Well, things just haven’t really been going Team Hero’s way as a later. I must offer congratulations to Natalie for getting her win a few weeks ago. She hits like a truck and I was of course, pretty darn rusty from not being in much singles competition in quite some time. Even though that was a triple threat, I fear I’m almost being typecast at being a tag team wrestler now. In terms of tag team wrestling, we are, the best in SCW right now, and have the tag team titles to prove it. But let’s just face the facts, we haven’t had much success lately. We kind of went a big goose egg in terms of wins. People keep hitting Keira with things to beat her, and I can’t my butt back in the ring to break up pinfalls. It’s been rough to say the least.
But now, after the most recent CC where we found out that Team Hero would indeed, be putting our gold on the line against the Angel Clan, with Uri, replacing Melanie. Gotta say, after last weeks actions, I kind of prefer Melanie to Uri if this is the way things are going to be. Lucy using a chair? When was that part of this game? Obviously, I give the Angel Clan all the credit in the world, they are a world class tag team, and they don’t even need to use chairs, but they chose to. They chose to muddy the waters and show everyone that they mean business, and they are playing for keeps. I mean, I thought we were all cool, Team Hero and the Angel Clan. But I guess at this point, I was dead wrong.
It almost feels like a complete betrayal. We’ve never had harsh words, we have exchanged pleasantries, I considered us friends. Keira and I went to Mel’s wedding for goodness sake. And if the line “it’s not personal, it’s business” wants to be thrown around, that’s a pile of garbage. You take a chair to my wife, you try to injure her, cripple her in your quest for the tag team titles. Is that really what this has come to? Is that what the Angel Clan has turned into? I have to say, right here and now, I am really, really disappointed if that’s the case. I get that this is a cutthroat business, I see it every day. I guess after Amy Marshall, I shouldn’t really expect anything less from people I trust. I guess that’s the problem now. People I called friends, heck that Keira called friends, would try and do this kind of thing on the regular now. I don’t know what we ever did to people to make them act this way in the wrestling business. I mean, I could see that because we’re the tag team champions, that we have a large bullseye on our back. Bu then again, that would contradict was has been said about Team Hero.
No, I’m not going to let it go. I know, I probably should. I should just let it slide and not let it bother me. But I just can’t. I find it ridiculous that because we, Team Hero, enjoy our time off and have no actively sought out any tag team contenders ourselves that this makes us bad. We have done everything asked of us. We are proud champions. Because we choose not to parade around in front of everyone and make the facts known that we’ve beaten every tag team over and over again, or that we’ve been tag champions right now for 223 days, merely 10 days short of breaking every tag team title record in SCW history. Because we choose to spare people that kind of thing, we somehow are the bad guys. Our stock takes a tumble, despite being undefeated as a team. Despite being labeled as the best. I have always seemed to follow the sports analogies. Like Al Davis’ “Just win, baby” or “It doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile”. We’ve won. We’ve set the bar. It’s up to others to match us. Is that not what this wrestling thing is about? Winning championships? Setting the example for others to follow?
If the Angel Clan defeat us, and win the tag team titles, do they not have big shoes to fill? Will they not have a hard act to follow? I get it, Team Hero, sometimes may overreact. We sometimes get emotional and passionate about things. And we take this tag team championship reign extremely seriously. But our opponents haven’t exactly been lining up to face us. It’s a pain when even Tommy Knocks on the radio, said “we still don’t know, who’s going to challenge Team Hero.” We’ve cleared out most of the tag teams. We wanted to be tag team champions. We did it. We shot for the record of the Fallen, we overtook it. We want to be known as the best tag team in wrestling. Some say it is so. So after all that, because we don’t gloat about it, we’re bad champions.
What will it make us at the end of Into the Void, when these tag team titles, all but pieces of junk to some, are still around our waists, despite the fact that even if we didn’t have the added motivation and drive, that us, along with the Angel Clan would tear the house down?! You can count on Team Hero to deliver when the pressure is on. We’ve prided ourselves on it, while still remaining humble, and not invading television screens and laptops and phones, to crow about how good we are.
