09-02-2020, 08:48 AM
09-08-2020, 08:59 AM
OOC: Not the best work I've ever done, but I somehow managed to pull a Jason cd out of my arse this morning and even managed a short promo for both characters. I needed to get the cd stuff done, especially Dave's, as it's setup to what I want to do for Apocalypse. The Jason rp is cd only and finally gets something done that was meant to happen months ago. The Dave rp is cd and a joint promo with both guys at the end. No doubt that I'm gonna lose this week, but at least I got stuff up, and just in time too as I'm now about to leave for a wedding lol. Chris, Ruppy, always a pleasure guys. Good luck and enjoy!
09-08-2020, 12:09 PM
#OOC as always bro, an absolute pleasure. Bit of a catch up over the next few promo's and a new character entering the fray for a future storyline. Enjoy, and all that good stuff, and good luck Wazza
Owen #72
Owen #72
09-08-2020, 11:42 PM
OOC: So... this is one hell of a thing I wrote, and it might seem weird that I pulled the trigger on it now considering there's a PPV just days away, but honestly? This is the next step I planned to take with this story, and I knew that utilizing the break period following RtG (which is chronologically when this takes place) was the perfect time to finally go ahead with it. I know exactly how I'm going to build off of this for Apocalypse, so it all works out. Best of luck Was, always a hell of a time whenever I find myself pitted against you!
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When one door closes, another one opens.
For as much as Aaron’s tried to subscribe to that philosophy over the years, it’s a little easier said than done half the time when doors keep getting slammed in his face even when he thinks he can finally see daylight. Whether it’s issues he was certain were finally over somehow finding a way to drag on for just a little longer, or unexpected wrenches being thrown into the plans he was trying to make, or even others simply cutting him off and trying to take an opportunity for themselves for whatever inane reason they could concoct… for whatever reason, closing a door behind him and trying to move on always seemed to be a lot harder to accomplish than it might be for virtually anybody else.
After Rise to Greatness, however, he could honestly say for the first time in… maybe ever, truth be told, he was finally free to pursue whatever other options were now on the table for him.
The usual break that followed Rise to Greatness every year was a welcome relief that allowed the creative soul the chance to let everything finally sink in. Last year around this time, he’d spent this period simultaneously recovering from rib damage and trying to somehow slam his train of thought back onto its tracks in the wake of the whole mess with Dylan’s attempt to murder him to have the blood of two Blackbournes on his hand as opposed to one, which had made the entire gap a far more uncomfortable experience than he would’ve liked. This year, however, he was able to kick back a bit and immerse himself in the realization of what he’d taken away from this year’s spectacle.
Aaron Blackbourne was finally free of Shilo Valiant.
Having that burden off his shoulders held a lot more meaning than most people would realize. True, he’d walked away that night both with a significant and decisive victory over a former multi-time World Champion and Hall of Famer, but in doing so he’d also cleared his head of any of Shilo’s attempts to set up shop there through his months of mind games and desperate attempts to figure out if he truly believed the creative soul was ripping him off or trying to declare him a worthy successor. For Aaron, that was one less problem to worry about, and that meant one less source of stress potentially fueling any attempt at a return by the one demon he truly wanted to evict from his mind more than anything else.
With this in mind, Aaron knew the best use of his time off from SCW would be fulfilling a promise he’d made some time back and, with any luck, resolving another lingering issue that could pave the way for a much smoother second half of 2020.
“Nervous?”
“It’s kind of hard not to be, considering I have absolutely no clue how they’ll react to seeing me again.”
While there were certainly other problems on their plates at the moment, they were all at points where it was really hard to actually address them until something happened and new moves could be made. The lone benefit to that, however, was being able to turn their attention to a concern that shouldn’t have been buried beneath it all to begin with, but could be addressed at long last. That was why Aaron and Liane were currently making the drive out to Royal Oak, Michigan, as much as the latter was hesitant to actually go through with this now that the opportunity had finally presented itself. Even if you could somehow discard the mess with this pseudo-therapist who seemed out to ruin their lives in the name of a major status boost for herself or forget about the months Aaron was trying to clear his head of the Shilo nonsense to focus on wrestling, the fact that these two had fairly rigorous touring schedules between their respective professions was enough of a reason to make it feel like this chance would never come. But even the comedian couldn’t deny that, at the end of the day, this was a necessary step that needed to be taken.
That was why she steeled herself as best as she could when she finally pulled their rental car into the driveway of a two story suburban home that she never thought she’d find herself at ever again.
Even as he took in the architecture of the home before his eyes and began to understand how it was able to house a family as large as the Fortes once upon a time, Aaron could see out of the corner of his eye how much Liane seemingly tried to sink into her seat, biting her bottom lip as though she would wake up and this would all be a dream. He’d be lying to her if he said he wasn’t feeling just as nervous about this… after all, the only time he’d met either one of her parents, it had been because he was protecting her from perceived harm from her father even at the risk of missing a scheduled match when he was already running late, which had turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he shuddered to think of what would’ve happened on that night had he actually been on time or even early to the arena.
Still, it was only right to include Mr. and Mrs. Forte in the loop regarding their wedding plans, both to finally try and smooth over years of long-standing tension on what would soon become a new addition to his life that he could call family and to avoid the risk of them trying to object to the union when the time came.
“We can do this Liane… I know it’s not going to be easy, but all bridges can be rebuilt if you work hard enough to re-establish a base of trust. I know your parents haven’t exactly been fond of you, but you’ve also given me all the insight I need to help you not only lay the groundwork, but also show them that I’m a worthy addition to their family.”
