different reasons, and you just had to compound that, didn’t you? You had to go and make a stupid fucking decision that not upset Luna, but gave me even more reason to beat your goddamn face in. And there’s one thing that everyone will tell you, Sean.”

“I don’t need a reason.”

“There’s a fundamental question you need to ask yourself, Sean. You win, congratulations, you go on to face Finn Whelan. Do you know how many people hold wins over Finn currently? Five. Five people, Sean. Do you know who the only person in this entire company is that holds two wins over Finn? Me. Alexander Raven. There is nobody more prepared, more skilled and more understanding of the task in front of them. There is nobody more prepared for what lays ahead at the end of the Blast from the Past tournament, than me. I’ve seen how good you are, Sean. I’ve seen the skills you have. I’ve seen your growth. I’ve seen how much better you get every single time you step into the ring. You know what else I’ve seen? The Finn Whelan I beat, wouldn’t be good enough to clean the shoes of the man he is now. Focused, passionate, dedicated. That is Finn Whelan now. The first World Champion in almost two years that is worth the gold that they wear. That’s not me being hyperbolic, or blowing hot air. That is the truth, Sean. See you can climb every mountain you want. You can stand on your laurels. Your successes.”

“At the end of the day? You’re just not fucking ready. You’re not ready to be the guy who carries the company. You’re not ready to be the man who has to stand across from Finn Whelan and tell the world that you are good enough. You’re not ready to beat back every person that steps into your path .You’re just not fucking ready yet. I pity you for it, Sean. I pity that you have stepped into such success. Success that I would question your legitimacy in. Success that I would question the comparison in. Nobody had a harder run to the finals than we did. Not a single team came anywhere fucking close to stand toe to toe with Alexander Raven and Alexandra Calaway. That’s the simple truth of it, Sean. You can stand proud of your achievements, I would. But when it comes down to it? Teddy Warren, Bulldog Bill Barnhart and Artie, don’t really stand much in the way of Mark Cross, Jamie Dean and Peter Vaughn, do they?”

“Maybe I’m just too short-sighted, huh? Maybe I’m the bad guy in all this. See, our reasons. Our reasons for this are wildly different. You want to prove that you can hang with the big boys, and that you are worth the journey that you are on. Fine, good for you. The finishing moves, and the nicknames. You’re a whole package, Sean. You’ve really got yourself worked out. Except, that one thing I’ve learnt in my time? The more you think you know yourself, the less you understand it. That when you’re on the highest of highs, the only way to go is down. You’ve had difficulty, I am aware. But you haven’t been crushed yet, Sean. You haven’t had everything taken from you. You haven’t had those you love begging you to stop. Begging you to leave this life behind. Begging you to take just an ounce of fucking care for yourself. Are you willing to hurt people… really hurt people, Sean? Are you truly willing to crack someone’s skull? To break their arm when they refuse to give in? To take the staple gun and smack it across someone’s face? I want to know how ready you truly are, Sean.”

“You beat me, I need you to be ready. I need you to be the man who can step up. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. All I’ve ever tried to get from anybody. Their fucking best. For every single person to step up their game, so that when I come knocking. When I come to cut you down? You’re at the absolute peak of your journey. That when I set the forest aflame, when I bring the executioner’s axe down? When I say it is time, there is nobody who can question it. Alexander Raven doesn’t just beat down on those below him. No, Alexander Raven? He cuts the fucking king’s head off. He takes to the skies and pecks out the eyes of the mirthless mewling mongrels that squirm and crawl beneath the filth. You’re in my kingdom now, Sean. Are you ready to fucking fight me for it?”

“There’s another side to this all. The reality is no matter who wins, The Conspiracy takes it all. Does it mean all of this is for nothing? Maybe.”

“Lu, I believe in you. There’s nobody in this world more deserving of being on that side of the ring, than you. There’s nobody more deserving to be the one who takes this opportunity. To prove every person who has doubted you, wrong. I’ll let Alexandra fight her own battles, and if she wins, I’ll be there to hold your hand. To love you today, as I did yesterday, and every tomorrow to come. I wish you all the luck in the world, Lu. We’ll show them all.”

“Oh, and Sean?”

“Have you been listening? I need you to listen.”

[Alexandra Calaway]

Go Big or Go Home
Queens Blog
Dallas, Tx.