Well, once agan, we’re called on, to take these tag team championships, and make them mean something again. I am fully prepared to give the people of Japan, the absolute match of the night. The best damn tag match of the night. The Angel Clan vs Team Hero is what you want to watch. It will be everything that the bombshells are all about.
And in the end, Team Hero will stand tall. Again.
{The scene opens in Roxi sitting on the floor in the couple’s trophy room in their condo. Various replica championships from previous companies and some current once, all in glass cases. Roxi stares intently at the SCW bombshell’s tag team title with her name on the nameplate. She just stares, cocking her head to the side as if confused about something.}
Am I really a bad champion? Are we BAD tag team champions? What happened? Where did we go wrong? We show up, we promote the match we’re in, we wrestle, we win, we break records, but… we’re bad champions? I don’t get it.
{Roxi slowly stands up, still eyeballing the tag title, she removes it from its glass case with gentle care and tosses it over her shoulder. She walks out of the room and heads into the bathroom, standing in front of a full length mirror. She admires herself, although still looking confused.}
I look like a champion, right? I’ve got the title. I’ve had this thing for 7 months. Did I ruin it? I guess we cleared out the division of tag teams. I mean, Vargas and Delia got beat by the Fallen, we beat the Fallen. And we beat the Fallen. And then we beat them again. Huh… we really had a lot of matches with the Fallen. Oh… there’s a hole in the ankle of these pants…
{Roxi becomes slightly distracted by the hole in her pants but quickly brushes that away and returns to looking into the mirror.}
I carry the belt wrong, don’t I? I should have it around my waist, shouldn’t I? I think that will help. Anyone can carry the title over their shoulder. That’s probably what it is. I should wear this thing with pride! Pride! I need to be PROUD to be the champion! It’s not just some old regular “belt” This is the SCW bombshell’s tag team championship!
{Roxi takes the title off her shoulder, smiling as she snaps the title around her waist, and nods to herself as it fits snugly. She looks back into the mirror and smiles.}
That’s right! SCW bombshell’s tag team champion Roxi Johnson! Who’s a champion? I’m a champion! That’s right! I earned this. I kicked vampire butt to get this thing, and those matches were hard! You know, come to think of it, we haven’t ever really defended against any normal people this entire reign. It’s been Vampires, grumpy people, witches and magi-bloods. Team Hero has certainly lived up to it’s name!
{Roxi begins to pose and flex with her title strapped around her waist. But, suddenly, it seem to dawn on her what she’s even doing.}
Have… have been ruining this tag title? Wearing it wrong, not showing it off to people. That has to be it. People think I’m a terrible champion. Maybe they are right. I need to figure this out. I think it’s experiment time! How long should this test last? Until we face the Clan? No, that’s way too long, I think this belt will just get heavy… No… wait… I shouldn’t call it a belt. It’s a championship. And I must have sucked all the prestige out of it. Well this just won’t do! Not at all! I’ve got to fix this immediately!
{Roxi walks out of the bathroom were her tag championship still strapped around her waist. Right she closes the door, Keira walks back in through the front door of the apartment.}
Keira – Hey Ro- … What are you doing?
Roxi – Nothing. Why?
Keira – Why… do you have the tag belt around your waist?
Roxi – Because I’m one half of the SCW bombshell’s tag team champions.
{Keira shakes her head and rolls her eyes.}
Keira – I know that. I’m your partner. That does not answer why you are wearing it.
Roxi – I’ve been thinking.
Keira – Is this… a thing where you just need a new belt? Is your butt getting too big? Wait, silly me, there’s no such thing.
Roxi – Very funny.
Keira – Still, why the hell are you wearing the tag title?
Roxi – Like I said, I’m one half of the bombshells tag team champions, and I’ve been thinking, about what Tommy Knocks said. We’re bad champions. We don’t promote enough you know? We should be, EVERYWHERE with these things!
