Dear Justin Tyler Underwood,
I am sure I am breaking the competitive code by writing you this letter, but I wanted to let you know that I understand you. I understand those burning desires to prove you are different, or special in any way. Most of all, I understand your hunger for success more than anyone in this company. You have craved gold for a few years, where I have craved it for a damn decade.
I noticed that look in your eye after you lost to Gabriel, and I recognized that passenger riding along with you. Is he telling you that you should have won? Is he telling you that, if it weren’t for that one mistake, you would have the gold wrapped around your waist? And, let me guess… He won’t shut the fuck up, will he? He just nags, and nags, and nags, digging his reptile claws into your brain, refusing to let go? The only way he will let up, even for a second of relief, is to feed his bloodlust… to cause immense pain and torture to your victim. He promises that if you give into the temptation of violence and destruction, of yourself and others, he will leave you be. His promise is empty. I have been fighting my demons for years and years, and for the longest time, I never gave in. It wasn’t until one day, I was overcome by him, that I let loose and busted a candy jar against that skank amazon, Firefox’s head. I watched her tumble over, and I watched the blood trickle from the back of her gorgeous red hair, and I my knees went weak. The blood soaked the back of her head, and I swear the feeling was better than sex! I watched her go unconscious, and I felt that rush. It wasn’t relief, it was intensified. But, from that very moment, I was forever changed. I was overcome by envy, coming off in the form or rage. I was a powerhouse to be reckoned with. Had I been given any shot at gold before, I would have rolled through those bitches like a bulldozer.
For a minute, your eyes flashed the green envy that I saw in the mirror locker room just before I shattered it. I heard the fluttering of that reptilian passenger’s scaly wings as he whispered bittersweet nothings to you. I saw the rage that it sent through your body as you cracked that helmet. Gabriel thinks it is cheap craftsmanship, but I know that isn’t the case. He doesn’t have the passenger like we do, JT. That was adrenaline, pure and simple. When I saw you crack that helmet, I felt the same feeling as I felt with Firefox in GXW. I know you felt it too, even if only just a little. You heard that raspy voice cheering you on, begging for more. You felt it urging you to go out and just let loose on someone, anyone. Congratulations, Underwood… You might not be a lost cause after all…
I know exactly how you feel, JT. As I said last week in my promo, I think it would have been more fitting for us to be teamed together. We could have had amazing chemistry, as I understand you for the most part. I know you enjoy staring at Misty’s ass, and I plan on showing it plenty, with the addition of my foot, in the name of competition of course. See, unlike your situation, I am envious of my best gal pal. That is where you are out of luck with your latest transformation. I have a lot of rage to work through in that ring, and I would be surprised if you and Gabriel made it into the ring very often. It might save you some embarrassment, since you don’t know how to channel your envy on anything besides bike helmets. But, you see… you don’t have the complication of ruining a long time friendship to bother you. And yet… you still seem less focused than me when it comes to this match. I am disappointed in you. I thought, of all people, that you would be the one focused on revenge. Instead, you are only focused on your managerial issues, and causing pain to inanimate objects and yourself. You have a true advantage, but you are running around acting like it’s a handicap. OWN IT!
I’ve studied you and Misty, and I learned almost every dirty secret of yours. I will get into that in a minute, though. I learned a lot about you that intrigued me. However, at the same time, it made me feel even more disappointed in what you could be. See, you and I are very much alike, it is almost scary. I mean, seriously… Just have a look at the similarities. For starters, we are both orphans, even though I grew up in “the system”, didn’t really know my parents. I’m not sure when you lost yours, but I am sure you had time to get to know them. I’m also sure you weren’t trapped in a dog cage in the same room they were murdered, while it was happening. Things like that really fuck you up. Maybe that is another difference. I’m mental. I’m bat shit crazy. I don’t change that, or try to hide it anymore.
