~*~For the Fans~*~
The Princess Cruise had transformed one of its larger event halls into a paradise for wrestling fans.
Banners from every era of SCW lined the walls while merchandise booths stretched from one end of the room to the other. Fans wandered from table to table with replica championships slung over their shoulders, stacks of glossy eight-by-tens tucked under their arms, and enough excitement to make the room feel louder than it actually was.
One of the busiest tables belonged to the Madison family.
Laura Phoenix sat comfortably behind the long table, smiling as she signed another photograph from the height of her legendary career. Beside her, Bella Madison worked through an equally impressive stack of modern promotional photos, occasionally stopping to chat with fans about her recent victory over Mercedes Vargas and the upcoming Ultimate X match at Summer XXXTreme.
It had been nearly two hours.
Bella's hand was beginning to cramp.
Unfortunately, her biggest challenge hadn't been the endless line of fans.
"Mama."
Bella looked down to find Máire tugging insistently on the leg of her chair, "What is it, bug?"
"I hungry."
Bella glanced toward the untouched snack bag sitting beside her daughter, "I thought you were hungry twenty minutes ago."
"I was."
"And now?"
"I hungry."
Bella blinked, "...Again?"
A determined nod came from her daughter’s head and Laura looked over just in time to catch the exchange and immediately started laughing. Bella shot her mother an exhausted look, "Don't."
Laura couldn't stop smiling, "I didn't say anything."
"You were about to."
"I absolutely was. Something tells me that she’s about to go through a growth spurt."
Bella sighed dramatically before reaching into the snack bag and handing her daughter another pack of crackers, "There you go."
Máire accepted them happily, for approximately seven seconds, "Mama."
Bella slowly closed her eyes, "...Yes?"
"I no want crackers."
Bella looked down, "You literally just asked for them."
"No."
"You did."
"No."
Laura leaned back in her chair, laughing so hard she had to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye.
Bella pointed accusingly, "This is your fault."
"My fault?"
"You used to tell me I'd understand someday."
Laura folded her hands together innocently, "And now?"
Bella looked toward the ceiling, "I understand."
The older woman smiled sweetly, "I've been waiting years for this moment."
Bella shook her head, "I knew bringing you was a mistake."
A nearby fan couldn't help laughing, earning an apologetic smile from Bella before she finished signing another photo.
Fortunately, the line finally began to disappear. The last fan thanked both women before walking away, leaving the autograph table blessedly quiet for the first time all afternoon.
Bella leaned back in her chair with an exaggerated groan, "I think I'm more exhausted than I was after wrestling Mercedes."
Laura looked sideways at her daughter, "You wrestled Mercedes for fifteen minutes." She nodded toward the little blonde girl happily swinging her legs beneath the table, "You've been wrestling her for the last two hours."
As if perfectly on cue...
"Mama."
Bella looked down, "What is it now?"
Máire folded both arms across her chest, "No."
Bella stared, "...No what?"
"No."
Bella looked helplessly toward Laura, "I don't even know what we're saying no to anymore."
Laura laughed so hard she nearly had to steady herself against the table, "Oh, she's definitely yours."
Bella opened her mouth to respond before something caught her eye across the convention hall, and her expression softened immediately, "Kevin."
Laura followed her gaze. Standing several booths away was Kevin, chatting with another teenage boy while a woman Bella assumed was his mother stood nearby. Connor was animatedly pointing toward one of the memorabilia displays while Kevin laughed at something he'd just said.
Bella's smile grew wider and without thinking twice, she lifted her hand, "Kevin!"
Kevin turned at the sound of his name. The moment he spotted Bella, his face lit up. He waved enthusiastically as Bella motioned for all three of them to come over. Connor looked slightly confused until Kevin said something to him, after which the three made their way across the room.
Bella stepped around the table to greet them.
"It's so good to see you."
Kevin smiled as they shared a quick hug, "You too."
Bella stepped back before looking toward the others, "I don't think you've met everybody yet."
She gestured toward the woman standing beside Kevin.
"You must be Sarah."
Sarah smiled warmly, "I am."
"It's nice to finally meet you. Kevin has said wonderful things about you."
Sarah laughed, "I hope only the good ones."
Bella grinned, "So far."
That earned a laugh from all four adults. Bella turned toward the younger boy standing quietly beside Kevin, "And I recognize you, it’s good to see you again Connor."
Connor nodded, though Bella immediately noticed he wasn't actually looking at her anymore. His eyes had drifted toward Laura.
Bella followed his gaze before slowly turning back toward him, "...Connor?"
He blinked, "Huh?"