Here we are again my friends, another week has passed.  Another round won. Alexander Raven and Alexandra Calaway advance. But who are their next opponents?  Luna Vanity and Sean Parker. More on that later, but for now…

We did it, we managed to make it to the finals. People wrote us off early on. They said we couldn’t make it that we wouldn’t. That we would fizzle out in the first round, yet every week, we’ve fought and proved why we are the team to watch. People are still talking about how this team or that team has killed the mixed tag division. Guess what, Raven and I resurrected it. Molded it, made it our own playground. A place where we can play out our darkest dreams, at your request. We took something that was broken and dying, we revived it and changed the game. You are looking at the team who could very well take this whole damned tournament and turn around the fact that last year, we fucking failed at it.

People never seem to amaze me anymore. There’s just something about certain individuals and their lack of common sense. Running their mouths about things they don’t know. From my personal life, to my in ring career. People have doubted me, taken advantage of my kindness, made jokes, threats and so many other things, but every single time, I show them that I am everything I say I am, despite their many jokes and shots. Take every shot at me that you want, call me worthless, call me a coward. The funny part is, I’ll prove you differently when I step into that ring.

I’ve learned to never underestimate my opponents. Never underestimate what they will do to win. Knowing that I’ll be standing in that ring, next to the same man who’s partner, the woman they love, is on the other side of the ring, standing against us. I’m going in as a sitting duck. There’s so many things that could go wrong, but do I fear it? No. I’m facing it head on, because I’ve never known any other way.

Sometimes life throws curveballs at you and you have two options, duck.. And let it fly past you, or knock that bitch right out the park. It’s clear that my tag partner and I chose the latter. Every single time we’ve been booked in this tournament we have walked out there and shown them that we aren’t a fluke. Even if this match against Luna and Sean ends in the way they believe it will, I’m proud of the accomplishments we have made. It has not been easy but it has been fun. Now we push forward, the finish line is in sight and we only need this last one.

There’s a lot more I could say, but I will save anything for my opponents until later.  For now, know this. I respect those I’ve faced in the tournament so far and that’s why, win or lose, I see this as a victory. We proved we weren’t the bad team last year, we just weren’t focused. We were too busy focusing on outside things, things beyond our control. We tried to force the partnership, instead of just letting it happen. This year, we’ve cleaned house, just two more to take out. It’s only a matter of doing it. I in no way have anything against either of them, however this is my tournament to win. 

Xoxo,
Alexandra

Training
Calaway Estate
Dallas, Texas

Alexandra was in her gym at her home, working out, music blaring through the speakers from her cellphone. She was lifting weights when someone was standing over her. Looking up she found her sister in law Mika. She put the weights up and sat up to look at her. It was clear there was a lot on Alexandra’s mind. The two had grown up together, their families had been friends when the Calaway’s and Attano’s were still super young.

“What’s up Mika?” She wasn’t used to anyone really being there other than Ashlynn. Damien and Mika had a home a few hours away, so this was definitely a surprise.

“Not much. Though I’m not a fan of getting frantic calls from my niece in the middle of the night.” She said, moving to sit on the bench, “You good? I saw that last match of yours. Seemed like a rough landing.”

She took a deep breath, trying to silence the thoughts that ran through her head. She had taken a pretty bad hit at PWS: Legacy’s debut show, but it’s nothing she hadn’t been through before.

“I’ve had worse.”  She tilted her head. “I’ll be alright, you know me.  Nothing I’ve not had before.” She nodded, her eyes down on the floor. “I have to power through it Mika, I can’t lose this tournament. I didn’t make it this far to lose it all now, you know?”

Mika tilted her head, a playful glint in her eyes. "You know, I've become quite the expert in losing. If there was a championship belt for losing, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have to worry about losing it." she said with a light laugh, hoping to ease the tension. She reached out and gently lifted her friend's chin. "But seriously, you are one of the toughest bitches I know. You've got the heart of a champion, and that's something no loss can ever take away from you." Mika pulled back and cocked her head, a smirk on her face. "We'll get through this, and I'll make sure your brother is right there with pom-poms, cheering you on. Win or lose, you're already a fucking legend in this and every other company. Plus, you get to see your brother as a cheerleader…the skirt uniform, I think it’s more of a win-win even if you lose the tournament."

“Seeing my brother dressed as a cheerleader would be a win. He hates those prissy princesses.” Alexandra laughed at her best friend.  “It’s been a hot minute since I’ve sparred with anyone who actually wont go easy on me. Sometimes I feel like even my closest friends take it easy when we spar. Would you help me prepare for this match? Luna isn’t someone I can take lightly, hell no one in this competition is. But Luna is a lot like your style, the type to do whatever it takes, no matter the consequences, friend or foe, she will destroy you.”

