07-03-2020, 07:56 AM
07-07-2020, 05:24 PM
My effort for this show - my 69th Owen rp... screw you it made me laugh
Good luck as always, and hopefully enjoy lol
OWEN #69
Good luck as always, and hopefully enjoy lol
OWEN #69
07-07-2020, 11:50 PM
OOC: And here's my effort. Huge thanks to Omar for letting me use one of his characters for this. I'm kind of retreading a bit of old ground and briefly shelving what was originally supposed to be the next chapter of this story, but I have a plan for it and feel this was a better next step to take in preparation for RtG. Best of luck!
----------------------------------------------------------
No matter how strong you are, sometimes all it takes is one little incident to cause a relapse.
It was a feeling Aaron had struggled with most of his life, and a side of himself he often kept hidden even when he knew better by now. He’d have some kind of problem weighing on his mind that would cause him no end of frustration, self-loathing and stress, he’d eventually find some way to conquer it and push forward again, then in the blink of an eye, he suddenly found himself right back at square one. The seemingly neverending cycle of the frailty of his ability to stay where he wanted to be mentally was, in and of itself, something that grated on his nerves, but simply trying to will it to not happen was oftentimes like trying to keep a recovering alcoholic from relapsing just because they ended up at a bar while out with some friends: much easier said than done.
Like many problems that had been bothering him lately, it could ultimately be traced back to Shilo Valiant and his bizarre obsession with the creative soul.
After a conversation with Liane some time back that helped him begin to fight off his unintentional habit of trying to make himself a heroic martyr of sorts, Aaron had tried his best to be more open about his issues and allowing for others to lend a hand when necessary in return for the help he was always willing to provide for them. It was one of the reasons why he’d managed to open up to Owen about his crisis of confidence in the wake of his second failed bid to become World Champion, and he’d seen the results of being willing to do so firsthand. There was absolutely nothing wrong with getting help in his own battles after being so willing to help others with theirs.
And then the June 24th Breakdown happened.
Aaron would never forget the end of that show. He couldn’t get that image out of his mind… he, Peyton and Owen were standing strong together to fight off The Wonderland and their newfound obsession with trying to destroy their little group as a solution for Giovanni’s twisted worldview. Unsurprisingly, the fight had been made all the more difficult by the fact that Shilo felt this was the perfect moment to play his spotlight games. Aaron, however, was able to use the spotlight as a ‘lure’ in order to help dictate the battle, making a statement to Shilo in the process that his act was no longer as effective. But when the spotlight finally disappeared, and Aaron saw the damage Gio had done to Kelcey from the shadows, he could almost feel as though he’d been thrown off a cliff and was freefalling to oblivion.
Kelcey would be fine, but she’d gotten hurt because of Aaron’s unresolved issues with Shilo, something that had nothing to do with their group’s fight against The Wonderland. Needless to say, the floodgates had broken wide open and he was once again questioning the idea of assistance for his battles when those around him needlessly got hurt in the process.
Aaron had attempted to shove that thought out of his head as he had the free time to attend one of Liane’s comedy performances that evening, hoping to distract himself from the issue through his future wife’s patented ‘laugh therapy.’ It had certainly worked for a while, and he knew his genuine enjoyment of Liane’s routine was all she needed to keep herself going on nights like this where he could see her on stage, it had faded almost immediately once the show was over and they were heading back to the hotel. He silently cursed this and hoped he could at least keep up the act until they were able to go to bed that night and he could simply sleep it off, but he knew better. They knew each other too well by this point, and Liane could pick up through their conversation on the drive back that something was off. It wasn’t until they were actually back at the hotel and heading up the stairs towards their floor that Aaron felt her grab at his wrist, tugging on it to make him stop for a moment.
“What’s wrong Aaron? And you know you can’t hide it from me by now… I love that you enjoyed my show tonight, but you’re doing that thing where you’re trying to hide something again.”
Aaron could only sigh before motioning with his head that he still wanted to head back to their room while he spilled his guts, though as he did so he was constantly shifting his gaze around. Liane knew why and couldn’t blame him. After all, they still had the other issue of this mysterious Nancy woman and her obsession with trying to aggressively psychoanalyze them for unknown reasons on their plate, and if she was silently stalking them hoping to get anything out of this conversation… well, let’s just say the couple didn’t even want to think about whatever she had planned for any of it.
“Not going to lie, this would be so much easier to talk about if we weren’t feeling paranoid about someone trying to eavesdrop for God knows what reason.”
“No kidding. Anything from Dr. Marsh-Asher yet about this meeting he wants to do?”
“Last I heard his hands were still tied, unfortunately.”
It was a thought that didn’t sit well with either of them, considering it seemed like the therapist and former SCW wrestler had found something out in regards to the woman that was attempting to invade their lives and steal his job and they needed to hear it ASAP, but the initial plan of heading to Chicago to meet him right after Breakdown two weeks ago had been derailed, partly by Aaron’s concern for Kelcey’s well-being following Gio’s attack, but mostly because James, unfortunately, had to call the meeting off and reschedule because something had happened at the orphanage he also co-ran with his sister that had gotten the police involved, and that was a twisted mess he needed to put his undivided attention towards first. As the couple reached the floor they were staying on, they shared a look that silently agreed they were hoping whatever happened wasn’t too serious.
“We’ll hear from him soon and figure this out. But I don’t see anywhere along the hallway where someone could hide, so it’s time to start talking.”