Bella couldn't help smiling, "You okay?"
Connor's cheeks immediately turned bright red, "I..."
He glanced toward Laura again.
"I know who you are."
Laura stood and walked around the table with her familiar warm smile, "I certainly hope so."
Connor let out a nervous laugh, "No, I mean..." He rubbed the back of his neck, "I've watched your matches since I was a kid."
Sarah closed her eyes with an amused smile, "There it is."
Connor looked horrified, "Mom..."
Bella bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing as Laura simply extended her hand.
"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Connor."
He shook it carefully, still looking slightly starstruck, "You were always my favorite." Connor immediately realized what he'd said, "Oh my God..."
Kevin burst out laughing and Bella wasn't far behind as Sarah simply shook her head, "I warned him."
Laura smiled kindly, "Well...thank you. That means a great deal."
Before anyone could say anything else, a tiny voice piped up from Bella's side, "Who dat?"
Everyone looked down as Máire was pointing directly at Connor, "That's Connor."
Connor crouched down to her level, "Hi."
Máire studied him with all the seriousness a nearly three-year-old could muster. After several long seconds, she smiled, "Hi."
Connor's entire expression softened, "She's adorable."
Bella laughed, "Normally I'd agree. Today she's testing that theory."
Sarah smiled knowingly, "Terrible twos?"
Bella let out a long sigh, "I've started calling them the terrible 'almost threes.' Somehow that's even worse."
Laura nodded without missing a beat, "Oh just wait."
Bella looked at her mother, "...Don't."
Laura grinned, "I'm just saying...it gets better. Eventually."
Bella groaned while everyone else laughed, the sound blending effortlessly with the lively atmosphere of the convention hall as, for just a few moments, Summer XXXTreme, championship matches, and the pressures of professional wrestling faded into the background in favor of something much simpler.
Family. A family that always kept her in check....or at least tried too....
~*~Impacts on Days of Future Past~*~
The Madison training facility was quieter than usual, but the tension was unmistakable. Bella, pink hair still bright from her shocking debut, stood arms folded, defiant. Laura’s usual warmth had been replaced with a sharp edge.
“So, you thought blindsiding someone was the way to introduce yourself?” Laura’s voice was firm, disappointment woven through it, "You didn’t even tell me you were debuting last night.”
Bella bristled, "I wanted them to see me, not the legacy. After how every one spent the last 6 months talking about me and the moves I made, I sure as hell wasn’t about to make it a grand entrance. I made an impact, didn’t I?”
Laura stepped closer, her gaze locking with Bella’s, "An impact? Sure. But at what cost? People are super pissed at you. And kid, I should know this more than anyone that you don’t build a career on cheap shots. You build it on respect, and last night? You threw that away.”
Bella’s jaw clenched, "I was not abot to wait for permission from the grand council of the company to get their fucking approval, mom. I had zero interest in waiting to not to be invited. I had to do something big so they’d remember my name and for them to understand that I’m not that little girl anymore.”
Laura’s voice softened, but it remained firm, "Bella, you’re my daughter, and I know how good you are. But if you want people to remember you, let them remember your talent, your grit, not a shortcut. You want to do this right, or do you just want to be a flash in the pan?”
Bella exhaled, the fire in her eyes flickering but still lit, "I’ll do it right. But I’m still going to make them remember me, on my terms.”
Laura nodded, a small smile breaking through, "Then make them remember for the right reasons. No more surprises. Do you want an impact? Show them what you’re capable of when the bell rings. Don’t attack a man that is like your fucking uncle to do that!”
Bella scoffed, shaking her head as she turned away from her mother. She paced toward the ropes, grabbing the top strand with both hands before leaning forward against it.
"You keep saying respect like I don't understand what that means."
Laura didn't move, "No, Bella. I'm saying respect because I don't think you understand what it takes to earn it."
Bella spun around, "I don't need people to like me."
"I didn't say they had to."
"I don't need their approval either."
"I didn't say that, either."
Bella threw her hands into the air in frustration, "Then what are we even arguing about?"
Laura finally stepped forward, stopping just a few feet away from her daughter, "We're arguing because you think making an impact and making a reputation are the same thing."
Bella opened her mouth to respond but Laura didn't let her, "You blindsided someone you've known since you were little. Someone who watched you grow up. Someone who'd have given you this opportunity anyway."
She let those words settle before continuing.
"And now..." She gestured toward the ring, "...instead of people talking about how good Bella Madison is...They're talking about how Bella Madison introduced herself."
Bella's jaw tightened, "Good."
Laura blinked, "Excuse me?"
"They're talking."