Mika raised an eyebrow, “Fuck it but the winner buys the drinks and dinner. Hell, you win this tournament and I’ll make sure to have Damien and Zak there with those prissy short skirts and the pom-poms.” Mika shrugged out of her jacket and tossed it over the back of a machine.

Alexandra chuckled and pulled her hair up, looking at Mika. “Alright, you're on.” She nodded and stepped into the ring in the middle of her gym. “So, do me a solid and don’t hold back.  Don’t pull your fucking punches either.” The thought of Mika pulling that off, getting Alexandra’s brother Damien and Mika’s brother Zak to dress up like cheerleaders still caused her to smirk.  She took her stance. “Come on..”

Mika’s eyes darkened, a twisted smile curling her lips as she stepped into the ring, the atmosphere around her shifting palpably. She rolled her shoulders, her movements slow and deliberate, like a predator toying with its prey. "Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it," she purred, her voice dripping with a mix of menace and amusement. “How... deliciously reckless."

She stepped closer, her gaze locking onto Alexandra's with an intensity that would send a chill down the spine if it had been anyone else. Mika's smirk widened into something almost feral as she settled into her stance, her muscles coiled like a spring ready to explode.

She started circling Alexandra, her movements slow and predatory, eyes never leaving her opponent. "I heard about your new boytoy, LJ," she taunted, her grin widening. "So young, so... inexperienced. Does he even know what he's gotten himself into with you? Or should I say, what have you gotten yourself into?"

Mika braced herself, not only for an attack…but for defense.

She went on the attack, going for a hip toss, following Mika down to the mat, she looked into her eyes with a stern gaze. “He’s far from inexperienced.  I remember a time when you were too. And just what in the hell do you mean gotten himself into with me.  LJ and I are just friends.” She got up, helping Mika up, preparing for the next move. “Come on.. You are holding back.” 

Mika let out a low, mocking laugh as she pushed herself up, her eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and something darker. She brushed off the dust and fixed Alexandra with a gaze that was both predatory and taunting.

"Friends, you say?" she drawled, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Is that what we’re calling it now?" She tilted her head, a smirk playing on her lips. "LJ must be thrilled to have such a... close friend.”

With a sudden burst of speed, Mika lunged forward, her movements fluid and aggressive. She gripped Alexandra’s wrist and slammed her into the mat with an arm wringer.

"I remember when you were just as inexperienced as LJ," Mika continued, her tone mocking. "So eager, so naïve, so…appreciative. I wonder how long it will take for him to learn just how dangerous you can be." She smirked, knowing full well that Alexandra understood they weren’t just talking about talents in the ring.

“You have no idea what you are going on about Mika.”  Alexandra growled.

“Is that so Alex?” Mika smirked.

Alexandra brought her legs up, wrapping them around Mika’s arm, she twisted, bringing the other woman to the mat. She flipped over her and landed above her, pulling her free arm back to a fist, before hitting the mat beside Mika’s head. “Listen, LJ and I are just friends, I literally just met him.” She shook her head. “Why not talk about the match..” She tilted her head.  “Or should I bring up the.. Friendliness between you and Braddock..”

Mika's eyes flashed with a hint of madness as she found herself pinned beneath Alexandra, a mixture of frustration and exhilaration coursing through her veins. She let out a low chuckle, her voice dripping with derision.

"Ah, the match," she mused, a twisted grin spreading across her face. "Yes, let's talk about that. But first, the little dance you're doing around the subject of LJ. Just friends, you say? How... cute. Blind men can see what you refuse to see." She narrowed her eyes, a dark glint flickering within them. "But don't worry, your secrets are safe with me. After all, I've got far more interesting things to focus on." She emphasized the word 'interesting', her tone laced with a hint of menace.

"Like your upcoming match against Luna and Sean," Mika continued, smoothly deflecting from the mention of Braddock. "Now that promises to be entertaining. Will you be able to keep up with her ferocity, or will you crumble under the pressure?"

She let out a mocking laugh, her voice echoing off the walls of the gym. With a sudden burst of strength, Mika attempted to twist out of Alexandra's hold, her movements fueled by a potent mix of aggression and madness. For a moment, anger ripped through her veins but at the same time, she was starting to get hungry. Mika relaxed against the mat, looking up at Alexandra.

