40 Person Taking Hold of the Flame Battle Royal

[Sienna Swann]

Anything with the “REC” on it is Viewable to the Public.

The Views Expressed By Sienna Swann Do Not Reflect Those of the Publisher. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

AVENGING ANGEL: FALLING DOWN

(Click Title)

[Ruppy]

OOC: Decided to bring good old Thirteen back with my battle royal slot. I was probably going to do this anyway if I didn't just decide to give up my spot to focus on the World Title match, but when I formed my plan of attack for that I realized just how vital this RP actually is for it. I did my best to put something together to at least give him a fair chance in this, but Thirteen's CD for this is, more than anything else, meant to serve as a bit of a bridge between my first Blackbourne piece from last night and the second one that will be going up later today. I'm highly doubtful this is going to get Thirteen the win here, but I still wish everyone the best of luck as always in this insane and highly competitive match.
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Sometimes, all it takes is one spark to ignite the flame.

That was a phrase the man known as James Marsh-Asher was all too familiar with, and he could define it through his own personal experiences in several different ways.

He could define that spark as the switch where James is no longer in control, but rather his twisted split personality Thirteen, who had far less regard for the well-being of others and would do whatever it took to reach whatever his endgame was. The spark could be considered how he would define the moment when someone reached the point where they would need to seek out his help through his current profession as a therapist, considering he had a lifetime of psychological issues of his own to draw from that allowed him to help others in ways that very few others truly could. Perhaps the spark could even be his desire to return to the wrestling ring, as over the course of his long and storied career there had been several periods where he’d stepped away and even seemingly been retired, only to find some reason to end up right back where he ultimately defined himself as one of the greatest pure wrestlers to ever step between those ropes.

No matter what spark you may be talking about, somehow there would always be a trail the flame would follow that would inevitably lead back to him.

Still, even he knew that fire was not meant to burn forever, and that was starting to become more and more clear after his past few appearances in the wrestling business. He had a surprisingly strong showing in the 2019 Taking Hold of the Flame battle royal but ultimately fell short, and then he’d stepped back again before resurfacing to take a shot at Adam Allocco’s 2019 revival of the old God of Wrestling tournament, where despite his best efforts he’d been eliminated in the very first round by the eventual winner Alban McConnell. Since that time, he’d faded back into the shadows, although he always kept his eye on SCW, knowing that things could always change under the right circumstances.

As much as Thirteen still desired the feeling of competition, however, James was able to justify the decision to primarily stay in retirement these days with the life he’d managed to build for himself. While Thirteen would always be known for his wrestling career, James was coming to be well-regarded in his own right for his work in helping others.

Many throughout the United States were coming to recognize and respect James’ knowledge and application when it came to getting into someone’s head in order to be able to help them. While there were some who questioned some of his approaches, it was hard to argue with the results or how he would justify doing what he did. Through his own experiences, most therapists tended to draw from studies that had been done or what they’d picked up from textbooks, but James was a rare breed in this field who not only had that to fall back on, but also his own past experiences. Somehow, there was a benefit buried beneath the years of childhood trauma and fighting for control of his own mind with his other half, and while it had brought him notoriety all its own through some of the work he’d been able to write detailing his experiences with some matters that were still enough of a rarity in the field to cause even the brightest of minds to struggle when actually faced with it, the real enjoyment for him was the satisfaction of knowing he’d been able to help someone who truly needed it, as it was help he himself hadn’t been able to get that almost caused his whole life to be forever lost to darkness.

That was the same line of thinking that made his other job enjoyable as well.

Today was one of the days where James was tending to said other job, that being the current co-owner of the Anderson Orphanage in New York City alongside his sister Kelly. While business had staggered a bit due to the current events of the world, it was never enough to make losing this place or the children in their care a concern. After all, James had well over a decade of wealth stashed away from his time in the ring as well as what he earned as a therapist, and Kelly had her own on-and-off wrestling career to help pay the bills as well. It wasn’t easy watching over so many children during these tough times, but life had never been easy for the Marsh-Asher siblings and they’d grown used to the challenge. With the country slowly reopening, for better or worse depending on who you asked, they’d been able to return to the primary task of trying to get these kids into loving families and were just finishing up the paperwork that would allow the couple before them to be able to go home with a little boy they had grown to love during their visit that they knew would be very happy with them. Once signatures were inked out onto the papers and handshakes were exchanged, James and Kelly saw the couple and their newly adopted child off before returning to their office.

“I’m so glad they took a liking to little Billy. He’s going to be so happy with them, I just know it.”

“Me too. It was starting to break my heart seeing the poor kid losing hope that he was ever going to leave here. Every child deserves the chance to be part of a loving family, lest they turn out-”

“James, I know it ultimately worked out for you, but please don’t go beating yourself up again about our past. We’ve been free for so long and forged our own lives, and I’m sure our parents are rolling over in their graves over how well we’re doing now despite their best efforts.”

“It’s kind of like I told a patient who’s had some family issues recently: you can accomplish anything if you just take the chance and not blame everything and everyone else for your setbacks.”

Once they’d gotten to their office, James took a seat at his desk and pulled open one of the drawers to grab a folder he had stashed away, opening it up to scan through its contents. It was his files on the couple of Aaron Blackbourne and Liane Forte, who were arguably his highest-profile patients at the moment. Considering Liane was an up-and-coming comedian and Aaron, despite being fairly well known for his art and design work, was gaining a lot of recognition as a current member of the SCW roster, it would be easy to find himself swarmed with people looking for answers or hoping to unearth some kind of details they could run as a scandal of some kind, but this entire situation had been kept quiet for the benefit of all parties involved and James was grateful for it. While years of letting Thirteen drive the proverbial ship in wrestling had long since prepared him for dealing with people who did not have his best interests in mind, he knew that outside of potential critics and hecklers these two were good souls who didn’t deserve that kind of harassment. He’d brought the file to give himself something to work on between appointments with prospective parents as he was hoping to get in contact with the two of them to set up another session at some point likely after the next pay-per-view so as not to hinder Aaron, who was on the verge of a World Title opportunity he surely wanted to have his undivided attention on.

“Sooooooo?”

After a few moments of looking over what he knew so far about Liane, his head tilted up at the sound of his sister’s voice. Apparently, instead of returning to her own desk right next to his, she decided to instead lean over him until he noticed, only speaking up when that didn’t like it would be happening anytime soon.

“Yes Kelly?”

“We both know Taking Hold of the Flame is coming up here pretty soon. How long were you going to wait until telling me Thirteen’s going to resurface once again?”

He knew what his sister was trying to get at, and he carefully leaned back as the two of them locked eyes, Kelly’s grin meeting his emotionless mask. It was true that outside of the periods when he was still active Thirteen had a tendency to surface in this battle royal for one reason or another, and James had certainly given the matter some thought this year like he always did. He knew this wasn’t going to be a trend that continued forever, though, and it seemed like even Thirteen was starting to become content with the idea of potentially leaving the wrestling world behind for good at long last. He’d had his time to make something of himself, after all, and now it was only fair if James got his chance to do the same.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be happening this year Kelly. I know I’m free to come and go as I please, a perk of being considered alumni, but SCW seems to be doing well enough without Thirteen trying to remind everyone of the terror he was once upon a time. Besides, I’m not sure if Sasha would be particularly pleased to see me show up to the arena that night.”