“Alright… you know that conversation we had some time back, about how I’m always able to help others but I try to keep my own battles between me and whatever the problem is?”
“I do, and I know we haven’t been able to really get a chance to deal with my parents yet, but Rise to Greatness isn’t too far off, and we’ll have plenty of time to sort that out afterward.”
“I’m not worried about that… but… I have been rethinking things after what happened to Kelcey…”
Liane frowns both at the reminder of that incident as well as the fact that Aaron’s slowly reconsidering what they’d talked about in the past, and the artist can’t help but turn his gaze to the food in an attempt to avoid seeing the look he knows his clown princess is giving him right now. He hears Liane begin to speak in responde, but she’s barely gotten a sound past her lips before being cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat. This gets the both of them to stop and realize they’d been so distracted by this conversation that they’d nearly bumped into someone, and Aaron’s eyes go wide when he realizes the person in question is the same woman who had gotten hurt to kickstart his trip back down that slippery slope of self-doubt.
“K-Kelcey…”
“You’ll have to forgive me if I’m interrupting. You kind of bumped into me on my way back to my room after helping Peyton with her workout, and I heard my name come up.”
Aaron opened his mouth, but it closed just as quickly. If he was being honest with himself for a moment, he was incredibly nervous in this situation, and not just because of the guilt he carried for Kelcey getting hurt because of the spotlight B.S. Of all the members of the ‘Perfect Pack’ as they seemed to be going by now, Aaron was the one among them who’d had the least interaction with the woman who was mentoring the group. Owen and Peyton practically seemed like they were raised by her when it came to getting into the business, and he knew Alistaire had his fair share of interactions with The Perfect Ten once he and Peyton got engaged. Outside of moments where he was with the rest of the group, Kelcey included, Aaron hadn’t really had any chance to simply have a conversation with Kelcey at all, and despite the immense respect he held for her, he was finding it hard to actually start just that with the opportunity seemingly presented to him now. Kelcey simply gave him a smile, almost like she could see this clearly without any words being said, before she glanced over to Liane.
“Liane, is it? Would you mind giving us some time to talk one-on-one?”
“Oh, not a problem, Ms. Wallace! I kind of need to ‘clean up my act’ anyway after being on stage for a while. And maybe I can even chat with Peyton afterward about wedding plans, bride-to-bride.”
“You can just call me Kelcey, and I’m sure Pey could use another friendly face tonight.”
Liane nodded before kissing her fiancé on the cheek and practically bouncing off towards their room, with Aaron subtly smiling as he watched her leave. The feeling didn’t last, though, because as soon as he returned his attention to Kelcey, he could feel his nerves flaring up once more.
“Seems like you’ve found yourself quite the ray of sunshine to light up your life, Aaron.”
“If there’s one thing Liane’s really good at, it’s putting smiles on people’s faces, no matter the situation.”
“I can tell she also really cares about you. Otherwise, she wouldn’t sound so concerned about whatever’s going on with you because of what happened with Gio’s attack on me.”
Aaron exhaled quite audibly, his body stiffening as he felt a little afraid to know where this conversation was going now that Kelcey had replaced Liane in the driver’s seat. Even if he already knew how Liane would’ve probably scolded him a bit for letting himself take two steps back, at least it was familiar territory. With Kelcey, he was basically being led straight into the unknown, and he wasn’t sure if what he’d find there would be good or bad. His nervousness wasn’t lost on Kelcey, who motioned for Aaron to follow her as they ultimately made their way to her room in an attempt to try and help him be more relaxed and open to conversation. She was about to try and start, but found herself being cut off as Aaron’s mouth seemingly betrayed his nerves and started spilling what was weighing on his mind.
“I’m sorry Kelcey… I’m really, truly sorry for what happened that night. You got hurt because of me… because of this stupid game I’ve been wrapped up in with Shilo for way too long now. If that spotlight hadn’t been following me, Gio would’ve never been able to jump you from the darkness. He got to you because of my problems, and it should have never been able to get to that point. You have no idea how much-”
“You have nothing to apologize for Aaron.”
Aaron found his runaway train of thought suddenly screeching to a halt as he looked at Kelcey in surprise, her look and body language making it very clear she didn’t blame him for what happened or hold it against him in any regard. Clearly, he hadn’t been expecting that, and before he knew it his body was slowly leaning against the wall and sliding down to a seated position as he tried to fully comprehend exactly what had just been said to him. Kelcey certainly didn’t seem like she was going to rush him for answers, wanting him to be as alright as possible with talking to her since he was just as much a part of her ‘Perfect Pack’ as the others. When Aaron finally found his voice again, the best he could do was return to stammering.
“But… but…”
“Aaron, I can’t blame you for what happened on that night. You couldn’t have known Shilo was going to keep pulling this stunt, just as none of us knew what Gio was really planning. Gio wants you all to think that you’ve failed me, and I’m sure Shilo will try to do the same to you alone. But I’ve heard people saying I shouldn’t have even been out there in the first place far too much since then, but that’s the decision I made and one I will stand by. Nothing will change what happened.”
Aaron just stares at her blankly for a moment before putting his palms over his hands, trying to take a deep breath and recompose himself as his hands move from his face and through his hair. While this put him a little more at ease, it still didn’t solve the main issue that had been weighing on his mind since that night, and Kelcey was clearly aware that there was more to this than guilt over what had happened. She gently offered her hand and Aaron took it to be helped back to his feet, but even when he got back to that point Kelcey wasn’t letting go of his hand right away.