“Consider a 3 count and we get some fucking food…or we first blood this.” The deranged grin was back on her lips as Mika lifted herself up and headbutted her closest friend.

Alexandra stumbled back, coming back at her best friend with a fire in her eyes. “First blood it is then..” She gripped Mika and tossed her into the ropes, before catching her with a hidden blade, knocking both of them to the ground. “You want to play rough.. Let’s do this..”  She gripped her head and returned the headbutt with one of her own. “You asked me if I can match Luna’s ferocity?  Answer that question yourself.”

Mika's laughter turned into a low, guttural growl as she felt the impact of Alexandra's attack. She rolled with the momentum, her body absorbing the force of the blow, before springing back to her feet with a savage grin.

"Is that all you've got?" she snarled, her voice tinged with madness. "You want to play rough? Fine by me."

With a feral gleam in her eyes, Mika lunged forward, seizing Alexandra by the wrist and wrenching her into a vicious wristlock. She twisted her arm mercilessly, applying pressure with strength she had reserved for those who really pissed her off…or Damien.

"Let's see if you can handle this," she taunted, her voice dripping with malice as she lifted Alexandra up and powerbombed her into the mat. Standing, Mika brushed her hand across her face, clearing the sweat from her eyes. She dropped her hand and stared at the blood smeared across the back of her hand. “Well…shit. Looks like you’re paying for dinner.” She held out a hand to Alexandra. “There’s this really expensive looking Italian place I wanna try.”

Alexandra chuckled.  “I think I can handle that. Is it one of those places where we got to get all done up and wear formal clothes?”

“Nah. It’s family owned. Long as we’re showered and dressed, we’re fine.” Mika said, laughing and pulling Alexandra to her feet. 

“Alright let’s get cleaned up and have dinner..”  She laughed and linked an arm around her best friend's shoulders. “Because Ashlynn and I leave in five hours for Oahu.”

Fade to black.

The waiting
DFW Airport
Dallas, Texas

Alexandra and her daughter Ashlynn sat at the airport. Alexandra gave a few last instructions for her sister in law Mika and of course her brother Damien who would be taking care of her place while they were gone.

“Just make sure that the ferrier takes care of the horses and try to not leave my house a total wreck. The guest room is your abode. If you drink up my liquor, replace it. I was out a couple hundred dollars worth of stuff last time.”

The two had a few chuckles before she hung up.

“Mom, I’m really proud of you. I know it wasn’t easy for you last year in the tournament.  But this year, look at what you’ve accomplished.”

“Thank you sweetheart.” Alexandra smiled at her daughter. “You are one of the reasons I keep doing this. I want to give you everything you desire in life.”

Ashlynn took a deep breath. “Mom, I just want you to be happy.”

“I am.” She smiled brightly at her.

Her daughter was growing up so fast. It was like she blinked and bam.. From baby to teenager at the drop of a hat. Her phone buzzed and there was a response to a tweet she posted. She smiled at her phone and her daughter noticed.

“HE TWEETED YOU..”

“Ashlynn, shhh.. We are in an airport.”

“Mom.. come on. LJ responded to your tweet, this is big.” Ashlynn was excited.

“Ash, it was just a tweet between friends.”

“Are you nervous?  About the match, I mean.”  Ashlynn was getting to be too smart for her own good.

“I’m a bit nervous. But that’s a good thing. I’ve been nervous about every match leading up to this. The nerves help me fight harder.” She looked at her daughter.  “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years in the industry, it is to use every emotion we are feeling. The nervousness, the fear, any emotion, use it.  Have it be your fuel.”

“And you will, Mom. You’ll come out on top. I know you will.”  Alexandra hugged her daughter, before sending a response back to LJ’s tweet. Fear wouldn’t consume her. No matter what, not in the ring and not in life.

Pearl Harbor Arrivals
Resort Hotel
Oahu, Hawaii

The scene opens with a panoramic view of the breathtaking beaches of Oahu, Hawaii. The camera captures the golden sands, crystal-clear waters, and lush palm trees swaying gently in the breeze. Tourists are seen enjoying the paradise, some lounging under the sun while others take a dip in the ocean. The camera then pans to a sleek, black SUV pulling up to a luxurious beachfront resort. The door opens, and Alexandra Calaway steps out, dressed in casual yet stylish attire. Her dark sunglasses shield her eyes from the bright Hawaiian sun as she takes a moment to take in the surroundings. She reaches into the SUV and helps her daughter Ashlynn out, who is eagerly looking around with wide-eyed wonder.