Kelly’s grin slowly disappeared, but she understood her brother’s reasoning. He’d told her all about his recent attempt to talk with SCW officials about potentially working with the company in a non-wrestling capacity, especially since he could put his expertise to use providing assistance if necessary for any talent that was potentially considered mentally unfit to be in the ring without being a threat to themselves and others. While the Board of Directors was certainly all in on the idea, things hit a brick wall when it came to the current owner. While her father had been willing to forgive him and let their past issues become water under the bridge, Sasha had been firm in the grudge she held against Thirteen for the hit and run that started those issues with Mr. D in the first place, and because she could cite a conflict of interest on the matter because of this, not even the Board could necessarily overrule her decision to try and keep him as distanced from SCW as possible.

“She still won’t let that go, huh?”

“To be fair, if you were hit by a car and knew full well it was intentional, would you forgive the person behind the wheel so easily? I’m still surprised her father and I put all of that behind us somehow. I’d love nothing more than to just talk things out with her, but that’s easier said than done when she-”

James found himself being cut off by the sound of his mobile phone, which caught him off guard a bit as very few had that number and most looking for him for business that couldn’t reach him at either of his offices would call the orphanage’s number at that point. When he looked at the screen, he did recall there being one set of patients he had given his personal number to, just in case, and it made him glad he’d brought their files with him. Kelly turned and began to leave, but James motioned to her that she could stay if she wanted so long as she kept quiet about whatever came up as he answered the call and put it on speaker to allow him to take notes easier, as it wasn’t often she got the chance to see her brother do this kind of work.

“Hello?”

“Dr. Marsh-Asher?”

“Aaron! I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting to get in touch with you until after Taking Hold of the Flame. Congrats on the World Title shot, by the w-”

“I need to talk with you about something, and it can’t wait.”

Needless to say, James immediately let the smile that had slowly been forming on his lips disappear. He’d been trying to be nice and certainly help give Aaron a confidence boost if he needed it heading into the huge challenge that stood before him, but the frantic tone of his voice was cause for concern and James knew better than to beat around the bush upon hearing it.

“Is everything alright? Did something happen?”

“You mind telling us what the hell your assistant or apprentice or whatever was trying to pull?”

Hearing Liane’s voice join the conversation not only revealed that Aaron’s end was also on speaker, but she sounded a lot more upset than her husband-to-be did, and this sent a chill down his spine. He did raise an eyebrow at the mention of an assistant, finding his gaze slowly moving towards Kelly who quietly mouthed the words ‘You have an assistant?’ to which he shook his head in response.

“You’ll have to pardon my confusion, but I’m afraid I have no idea what you guys are talking about. There are several doctors I work with and highly respect what they’ve done to help me get to where I am now, but I wouldn’t necessarily call any of them my assistant, per se.”

“But… the woman said she was working for you…”

Liane continued to talk, but her words became somewhat unintelligible at this point either due to being on speaker or just trailing off in general in disbelief at this response. Something had happened, that much was for sure, and James was determined to get to the bottom of this.

“Alright, let’s all take a deep breath and go back to the beginning for a moment. What’s this about a woman claiming to be working as my assistant, and what happened involving her?”

There was no immediate response, though James could hear Aaron and Liane faintly conversing with one another on the other end of the call, presumably to try and calm one another and figure out how to proceed in answering the therapist. Whatever had happened had truly rattled them, and the thought of these two suffering any kind of setback when he was starting to make progress even in the short time he’d been helping them was infuriating to the point where he could almost hear Thirteen demanding to get his hands on whoever this mysterious woman was. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Liane finally began speaking again.

“It… it was a few nights ago. I’d just finished a show and Aaron was wrapping up with Breakdown. While I was waiting for him to pick me up, this woman approached me. She… she said her name was Nancy and she worked for you as some sort of intern or something in trying to get her degrees. She said you sent her to check and see how I was doing… I thought it was a bit odd she was willing to do this out on the street, but I didn’t think too much about it and I probably should have. She started asking me about my… my other self… she was really getting in my face about it too, almost like she was trying to upset me enough that I lost control so she could meet ‘psycho Liane’ for herself. She kind of succeeded…”

“When I pulled up to the curb, Liane had lunged at this woman and ended up punching through the window of our rental car. They weren’t happy about the damage we had to pay extra to have fixed, but Liane’s had her hand and wrist bandaged up since. This woman didn’t seem too bothered by having to avoid being attacked, but the moment she saw me get out of the car she bolted and I lost track of her. We tried getting a hold of you the next morning, but I’m guessing you haven’t been in your office for a few days and I had to track down where we put the cell number you gave us as an emergency option.”

The more James listened to what had happened, the more he found his hands tightly gripping the pencil he’d grabbed to jot down some notes until it finally couldn’t take any more pressure and snapped in two. He barely paid it any attention, though, as he’d jotted down all he really needed to hear and was finding it quite difficult to focus on taking notes when he was being told about someone not only trying to seemingly cut in and steal his patients but do so with such a reckless disregard for the well-being of the patient themselves. He needed to take a moment to collect himself, helped by a drink of water that Kelly had silently gotten for him feeling he’d need it, but when he finally spoke to the couple on the other end of the call it was clear how much he was trying to restrain his own anger, leaving them thankful it wasn’t directed at them.

“Forgive me if I sound like I’m suddenly not in the best of moves, but this person is playing a dangerous game that they really should not be playing in a field they clearly do not belong in. First, let me make this clear to you guys for future reference: I do not have any sort of assistant at the moment, nor does anybody else I work with in this field. A secretary is one thing, but that’s not what this woman was claiming to be and this would be beyond her job description even if that was the case. There is also no woman going by the name of Nancy that I or any of my associates work with. What is clear, however, is that this woman is trying to use information she does not have any right knowing for reasons that are clearly not in your best interests as patients… MY patients at that, which also means she shouldn’t be trying to pull this stunt unless I officially referred you to her, which is not the case.”

James needed to stop and take another drink of water as he slowly began to feel himself losing control again, and that’s certainly not what Aaron and Liane needed right now. A few deep breaths later, and he was slowly starting to sound like his normal self again, which was vital for trying to put out this fire that someone had apparently tried to start in his name hoping he’d be taking the fall for it.

“If you know what this woman looks like, then I think it goes without saying that you shouldn’t engage her in conversation any further. Whatever she’s hoping to gain, you need to starve her of it so she can’t build on whatever she already has for whatever purpose she seeks to use it for. Liane, outside of your physical injuries, how have you been feeling since that night? Anything I need to know right now in regards to your other personality?”

“Aside from hearing her screaming like a banshee about wanting to break this woman’s teeth, I’ve been fine. Just… shaken by the whole ordeal and how easily I snapped when she started prodding me about losing everything I’ve worked so hard for because I’m hiding this dangerous mindset I don’t even have full control over.”

“The fact that you do still have control is at least good news coming out of this situation, and it proves how strong-willed you truly are Liane. Speaking from experience, it’s not easy to be able to reign in a volatile alternate personality when they just suddenly take control like that. Always keep in mind that you are stronger than the other Liane, and we’ll certainly work on making sure it stays that way and ensuring you don’t lose control again. Remember that you can always call if you absolutely need to get a hold of me, and if I’m not in the office my cell phone is only off the table if I’m in the middle of something else, but I’ll definitely get back to you as soon as I can. As for our uninvited guest… I’ll check with some of my colleagues and see if they might know anything about her and we’ll get to the bottom of this and put a stop to it before anything else happens.”

“Thank you, doctor. And… I’m sorry for lashing out the way I did. She sounded so convincing-”

“There are many in the world who know exactly what to say and do to get whatever they want, and those same people tend to refuse to listen to whatever logic would normally invalidate their ways. The best way to deal with them is to simply focus on what’s most important to you and ignore them. I know that’s harder for you to do, Aaron, given the way things work in wrestling, but as long as you carry yourself in a way that shows how committed you are to your goals, no one can ever stop you, no matter how much they try to tear you down. Ignoring them will bother them so much more than trying to resort to counter-arguments or blindly lashing out.”