Let’s not forget the exes that kicked us to the curb at the very start of our careers, dumb fucks they are. I was better off in my career without him, or anybody for that matter. I didn’t have anyone to hold me back. Every time I made a mad dash for the top, before the company would fold. I went to three different companies, and SCW seems to be the only place strong enough to handle me. You could be that way as well if you applied yourself. But, seriously? Allison Summers? You are better off without that trash. I will tell you that from experience. She didn’t seem to have much going on upstairs, but must have been one hell of a lay, am I right?
High Stakes could have been a new beginning for the both of us, JT. Even though we didn’t walk out with the gold, we showed why we truly deserve to be the number one contender to our respective championships. I guess our Main Event match at Climax Control is to determine which one of us wants it more. Will you fight through fire and brimstone, hell’s scalding flames, to prove that you belong at the top of the Heavyweight division? Will I show perseverance by not allowing my career to be determined by a friendship? Which one of us has more heart, JT? This match is more than what meets the eye. It’s just as much a match between the two of us as it is between the champions of our respective divisions. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the winning of that match is me. And let me tell you exactly why I have ten times the heart as you, kiddo.
With all of the similarities, there is one difference. One massive difference between the two of us. It is what overshadows the thousands upon thousands of similarities between us. While you walk around backstage with an undeserved sense of accomplishment, I am busting my ass harder than ever to prove why I am worthy of the chance at any accomplishment. While you cut promos showing an ever-changing JT, I am cutting promos about the same, screwed up Kittie everyone knows, and loved. You are a wrestling prodigy, I am a crazy hellcat. You are a phoenix, I am a crazy hellcat. You are angry and envious, I am a crazy hellcat. You are changing associates like underwear, I am a crazy hellcat. Catch my drift? You allow people to get into that tiny mind of yours, and you let them make you feel an inch tall, giving you the urge to reinvent yourself. You let THEM tell YOU who you are. You are no better than what they say about you. You are about as substantial as a Ken doll It doesn’t matter who your manager is at this point, JT. The only thing that can save you is YOU! Screw that tatted up whore. Screw Matt Ward. You are a wrestling drone, no different from any other face out there, except they hang onto their gimmicks for a minimum of a month. You don’t deserve the opportunities given to you, and that is where I can’t stand looking at your face. Grow some fucking balls, kiddo. Let loose. When people tell you who to be, kick them in the nuts and tell them to piss off. When Blade Alexander tells you that you are a lame cliché, point out the fact that he is an even more lame cliché of a pussy trying to be an asshole. Until you grow a pair, or half a brain, you will never garner respect. Don’t change, just be you.
I’m sorry you got teamed with Misty, otherwise you might have won this one with the advice I gave you. But, instead, you got teamed up with an injured champ to face a hungry contender and a REAL champion. Tough break kiddo. See you at Climax Control...
Sincerely,
Kittie
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Thursday, November 18th
Las Vegas</marquee>
”Eckstein, Eckstein Welcome to my playtime, Eckstein Eckstein, If you peek, then you’ll die!”
The sound of “Ready Or Not (I’m Coming)” by Oomph! plays and Kittie fumbles around in the pockets of her loose fitting black Tripp pants, sporting several large chains with skull charms hanging from several of the links. She sighs before checking in the pockets of her tighter fitting black hoodie sporting a few of the same skulls dangling from various spots on the jacket, before pulling out her cell phone. She doesn’t even have to check who it is, immediately hitting the green panel of her Android powered phone.
”Hey punk, what’s up?”
She chuckles as she turns down the corner of the street, busy with pedestrians and congested traffic. She dodges the people rushing around on their lunch breaks. However pleasant and cheery her voice is, the tone that meets her is nothing like she expected.
”Hey, I just wanted to let you know about this fine piece of literature I read today. Yeah, it was aptly dubbed ‘Dear Misty’…”
Kittie adjusts her purse strap as she maneuvers through the crowd. Her expression fades to that of bewilderment. She leaves the steady stream of people to lean against a brick wall, going over in her mind what her friend Spike Staggs might be implying, regarding the letter she had dropped in their mailbox a few days ago. Once nothing comes to her, she translates her expression into words.