“I would ask if you’re feeling better, but I been at this for long enough to know better. You want to share with me what’s really on your mind?”
The creative soul hesitated for a moment, almost as though he was trying to figure out how to actually put the thought into words, but he quickly gave up and just decided to roll the dice and see what happened.
“I’ve been feeling guilty about what happened that night, but not just because of what happened to you. For a long time now… kind of most of my life, actually… I’ve been struggling with this idea that I’m kind of being… selfish, I guess? Or, selfish in the most weirdly selfless way possible. I have no problem throwing myself into the fray to help someone who needs it, especially if it’s someone I care about… you’ve seen this with how I’ve always tried to be front and center against The Wonderland even when Gio’s sights are mostly set on you and Owen in particular.”
Kelcey nods in response to this, having noticed that despite Gio’s issues with the group as a whole he’s focused mainly on her and Owen and virtually left the other three to deal with their own respective problems.
“But even when I do that… even when I took the chance to knock Matt Hodges down a few pegs while he was still trying to get into Ali’s head… when it comes to my problems with Shilo, I’ve been trying to keep it just between the two of us. Shilo clearly wants me and only me, otherwise, he wouldn’t have spent almost an entire year up to this point trying to screw with me in some fashion. I’ve been worried that if, even if I charge headfirst into helping someone else without a second thought knowing they need it, if I let anyone lend me a hand with this clown they might get needlessly hurt. …I don’t want anyone close to me to be hurt trying to involve themselves in my fight.”
Aaron can’t help but avert his gaze again, partly from the shame that he had gotten over this and ended up right back at square one and partly because he knew it sounded weird that he was refusing help even if he had a good reason despite risking his own well being by piling more onto his plate. His gaze lifted when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and the look that met his eyes from Kelcey was one of understanding.
“You’ve been thinking about this for a while, haven’t you?”
“It’s been an on and off problem throughout my life. Liane kind of talked me out of it over a potential roadblock for our wedding a while back, but what happened on that Breakdown…”
Aaron bit his bottom lip, hating to flat out admit he’d relapsed after making so much progress in trying to be a good friend and team player. His eyes slowly traveled down when he felt Kelcey slowly letting go of his hand, only to move it so that it was placed over his heart. He looked back to her with a bit of confusion, but her smile never wavered.
“Aaron, being worried about others isn’t a flaw or a weakness, as much as some people want you to believe that. The fact that you care enough to not want to risk someone else getting hurt even when you’ll have their back without a second thought is an admirable quality that sadly not many people are willing to show they have these days, but it’s something that all of you possess. I can’t even begin to tell you how worried everyone was, not just you, after that night, or how worried we all were when Alistaire was hurt. The fact that we all care about one another makes us stronger than many realize… but by that same reasoning, you need to remember that you don’t ever have to do any of this alone. Hodges, Shilo, The Wonderland… we can all fight and defend ourselves no matter what they and anyone else are willing to do, so there’s no reason to be afraid of someone getting hurt. After all, I’ve survived far worse than a picture frame being broken over my head.”
Aaron took a moment to try and process this, looking a little dumbfounded as he did so. It was very sound advice, and it ran along similar lines to what Liane had told him the last time he found himself facing this issue. But while Liane’s was more of a reminder that he had people in his life that he could trust and rely on and was more geared towards a problem that was likely far more simple to resolve than he was giving it credit for, Kelcey’s was a full-on declaration that he, and all of the Perfect Pack for that matter, were much stronger because they always had each others’ backs and could hold their own regardless of whether it was their fight or they were helping out in someone else’s. The way she said it to him, even reaffirming that she was just as strong even if she wasn’t an active competitor anymore, had seemingly ignited a fire within him that felt like it was either missing or just barely there for some time now. He couldn’t help but give her a confident smile once he’d processed everything and began to understand what he needed to do to not only push forward once more, but make sure he wasn’t going to be falling back into this trap of self-doubt ever again.
“Thank you Kelcey… I really needed this.”
“That’s why I’m here, and why I’ve chosen to guide you all. Just promise me two things: first, you’ll show Shilo exactly who you are and why his fun and games won’t ever work on you.”
“Done. And the other?”
“Make sure you don’t forget to invite us all when you and Liane finally tie the knot. We’re just as much a part of your family now too, after all.”
Kelcey couldn’t resist a more innocent smile and laugh once she’d said that, and Aaron chuckled as well as he agreed to those terms. It had been in his plans anyway, but obviously they needed to nail down a date first before invitations would come up on their to-do list, and there were still a few other loose ends to tie up on that front first.
Still, as Aaron and Kelcey parted ways for the night and Aaron returned to his room, cracking a smile along the way as he could hear what sounded like an exciting conversation between Liane and Peyton coming from the latter’s room over something wedding-related, he found his focus becoming stronger about the road that lay ahead of him. He was going to do what he could to help put an end to The Wonderland and their antics, but he was also going to close the curtain on Shilo’s fun and games as well sooner rather than later. After all, a spotlight was only going to throw him off for so long before he began to adapt to it and embrace it as a means of forcing Shilo’s hand, and if anyone else got a crack at him before the creative soul did?
Well, Shilo would have only himself to blame.
After all, if you messed with one of them, you were inviting the wrath of the entire Pack to your doorstep whether you like it or not, because that’s what they all meant to one another.
If you answered ‘a hypocrite’ then you’ve hit the jackpot.