“Thank you Dr. Marsh-Asher. We’ll keep that in mind… I think you helped us both out more than you may know.”

James was kind of surprised by this response from Aaron, but before he could pry into it to see if there was something the creative soul needed to discuss as well outside of this issue, the call came to an end as they had something they needed to do. Still, what he’d heard out of this phone conversation clearly bothered him, and Kelly picked up on it immediately as she moved to sit at her own desk briefly before wheeling the chair over to be right beside her brother.

“You know a little more about this than you’re letting on, don’t you? I can tell by the way you’re drumming your fingers against the desk.”

“Maybe… I don’t want to jump to any conclusions without a clearer picture, but my primary concern is the well-being of my patients first and foremost, always. I didn’t want to give them any false hope or speak out of turn since this is as shocking a development to me as it is to them.”

James ran a hand through his hair as he let out a long sigh, stopping the motion as he rested his elbow on the desk to keep his head propped up. The name Nancy certainly rang a bell or two as far as this field was concerned, but he was having a very hard time trying to piece together where he’d heard it and why they’d be willing to create so much trouble for what he could only assume was their own personal gain. The more he thought about that in particular, though, the more an old conversation from a while back began replaying in his mind, his eyes widening at the possible connection.

“What is it? Did you figure something out?”

“Maybe, though I’d have to get a hold of Dr. Sharpe to double-check a few details and confirm for sure that I’m right on this assumption. I remember a conversation we had back when I was still working to become a therapist about someone else he once had that was trying to do the same, back before he ever took on our case in the first place. I don’t remember the person’s name, but I remember he told me they had a lot of promise but ultimately got blinded by the more ‘fame and notoriety’ concept that can come with this job sometimes. The idea of publishing works that could earn them rewards and praise the world overtook priority to them over actually helping their patients, and they had a bad habit of being very pushy and in-your-face about trying to get information. I think I recall Sharpe saying he put his foot down with one session where they managed to convince a patient to share a lot of crucial information about themselves and what they were dealing with and the only thing they did in return was just prescribing them medication. That’s where he drew the line and terminated her.”

This caused Kelly’s jaw to drop, her skin crawling at such blatant disregard for the mental well-being of another human being in a field where that’s supposed to be the number one concern above all else. James slowly got out of his chair, needing a moment to walk around the office to try and keep himself collected.

“You think this is the same person?”

“I’m not sure. The last Dr. Sharpe heard of them, they’d actually managed to earn all their doctorates, so he assumed they got their act together. But I can’t deny how well the pieces fit together in this puzzle and the idea of seeking to publish anything about Aaron and Liane’s problems purely for the sake of trying to get some sort of recognition out of it is crossing every line there is to cross.”

“So what’s the plan?”

James glanced at the clock, knowing that he wasn’t going to have time before their next appointment for the day to do the detective work he wanted to, but he knew what his first course of action was going to be all the same. Still, that wasn’t going to stop this woman in the meantime from no doubt trying to dig for more dirt, and he was growing concerned about the lengths she would go to in order to get what she was after. If she did have the certification that she clearly didn’t deserve somehow, what was stopping her from trying to potentially find a one-on-one opportunity with Aaron just when he was on the verge of his biggest opportunity yet? Or worse, use that as a way to somehow get backstage during an SCW event to see if she could get anyone on the roster to cough up anything that could either ruin Aaron or even SCW as a whole if she wanted to. That thought made his eyes narrow into a glare as he knew what he had to do, his resolve on this even putting Thirteen in a state where he could practically hear the demon salivating over the prospect.

“I’ll be getting a hold of Dr.Sharpe as soon as I can to discuss this so we can see if everything lines up and how we can shut this illicit practice down before someone gets hurt. But just in case this Nancy woman thinks she could snake her way into SCW because of Aaron to try and find a fire to start… I think I may have found my spark to go through with Taking Hold of the Flame this year after all.”

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“Let’s have a quick show of hands… how many of you were expecting to see me emerge from the darkness this year?

Maybe it’s not that much of a surprise anymore, considering the allure of Taking Hold of the Flame tends to be too much for most to resist. Hell, my old pal Shilo Valiant even found his way back into the spotlight hoping this match with be the springboard back to where he always feels he belongs, and the same can be said of other names from the past like Matt Hodges, Adam Allocco and Josh Hudson to name a few. Sure, you could pose the argument that we shouldn’t even be here and the stars of today should be getting all the attention, but if you ask me? More and more members of the SCW roster I see each and every week these days prefer to act like they’re entitled to the world and beyond just because of who they are, and you’re just supposed to accept that and kiss their asses until your lips are tired hoping that maybe, just maybe, you’ll find your way into their good graces.

Forgive me if I find that entire idea pathetic. Kind of happens when you grow up having to scratch and claw to earn your place in the world instead of being born with a silver spoon shoved up your ass or your mouth attached to the bosom of someone who will coddle you until you’ve learned all they’re willing to teach to make you think you’re suddenly so damn good that nobody else compares.

I think the thing I find the most amusing in all of this is the sheer number of people that continues to grow with each passing day who will stand in front of a camera and tell you until they’re blue in the face that they are the greatest wrestler that ever lived and no one could ever compare. Even if I narrow that field down to pure wrestling abilities and nothing else, there are still far too many making this claim because they’ve been doing this for a long time or they were trained by so-and-so. If I really wanted to, I could throw my name into that list because I’m willing to bet that out of everyone making the same argument, I’m the only one who started with absolutely zero training and still worked my way up on my own to being one of the most feared grapplers to ever set foot on the canvas.

I could… but I’m not going to push that argument.

I’ve already proven myself time and time again throughout my career to the point where words are no longer necessary, and even beyond that, this isn’t the match where such arguments hold any weight. How well you can take someone to the mat and try to remove a body part or choke the life out of them is irrelevant when you’re in the middle of a moving pile of bodies all trying to simply throw one another out to the floor to clear some space. That’s the name of the game in a battle royal, after all, and technical ability only gets you so far when you have to worry about throwing people out just as much as you need to be concerned about how well you can avoid being thrown out yourself. This is the kind of match where just about everything you know and trained for goes out the window, especially since nothing is off-limits to anyone so long as they are the last wrestler standing, punching that golden ticket to main event Rise to Greatness and challenge for the World Championship.

That includes stabbing close friends in the back if necessary.

Just because I haven’t been around for a while doesn’t mean I having been keeping an eye on the state of affairs around here. I know there are several tag teams who will no doubt try to counter my claims by reaffirming their bonds, or stables that will try to shove down my throat the belief that they are a perfect unit and nothing will ever change that. All I hear in these cases are desperate attempts to latch onto something familiar in hopes that if they keep saying it’s true, then it must be so. Maybe in your own little worlds there’s some truth to that, but how well would such claims hold up if, say, two members of the Beauty Factory made it to the very end and someone’s ego would have to take a hit from being denied what they all believe they deserve. Or perhaps a small little team that’s built a sense of trust in one another finds the opportunity to eliminate one another to be one step closer to that precious prize. Would that trust survive?

The more I lay this out, the more I enjoy the idea of entering this match as a proverbial man without a country. The idea of Thirteen against the world isn’t a new concept to me, and it’s one I’ve already overcome in SCW once before to stand atop the mountain. Suddenly returning and going right back to that position is certainly a tantalizing thought, and I’m sure it would be quite the reality check that so many people desperately need in this day and age. I’m sure that thought is getting under the skin of at least a few of you, and that’s what I want to see. After all, conquering a field of thirty-nine other people isn’t as fun if you don’t have the challenge of so many bloodthirsty hounds offended by the mere notion that they aren’t the one and only who can emerge from the pack.