Keira – What?! That’s preposterous. We don’t need to wear them everywhere.
Roxi – au contraire mon cher! I think this is the perfect way to put us back in the good graces of SCW’s radio host! We wear the tag titles, all the time!
Keira – No.
Roxi – What? Come on! It’ll be great! How else will anyone know we’re tag champions?
Keira – Because… we’ve had them for 7 months! Come on, take it off. You look silly.
{There is a knock at the door and Christine walks in with a smile.}
Christine – I thought I heard you two –
{Christine stops and looks at Roxi with the tag title around her waist.}
Christine – Rox… why are you wearing that?
Keira – I think she’s gone nuts finally.
Roxi – Chris, you knew I was tag team champions with Keira right?
Christine – Yeah…. Why?
Roxi – But do you know how long?
{Christine just shrugs and throws her hands up.}
Christine – I don’t know, like 5-6 months?
Roxi – See! She didn’t know, and she’s our closest friend!
Keira – She was off by a month, Roxi. Seriously this isn’t even funny anymore, you’re not making any sense.
Roxi – Or, am I so sane you just blew your mind? Tommy Knocks says, we’re bad champions, because we aren’t out there. We NEED to get ourselves out there. Come on, put your tag title on while we go for a walk with Chris.
Keira – No! What is the matter with you?! I’m not wearing a tag team title everywhere we go!
Roxi – Why not?
Keira – People KNOW we’re champions. We talk about it a lot. Every person we talk to that we meet, that has never even seen us wrestle, knows we’re tag champions. Team Hero is famous!
Christine – She’s right Rox, we all know. We’re proud of you guys.
Roxi – Not good enough! Everyone must know!
{Sasha walks in a few seconds later, smiling.}
Sasha – Hey guys I –
{Sasha also spots Roxi with her tag title as she hugs Christine.}
Sasha – What’s up with the title? You guys win some other ones?
Roxi –See?! See?!
Keira – See what? Sasha knows we’re tag champions.
Sasha – Well, yeah, We did go to Japan with you guys…
Roxi – They were there. They knew. Not everyone else. The WORLD needs to know.
{Sasha arches a brow and looks at Keira and Christine, who can only shrug.}
Sasha – Um… did I miss something?
Keira – Apparently we all did.
Roxi – Guys, you just relax. I’m going to fix this prestige thing. Trust me.
Keira – Roxi, this is silly, just take the title off. Is it really that serious?
Roxi – It is super, super serious! People need to know, and I need being this championship the glory it deserves! If you’re going to be a stick in the mud, I’ll just do it myself.
{Roxi kisses Keira, Sasha and Christine on the cheek as she heads for the door.}
Keira – Where are you going?
Roxi – To inform the good people! Coffee shop, ho!
{Roxi opens the door and walks out, before slowly and embarrassingly opening the door and grabbing her purse.}
Roxi – I forgot this. Be back soon!
{Roxi closes the door as Keira shakes her head.}
Sasha – Ke, you should probably talk to her.
Christine – Rox is acting weird.
Keira – She’s acting like a crazy person. Oh goodness we’ll have to catch her.
{Keira starts to walk towards the door but Christine clutches her stomach.}
Christine – I don’t…. think I’m going anywhere ladies.
{Christine takes a seat on the nearby couch to settle herself down. Sasha sits next to her.}
Sasha – Do you need anything?
Christine – I’ll be okay in a minute, baby is just kicking and restless.
Sasha – Okay.
{Keira looks at them both and sighs}
Keira – Well, I’m not gonna leave you guys here.
Christine – I’ll be okay, I promise.
Keira – I can’t. You are precious
Sasha – I can take care of her Ke. She’s my precious anyway.
{Keira sits down and sighs.}
Keira – I don’t think she can do too much harm. it is Roxi after all. What’s the worst that could happen?
{Roxi is walking down the street, constantly pointing at her tag championship to passers-by on the street.}
Roxi – That’s right! SCW Bombshell’s tag team champion! One half of Team Hero, right here!