Alexandra smiled at her little girl when she stepped out of the SUV.  “Welcome to Hawaii, Ashlynn. What do you think?”

Ashlynn looked around and squeaked excitedly.  “It's so beautiful, Mom! I can't believe we're really here!”

Alexandra laughs softly and wraps an arm around Ashlynn's shoulders as they walk towards the resort entrance. The resort staff greets them warmly, handing them leis as a traditional Hawaiian welcome.

“Aloha! Welcome to Oahu and the Aloha Beach Resort. We hope you enjoy your stay."

Alexandra nodded softly. “Thank you. The reservation should be under Alexandra Calaway We're here for Sin City Wrestling's, Into the Void XIII. Do you have our reservation ready?”

The gentleman checked the computer. “Yes, Ms. Calaway. We have you booked in one of our oceanfront suites. It's all set for your arrival.”

“Thank you very much. Come on Ashlynn.”

As they make their way through the resort, they both catch a glimpse of the stunning amenities: an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, vibrant tropical gardens, and a private beach area. Alexandra and Ashlynn arrive at their suite, and the bellhop opens the door to reveal a spacious room with a large balcony offering an unobstructed view of the ocean.

Ashlynn ran out to the balcony and shouted back to her mom. “Mom, look at this view! It's amazing!”

Alexandra smiled listening to her daughter's excitement. She sat down their luggage.  “It's perfect. We have a few days before the event, so we can enjoy this paradise together. Maybe catch a good show.”

Ashlynn twirls around the room, clearly delighted, while Alexandra steps out onto the balcony. She takes off her sunglasses and gazes out at the ocean, a thoughtful expression on her face. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore seems to calm her.

Alexandra took a breath. “Into the Void XIII... another challenge, another fight. But for now, I need to be present here, with Ashlynn. Spend some time with my daughter, incase things go badly.”

Ashlynn joins her on the balcony, and Alexandra pulls her close, both of them looking out at the endless horizon. The scene captures a tender moment between mother and daughter, a rare glimpse of serenity in Alexandra's otherwise tumultuous life.

Ashlynn looks up at her mom, speaking about the match. “Are you nervous about the match?”

Alexandra gives a sigh, looking over at her daughter. She never kept anything from her little girl, this time wouldn’t be any different. “A little, but it's nothing I can't handle. I've faced tough opponents before, and I'll face them again. I’ve been in there with Luna, last time, she won. It’s true. But this time, I know what to expect. Right now, I'm just happy to be here with you.”

Ashlynn hugs her mom tightly.  “I'm proud of you, Mom. You're the strongest person I know.”

Alexandra smiles, hugging Ashlynn back tightly. The camera slowly pulls back, capturing the picturesque scene of the mother and daughter standing together on the balcony, the Hawaiian sunset casting a warm, golden glow around them.

“Thank you, Ashlynn. That means the world to me. I’m just glad that you could be here to see the whole show. I’m sure Miles and LJ would love to see you again too.”

“I owe Miles smarties and I made sure I brought them.”

“Then we will have to make sure that he gets them.”

The two share a quick laugh and Ashlynn looks out over the ocean.

Keep Dreaming Baby
Beach At Night
Oahu, Hawaii

The camera comes up on Alexandra who is Looking out over the ocean in Oahu, Hawaii at night is a mesmerizing experience that blends natural beauty with a sense of serene tranquility. The sky, vast and unobstructed, is a deep, inky blue, almost black, speckled with countless stars that twinkle like diamonds. The Milky Way stretches across the horizon, a faint, silvery band of light that adds to the celestial display. The moon casts a silvery glow over the ocean, creating a shimmering pathway of light on the water's surface. The waves, gentle and rhythmic, lap softly against the shore, their crests catching the moonlight and glistening like liquid silver. The ocean itself is a deep, dark blue, nearly black in the night, with occasional flashes of white foam where the waves break. She turns to the camera and starts to speak.

“It’s clear to me that one of our opponents see’s everything. You know, it’s funny that people keep doubting Alexander Raven and I. That’s where people keep failing. They talk their shit, they carry on and on. Then in the end, Raven and I walk out victorious. You would think by now, people would see things for what they really are. But I’m not going to sit here and waste my valuable words and time once again repeating myself. Simple as this, you can sit there, run your mouth, but when it really matters, you’ll get in there and I’ll make you choke every single word you throw my way. But this isn’t all about you, is it. No. You got your time, this is my time.”