”Yeah? I thought it was pretty endearing. What might be taken as bitchy was just me being honest.”
”Honest, you say? Here is an exerpt that has me feeling quite contrary. *Ahem*’ Spike came over one of the few times I saw Jamie. We had a few drinks, a few laughs, and a few smokes. It really livened up my spirits. We talked for hours and hours, and at one point, I almost had him convinced to sign that SCW contract, but I think it was the shots talking. He feels for the kids, and doesn’t want to do to them what you are doing right now. He wants them to feel support from at least one parent. I think he is nervous this week with you teaming up with JT. He said your head really has been in the game lately, and not with her family.’ Funny thing is that there is little truth to anything you associated me with.”
Kittie reaches into her purse to pull out a pack of plain label menthol cigarettes and a blue Bic ligther. While Spike is talking, she lights up a cigarette, pressing it against her unusually crimson colored lips as she takes it in. She sighs out a cloud of smoke, letting it sift into the gentle breeze. She waves her hand around, as if to motion Spike to wrap it up. Once he does, she stops and takes another quick drag, exhaling it as she speaks.
”Not really, Spike. Why, is Misty right there? You feel like you gotta protect her from the truth. The truth, as in, you did say that stuff.”
”Hmmm… If by that, you mean that I said, ‘It’s strange not having Misty around as much, the kids miss her, and so do I…’ then you would be correct. The thing is, you made it sound like I thought she was a bad mom looking to cheat on me with her tag partner. We have a very… VERY healthy relationship and I don’t think she would ever do that to me or our family.”
Kittie taps the end of her cigarette as a man passes by her, waving the smell from his face, scoffing at her. She flinches her shoulders toward him, and he quickens his pace to move away from her. She shakes her head and turns the other direction.
”Look, sorry if I took what you said out of context. I know it’s my catchphrase, but you really have been pussy whipped, Spike. You have been domesticated, and I think it’s shit. You were a beast! You and Billy are the ones that convinced me I could wrestle. Then, you proved the world wrong when you won the GXW World Championship. I just think…”
”Well, it doesn’t really matter what you think, now does it? I spent the first six years of my sons life letting this business consume me. I’ve got A LOT of making up to do, and I refuse to do that to my daughter. Just let Misty enjoy her moment in the sun, and stop acting this way. I don’t know you anymore these days, and I’m honestly worried about you.”
Kittie’s eyes squint as she struggles letting out a breath. She wipes at her eyes, his words leaving her feeling just a bit more than vulnerable. She turns to face the wall so not to let the passerby’s see this side of her. She quickly gains control over herself and turns back around.
”How dare you… HOW DARE YOU come at me talking that shit, Spike! You are such a broken record. You get wrapped up in the latest thrill ride, A.K.A. Demona,…Roxanne… Misty… and you act like it’s MY fault you don’t know who I am! Maybe if I had friends who really cared about me, I would be this big ball of sunshine you expect me to be, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. And for you to say that I should stand by and let Misty enjoy her time in the sun is just ludicrous! She doesn’t let anyone else have their time in the sun before she gets jealous and knocks them out of it. She is going to get a reality check on Climax Control, Spike. I hope you don’t expect me to roll over and play dead after she robbed me of that title.”
”Okay, now I’m getting really pissed, Kittie. She won that fair and square from you. She is laid up in bed after fighting such an epic battle against you.”
Kittie immediately cuts him off, spewing venom with her tongue as it lashes at Spike. He feels it, even through the phone.
”Great! Now, when I defeat her, she is going to go on, lying to herself that it’s because her poor little back hurts, and you will be there kissing her ass, and cleaning up her messes. My body aches after that match too, but I’m not going around cutting promos about it. That is just a weak cop out, and I’m sorry if I don’t buy it.”