I think the most amusing thing about all of this, however… is the fact that I can stand here and say such things even though I don’t really need this.

Would winning this battle royal be nice? Absolutely, especially since it’s one of a very small number of things I haven’t done in my long and storied career. Would becoming World Champion be incredible? Of course, and anyone who says otherwise is clearly not in this sport for the right reasons. But none of these are things that I absolutely NEED at this point in time. I’ve already established that I’ve pretty much seen and done all there is to do, including being SCW World Champion at least once, a claim that many in this match can’t even make despite all their cries of being the best. I could be the one standing tall with my arm raised high at the very end, or I could have very little impact on this match as a whole… in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t ultimately matter to me.

So why would I bother coming back then, if that’s the case?

Well, somebody has to make sure this isn’t too easy for all of you.

Maybe, if we’re lucky, one of those high and mighty individuals demanding to be handed everything will actually learn something about humility and actually earning their keep for a change.

I’m doubting it, but at least the idea humors me.”

[Owen]

Had fun with this bringing the story smack bang up to date

good luck to everyone

Owen #67

[Kandis.]

OOC: Promo only, just doing this for storyline reasons. Good luck to everyone actually trying to win!
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Taking Hold of the Flame 2020

[ThatWasley]

OOC: And here's number 2. This takes place yesterday, the 29th, before David et al travelled to New Jersey, and the shoot - which is accessed by clicking the graphic at the bottom as usual - was filmed sometime later today. So technically it hasn't gone live yet but deadlines and what not. Good luck everyone and enjoy!

David Helms: Living Dangerously - Chapter 173

[Thomas Valentine]

OOC: Obviously a last minute thing to make things a little more fun going forward. Promo only so like the Kandis effort is to further storylines etc. 

Well...

It's safe to say that I've had an interesting couple of weeks... Okay, perhaps you could say it's more like a couple of months, as everyone with a pair of eyes on their face can guess what I'm thinking about when I say this. Though in fairness most of those people would probably be happier pretending that the last few months actually hadn't happened since it doesn't suit the completely different narrative that they're obviously making up in their heads day by day... But regardless I could talk a lot more about said months but I've said as much as possible about it recently and so I'll go back to what I said originally... This past fortnight has been something else folks! In fact I dare say the time since just before Fatal Fortunes has been an experience in and of itself. I've recovered from no longer being Tommy Two Belts, I got over... WE'VE gotten over Kandis missing out on bringing the TV Title back to the Connection's camp, I've celebrated getting past Blake and Kelsai despite both of them saying that it wouldn't happen numerous times... Then came Fatal Fortunes and from then I've had to deal with being told how I feel, what I'm going to say, what I'm going to do... After Lady Fate gifted Blake once again, and took Owen along for the ride; I had to cope with the frustration and outrage of losing out to the dynamic duo and people glossing over the fact they didn't... Couldn't do it on their own. Have you ever been told how you should act or be feeling by a kid who knows fuck all about you? Well Kandis and I hadn't until the shocking rematch for our titles. But being the utmost professionals we are, we allowed the comments to be nothing but fuel for our rematch... The rematch we didn't think we'd get without another couple of hundred teams thrown in there to REALLY stack the deck... The rematch we not only made the most of, but silenced the Hypocrisy Brigade that tried to make you all think that a shoved together team could beat THE team without any sort of external meddling taking place. With no Xander or other Helms sympathisers able to get in the way, we showed up the paper champions as what they truly were.

Good.

But not good enough.

And in that moment we became THREE TIME Tag Team Champions. I couldn't be more proud of Kandis for showing her true grit and superiority to anything anyone has ever thought of her. Turning a potential disaster into a stroke of genius all in one moment. Picking up the ball I was forced to drop when my face got busted open… I'm alright now by the way, ladies and gentlemen… And scoring a damn touchdown with it! Now what could follow that up, I hear you all ask as I stand here once again as a proud representative and leader in the Tag Division… How could Tommy Valentine build on his self made renaissance, and yes take things to that next level? Well it just so happens that Taking Hold Of The Flame is on the horizon, and you all know what that means! It means that forty men and women all compete in an over the top rope battle royal clusterfuck to decide the next person in line to have a crack at the World Championship, currently held by my buddy Bree Lancaster. Now whilst anything could happen to change who the champ is by the time Rise To Greatness is upon us, this match pretty much guarantees that the victors ticket is punched to challenge for the belt… So if someone that has gone from rags to riches in such a short time was to enter the fray and show his might against pretty much the whole damn roster potentially, you'd fancy their chances, right?! I know I would!

(I smirk before shaking my head)

...But!

I have to tell you all that this isn't the year I go to war in order to improve on my best placing that I had the very same year I joined Supreme Championship Wrestling… I mean don't get me wrong, I'm not sniffing at the massive opportunity that the match gives the eventual winner… It's definitely a life changing thing to be able to just COMPETE for the World Title let alone win it, trust me… I know… But Taking Hold Of The Flame isn't going to be me gunning for the champion, believe me when I say that whoever holds the World Title will know firsthand when I decide I'm coming for them. No… Taking Hold Of The Flame is something a lot more personal to me, something that's been a long time coming if I'm honest right now, which is what I know has caused a lot of what has happened to me lately… Which is the crux of what I'm here to talk about mainly. You see, I was ready to sit this one out again and let someone else have their moment since I'm generous like that… But then something happened to me that I couldn't ignore any longer. Something happened that caused me to wonder what I had done to deserve being screwed over so badly, and caused me to take much more drastic measures to show that a man shouldn't have to hear threats of being walked away from or a 'partnership' thrown away due to pride or some sort of misplaced code of honour! So when all of you that were chomping at the bit to sign up for the chance to make yourself famous listen to this; know that I haven't stepped up to the plate this late in the game to throw you off in your preparations or to remind you all that my shadow is pretty big one to get out from under… I'm entering for one reason only.

To do what someone is trying to do to me.

I'm going to do everything in my power to take away what I know a certain group of people want. You all think it's great that a small army of people are wearing their rose tinted glasses and willing to get in the way of my goals at every opportunity? Well thanks to a man that I have gone to war with and for more times than I can count, more times than even his fucking wife could ever dream of in  her career so far and even in what's left of it… Your road through the already loaded minefield has just become more difficult than you could imagine. That's right, I'm coming for every single one of you that is signed up for this thing. I'm coming to take this away from you as a message to the man that made a decision by not making one when it mattered. So to dumb it down for you all, you came after me… I'm coming for you! But do you want me to let you in on a little secret? That's going to be fun, knowing that the army is going to be on high alert now I've given the warning but one person that should really be preparing for the worst is the one that I know wants this the most since she hasn't stopped talking, shouting, ranting, bleating and tweeting about it. Yep, I'm talking about you Regan!