{Roxi continues to walk and disrupt everything going on, as people in cars honk at her, and one woman rolls her window down.}
Woman in car – That’s lewd! Why are you pointing at your crotch? That desperate honey?!
Whoa, these people are crazy. They must not have ever seen me being the champion! Why didn’t I do this sooner? This is clearly the best choice of action.
{A few fans actually stop to take pictures with Roxi as they recognize her from actually wrestling. She is a big celebrity. Pictures with small children and some adults, before she heads into the Dunkin’ Donuts for coffee.}
Yeah, this will really get Team Hero’s name out there.
{Roxi stands in the back of the line, taking a moment to actually get out of line as customers come in.}
Roxi – Hi, I’m Roxi, one half of Team Hero, current SCW Bombshell’s tag team champions. Got the proof right here!
{Roxi points down to her title belt and smiles, thrusting it forward for people to read her name plate. She smugly leans against the garbage can, almost as if she’s waiting for people to recognize her.}
Roxi – That’s right. Been tag champion for 7 long months. Today is actually day number 220! Yeah It’s been a tough road, let me tell you.
{Roxi is practically shouting to no one in particular, most of the people confused, but some wrestling fans do walk in and recognize her.}
Fan #1 – Whoa, it’s Roxi Johnson!
Roxi – Hi! You guys must be wrestling fans.
Fan #1 – Hell yeah! We watch you guys all the time.
Roxi – Then surely you know I am one half of the longest reigning bombshell tag team champions in SCW history!
Fan #1 – Yeah… That’s cool and all.
Fan #2 – Can we get like, a selfie?
Roxi – Sure thing guys, hang on one second.
{Roxi unhooks the belt from around her waist, and poses for the picture holding the title up, almost obstructing the other fan’s head.}
Roxi – Oh, gotta make sure we get this in the shot.
{The fan takes the selfie and reluctantly smiles before getting in line. Roxi re-straps the championship around her waist.}
Roxi – World tag team champion. Yep. This girl, right here. Beat the Fallen, beat the Angel Clan, beat the Nobodies, gonna face the Angel Clan again this time but different! You all should order Into the Void, whose name sounds vaguely sexual I’ll admit, but order that SCW show, and watch Team Hero! World famous tag team!
{Some of the customers begin to get a little annoyed with Roxi’s constant self-promotion. Soon she’s in the Dunkin’ Donuts and there are no customers. One of the cashiers comes from behind the counter to see her}
Roxi – Oh, hello….
{Roxi looks down and reads his nametag}
Roxi – Brian. What can I do for you? Would you like a picture?
Brian – Uh… no, no thank you.
Roxi – You sure? I can unstrap this championship.
Brian – No, really, it’s cool. I just… kind need to ask um… is there a reason you’re here?
Roxi – I have bring prestige back to these championships. I was told I need to get out more, you know, see the public, promote my upcoming title defense. Know what I mean?
Brian – Not really… no.
Roxi – I have let this tag team championship, by winning all our matches, fall by the waste side in terms of prestige. Marketability. Much like Dunkin’ Donuts you see. They’re out there. And I need to do for this, what this store does for Dunkin’ Donuts. So, we’ve got to give this championship a little pick me up! So therefore, I’m here. Promoting!
Brian – Okay, but… are you… actually going to buy any coffee, or… sandwich or anything? you’re kind of driving away the customers.
Roxi – Do you know who I am?
{A collective groan rings out from the workers behind the counter. Roxi notices this and sighs.}
Brian – I mean, if you buy something, we can at least have that going
{Roxi thinks for a moment touching her stomach by using the tag title first.}
Roxi – You know, that sounds like a good idea. All this promotion have left me a little parched. Let me get a nice large mocha iced coffee, actually, make it 4. oh… and how’s about a dozen donuts too. I’ll bring them back to my partner Keira. She’s the other half of the tag team champions.