It’s been a little while since I’ve had a chance to speak my piece like this, hasn’t it? Owen and I teamed up after Taking Hold of the Flame to deal with Las Bandidas de Gata Negra, but since then I haven’t really said a whole lot. I’ve thrown myself into the fray against The Wonderland because Gio’s made it his mission to rally his ragtag band of misfits against what he feels is the key to destroying SCW, I competed before the show even went on the air as a treat for those who were able to attend, and of course last week I had something to say to an ‘old friend’ of mine but that was about it.
Let’s focus on the first of those for a moment, shall we?
Two weeks ago, you all saw Breakdown end with a brawl between the Perfect Pack, as we’re being referred to now, and The Wonderland. During that brawl, two things happened: the first was that before any punches were thrown I found myself standing beneath the spotlight that Shilo’s been using to try and get under my skin for some time now. The second… was Giovanni Aries abusing the darkness caused by that same spotlight to ambush Kelcey Wallace, a woman who has taken me under her wing even when she didn’t have to and helped to guide the likes of Owen, Peyton, Alistaire and myself. Now, I could stand here and say a lot of things to the man who’s been trying to put me in the middle of his three-ring circus for what feels like an eternity now, but I think those are best saved at this point for when he actually has the guts to realize that all ‘good things’ must come to an end eventually.
Besides, I know it won’t stop him from continuing this charade, but what does that say about the self-proclaimed ‘greatest entertainer in SCW history’ when his act’s already gotten so stale I’m actually prepared to stand under that spotlight this time around?
This week, however, Owen and I get the chance to team up once again, and this time we’re attending to business that’s a little more personal. Standing across the ring from us this week are Cain and Alice, Gio’s most loyal followers in The Wonderland. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear them or even Gio himself ranting and raving about how Owen and I are destined for destruction or something along those lines because we’re ‘the future that must be destroyed in order to finally defeat the Lizard Kingdom.’ It’s pretty much the only argument Gio’s preaching at this point, but much like anything else he says, it only makes sense to anyone who’s just as delusional as he is and willing to listen to a man who has clearly lost all touch with reality. Now, I know I can be accused of living in my own head very often, it kind of comes with the territory of having the kind of creativity and imagination I possess, but the difference between Gio and myself is that I’m smart enough to keep one foot anchored in reality at all times. I’m not blind to anything that happens to people I truly care about or something that I should be concerned over and not simply ignore because I can just hide in my own little world, and that’s why I’m able to fight and take control of my own destiny without feeling like a slave to some idea that demands a war be waged over something that’s not actually there.
Cain, Alice, I wouldn’t doubt that you take offense to the fact that I, someone who probably would best understand where Gio’s coming from, am choosing to stand beside his chosen enemy and call bullshit on his ramblings, but I do so not just because Owen is my friend and we swore a vow a long time ago to watch each others’ backs in this business, or because I have great respect for Kelcey and am honored that she was willing to become a mentor to me. I do so because I see straight through Gio’s gospel of choice and know that every single word he’s spoken to the two of you is hollow at best. Think back to the riddle I started off with. While Owen, Peyton and I were brawling with you and I was making use of the spotlight Shilo decided to try and shackle me with, your leader exploited the same darkness caused by that spotlight in order to attack Kelcey. Now, you can easily try to blame us for not protecting her because that’s the easy narrative to fall back on, but here’s a key piece of information I think you’re trying to ignore in this puzzle:
Giovanni Aries, the man who has made it clear that he is going to destroy everything that has to do with championships and being a glory hog because it goes against the ideals of The Wonderland, was successful in his attack ONLY because he exploited a situation created by Shilo Valiant, a man whose mere existence is the embodiment of everything your leader seeks to destroy.
I don’t know about you, but… to put it in logic I think you’d understand, if I watched the man who preached to me the evils of the Lizard Kingdom and why it must be destroyed at all costs gain ground in his war by accepting aid from one of the biggest faces of the Lizard Kingdom and all its propaganda, I don’t know if I could truly trust him leading me into battle again.
You could easily accuse me of trying to divide you and make you question Gio much as he’s attempted to do with us, but I’m merely sharing a few truths that you should probably consider. After all, I don’t know if you’ve noticed beyond the haze of the bubble you try to remain confined in, but I’m not exactly a friend of Shilo’s and have no reason to ever give in to what I know he wants from me but will never fully admit. By that same token, however, I’m not going to support your misplaced ideology or simply roll over and die in the face of this attempt to try and satiate Gio’s ego over all else.
Since I know you don’t truly understand because you’ve been blindly following your mad hatter for far too long, allow me to properly introduce myself to you. My name is Aaron Blackbourne, I am a proud creative soul who will do whatever I can to not only help the people closest to me, but also open the eyes of the public to a world that many believed was lost to them. No, I’m not talking about your Wonderland, but what’s stopping everyone from simply building their own Wonderland through their dreams and desires in order to find peace, and all without having to try and make needless sacrifices to achieve an end goal that’s only going to leave you all with nothing at the end of the day.
I told Gio this a long time ago when we last crossed paths, and I’m going to repeat this to the two of you now: like it or not, you need SCW more than you realize, and if you succeed in destroying it, then what is left for the Wonderland to actually build from?
I hope the two of you are ready because Owen and I are walking into Breakdown knowing exactly what to expect, and it’s not going to stop us from sending a very clear message to your hypocrite of a leader that the only thing he’s going to destroy at the end of the day through all of this is himself. Only the two of you can truly decide whether or not you’re willing to go down with him when that happens, or if you’re actually rational enough to abandon a sinking ship when you know it’s too late.