(I smile and waggle my fingers at the camera)

Let's not mince words here Regs. I know that in spite of you wanting me to get my just desserts since I helped deny you what you wanted… At the time… You must have breathed a sigh of relief when Kandis pulled our match back from the brink and brought OUR titles back where they belong, because in spite of you not wanting to admit that your avarice knows no bounds, it would have been tough to have to choose between going after your precious accolade of being Supreme Champion by gunning for Blake and Son, or to 'try and teach me a lesson' which would probably mean you and whichever member of your fan club that had the 'honour' of being your partner would miss out on getting the gold for a while… But colour me surprised when you suddenly forgot about these shiny belts that Kandis and I have in our clutches, in order to take the flame and get the World Title back… That's sarcasm by the way. If it was anyone else, I'd have to applaud your efforts to try and really be the best athlete you can possibly be despite the odds not favouring you all that much, regardless of how much gum flapping says otherwise… But it's not anyone else, it's a woman that seems to follow the shiny shinies wherever the opportunity crops up and doesn't care which belt and which division it represents… And you talk shit about me? A guy that has brought even the likes of you skulking to my kingdom in order to attempt to get in on the glory. A man that has lived, slept, eaten, breathed and drank the tag division and not asked for anything else in return other than the respect I feel I have earned both as a wrestler and as a man in my own right. The people surrounding you have marked their cards Regan, believe me they have… But the target on your back is far bigger for me, and let's not delude ourselves into thinking that something insignificant like me being eliminated before I can deliver on my words will help at all because if you have half a brain cell, you'll know that won't stop me from making your mission difficult at best, I can feel a nice challenge for Jake's record at eliminating people whilst not being in the match coming on if the unthinkable happens. I was ready to just let you chase me in order to save face, Regan… To try and prove whatever point it is you've been wanting to prove when your friends aren't jockeying for position in order to get a piece of the action that coming after me gives them… But your husband changed all that and now you're going to have to pay the price one way or another. I can't help but keep thinking about how things could be different right now, but I know that no matter how much I want it, that all cards have been nailed to the table and there's no going back for a do over. On the bright side though, I figured I'd let you all know that I'm not taking on this venture all by myself… That in spite of my regrets for things getting to this point, I have someone by my side that has the same dreams, aspirations, desires and goals as I do. That carries my best interests at heart like someone who cares about you should. That's right, my esteemed partner in both business and pleasure, Kandis is going to be there to help lighten the load if I become weary… Such a task doesn't seem so Herculean knowing that she will be there and ready to join me… Enjoy this moment where you each think you will get to where you want to be, I mean it. Because I'll be there waiting near the summit, when you can almost taste that victory… Waiting to toss your own hopes, dreams and false promises to the mat outside the ring along with your self entitled carcasses… And David, don't think I've forgotten that you yourself have thrown your name into the hat; because this will be for you. I want you to see me end the fairytale that my "Sister" has crafted for herself leading up to this, see the one that clearly is the thing you care about the most I'm the world have yet another one of her heart's desires denied… Before you have your own flame extinguished just like that.

(I click my fingers)

You were all set for something taking place that would truly show who is the best person to move on to headlining Rise To Greatness, but now I need to interject and cause this battle royal to be devoid of the Sheeple that insist on pursuing me. Because of those select few people, Taking Hold Of The Flame is going to drown slowly as I submerge it Knee Deep in trouble… And when you are all backstage licking your wounds, lamenting the fact that you couldn't do it in spite of how hard you tried, wondering what happened for you to deserve all of this on what should be the most magnificent night of your life, I'll just say one simple thing. Loud and clear.

(I shake my head)

Go ask your Last Shadow Of Hope.

Go ask David.

[Christy Matthews]

Christy Matthews' RP for the Battle Royal. Tons of fun writing it. 

Enjoy.

Ebdon Entertainment Presents
Christy Matthews Uncensored
Motherhood
Part Eighteen: My Forward Steps

[Syren]

Pic-base change? What pic-base change? Oh. That one. Yeah, so... that happened. Surprise? Probably update the forum graphics next week, and then figure out what else needs changing in that regard.

Obviously the CD picks up from not long after the end of the last one. As for the promo, well I decided to go with something different. I really enjoyed how that came out as well, it was more fun than just talking to a camera.

Enjoy.



The Syren Song: Verse 311
"So, you’re saying I’m afraid?"

[Chris Cannon]

I wasn't sure how I was going to do this RP, I had many plans, but in effect i have put myself against the wall. I probably shouldn't but honestly with how i feel about Chris atm, it felt like the only logical thing to do. So knowing I ain't winning shit, enjoy the last Cannon RP for the foreseeable future.

The Only Fan that matters.

[Jay Gold]

[I feel like everything in my life is completely out of control.  My anxiety is through the roof and right now I am probably the most anxious person in Supreme Championship Wrestling.  Even before this past Wednesday night I have been having nightmares of all different sorts.  It has led me to come to the home of my cousin, Stacy Kissinger, even though we had agreed that I would arrive at 10 o’clock in the morning, instead of right now, 10 o’clock at night.  I haven’t gotten out of the rental car yet to ring the bell, as I am currently instead thinking about everything that has brought me here.  From failing repetitively as a competitor as of late, to tossing and turning every single night, to feeling so frustrated all the time, and finally to the worst… feeling like I have failed Martha and Sarah Vixen.  They both wanted me to return to the ring and be successful, along with aiding the future of SCW.  With the way I feel right now, neither of those goals can be achieved.  I am at my wit’s end.]

[I grunt just like my own daughter has so many times in the past when she doesn’t get her way before I unbuckle and get out of the car.  Forgetting where I am for a second I slam the door really loud, but it seems to have gone unnoticed.  I head for the door and look in through the window, seeing that the kitchen light is on at least, meaning at least one of them is up.  I then see her through the window cleaning up something at the sink, wearing a simple white nightie, her hair let down.  Without thinking twice I ring the doorbell.  She turns and immediately comes towards me.  She opens the door without hesitation and urges me to come right in, softly speaking to me.]

Stacy:
“Hopefully he didn’t hear the doorbell.  Our son is sleepin’.  Here, sit on the couch.  I’ll go get ya a glass of water.  Ya need it.”

[She’s right.  I check my forehead with left hand and I have broken out into a sweat after having thought about all the things that have been making my head swirl.  I feel a little bit of shortness of breath, so I do my best to calm down and regain my bearings.  She is back really quick and looks very concerned as she holds out the glass for me.]

Stacy:
"Drink up Jay.  I...  I've nevuh seen ya like this before.  You look so pale, almost like a ghost."

[I take the glass into my hands and immediately gulp down some of the water, enough so I am able to get out the three important words.]

Jay:
"Craig.  Spar.  Now."

Stacy:
"Luckily he is still awake.  I think he was callin' Tyler to check in on him and Charlotte.  This is an emergency.  It can't wait until mornin'.  I can tell."

[The moment I put the glass down she takes my hands in hers and looks me right in the eyes.]

Jay:
"I'm sorry."

Stacy:
"Don't be.  It's okay.  People reach their breakin' points at some point in their lives.  I should know.  I've been there."

[Stacy looks past me and off into the distance before she returns her focus.]

Stacy:
"You still look awful.  Here, lay down.  I'll get you an extra pillow or two.  You're welcome to stay the night as well."

[All I can do is nod as I can feel my face is still flushed and not getting any better.  She continues to tend to me until we both can hear Craig coming up from downstairs.  I stay down on the couch as she makes her way towards him.]

Stacy:
"It can't wait Craig.  Look at him."

Craig:
"Are you sure though Stace?  I don't want to hurt him any more than he already is."

[At this point I just speak to him from the couch.]

Jay:
"The physical pain I can take.  The physical pain I NEED.  Anything to distract me from everything else.  I'm sorry it can't wait until morning.  I need this now."

[Craig walks around the couch so I can look at him and he can look at me.  He nods.]

Craig:
"Let's head down to the basement.  I have the sparring mat laid out."

[The three of us head down, me behind Craig and Stacy.  Stacy asks about Tyler and Charlotte, to which Craig responds.]

Craig:
"They're both fine.  Tyler is his usual self, admitting that he's scared of asking Charlotte to marry him."