”Look, she is still your friend, and you SHOULD be a little more sympathetic about this. I’m disappointed in you.”
Kittie growls into the phone as she walks up to a nearby trash can. She kicks it repeatedly before leaning against in, huffing and puffing. As those passing by stop and stare at her, she sticks her tongue out at them, and flips them the double bird. Spike starts to question what is going on but she doesn’t even hear him and starts in on her own rant once more.
”No… NO! I’m disappointed in the both of YOU! When I needed a friend the most, after I lost, and had all kinds of crazy thoughts going through my warped mind, you were off playing Mr. Nanny to her and her ‘back injury’ and the busted lip I gave her. She was well enough to run up and flirt with JT Undercock, but she couldn’t come up and just check on her ‘friend’? So, if you really want to talk about being a good friend, then let’s lay that out on the table, as the entrée. I’m tired of playing your little sister, and playing Misty’s BITCH. If you guys can’t treat me like a real f*cking person, then you guys can both go and get f*cked! And, yes, I really do mean that. Don’t you dare come at me with this pity bullsh*t. It’s bad enough that my win with Gabriel is going to be tainted by this back injury crap, and JT’s sad boy routine. I’ll be f*cking DAMNED if I buy that for a minute. I lost the same way as JT did, I felt the same emotions he felt. He shattered a helmet, I shattered a mirror. He went off and loathed only God knows where. The gym for another shadow promo? Or maybe he went crawling back to that worthless skank, Allison Summers to eat cheeseburgers? Or maybe he was trying to think of a new way to change his gimmick once more? He should be called the chameleon the way he changes his colors.”
Spike stays silent through most of the rant, though teeth grinding can be heard mildly in the background. That ceases once the topic switches over to JT. He tries to contain it, but there are a few times where Spike lets a slight chuckle escape his throat. Kittie hears that, and her tone lightens up a bit, showing all over her face.
”Okay, so I get it. We haven’t been the best friends we should be. I just thought your latest escapades with your marriage to Jamie would have been keeping you busy. But, regardless, you will always be like my little sister.”
”I just wish people would see it that way, instead of thinking I have some school girl crush on you. We have been through thick and thin. That’s how we are, but lately it hasn’t seemed that way. You have your life, and I have mine. Too bad they don’t weave into each other more often.”
Kittie listens as Spike goes silent. She takes the last puff of her cigarette, drops it to the ground, and runs her foot over it swiftly. She adjusts her purse once more, sinking back into the steady stream of pedestrians. She sighs before hugging her hoodie, tightening it around her upper body.
”I have so much left to do in my career, and not as much time as I would like. People don’t believe I am capable of anything, the polls online don’t think we stand a chance against Misty and JT… Well they are in for a big surprise, because I am more determined than ever before.”
”Kittie, I can tell that you are. And, honestly, Misty can too. With this back injury, she has her doubts about winning this week. I wouldn’t dare ask you to take it easy on her, because she would smack me upside my head for doing that. I’m just in a strange spot with all of this. Family versus family, and I have to do my best to stay impartial to it all.”
Kittie weaves through the crowds as she gets further into the heart of the Las Vegas strip. If it were night time, the lights would be almost blinding, but its effect isn’t nearly as impressive as the amazing structures and festive noises that ring through this dreary day. She leans the phone against her ear once more, letting just a few seconds pass in between.
”Look, I’m supposed to meet someone for lunch here in a few minutes, and I’m getting close. I’m done listening to the pity party for Misty right now. I’m glad we talked though. Maybe things will calm down after Climax Control, and Misty and I can go back to being the decent friends we were before. But, I gotta go. Send the kids hugs from aunt Kittie… Wow, weird to say now that I technically am their aunt for real…”
”Yeah, heh. Well, talk to you later.”