And Shilo? I know you’ll be watching. I hope you pay close attention this week because I’ve got a message for you as well. But I think I’ll keep you waiting in suspense until it’s showtime.
----------------------------------------------------------
No matter how strong you are, sometimes all it takes is one little incident to cause a relapse.
It was a feeling Aaron had struggled with most of his life, and a side of himself he often kept hidden even when he knew better by now. He’d have some kind of problem weighing on his mind that would cause him no end of frustration, self-loathing and stress, he’d eventually find some way to conquer it and push forward again, then in the blink of an eye, he suddenly found himself right back at square one. The seemingly neverending cycle of the frailty of his ability to stay where he wanted to be mentally was, in and of itself, something that grated on his nerves, but simply trying to will it to not happen was oftentimes like trying to keep a recovering alcoholic from relapsing just because they ended up at a bar while out with some friends: much easier said than done.
Like many problems that had been bothering him lately, it could ultimately be traced back to Shilo Valiant and his bizarre obsession with the creative soul.
After a conversation with Liane some time back that helped him begin to fight off his unintentional habit of trying to make himself a heroic martyr of sorts, Aaron had tried his best to be more open about his issues and allowing for others to lend a hand when necessary in return for the help he was always willing to provide for them. It was one of the reasons why he’d managed to open up to Owen about his crisis of confidence in the wake of his second failed bid to become World Champion, and he’d seen the results of being willing to do so firsthand. There was absolutely nothing wrong with getting help in his own battles after being so willing to help others with theirs.
And then the June 24th Breakdown happened.
Aaron would never forget the end of that show. He couldn’t get that image out of his mind… he, Peyton and Owen were standing strong together to fight off The Wonderland and their newfound obsession with trying to destroy their little group as a solution for Giovanni’s twisted worldview. Unsurprisingly, the fight had been made all the more difficult by the fact that Shilo felt this was the perfect moment to play his spotlight games. Aaron, however, was able to use the spotlight as a ‘lure’ in order to help dictate the battle, making a statement to Shilo in the process that his act was no longer as effective. But when the spotlight finally disappeared, and Aaron saw the damage Gio had done to Kelcey from the shadows, he could almost feel as though he’d been thrown off a cliff and was freefalling to oblivion.
Kelcey would be fine, but she’d gotten hurt because of Aaron’s unresolved issues with Shilo, something that had nothing to do with their group’s fight against The Wonderland. Needless to say, the floodgates had broken wide open and he was once again questioning the idea of assistance for his battles when those around him needlessly got hurt in the process.
Aaron had attempted to shove that thought out of his head as he had the free time to attend one of Liane’s comedy performances that evening, hoping to distract himself from the issue through his future wife’s patented ‘laugh therapy.’ It had certainly worked for a while, and he knew his genuine enjoyment of Liane’s routine was all she needed to keep herself going on nights like this where he could see her on stage, it had faded almost immediately once the show was over and they were heading back to the hotel. He silently cursed this and hoped he could at least keep up the act until they were able to go to bed that night and he could simply sleep it off, but he knew better. They knew each other too well by this point, and Liane could pick up through their conversation on the drive back that something was off. It wasn’t until they were actually back at the hotel and heading up the stairs towards their floor that Aaron felt her grab at his wrist, tugging on it to make him stop for a moment.
“What’s wrong Aaron? And you know you can’t hide it from me by now… I love that you enjoyed my show tonight, but you’re doing that thing where you’re trying to hide something again.”
Aaron could only sigh before motioning with his head that he still wanted to head back to their room while he spilled his guts, though as he did so he was constantly shifting his gaze around. Liane knew why and couldn’t blame him. After all, they still had the other issue of this mysterious Nancy woman and her obsession with trying to aggressively psychoanalyze them for unknown reasons on their plate, and if she was silently stalking them hoping to get anything out of this conversation… well, let’s just say the couple didn’t even want to think about whatever she had planned for any of it.
“Not going to lie, this would be so much easier to talk about if we weren’t feeling paranoid about someone trying to eavesdrop for God knows what reason.”
“No kidding. Anything from Dr. Marsh-Asher yet about this meeting he wants to do?”
“Last I heard his hands were still tied, unfortunately.”
It was a thought that didn’t sit well with either of them, considering it seemed like the therapist and former SCW wrestler had found something out in regards to the woman that was attempting to invade their lives and steal his job and they needed to hear it ASAP, but the initial plan of heading to Chicago to meet him right after Breakdown two weeks ago had been derailed, partly by Aaron’s concern for Kelcey’s well-being following Gio’s attack, but mostly because James, unfortunately, had to call the meeting off and reschedule because something had happened at the orphanage he also co-ran with his sister that had gotten the police involved, and that was a twisted mess he needed to put his undivided attention towards first. As the couple reached the floor they were staying on, they shared a look that silently agreed they were hoping whatever happened wasn’t too serious.
“We’ll hear from him soon and figure this out. But I don’t see anywhere along the hallway where someone could hide, so it’s time to start talking.”
“Alright… you know that conversation we had some time back, about how I’m always able to help others but I try to keep my own battles between me and whatever the problem is?”
“I do, and I know we haven’t been able to really get a chance to deal with my parents yet, but Rise to Greatness isn’t too far off, and we’ll have plenty of time to sort that out afterward.”