She took a moment, pausing and moving her gaze back out over the water. She knew that time was ticking away. Soon she would stand in the ring with three people who were closer than she was to any of them.

“To quote one of my favorite Doctors, Something seems impossible. We try – it doesn’t work, we try again. We learn, we improve. We fail again, but better. We make friends, we learn to trust, we help each other. We get it wrong again. We improve together, then ultimately succeed. Because this is what being alive is. And it’s better than the alternative. Smart words if you ask me. Why do I bring this up? Because everyone brings up how we failed last time. Look in front of you, last year's Blast from the Past is behind us. Now, here we are. The underdog team is in the finals. The team no one was counting on. We’ve taken out EVERY single team that has been put in front of us. I know what everyone is thinking. Alexandra, aren’t you worried? Aren’t you concerned that Raven’s love for Luna will prevent him from letting you get the pin, should that occur? Does it look like I’m worried? No, I’m not worried. Which brings me to Sean Parker.”

Alexandra takes a few seconds and then begins to speak. Sean Parker wanted her attention, he craved to hear what she had to say, well then, who was she to deny him? Attention was needed.. Let mommy help.

“Sean, holy fuck, are they cloning Miles now? Quick, I need to call Miles, I need to make sure that he hasn’t been cloned. No, come on now. Everyone can see that the resemblance is uncanny. Listen, you want my attention Sean, you got it. You need the attention that clearly, you didn’t get as a child. Let me remind you just who the hell I am. Look back over every single match since I started here in Sin City Wrestling, hell any match. There’s one common theme, no matter how many times I’m knocked down I get right back up. Tell me Sean, do you think that you can do the same?”

She took a deep breath, it was time she really let him have it. Enough being nice, enough trying to go about this the rational way. She was going to be direct and to the point. It didn’t matter to her that he was in good with Luna. She was at one time too. Look where that wound up. She turned her gaze back to the camera now, speaking directly to him.

“Sean, tisk tisk, poor little Sean. To be perfectly honest, you don't even really warrant the energy, the effort, or even the time I’m giving you. I'd call you an embarrassment, but frankly, that's just too easy. The fact that the audience and frankly everybody backstage had to listen to your word vomit, delusions of grandeur, really just made me want to wash my mouth out with buckshot. Yeah so I'm not going to stay where I'm not appreciated, that's how business works, you bumbling buffoon. I guess you've never been valued, so you have no point of reference. In this reality, hell, in any reality I am a proven talent. You should be grateful to have your name attached to a match with me. And before you let everyone else down, Sean, I want you to go call your family and tell them you are sorry, you are sorry your parents raised such a little bitch.”

Again, another pause. Giving time for her words to sink into his thick little skull. A skull she’d love to get her hands on, however, there were rules against men facing women in Sin City. It gave her joy knowing that even if he wanted to, he couldn’t touch her during the match. If so, they would be disqualified. Not that she would mind. If he did get himself and Luna disqualified, because he chose to put his hands on her, Alexandra wouldn’t hesitate to make him bleed. She licked her lips and turned back to the camera once more.

“Luna, we’ve been down this road before, haven't we? Standing across the ring from each other. The only difference this time is you have more of my respect than before. And because you’ve earned that respect, I plan on speaking truthfully and plainly. It seems that you might not have conferred with your partner as much as you need to. You clearly haven’t told him just how I can be out there. You, yourself remember, I’m sure. I know what you can do out there, I know what to expect. When it comes to you, the unexpected is to be expected.”

She took a deep breath, trying to focus everything on what she needed to focus on. Which was Luna, breaking into her very core, digging into her in ways that she couldn’t before. She had watched her, seen what she could do. She had experienced it first hand.

“You know, there was a time when I wanted to take the chance to jump at the offer of what you and Raven presented to me. Joining The Conspiracy. There was a time I would have gladly helped The Conspiracy grow to new heights. But pride got in the way of what we could have had. And while you looked at me as if I was the cause of the problem, I think I spent the last year proving differently. And now, here we stand prepared to face each other in the very tournament that brought the dark cloud over what The Conspiracy should have been. Raven's vision, your loyalty, and my independence clashed like thunder and lightning. And now, here we are, standing on the precipice of a battle that will either bury the hatchet or dig it deeper into old wounds.”

She took a moment to look out over the water again. This time, her gaze seemed to grow cold, as if all the pain of the last year flooded back into her mind. She took a deep breath in, steeling her nerves and began to speak once more.