Kittie turns off her phone and slides it back into her purse as she slings it over her shoulder. Off in the near distance, she sees the towering Bellagio Hotel, with its signature fountains. She is supposed to meet Gabriel there shortly, so she quickens her pace to get there. She bumps shoulders with someone unexpectedly in her hurry. She offers a quick wave in apology, not even paying attention to the person. This elicits a shocking response from the young redhead girl.
”Excuse yourself bitch!”
The girl swings her hands on her hips, but her lips are curled into a smile as Kittie turns around, ready for a fight. Instead her jaw drops and she wraps her arms around the barely twenty year old girl.
”Ashley Jameson, how the hell are you?! It’s been…”
Ashley embraces Kittie tightly and then with her hands still on Kittie’s shoulders, she takes a minute to stare at Kittie in complete and utter shock as Kittie talks to her.
”Too long? Sha, no shit! I heard my mentor was wrestling in Vegas, so I grabbed a flight here right away. I wanted to check out the town, and was going to hit you up tonight.”
Kittie looks over to the fountains of the hotel, and she grabs onto her hand and walks with her.
”Walk with me, talk with me. And while we are at it, meet the SCW Heavyweight Champion. I’m running a bit late for my meeting.”
Ashley obliges as they quickly walk through the streets. Ashley talks, but Kittie drifts off into thought, taking in bits and pieces of the conversation. The city passes her by as she daydreams about what it’s going to be like to be back in the ring with Misty. Of all people to understand this is Kittie. She trained the young wrestling prodigy with the help of many others, but more importantly, she was her mentor in the wrestling world, as well as a member of her TV wrestling and music talk show. These two had become like sisters at one point, but when GXW and 3WL closed down, causing the subsequent cancellation of her program, they slowly fell out of touch.
”… So yeah. How are you and Nyako doing? I was so happy for you when you realized you were… Ya know…”
Kittie comes to just at this point, and is taken aback by the entire statement. As they approach the fountain, Kittie stops dead in her tracks and she turns to Ashley.
”I am not a lesbian. The thing with Nyako was something different, special. It was her personality I was attracted to. But, when 3WL closed down, we kind of lost the major bond. Oh, I’m married now to Jamie Staggs.”
Ashley chuckles to herself, giving Kittie a playful shove that has more of an impact than she had intended. She waits for Kittie to join her in laughter, but once it doesn’t come, she opens her big, beautiful blue eyes at Kittie in shock.
”Okay, you are starting to scare me. As in, please tell me you are joking? Jamie Staggs was the biggest dip shit that I have ever met… and YOU are the one that warned me about him! He is a skeez, so please… PLEASE tell me you are joking.”
Kittie waves her ring at Ashley who shoves her one more time. She mouths “Shut up” in a face mixed with humor and disgust. She is quickly taken off guard when she watches a man walking on water before being quickly taken up by one of the massive jets of water. Kittie turns around when she hears everyone’s exclamations and their gasps of awe. She catches the faintest of glimpses, enough to see Gabriel as the flashing lights burst around him, and he is enveloped in the water before a big bang and burst of light causes him to disappear. She chuckles to herself.
”Effing show off…”
No sooner than she mutters those words, she feels a tap on her shoulder. When she turns around, Ashley is no longer there, but Gabriel is standing behind her. He smiles before pulling a black leather wallet from his back pocket. He fumbles through the wads of cash while keeping an eye on Kittie.
”That, darling, was a spectacle. This is a show off…”
He lifts out a long stem blue rose from his pocket and presents it to Kittie as if it were nothing at all. Kittie gawks at it, and takes a sniff of it, finding it to be real. She looks around, seeing Ashley nowhere to be found, dumbfounded by everything. She tries to speak but, nothing comes out.
”So, are you really ready to let the sin begin…?”
Kittie just nods her head and Gabriel offers his hand to Kittie with a smirk upon his face as he leads her away from the fountain. In the midst of the captivated audience, the two disappear as the scene fades… TO BLACK!