“I’m not worried about that… but… I have been rethinking things after what happened to Kelcey…”
Liane frowns both at the reminder of that incident as well as the fact that Aaron’s slowly reconsidering what they’d talked about in the past, and the artist can’t help but turn his gaze to the food in an attempt to avoid seeing the look he knows his clown princess is giving him right now. He hears Liane begin to speak in responde, but she’s barely gotten a sound past her lips before being cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat. This gets the both of them to stop and realize they’d been so distracted by this conversation that they’d nearly bumped into someone, and Aaron’s eyes go wide when he realizes the person in question is the same woman who had gotten hurt to kickstart his trip back down that slippery slope of self-doubt.
“K-Kelcey…”
“You’ll have to forgive me if I’m interrupting. You kind of bumped into me on my way back to my room after helping Peyton with her workout, and I heard my name come up.”
Aaron opened his mouth, but it closed just as quickly. If he was being honest with himself for a moment, he was incredibly nervous in this situation, and not just because of the guilt he carried for Kelcey getting hurt because of the spotlight B.S. Of all the members of the ‘Perfect Pack’ as they seemed to be going by now, Aaron was the one among them who’d had the least interaction with the woman who was mentoring the group. Owen and Peyton practically seemed like they were raised by her when it came to getting into the business, and he knew Alistaire had his fair share of interactions with The Perfect Ten once he and Peyton got engaged. Outside of moments where he was with the rest of the group, Kelcey included, Aaron hadn’t really had any chance to simply have a conversation with Kelcey at all, and despite the immense respect he held for her, he was finding it hard to actually start just that with the opportunity seemingly presented to him now. Kelcey simply gave him a smile, almost like she could see this clearly without any words being said, before she glanced over to Liane.
“Liane, is it? Would you mind giving us some time to talk one-on-one?”
“Oh, not a problem, Ms. Wallace! I kind of need to ‘clean up my act’ anyway after being on stage for a while. And maybe I can even chat with Peyton afterward about wedding plans, bride-to-bride.”
“You can just call me Kelcey, and I’m sure Pey could use another friendly face tonight.”
Liane nodded before kissing her fiancé on the cheek and practically bouncing off towards their room, with Aaron subtly smiling as he watched her leave. The feeling didn’t last, though, because as soon as he returned his attention to Kelcey, he could feel his nerves flaring up once more.
“Seems like you’ve found yourself quite the ray of sunshine to light up your life, Aaron.”
“If there’s one thing Liane’s really good at, it’s putting smiles on people’s faces, no matter the situation.”
“I can tell she also really cares about you. Otherwise, she wouldn’t sound so concerned about whatever’s going on with you because of what happened with Gio’s attack on me.”
Aaron exhaled quite audibly, his body stiffening as he felt a little afraid to know where this conversation was going now that Kelcey had replaced Liane in the driver’s seat. Even if he already knew how Liane would’ve probably scolded him a bit for letting himself take two steps back, at least it was familiar territory. With Kelcey, he was basically being led straight into the unknown, and he wasn’t sure if what he’d find there would be good or bad. His nervousness wasn’t lost on Kelcey, who motioned for Aaron to follow her as they ultimately made their way to her room in an attempt to try and help him be more relaxed and open to conversation. She was about to try and start, but found herself being cut off as Aaron’s mouth seemingly betrayed his nerves and started spilling what was weighing on his mind.
“I’m sorry Kelcey… I’m really, truly sorry for what happened that night. You got hurt because of me… because of this stupid game I’ve been wrapped up in with Shilo for way too long now. If that spotlight hadn’t been following me, Gio would’ve never been able to jump you from the darkness. He got to you because of my problems, and it should have never been able to get to that point. You have no idea how much-”
“You have nothing to apologize for Aaron.”
Aaron found his runaway train of thought suddenly screeching to a halt as he looked at Kelcey in surprise, her look and body language making it very clear she didn’t blame him for what happened or hold it against him in any regard. Clearly, he hadn’t been expecting that, and before he knew it his body was slowly leaning against the wall and sliding down to a seated position as he tried to fully comprehend exactly what had just been said to him. Kelcey certainly didn’t seem like she was going to rush him for answers, wanting him to be as alright as possible with talking to her since he was just as much a part of her ‘Perfect Pack’ as the others. When Aaron finally found his voice again, the best he could do was return to stammering.
“But… but…”
“Aaron, I can’t blame you for what happened on that night. You couldn’t have known Shilo was going to keep pulling this stunt, just as none of us knew what Gio was really planning. Gio wants you all to think that you’ve failed me, and I’m sure Shilo will try to do the same to you alone. But I’ve heard people saying I shouldn’t have even been out there in the first place far too much since then, but that’s the decision I made and one I will stand by. Nothing will change what happened.”
Aaron just stares at her blankly for a moment before putting his palms over his hands, trying to take a deep breath and recompose himself as his hands move from his face and through his hair. While this put him a little more at ease, it still didn’t solve the main issue that had been weighing on his mind since that night, and Kelcey was clearly aware that there was more to this than guilt over what had happened. She gently offered her hand and Aaron took it to be helped back to his feet, but even when he got back to that point Kelcey wasn’t letting go of his hand right away.
“I would ask if you’re feeling better, but I been at this for long enough to know better. You want to share with me what’s really on your mind?”
The creative soul hesitated for a moment, almost as though he was trying to figure out how to actually put the thought into words, but he quickly gave up and just decided to roll the dice and see what happened.