Brian – Yeah… that’s… that’s great.
Roxi – Yeah, she didn’t feel like coming out with me. I think we’d have an even bigger impact if she did.
Brian – Right.
{Brian returns to behind the counter and rings up the dozen donuts and coffee and pull up the amount due.}
Roxi – Here.
{Roxi hands the Brian two hundred dollar bills. Brian’s eyes bug out.}
Roxi – Keep the change, and… that’s for you, for being nice about this whole thing. I didn’t know whether or not this was the right thing, you know. I just want to give this title reign the kick in the pants it needed.
Brian – Yeah… sure… thanks.
{Keira, finally having had enough of waiting for Roxi to come back. Finally enters the store.}
Keira – What are you doing?
Roxi – Oh, hey Keira.
{Roxi turns back to Brian.}
Roxi – This is my tag team partner, and my wife, Keira. Team Hero together for Coffee. SCW Bombsh –
{Keira finally slaps Roxi upside the head to stop her.}
Roxi – What the heck?!
Keira – Cut it out! People are talking all over the street about the loud shouting woman with a championship belt around her waist!
Roxi – Really?
Keira – YES! What do you mean really?
Roxi – I didn’t think I did that much.
Keira – So, you didn’t point to your crotch in front of everybody?
Roxi – I was pointing at the championship. And why aren’t you wearing yours?
Keira – BECAUSE WE DON’T NEED TO!
Roxi – But Tommy –
{Keira shushes Roxi putting her finger over her lips.}
Keira – No, no Tommy Knocks, no nothing. You’re acting like a fool, and being paranoid. I had to leave Sasha and Christine at home because I knew when you took this long, you would either be in trouble, or making trouble!
{Roxi looks around and suddenly comes to the realization of how obnoxious she’s being. She calmly hugs Keira and turns back to the counter to pick up the coffee and donuts.}
Roxi – I’m sorry about that. I guess I just got caught up in all the hype. I wanted to make this right.
Keira – We can, but we don’t need to do this right now. This isn’t going to help anybody. Come on, let’s go home.
{Roxi calmly leaves the with Keira, but stops and hands the coffee and donuts to Keira.}
Roxi – Can you hold these for a second?
Keira – Sure… what are you –
{Roxi unstraps the tag team title and holds it up over her head.}
Roxi – Tag Champions. Team Hero. Angel Clan. Into the Void. Watch it.
{Roxi puts the tag title down and walks out of the Dunkin’ Donuts as she and Keira walk together.}
Keira – I can’t believe you’re doing this.
Roxi – I’m just trying to fix things.
Keira – This option, totally made it worse.
Roxi – Well what would you have done?
Keira – We’re doing our jobs. We show up, we wrestle, we win. I’m not going to let Tommy Knocks make it so we’re showing up every week just to get our faces on TV. We do that, when we are booked. And just because he doesn’t think we’re good champions, doesn’t make it true.
Roxi – But he has the public’s ear! He’s ruining us! We need to fix it.
Keira – When we win, and we break every single tag team record, will be a bad reign, because of the situation we’re in? No. We’ve done everything we needed to do to be champions. And next Sunday will be no different. We’ll win, and then, we’ll change minds.
Roxi – If you say so. I still think a team effort would have really won them over.
Keira – I’m not wearing my tag team title to get coffee.
Roxi – Your loss.
{Keira just shakes her head as the two keep walking and head back up to the apartment to see Christine and Sasha playing the dogs.}
Roxi – We’re back.
Sasha – Everything’s okay.
Roxi – Good. I brought coffee and donuts.
Christine – Oh, good. I’m hungry.
Keira – Roxi….
Roxi – What?
Keira – Take the tag title off.
{Finally conceding, Roxi removes the tag belt and puts it back in the display case it goes in. She rejoins everyone on the couch.}
Roxi – Sorry if I worried you guys. I was just trying to fix things. But… I see they weren’t as bad as I thought.
Keira – No you know.