Stacy:
"No change there.  Nice to hear that they are both doin' well during this time though, ya know?"

Craig:
"Yes."

[We arrive downstairs and Craig goes to one side of the mat after taking his shoes off.  I do the same and go to the other side.  Stacy stands off to the side.  Hopefully we won't wake up their son.  Hopefully upstairs he is out like a light.]

Craig:
"Alright Jay, I can teach you some of my ground and pound if you want.  Perhaps that is what you have been missing in your repertoire.  You are getting older now so really the aerial maneuvers should come less from you.  I'm not saying to put them on the back burner, but from when I have watched you, you would be better off keeping an opponent grounded.  Want to try it out?"

[I nod.  He and I both meet in the center of the mat and lock up in a collar-and-elbow tie-up.  I try to go around him but he senses this coming and is able to get in a takedown on me, putting me on the mat.  Craig stops and looks at me.]

Jay:
"I was a step behind there."

Craig:
"Yes.  You were.  I think you know this already, but always keep your eyes on your opponent.  Stay as focused as possible.  I know it will be hard in the battle royal on Sunday night, but focus on one, not on multiple.  Let everyone else do what they are going to do.  If you stay as close to the ground as possible, chances for survival are definitely higher.  Trust me, I also taught my wife that."

Stacy:
"Yeah."

Jay:
"Can we please try that again?"

[Craig is the one nodding this time around and we meet up again.  This time I am able to counter him and turn him around, but when I go to take him out at the left knee, he moves to behind me and locks in a full nelson.  I grunt in frustration but begin to fight my way out of it.  I am able to break the hold and then I go low, this time taking Craig down to the mat with a drop toe hold.]

Craig:
"Nice."

[Both of us get back up and the intensity picks up a little.  Both of us try to whip one another across the mat, but we both counter it.  Craig however gets the upper hand, again with a clothesline which puts me back down on the mat.  I pound the mat in frustration as Craig backs off and Stacy comes onto the mat.  She kneels down to check on me.]

Jay:
"I'm fine!  I just...  I can't believe I have become so slow!"

Stacy:
"Hmm, maybe I should step in for a bit."

Craig:
"Are you sure Stace?"

Stacy:
"Yeah.  Come on Jay.  It's been a while for me.  Face me first some then we will work ya back up to Craig.  We can both tell ya want to do yer best."

[Stacy kicks off her night slippers and begins to grapple with me.  We come to a stalemate the first time.  Both of us reset and this second time Stacy attempts to go low on me.  I block her and then spin her around before catching my lower right leg inside her lower left, connecting with the Golden Moment.  She goes down to the mat and rolls over.  I stop.]

Jay:
"Oh dear, are you okay Stacy?"

[Stacy giggles a little, meaning she is very likely fine.]

Stacy:
"Yeah I am.  But that just proved what Craig said.  Focus.  We both know it's hard to do when ya have multiple opponents in front of ya, but it's what ya must do to be successful.  No matter if it's one opponent, two, three, or even thirty-nine."

Jay:
"I know all of this, but it's just, apparently I'm not good enough this day and age to be competitive against most of SCW.  I mean hell look what Giovanni Aries did the other night.  I know his teammates were suspended from competing and all, but it's clear he had the balls to send down two untrained athletes in their place!  I..."

Stacy:
"Hey.  You and Kelsai did what ya had to do.  You were both put in a rough spot, so yes, you were right to be angry with Sasha.  Sasha is in the end responsible for everythin' that happens.  I agree with ya there, as someone else who has had their problems with Sasha...  But..."

Jay:
"But what?"

[She can see I am getting really amped up again, about everything that has been going on recently.  She softens her eyes some as Craig looks on.]

Stacy:
"Give her a chance to make things right.  Ask to talk to her, remain calm, and lay out all yer thoughts to her.  She should listen to you Jay.  You earned yer hall of fame status, and I don't wanna see ya throw it all away.  Craig doesn't want to see that.  And I know most importantly yer wife, yer daughter, and yer own self don't want that.  But you should take care of that at a latuh date."

Jay:
"Okay."

[Stacy backs away off the mat and Craig reassumes his position on the mat.  He teaches me quite a few more moves and things that I have not yet employed in a wrestling ring.  Most of them were more ground-and-pound techniques, in order to stay on top of and in control of an opponent.  I feel like I have learned much, despite ending up on the losing end of this sparring lesson.  But that I’m fine with.  Tonight was all about learning, not winning or losing.]

[As our sparring session comes to an end I am really breathing hard.  Craig hasn't broken too much of a sweat, which does worry me.  Clearly I still have a lot of work to do.  Craig heads upstairs as I just stay seated on the wrestling mat.  Stacy sits down next to me and slips an arm around my shoulder.]

Stacy:
"Um, this is clearly more than just about SCW.  Anythin' ya wanna talk about?"

[I don’t want to trouble her with what’s been going on.  However she can clearly tell that I am a troubled soul.  Stacy sits next to me on the wrestling mat and places of her arms around my shoulders.  With her free hand she raises my chin up so she can see me and I can see her.]

Stacy:
"I do care about ya Jay.  We're family.  But if ya don't wanna talk about it, I'm not gonna force ya.  Do ya think it's best if ya just get some sleep?"

Jay:
"That.  That's part of the problem.  I've been having nightmares for quite some time now.  So many bad things have happened over the past several years.  So many.  I feel like I'm being pulled in a thousand different directions.  It's clear I've needed some me time, but I know I need to be there for my wife, and be there for our daughter, and be there for my parents who have grown older.  I've been unable to take care of myself."

[There's a pause between us as she keeps her free hand on my chin.  She nods, showing she understands.  I figured she would.]

Stacy:
"I feel the same way sometimes.  So does Craig.  But we talk to one anothuh, ya know?  We talk to one anothuh a lot, and we don't let things festuh.  Are you and Martha the same way?"

[Maybe that's part of it.  As I think back, the two of us have not had the best of communication.  Something else for me to work on, opening up more to my precious Martha when I get the chance to do so.]

Jay:
"I need to work on that."

Stacy:
"Oh.  Hmm.  Do you wanna give her a call tonight?"

Jay:
"I don't want to disturb her or my daughter as they are definitely sleeping by now.  And this weekend I'm really busy and-"

[She interrupts me.]

Stacy:
"Call her.  If not right now, make sure to do that tomorrow.  If you truly love her Jay, call her.  Tell her everythin' yer feelin'.  I mean it.  At least that way everythin' will be out on the table.  At least that weight of hidin' things will be off yer shoulders."

[I just nod to my cousin.  She then heads upstairs, leaving me to try to get some semblance of sleep for the night.  I am already afraid of what I might dream about, but soon I find myself drifting off to sleep.  What will I encounter?  Only time will tell…]

*******

I hear her.  She calls out for me, almost crying.  And then I see her.  Sparkle looks more flustered than ever, oddly enough the same way that I feel.  She turns to see me and immediately runs at me, so fast that I cannot even more a muscle.  The next thing I feel is her worried embrace and before I know it, her lips are connected with mine.  I try to break free as I only like her as a friend.  I LOVE MARTHA!  The harder I fight though, the more clingy Sparkle becomes.  As I try and disconnect the kiss to try and talk to Danielle, her kiss becomes stronger and stronger to the point where I cannot.  And then I do what I must do...  I shove her backwards and she falls to the ground.  She looks up at me, wailing before she stiffens up and dies right here in front of me, but not before screaming out loud "I LOVE YOU JAY!"

*******

I awake with a jump, screaming myself, as if I am in physical pain.  It does not take long before Stacy Kissinger runs like a flash down the stairs and is at my side, kneeling by the couch.