Laura couldn't help letting out a short laugh, "I was wondering when you'd say that."
Bella folded her arms again, "You wanted me to get noticed. I got noticed."
Laura slowly nodded, "You're right."
Bella looked almost surprised by the admission.
"You did. But here's the part you haven't figured out yet." Laura pointed toward the empty ring, "You only get one first impression. You've already made yours. So now what?"
Bella didn't answer but Laura did.
"Now...you have to spend the rest of your career convincing people there's more to you than that moment."
The words hung in the air and for the first time since the conversation began Bella didn't have an immediate comeback. She looked down at the canvas beneath her boots, "What if there isn't?"
Laura smiled, "Oh, sweetheart..." She closed the distance between them and rested a hand against Bella's cheek, brushing a loose strand of bright pink hair behind her ear, "I've watched you running around and wrestling since you were barely tall enough to see over the top rope. I know exactly who you are. The question isn't whether there's more to Bella Madison. It's how long it's going to take before everyone else sees her."
Bella looked back at her mother, the fire was still there. That O’Neil-slash-Madison stubbornness hadn't gone anywhere. But for the first time, there was something else.
Perspective.
Laura patted her lightly on the shoulder before turning toward the office door, "Now..." She glanced back over her shoulder, "...next time you decide to shake the wrestling world...at least have the decency to tell your mother first."
Bella couldn't help herself, a reluctant smile finally broke through, "No promises."
Laura laughed, "I didn't think so."
Bella watched her mother start toward the office door before speaking again, "So what?"
Laura stopped, but didn't turn around.
"What if you're wrong?" A quiet silence settled over the room as Bella continued, "What if I never become the wrestler everybody expects me to be? What if I'm never going to be 'Laura Phoenix's daughter' to these people? What if the only way they ever remember Bella Madison...is because I forced them to?"
Laura finally turned back around. There wasn't an ounce of anger left on her face, only understanding. She smiled softly.
"Then you'll have your answer."
Bella frowned, "What does that mean?"
"It means if that's all you ever become..." Laura took a slow step toward her, "...then you were never as good as I always believed you were."
Bella's eyes narrowed as Laura pointed toward the ring, "I've never worried about whether people would remember your name. I've worried about whether you'd give them a reason to remember it for twenty years instead of twenty minutes. I know my answer. I guess we'll find out yours."
Laura turned once more and disappeared into the office, Bella stood alone in the room. She looked around the empty ring. The silence suddenly felt much louder.
For the first time since the argument started, Bella wasn't angry, she was thinking.
~~Chosen Violence: The Last Splash~~
The afternoon sun reflected off the water surrounding the Princess Cruise, the same pool that would become the battlefield for one of SCW's most dangerous traditions in just a matter of hours. Suspended high above it, the steel cables of the Ultimate X structure stretched from corner to corner, waiting for five women willing to risk everything for one championship.
Bella Madison stood beneath them alone.
She had spent weeks recreating this match inside the old barn behind her New York home. She had climbed until her forearms cramped, hung from cables until her grip failed, and hit crash mats enough times that her body had forgotten the difference between practice and punishment.
Now...There were no more rehearsals. Bella looked up at the championship hanging above the pool before turning toward the camera.
"You know, I spent a lot of time over the last few weeks asking myself why this match has always managed to get the better of me. Every time Summer XXXTreme came around and Ultimate X was announced, I trained harder than I had for almost anything else. I prepared. I studied. I respected the match for exactly what it was, because you'd have to be an idiot not to. There isn't another match in this company quite like it. One bad decision, one hand slipping off a cable, one lapse in concentration, and your night is over before you even realize what happened."
She smiled faintly.
"The funny thing is... I kept looking for some complicated answers. Maybe I wasn't strong enough. Maybe I wasn't fast enough. Maybe I hadn't prepared well enough. Maybe somebody else was simply better on the night."
Bella slowly shook her head.
"The answer was a whole lot simpler than that." She stepped forward, resting one hand against the ring rope, "I spent years competing in this match like I was asking permission to win it. I climbed carefully. I reacted to everybody else. I waited for opportunities instead of creating them, and every single time I found myself climbing out of that pool watching somebody else celebrate while I was left wondering where it all went wrong."
Her expression hardened.
"I'm done wondering." She looked directly into the camera, "I'm done giving this match permission to beat me."
A slow breath escaped her, "And since this is the last time I'm going to talk before Summer XXXTreme, I think it's only fair that I talk to the four women who are about to share that structure with me."
A smile crept across her face.