“I’ve been feeling guilty about what happened that night, but not just because of what happened to you. For a long time now… kind of most of my life, actually… I’ve been struggling with this idea that I’m kind of being… selfish, I guess? Or, selfish in the most weirdly selfless way possible. I have no problem throwing myself into the fray to help someone who needs it, especially if it’s someone I care about… you’ve seen this with how I’ve always tried to be front and center against The Wonderland even when Gio’s sights are mostly set on you and Owen in particular.”
Kelcey nods in response to this, having noticed that despite Gio’s issues with the group as a whole he’s focused mainly on her and Owen and virtually left the other three to deal with their own respective problems.
“But even when I do that… even when I took the chance to knock Matt Hodges down a few pegs while he was still trying to get into Ali’s head… when it comes to my problems with Shilo, I’ve been trying to keep it just between the two of us. Shilo clearly wants me and only me, otherwise, he wouldn’t have spent almost an entire year up to this point trying to screw with me in some fashion. I’ve been worried that if, even if I charge headfirst into helping someone else without a second thought knowing they need it, if I let anyone lend me a hand with this clown they might get needlessly hurt. …I don’t want anyone close to me to be hurt trying to involve themselves in my fight.”
Aaron can’t help but avert his gaze again, partly from the shame that he had gotten over this and ended up right back at square one and partly because he knew it sounded weird that he was refusing help even if he had a good reason despite risking his own well being by piling more onto his plate. His gaze lifted when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and the look that met his eyes from Kelcey was one of understanding.
“You’ve been thinking about this for a while, haven’t you?”
“It’s been an on and off problem throughout my life. Liane kind of talked me out of it over a potential roadblock for our wedding a while back, but what happened on that Breakdown…”
Aaron bit his bottom lip, hating to flat out admit he’d relapsed after making so much progress in trying to be a good friend and team player. His eyes slowly traveled down when he felt Kelcey slowly letting go of his hand, only to move it so that it was placed over his heart. He looked back to her with a bit of confusion, but her smile never wavered.
“Aaron, being worried about others isn’t a flaw or a weakness, as much as some people want you to believe that. The fact that you care enough to not want to risk someone else getting hurt even when you’ll have their back without a second thought is an admirable quality that sadly not many people are willing to show they have these days, but it’s something that all of you possess. I can’t even begin to tell you how worried everyone was, not just you, after that night, or how worried we all were when Alistaire was hurt. The fact that we all care about one another makes us stronger than many realize… but by that same reasoning, you need to remember that you don’t ever have to do any of this alone. Hodges, Shilo, The Wonderland… we can all fight and defend ourselves no matter what they and anyone else are willing to do, so there’s no reason to be afraid of someone getting hurt. After all, I’ve survived far worse than a picture frame being broken over my head.”
Aaron took a moment to try and process this, looking a little dumbfounded as he did so. It was very sound advice, and it ran along similar lines to what Liane had told him the last time he found himself facing this issue. But while Liane’s was more of a reminder that he had people in his life that he could trust and rely on and was more geared towards a problem that was likely far more simple to resolve than he was giving it credit for, Kelcey’s was a full-on declaration that he, and all of the Perfect Pack for that matter, were much stronger because they always had each others’ backs and could hold their own regardless of whether it was their fight or they were helping out in someone else’s. The way she said it to him, even reaffirming that she was just as strong even if she wasn’t an active competitor anymore, had seemingly ignited a fire within him that felt like it was either missing or just barely there for some time now. He couldn’t help but give her a confident smile once he’d processed everything and began to understand what he needed to do to not only push forward once more, but make sure he wasn’t going to be falling back into this trap of self-doubt ever again.
“Thank you Kelcey… I really needed this.”
“That’s why I’m here, and why I’ve chosen to guide you all. Just promise me two things: first, you’ll show Shilo exactly who you are and why his fun and games won’t ever work on you.”
“Done. And the other?”
“Make sure you don’t forget to invite us all when you and Liane finally tie the knot. We’re just as much a part of your family now too, after all.”
Kelcey couldn’t resist a more innocent smile and laugh once she’d said that, and Aaron chuckled as well as he agreed to those terms. It had been in his plans anyway, but obviously they needed to nail down a date first before invitations would come up on their to-do list, and there were still a few other loose ends to tie up on that front first.
Still, as Aaron and Kelcey parted ways for the night and Aaron returned to his room, cracking a smile along the way as he could hear what sounded like an exciting conversation between Liane and Peyton coming from the latter’s room over something wedding-related, he found his focus becoming stronger about the road that lay ahead of him. He was going to do what he could to help put an end to The Wonderland and their antics, but he was also going to close the curtain on Shilo’s fun and games as well sooner rather than later. After all, a spotlight was only going to throw him off for so long before he began to adapt to it and embrace it as a means of forcing Shilo’s hand, and if anyone else got a crack at him before the creative soul did?
Well, Shilo would have only himself to blame.
After all, if you messed with one of them, you were inviting the wrath of the entire Pack to your doorstep whether you like it or not, because that’s what they all meant to one another.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Riddle me this: what do you get when you take a madman obsessed with the idea of burning everything to the ground because we’re all corrupted by the glitz and glory of wrestling, and have him launch a cowardly sneak attack on someone using a cover given to him by another man who personifies everything he has vowed to destroy?If you answered ‘a hypocrite’ then you’ve hit the jackpot.
It’s been a little while since I’ve had a chance to speak my piece like this, hasn’t it? Owen and I teamed up after Taking Hold of the Flame to deal with Las Bandidas de Gata Negra, but since then I haven’t really said a whole lot. I’ve thrown myself into the fray against The Wonderland because Gio’s made it his mission to rally his ragtag band of misfits against what he feels is the key to destroying SCW, I competed before the show even went on the air as a treat for those who were able to attend, and of course last week I had something to say to an ‘old friend’ of mine but that was about it.