“We Luna are cut from a different cloth than most of these other ladies. We are more than meets the eye. I sold you short before, that will not happen again. But I do need to thank you. That match we had, each moment that barbwire pierced my flesh, it left a memory. One that I will cannot and will not forget. It was the fire that brewed from that moment in time, that pain, that drove me to become a champion here in Sin City Wrestling. This belt that I hold for the second time. I have you to thank for it really. It was that loss that helped start the fire that I’ve built my Sin City Wrestling legacy on.  After losing to you, I went on to battle some of the best this company has to offer. I captured the Bombshell Roulette Championship from Jessie Salco and sent her into retirement. Sure I dropped the ball on winning the World Bombshell Championship from Julianna. That’s why I need to win this match more than anything. Not only to retain my Bombshell Roulette title, but to ensure my next steps here.”

She pulls the Bombshell Roulette title onto her lap and looks down at it. Her fingers dance over the letters and designs on it. She flattens her hand on it and begins to speak again.

“Raven knows what I am capable of doing. Hell you both do. I can tell you this right now. Even if I am walking into the lion's den in this match, I plan on walking out with my Bombshell Roulette Championship and the win. See you in the ring, Your Highness.”

Alexandra then gives a bow and the scene fades out on her Bombshell Roulette title.

[Luna Pasilno]

“I love you, Lexi. I don’t think people thought either of us would make it here, let alone both of us. Opposite sides at the end, and only one of us gets the prize we’re seeking. But it’s not a sad thing. It’s not a bad thing. All this means? We’re guaranteed a chance to change things. We’re guaranteed a chance to prove that The Conspiracy stands at the top of the mountain. We’re guaranteed to give people a fucking reason to talk about our marriage in a negative light for oh… the next six months minimum. We’re guaranteed to have people talk about how one of us is better. Maybe the rhetoric will change. Maybe I’ll get the win and suddenly, they’ll say how Alexander Raven is clinging to relevance by clutching at the success of his partner.”

“See, we talked about this a lot in the last week. After Climax Control, when we realised the potential had become the inevitable. Something that may be a foreign fucking concept for a lot people. We went home, spent time with our dog. With our friends. Spent our downtime with each other. Loving each other. Much to the surprise of literally everyone who has the fucking gall to question our romance. The people who can’t keep marriages, the people who can’t keep relationships. The people who can’t even hold down a job for more than a few weeks. Hi, Mark. We’re really looking forward to the next time you try and say anything fucking dumb. We won’t be here, but we’ll make sure to leave the place in a far more receptive state for you. Wouldn’t want to upset you anymore.”

“You know what this Blast from the Past tournament revealed? It revealed the insecurity of every nosey little bitch who felt the need to make a suggestion as to what my life was. It further revealed the stupidity of every person who has ever questioned my legitimacy. It revealed to me that at the end of the day, everything I’ve been saying is right. Everything I’ve said for months about the other women here? I’ve been fucking right. Juliana makes me look well-adjusted. Courtney has the same virus that seems to plague all the others up themselves cunts that prance in here looking for recognition. The moment things got tough, she got up and left. In the same way that Mark Cross does. In the same way that Eiley and Oz did. Hell, in the same way that Aleesha Jones did. A plague of insecurity. So, I’ll give Juliana her dues. She didn’t run at the first sign of adversity, but I suspect that when she loses to Kayla again, because she will. She’ll pack her bags, and go crying home. Telling everyone how they are the problem, and melting down in a seventeen post long tweet. And then she’ll say I’m a liar for pointing out the truth.”

“Every single week, Sean and I walked in, and we knocked down the competition. Not just scraped by, but dominated. Dominated every single person that stepped in our way. Dominated every single team that thought themselves a chance. Ruined the dreams of Artie and Kallie Reznik. Destroyed the confidence of Kat Jones and proved that I am and always was the better bitch. Roux? Roux seems to suffer the familiar disease. Showed up, lost embarrassingly, and then disappeared.  Amazing how these things keep happening, but I’m the crazy one.”

“I’m the crazy one because I dare to love, but also hate. I’m the crazy one because I dare to get involved in things. I’m the crazy one because I refuse to simply sit there and be seen. I will not be silenced for the sake and sanity of those who do not like to be told how the fuck things actually are. That’s the truth of it. That’s what this has all culminated in. That’s why, at the end of this tournament. As much as I would love to see Alex standing on top of the world. We talked about it. We spoke at length, reassured and acknowledged. We listened to each other. He accepts that should things not go his way, we do not lose. That when I win the Blast from the Past, and I go head to head with Kayla Richards. I say Kayla, because we all know there isn’t a chance in fucking hell that Juliana walks away with the belt again. That when I win and go head to head with Kayla. The only two fucking women who actually turn up every week. The only two women who actually wrestle week after fucking week. The only two women in this entire fucking company that matter go head to head. That match will mean something.”