"Brittany, I've watched you grow into this championship, and whether people want to admit it or not, you've earned every ounce of respect that comes with carrying it. Nobody accidentally becomes the Bombshell Roulette Champion. You fought for it. You survived for it. You proved you deserved it."
Bella nodded, almost as though she expected Brittany to hear every word.
"But here's the part nobody tells the champion. The day you win the title, it stops belonging to you, "It becomes everybody else's obsession. You're going to climb those cables thinking about protecting your championship. You're going to look at it hanging above your head and convince yourself that all you have to do is survive four challengers."
She smiled.
"You're wrong. You don't have four challengers. You have one woman who has spent weeks rebuilding this match from the ground up because she got tired of losing it. And when I reach you up there, I'm not going to ask politely for an opening. I'm not going to wait for you to make a mistake."
"I'm going to create one."
Bella shifted her weight before continuing.
"Frankie..." A laugh escaped her, "I honestly don't know if you've ever woken up in your life and thought to yourself, 'Today I'm going to make sensible decisions to go along with my sensible shoes.' I don't think that's how your brain works, and if I'm being honest, that's one of the reasons I enjoy watching you compete."
She shrugged.
"You thrive in chaos. You make people uncomfortable because nobody knows what you're going to do next, including you half the time. And that's dangerous."
"It really is. But there's a difference between embracing chaos and controlling it."
Bella leaned slightly against the ropes.
"This match rewards the woman who knows exactly when to take a risk and exactly when not to. Somewhere during this match you're going to see an opportunity that nobody else sees, and you're going to throw yourself at it without thinking twice."
She smiled wider.
"I'll already be there waiting. Because while you're busy creating the moment everyone talks about... I'll be creating the moment that sends you into the water."
She let that settle before moving on.
"Harper." Bella's smile disappeared, replaced by quiet respect, "If anybody in this match can physically throw another human being across that structure, it's probably you. You're powerful enough to make people second guess every exchange, because they know that if you get your hands on them, they're going for a ride."
She nodded.
"I respect that. I also know something else. Power doesn't make you balanced. It doesn't make you lighter. And gravity, the heartless bitch that it is, has never cared how much weight somebody can lift."
Bella looked back toward the cables suspended above the pool.
"Up there, strength is only useful if you can control it. And if there's one thing I've learned after every Ultimate X match I've ever been in..."
She glanced back toward the camera.
"...it's that gravity is the only undefeated competitor."
She smiled again.
"Seleana, I've probably thought about you more than anybody else in this match. Not because you're loud. Not because you're flashy. But because you're patient and you don't waste movement. You don't chase moments. You let everybody else create the opening, and then you quietly take advantage of it."
Bella nodded.
"That's what makes you dangerous. You aren't looking for perfection. You're waiting for somebody else to stop being perfect."
She folded her arms.
"Unfortunately for you...I've spent the last several weeks making sure I don't."
Silence hung for a moment, as Bella looked around the empty ringside area before speaking again.
"You know what all four of you have in common? I genuinely respect every one of you. I respect what you've accomplished. I respect what you've survived. I respect what you're capable of doing to me. But somewhere along the way I confused respect with hesitation and those aren't the same thing."
Her voice lowered, becoming calmer rather than louder.
"When that bell rings, I'm not going to hate any of you. I'm not angry and I'm not looking for revenge. I'm simply making a decision."
Bella pointed toward the cables overhead.
"If Brittany loses her grip because I kicked her hand off the cable...So be it. If Frankie throws herself into one risk too many and I help gravity finish the job...So be it. If Harper discovers that all the strength in the world can't save her from a shove at exactly the wrong moment...So be it. If Seleana spends one second waiting for the perfect opening and realizes I already took it...So be it."
Bella's eyes never left the camera.
"SO FUCKING BE IT! Because I've spent enough years climbing out of that pool wondering what I should have done differently. I'm not doing it again."
She reached up, wrapped both hands around one of the cables, and gave it a firm tug. It barely moved.
"I didn't build a practice rig in my barn because I wanted to feel prepared. I built it because I wanted to become someone this match had never seen before."
She smiled.
"The Bella Madison who walked into her first Ultimate X match believed surviving was enough. The Bella Madison standing here today understands that surviving doesn't win championships. Taking them does."
She looked one final time at the championship hanging above the pool.
"Sunday night, five women will climb these cables. Four of them will hit the water and when the last splash finally settles..."
Bella looked back into the camera, the confidence in her eyes absolute.
"...I won't be looking up from the pool anymore. I'll be looking down at it with the Bombshell Roulette Championship over my shoulder."
She gave one final nod.
"And that's the difference between the woman who wanted to make an impact...and the woman who has chosen violence."