Let’s focus on the first of those for a moment, shall we?
Two weeks ago, you all saw Breakdown end with a brawl between the Perfect Pack, as we’re being referred to now, and The Wonderland. During that brawl, two things happened: the first was that before any punches were thrown I found myself standing beneath the spotlight that Shilo’s been using to try and get under my skin for some time now. The second… was Giovanni Aries abusing the darkness caused by that same spotlight to ambush Kelcey Wallace, a woman who has taken me under her wing even when she didn’t have to and helped to guide the likes of Owen, Peyton, Alistaire and myself. Now, I could stand here and say a lot of things to the man who’s been trying to put me in the middle of his three-ring circus for what feels like an eternity now, but I think those are best saved at this point for when he actually has the guts to realize that all ‘good things’ must come to an end eventually.
Besides, I know it won’t stop him from continuing this charade, but what does that say about the self-proclaimed ‘greatest entertainer in SCW history’ when his act’s already gotten so stale I’m actually prepared to stand under that spotlight this time around?
This week, however, Owen and I get the chance to team up once again, and this time we’re attending to business that’s a little more personal. Standing across the ring from us this week are Cain and Alice, Gio’s most loyal followers in The Wonderland. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear them or even Gio himself ranting and raving about how Owen and I are destined for destruction or something along those lines because we’re ‘the future that must be destroyed in order to finally defeat the Lizard Kingdom.’ It’s pretty much the only argument Gio’s preaching at this point, but much like anything else he says, it only makes sense to anyone who’s just as delusional as he is and willing to listen to a man who has clearly lost all touch with reality. Now, I know I can be accused of living in my own head very often, it kind of comes with the territory of having the kind of creativity and imagination I possess, but the difference between Gio and myself is that I’m smart enough to keep one foot anchored in reality at all times. I’m not blind to anything that happens to people I truly care about or something that I should be concerned over and not simply ignore because I can just hide in my own little world, and that’s why I’m able to fight and take control of my own destiny without feeling like a slave to some idea that demands a war be waged over something that’s not actually there.
Cain, Alice, I wouldn’t doubt that you take offense to the fact that I, someone who probably would best understand where Gio’s coming from, am choosing to stand beside his chosen enemy and call bullshit on his ramblings, but I do so not just because Owen is my friend and we swore a vow a long time ago to watch each others’ backs in this business, or because I have great respect for Kelcey and am honored that she was willing to become a mentor to me. I do so because I see straight through Gio’s gospel of choice and know that every single word he’s spoken to the two of you is hollow at best. Think back to the riddle I started off with. While Owen, Peyton and I were brawling with you and I was making use of the spotlight Shilo decided to try and shackle me with, your leader exploited the same darkness caused by that spotlight in order to attack Kelcey. Now, you can easily try to blame us for not protecting her because that’s the easy narrative to fall back on, but here’s a key piece of information I think you’re trying to ignore in this puzzle:
Giovanni Aries, the man who has made it clear that he is going to destroy everything that has to do with championships and being a glory hog because it goes against the ideals of The Wonderland, was successful in his attack ONLY because he exploited a situation created by Shilo Valiant, a man whose mere existence is the embodiment of everything your leader seeks to destroy.
I don’t know about you, but… to put it in logic I think you’d understand, if I watched the man who preached to me the evils of the Lizard Kingdom and why it must be destroyed at all costs gain ground in his war by accepting aid from one of the biggest faces of the Lizard Kingdom and all its propaganda, I don’t know if I could truly trust him leading me into battle again.
You could easily accuse me of trying to divide you and make you question Gio much as he’s attempted to do with us, but I’m merely sharing a few truths that you should probably consider. After all, I don’t know if you’ve noticed beyond the haze of the bubble you try to remain confined in, but I’m not exactly a friend of Shilo’s and have no reason to ever give in to what I know he wants from me but will never fully admit. By that same token, however, I’m not going to support your misplaced ideology or simply roll over and die in the face of this attempt to try and satiate Gio’s ego over all else.
Since I know you don’t truly understand because you’ve been blindly following your mad hatter for far too long, allow me to properly introduce myself to you. My name is Aaron Blackbourne, I am a proud creative soul who will do whatever I can to not only help the people closest to me, but also open the eyes of the public to a world that many believed was lost to them. No, I’m not talking about your Wonderland, but what’s stopping everyone from simply building their own Wonderland through their dreams and desires in order to find peace, and all without having to try and make needless sacrifices to achieve an end goal that’s only going to leave you all with nothing at the end of the day.
I told Gio this a long time ago when we last crossed paths, and I’m going to repeat this to the two of you now: like it or not, you need SCW more than you realize, and if you succeed in destroying it, then what is left for the Wonderland to actually build from?
I hope the two of you are ready because Owen and I are walking into Breakdown knowing exactly what to expect, and it’s not going to stop us from sending a very clear message to your hypocrite of a leader that the only thing he’s going to destroy at the end of the day through all of this is himself. Only the two of you can truly decide whether or not you’re willing to go down with him when that happens, or if you’re actually rational enough to abandon a sinking ship when you know it’s too late.
And Shilo? I know you’ll be watching. I hope you pay close attention this week because I’ve got a message for you as well. But I think I’ll keep you waiting in suspense until it’s showtime.