Stacy:
"Oh muh gosh, are you okay?  Craig and I could hear you tossing and turning from upstairs, and now this.  What's going on?"

Jay:
"I...  I had the nightmare again.  I didn't want to tell you about it, but now I feel I have to."

Stacy:
"Only if you want to."

[I look at my cousin and explain it all to her.]

Jay:
"It's mine and my wife's deceased friend Danielle.  She... she keeps appearing in my dreams.  Every single time she is crying and desperately needs me.  It always ends with her holding me and kissing me so tight that I can't escape, until I shove her down to the ground with a whole lot of force.  After I do so she... she... she dies!"

[Tears fall out of my eyes.  I can feel them.  Stacy isn't sure what to say or do.  I wait for a response from her amidst tears as I then hear Craig at the top of the stairs.  He watches the scene unfolding before him.  I wipe away the tears from my broken-down self and speak the best I can.]

Jay:
"I...  I think I've imposed upon the two of you more than enough.  I should go."

Stacy:
"No.  Stay here until the mornin' at least.  Yer in no condition to drive.  It's no wonduh ya can't seem to focus.  You need to open up to your wife, way more than ya've clearly been doin' Jay.  Even if it hurts her to hear it, she needs to know the truth."

Jay:
"I know.  I've kept it in for far too long.  Even when I tell her though, I'm just... I'm scared I will throw a wrench into our marriage.  We are both very happy, even in troubled times."

Stacy:
"As scared as you are, she needs to know.  If I was yer wife, I'd wanna know.  Anyways, I can see yer probably not gonna get any more sleep tonight.  Do the best ya can.  Craig and I will be upstairs if ya need us.  If ya can't sleep, at least take this time to think Jay.  And know that even though I'm just a cousin, I care for ya deeply."

Craig:
"And I do too.  Jay, please listen to her.  Stacy is the most amazing lady I've ever met."

Jay:
"I know she is.  I guess I'm just sorry that I disturbed you both with my problems."

Craig:
"We're both glad you did.  We'll see you in the morning."

[Craig disappears back into their bedroom.  Stacy looks at me in the eyes one more time with her deep brown ones before she stands up and heads back upstairs to rejoin her husband, so the two of them can try to sleep the rest of the night.  Trust me.  I will do the best I can to not disrupt them again.  I am very thankful for all they have done for me tonight, and I will let them fully know my appreciation in the morning before I leave.  I guess I know what needs to be done now, even if it causes more harm then good.  If I don't say anything though and instead choose to remain silent, I am afraid this rough patch I have been going through will continue, with no end in sight.  That is not what I want.]

*******
[I have felt no better this morning.  Stacy even served me a really nice breakfast, but still it hasn’t helped.  I’m about ready to leave now, but Stacy tells me to hold up.  She comes over to the area by the front door and hugs me as gently as possible.  I have never felt a more gentle embrace from anyone before, not even from my own wife.  I hug her in return and whisper to her.]

Jay:
“Thank you for everything you and Craig were able to do for me.  It’s going to be a long road.  I don’t think I’m mentally prepared for it.”

Stacy:
“Life isn’t always easy Jay.  You have my phone numbuh though.  Don’t be afraid to call me at any time.  I’ll be here.”

[For a moment Stacy freezes here in front of me before she reaches out and gives me a peck on the cheek.  She then looks into my hazel eyes.]

Stacy:
“Take care of yerself.  And remembuh, even if you don’t win the battle royal on Sunday night, it’s not the end of the world.  You have family that really, truly cares for you, despite wins and losses.  Most importantly, please call Martha this morning.  I beg of you to do that.  If she truly loves you, at least one of yer problems might be solved.”

Jay:
“I’ll do that.  Thanks so much.”

Stacy:
“Yer welcome so much.”

[I make my way out the front door and back to the rental car.  I turn back and wave towards my cousin, which gets a return wave.  She then fully returns inside.  I sigh and open up the door to the car.  The next thing I do is take my cousin’s advice and immediately dial the phone number for home.  It rings three times, but right before it gets to the fourth ring, I hear Martha’s voice, and Sarah Vixen’s in the background.]

Martha:
“Hi honey.  How have you been?  Sarah and I have been really worried.  I know you probably don’t have much time to talk with it being Taking Hold of the Flame weekend, but can we at least talk for a little while.”

[I gulp before responding, for the first time since asking her out on our first date, being nervous to speak to her.]

Jay:
“Yeah, that’s what I’m calling for.  Here, I’ll put you on speaker.  I have to head to the airport.  My flight leaves at 11.  It’s already after 9.”

Martha:
“Ummm, I thought Taking Hold of the Flame was in New Jersey.  9 o’clock puts you in the Central Time Zone Jay.  Where are you?”

Jay:
“I have to tell you the truth.  All of it.  I didn’t want to bother you or Sarah due to all that’s going on, so I went to my cousin Stacy.  She, her husband, and I all spoke and well, it was a trip that I needed to take.”

Martha:
“You know you can talk to me whenever you feel troubled honey.”

Jay:
“It runs deeper than that Martha.  Hopefully I won’t get too upset while driving, but this needs to come out.”

[On her end of the phone I can hear her asking our daughter for privacy.  Before Sarah can no longer be heard, I hear her voice one time.]

Sarah Vixen:
“I love you daddy!  Please take care of yourself and come home after this weekend, even if only for a little while!  I need you and so does mom!”

Jay:
“I know, and I will try my best to be there.  Take care of yourself too.”

[I hear a door close, meaning now it’s just me and my wife, on the phone, alone.]

Martha:
“Okay, I’m alone.  Please tell me what’s wrong.”

Jay:
“I’ve been having reoccurring nightmares.  About Danielle.”

Martha:
“Oh.”

[That’s all she can say, a disappointed-sounding “Oh”.  She has undoubtedly not forgotten about what happened all those years ago, when I confided in Danielle, when Martha herself distanced herself from me.  Danielle was an amazing girl as well, but I chose to marry Martha because I truly loved her, for everything she was and is.]

Martha:
“Sooo, what happens in these dreams?”

[I heavily sigh, but know that it’s no use to continue holding it back from her.  She will say what she will say.]

Jay:
“In the dream she runs at me and throws herself at me.  She then desperate clings on to me and kisses me, not letting me go.  I do fight her off Martha, but when I do and she ends up on the ground, she instantly… dies.  I don’t know what to make of it.”

[She is silent, for far too long.  In fact I am almost to the airport as I can see DFW in the distance.]

Jay:
“Please say something Martha.  Anything.”

Martha:
“I don’t know what to make of it either.  I do remember that time when you and I weren’t speaking with one another and you went to her, just looking for a friend.  I always have understood that.  But I’m wondering, why now?  Especially when I know you have so many other things going on.  Maybe Sarah and I were wrong.  Maybe we shouldn’t have forced you to go back.”

Jay:
“It’s not your fault or Sarah’s.  I guess it just comes with the territory of returning to a world that I was in over ten years ago.  So much has changed though, so much.”

Martha:
“I know.  Listen, if you don’t want to continue in SCW and you want to permanently retire, I won’t be disappointed in you.  I love you, and I’m sure Sarah wouldn’t be disappointed either.”

Jay:
“I’m not so sure about that.  I saw the look in her eyes when I left Martha.  She was excited about watching her father wrestle live in front of the whole world.  I can’t take that away from her, not now, not ever.  Tomorrow night I will have to push everything aside and do one thing that Craig and Stacy taught me to do.”

Martha:
“Focus?”