“Which brings me to you, Alexandra. This time last year, we were getting ready to go head to head in the city of Jack the Ripper. This time last year, you couldn’t get a win, I’d just won and then lost the Bombshell Roulette Championship. We were, for lack of a better term, struggling to find our feet. The rookie and the cock-sure veteran. The hardcore legend who was going to show the upstart how it was done. To put that barbwire crown upon your own head as you beat, and cut, and slashed me to pieces. Except… just like Kallie, so sure in her own past leading her to be better. Just like every other woman who has taken their past and assumed that makes them superior. You faltered. You fell and you fell hard. That said, I went on to become friends with a flaky little bitch called Ariana Angelos. The woman who used me for my friendship, took the championship from me, and then didn’t even fucking send a message when my brother died.”

“I won and lost another championship on my first defence. You however? You went on to win that Bombshell Roulette Championship that I lost. You won and held it and defended it and proved that you could hang with the big bad bitches of Sin City Wrestling. Three cheers for the barbed wire queen, who still had that loss hanging over her head. Three cheers for the woman who the next time we bashed headed, couldn’t get the job done again. The woman whose success in the Mixed Tag division, comes as a result of The Conspiracy, and not her best friend. A certain irony in that our banging of heads came from this very tournament. That our banging of heads came from you and my sweet losing in the opening round, costing him his Internet Championship. A year on, he had a chance to win it back and what happened? The wimpy ass fragile man Peter Vaughn ran away when he realised he couldn’t hold the gold if he stayed in the match. Then that fucking cunt Bobbie Dahl who a year earlier had cost The Conspiracy everything. She couldn’t stand up to the revenge seeking Alexandra Calaway. Funny how a year on, so many things remain the same.”

“The same thing that is going to happen at Into the Void. You’ll walk in, put your championship on the line. Look across the ring and see the thorn in your side. Luna Pasilno, the real barbed wire queen of Sin City. The Masochist of Sin City. The fucking Idol of Sin City Wrestling.  So what happens now? I take everything from you again. I remind you of why for the last year I’ve been the thorn in your side. I remind you why you cannot and will not beat Luna fucking Pasilno. I’ll remind you of my vanity. I’ll remind you of the journey that brought me here. I’ll remind you, Ally, because you seem to forget. Respect or not, that doesn’t fucking matter when everything is on the line. This is a guaranteed run at the Bombshell World Championship. This is my chance to embarrass you, and show you what it feels like to be made fun of constantly for being a ‘transitional champion’. The one thing that Krystal Wolfe has had to say for months and months about me. The one bit of information that anyone ever seems to fucking remember. Attack my marriage, attack my record. Attack my sanity and then wonder why I’m trying to claw your fucking eyes out in that ring.”

“Respect for skill doesn’t mean respect for the person. Respect for the person, doesn’t mean I’m not going to roll through you if that is what I need to do. I want you to understand something, Ally. Beating you, it might hurt Alex professionally, but. Beating you? It fulfils me personally. It fucking fills me with unending joy the idea that a year on, a year of listening to you talk over and over. Seeing you granted opportunity after fucking opportunity, only to come up short over and over. That a year on I’m still going to be better than you. That I’m still going to be the woman who climbs to the peak, shows you where you could be if only you were just a little bit better. Shows you where you could be, if only you could ever beat Luna. Spoiler, you aren’t ever going to be better than me. You aren’t ever going to beat me. Everything you’ve had, you’ve wasted. You’ve failed. This time? This time I take it all, and send you home. Crying, snivelling and whining. Send you flailing into the arms of the nearest warm body.”

“I don’t like you Ally. I never have, never will. I can have respect for you, though even that is a stretch. You can have respect for me, and I would recommend it. You should always respect your betters. Come Into the Void, the finals of the Blast from the Past tournament? It’ll be ironic how true the tournament name is. You’ll be experiencing a blast from our past all over again. When you’re staring up at the lights, trying to blink your soul back into your body. Remember that the person who just crushed your chest? Her name is Luna fucking Pasilno, and she?”

“She is the motherfucking Idol of Sin City Wrestling.”

“The Conspiracy is here.”