Sasha – Thanks for the coffee and donuts.
Roxi – Sure.
Keira – Be right back, gotta check the mail for more PoPs.
{Keira gets up and exits the apartment headed down to check the mail.}
Roxi – Is everything all set for tomorrow?
Christine – Yeap. We’re already set up, baking her the Red Velvet cake.
Roxi – Good. I will get a hold of Nicole, and we’ll get to grilling. It’s gonna be an awesome birthday for Keira.
Sasha – mmhmm! I can’t wait to see her face!
Roxi – And, did you guys put in on the other present?
Sasha – Yes.
Christine – Yes.
{Roxi smiles and hugs her friends.}
Roxi – Good. That’s gonna be even better.
{Fade.}
I suppose I need to get back on track and firmly focus on the Angel Clan, and not worry so much about the tag titles themselves, but rather, what we, Team Hero will have to do to keep them. I know that the Angel Clan is more than capable. But we haven’t been tag team champions coasting for 7 months. We’ve been here grinding away, accomplishment after accomplishment. In the face of all the naysayers and adversity. No, I said I was getting back to the Angel Clan, and I am.
I gave the Angel Clan, regardless of which of the show up or which of them are part of this match, a lot of praise. I know how talented they all are. They are, well, were, my friends. And for the most part, still are, but this last attack obviously changes a lot about how I think about the Angel Clan. I wish it was different, but it seems we’re gonna have complications.
Maybe Mel was more of a calming force than I thought. As long as she was here, Lucy didn’t seem to have quite the anger and cheating problem. Maybe this is the new Lucy. Maybe this the one Mel had to keep in check. I’m not quite sure if this is the case, but it certainly seems that way. I’ve never seen Lucy lash out like she did, and she seems quite proud of herself for doing so. She was more than happy to try and permanently hurt my wife if it meant she got what she wanted. And for that, there’s a whole new set of rules now for the Angel Clan. Lucy has turned this personal. You can trash talk me, you can trash talk Keira, if you’re good enough to beat either one of us, then so be it. We can handle that, but to try and do something like that, to try and really hurt someone, and take money out of their pocket, and food off their table, is wrong. Especially when it’s coming from people like the Angel Clan, who I know, for a fact, having dealings with them in the past, should be better than that. Better than this. What really happened here?
Outside of clearly a change in tactics and philosophy, I can’t deny how good Lucy is, former Internet champion and all. And took it from the person who took it from me. I can’t deny the skill there. There’s nothing not impressive about Lucy, outside of her character now. Or rather, lack thereof. I know it sounds cliché here, given our opponents, but Lucy has put a foot in the grave if she thinks that this new attitude will to more success. If you want to unleash the power, Team Hero can do it with the best of them, And we’ve been known to put down some strange folks in the past.
Lucy herself, included.
Which bring me to Uri. I would be an insult to say she’s a “Replacement” because really, she’s reinforcements. She’s come here to make the Angel Clan stronger, or better or more ruthless. Well, she seem to be succeeding. Yeah, she beat Keira, and that would have been all well and good, but the fact that she condoned the actions of Lucy, makes her just as responsible. Because trust me, if Keira was injured, I would stop at nothing, nothing to make sure you paid. I have seen Keira in far, far too many situations that are life threatening as it is. If Uri’s idea of making an impact is to take this route, then so be it. It would be the first time someone tried this kind of, and it won’t be the last. I promise you that. If Uri wants the tag titles that badly, then we’ll play that game. Team Hero has had to get down in the dirt before and ward off a challenge, we are not afraid to do it again.
That seems to be the long and short of it. The Angel Clan want to play rough and try to intimidate us. We do not back down, we do not retreat, we do not surrender in the face of adversity. We’ve overcome every single thing in our paths in SCW en route to where we are today. And there may come a day where we are knocked off the very top of the hill.
Into the Void, is ot going to be that day.
We will be ready for the Angel Clan. Because Team Hero is always ready for everything.
Bright it on.