Jay:
“Yes.  But don’t worry, I’ll be thinking of the two of you as I compete out there.  The two of you ladies are what drives me to want to be successful.  As I look around the SCW landscape right now, there aren’t many spouses or children who are supportive, but I know you two are VERY supportive.  Look, after tomorrow night, I will be coming home.  I need the time with the two of you, a lot of it.”

Martha:
“And we are very okay with that Jay.  Just please stay safe.  I know I always harp on that, but we both love you and need you in our lives.  On top of that, good luck.  Don’t worry if you don’t end up in the main event of Rise to Greatness.  That is not the most important thing in the world.  The most important thing in the world is that we are both already so proud of you.  Now it is really all about you being proud of yourself.  Push all the bad things aside tomorrow night and deal with them later.”

Jay:
“But… but Stacy said I shouldn’t do that.  It’s never good to hold everything in.  That’s when I become like… well, what I am now.  I’m distraught.  I’m nervous.  I’m… all over the place Martha.  I have even gotten in Sasha’s face which is something I don’t do.  I don’t like what I have become.  It’s better if I have something to say that I just say it!”

Martha:
“You’re right.”

[That’s all she tells me.  I focus sharply on driving right now as I have reached the airport.  I head for the departure area and get ready to drop the rental car off at the Hertz station.]

Jay:
“Okay, I’m at the airport.  I have to get going.  Can I call you later maybe?”

Martha:
“Sure.  Any time.  I love you.”

[She says it with meaning, almost sounding like she is crying herself.]

Jay:
“I love you too.  After this weekend is over, I’m all yours.”

Martha:
“Okay, talk to you later.  Bye.”

Jay:
“Bye.”

[She hangs up on her end first and I hit the end button on my phone as I park the rental car.  I retrieve all my belongings from within it before turning over the keys to the clerk at the Hertz station.  I pay the funds that are due with my credit card and then race as quick as I can to the airport terminal.  Time is growing short and I still have to get through security.  Hopefully I will make the flight.  Hopefully I will end up in Newark at Taking Hold of the Flame.  And hopefully I will be able to focus on the battle royal when it comes time to do so.]

*******
[And so I missed my flight.  Luckily by chance I have a seat for the two o’clock flight.  Someone had cancelled and I snapped that ticket up so fast.  The person at the counter could see how desperate I was, but he also knew who I was.  So in that way hall of fame status does count.  For right now I wait to board this later flight, with everything weighing heavily on my mind.  Last night and this morning have been nothing but a whirlwind, but that’s all behind me now.  I need to focus, and that time starts right now.]

[Seeing that there is still over twenty minutes before boarding begins, I have slipped off into the nearby meditation room.  No one else is in here with me, so I lock the door.  I sit down cross-legged on the floor by the running brook that is in the room and then close my eyes.  I still feel so conflicted, with so much on my mind.  Only this time it is about the state of SCW, and of those who I could be up against tomorrow night.  I can see all their images right before my eyes.  From the dancing bear that I scowl at, to all the girls who are desperate to win the SCW World Championship (or any championship for that matter), to those whom I respect like Selena Frost, to those that I don’t respect at all because they haven’t earned respect, and finally to the outliers like Xander Valentine.  I re-open my eyes slowly and look into the brook’s water before I find myself speaking to myself.  I allow my right pointer finger hit the record button on my phone, so at least the whole world will be able to hear me in my current state.]

Jay:
“This has always been a weekend unlike any other.  I have been a part of it in good times and in bad.  This one is unfortunately looking like one of the bad ones, but that does not mean I won’t be trying my best to toss anyone and everyone out of that ring.  I know how to survive in a match like this one, as I was second place back in 2004, and was also involved in a tie on top of that, not to mention a few other top 10 finishes.  I am no rookie.  I am not green, despite having only returned here to SCW almost five months ago.  It may look it because I haven’t been getting the success that I have wanted, Martha has wanted, and most importantly what my daughter thought would happen.  I do need to realize though that I have been facing some of the best.  Aaron Blackbourne is a great part of SCW’s present and will continue to be more than just an asset in SCW’s future.  He could very well become the World Champion tomorrow night, despite what Bree Lancaster might think.  But that’s for the two of them to settle.”

[I pause and look around the room for a few moments before focusing my attention back on the running brook, knowing time is growing shorter before I have to return to the hallway in order to board my flight.]

Jay:
“I however have much to settle, far more than just the championship that they will be fighting over.  So, will I be discussing each and every single one of you that is signed up to be in that ring tomorrow night?  No.  Each and every single one of you can take care of yourselves.  What I need to do is for this one night… focus on me.  Now normally I am not selfish like this, but after everything I have been through as of late, everything I have really been through since I started in SCW back in 2003, it is necessary.  I’m sure none of you fans out there will blame me.  I’m not becoming bad or anything like that.  It’s just that for once in my life, I will admit it, I NEED to be desperate.  This isn’t me hanging onto my past accomplishments.  This is me feeling a way that I have never felt before.  I am in shambles.  I am a mess.  And I want to clean this mess up in the best way I know possible.  I want to do it without hurting others, but I can see now that that is a weakness.  I was lucky against Selena Frost, as she didn’t want to hurt me either.  But a lot of you others, I know you will have no regard for me or for anyone else but yourselves.  Thus, that is the mentality I need to have tomorrow night.  Tomorrow night the world will see a Jay Gold that I hope none of them hate.  I don’t want to be viewed as a monster.  Heaven forbid that SCW and the world already have enough of those.”

“But even with those monsters in play, those monsters also have soft spots.  Those monsters can be viewed as good.  To me, Xander Valentine is not a monster.  He’s not even a bad guy.  He’s a good guy that many bad things have happened to.  Sadly I feel I am now down that same path.  So much has happened, especially lately, that I don’t know if I will be able to contain myself.  Sasha almost caught my wrath.  She was lucky that Kelsai and Amy were there.  Tomorrow night though, it won’t matter who tries to hold me back.  If any of you piss me off, and I mean ANY OF YOU, no one will be able to hold me back from acting on my own accord!  If it even happens once, I just know that I am going to lose control, as unstable as I have been.”

“Just know this, whether you’re a brat, or you’re someone I respect, I am not going to stop until I’ve done all that I can to not just survive this battle royal, but also win it.  I have been so close a few times now and even though all those times were years upon years ago, it doesn’t mean that I can’t get to the end again.  I know I have much still to learn, and much still to offer to our business, but first I need to take care of myself before I can help those of you who deserve to see the top like I have.”

“I truly do want SCW to see its Golden Years, but right now, that seems to depend on me.  I feel like we are all in the Dark Ages, especially myself now.  Things need to change.  Even if I have to go all the way to the edge and back, it needs to happen.  Thus tomorrow night, when it comes time, I will have to live in the moment.  I will have to push all of the past behind and focus on the here and now.”

“So what does all of that mean for the rest of you?  Time will tell.  But hear me out, I don’t even know what I will be capable of.  I don’t know if I will be able to take hold of the flame, or if I might just snuff out the flame of some of you that I truly care about.  No matter what happens, all I ask is for forgiveness.  If anything bad happens, just know that I am not myself.  I am not Jay Gold.  I am a desperate man that is looking to get his life fully into order.  Because right now my mind is racing, several miles per minute.  I don’t know where to go, where to turn, or what to do.  Tomorrow night, what happens… happens.”

[I lower my head for a minute and then carefully get up off the ground.  I leave the meditation room and head to the boarding area, with this being the last time I will be on the ground prior to being in Newark, prior to being in the city where flames will be burned out, possibly forever.  What will happen?  I have no idea.  I just hope after tomorrow night that I can get my life back in order.  In the end that truly does matter, especially when it comes to everyone that I care about, and everyone that cares about me.]