Aaron reached over and held her hand as he said all of this, not breaking eye contact with her through the entire speech. She could see in her beloved’s eyes that despite his own doubts and fears, he truly believed deep down that he could get through to them and start erasing years of arguments, harsh words and lack of faith. She couldn’t help but wonder if being done with Shilo at long last had given him an extra boost of confidence or not, but the fact that he was more than willing to try and mend a fence that she believed was impossible to repair made it clear that he was dedicated not only to her, but to the idea of them.
She couldn’t help but nod and give him a peck on the lips in response before they made the short trip up to the front door.
As Liane knocked and they awaited an answer, having told him along the way that their doorbell had never been properly wired so it tended to shock anyone who rang it so knocking was the safer, albeit sometimes more tedious approach, Aaron suddenly felt his mind beginning to trek towards darker thoughts. Visions of this little meeting going horribly began dancing in his head, slowly leaning towards the idea that this was never meant to be and he and Liane were never meant to be together, and trying to fight that fate was only going to cause one or both of them to be hurt at the end of the day. The one dark cloud that had been cast on his immediate painting of happiness once the show had ended was the discovery from Kelcey that Alistaire and Peyton’s engagement had fallen through, and as much as she hated spoiling the mood she had done so knowing full well he and Owen would need to play their parts in trying to help and support their little family however they could in the wake of this.
Thankfully, by the time the door was finally answered, Aaron had managed to shake these thoughts from his mind and regain his mental footing. He did wonder if Nemesis was trying to subtly play a role in the outcome of this as the tactic was a familiar one from his playbook, but that would be an issue the artist could ponder later.
Right now, he had to focus on the two sets of eyes that weren’t exactly giving him and his fiancée a warm welcome.
“Hi mom… hi dad…”
“Well, isn’t this a surprise. I didn’t think we’d ever see you come back here Liane, and with him no less.”
Mr Forte certainly wasn’t hiding the venom in his words upon seeing Aaron, and he couldn’t blame the man. After all, the only other time they’d met they almost got into a physical altercation over Liane’s well-being, and it was clear he hadn’t forgotten. He fought against every urge that demanded he show disdain for the remark, knowing it was only going to hurt more than help.
“There’s no point in letting them stand around outside honey. Please, come in guys.”
As Mrs. Forte pulled her husband back and allowed them to enter, something about the tone of her voice wasn’t sitting right with him. It was cleverly masked to appear as welcome as possible, even despite whatever problem her husband had with the two of them, but something still sounded off and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Still, he and Liane were led to the living room and offered a seat on the couch while they sat down in a pair of armchairs that were easily re-angled so they could face one another. At this point, an uncomfortable silence began to take hold, with the elder Fortes clearly waiting for some explanation for the sudden visit out of the blue -- even though Liane had called ahead to set all of this up as a way of trying to set the stage so this could even get this far in the first place. Finally, with a gentle squeeze of her hand to remind her that the love of her life was right beside her in this endeavor, she worked up the courage to speak.
“Mom… dad… I know that things haven't always been a smooth ride between us. I know you had your doubts, and understandably so, about my dream to become a comedian, and I know there’s been a rift in our family for some time now because of some… disagreements. But I couldn’t just not tell the people who brought me into this world about this… it’s only right that you know.” She paused to take a deep breath, trying to brace for whatever response she was going to get once the following words left her mouth. “Aaron and I are engaged, and I want to be able to invite you both to the wedding so you walk another of your little girls down the aisle and know that she’s in good hands.”
Mr. Forte’s expression notably seemed to soften a bit, giving Aaron his first true look at the balding man without a scowl to stand in the way. He turned to look at his wife, who briefly returned the gaze before she slowly stood up and walked over to her daughter, gently removing her hand from Aaron’s before placing it between her own.
“Honey… that’s great news, and you know we love you very much and are a lot prouder of you than I think we’ve ever been willing to admit before.”
Those words, and the glimmer of hope that came to Liane’s eyes that this wasn’t going to be as difficult as they thought… Aaron just barely caught both of them, maintaining a straight face even as he suddenly felt like he was losing his grasp on reality. The thoughts of him and Liane falling apart like how Peyton and Alistaire had plagued his every active thought all of a sudden, attempting to consume his vision and make him lose sight of what was going on around him. With a subtle grit of his teeth and a deep but quiet breath, he managed to fight off this sudden attack.
“…but I’m afraid a wedding isn’t going to be in your plans for the foreseeable future.”
And just like that, the creative soul felt a pang of regret for not taking his chance to tune out the conversation when it had been offered to him. Liane shot her mom a confused look as her hand was released and the woman slowly made her way back to her chair, no longer hiding the sweet facade she’d been wearing up to this point. Now, there was a look of genuine concern for her daughter, and God only knew where that had come from.
“What… what do you mean? Aaron and I have been planning this for months, and we wanted to talk to you before we finalized-”
“We’re sorry Liane, but as much as we’ve had our disagreements in the past, we, as your parents, know what’s best for you. And I’m afraid this psychopath has been nothing but a bad influence that’s only convinced you into thinking you were happy.”
“Excuse me!?”
Aaron felt his body involuntarily shoot up to a stand, and as much as he wanted to avoid any tension, sometimes it was hard to ignore when a spark lit the fuse, and Aaron’s fuse regarding this idea of him being a ‘psychopath’ needed to be snuffed out immediately.
“Mr. Forte, with all due respect… I know you and I had a tense first meeting, and I’ll admit that I wasn’t proud of how it went even if I still feel I was doing the right thing on that night. But I came with Liane not just to support her as her fiancé, but because I want to make amends and start over on the right foot.”
“Considering your income consists entirely of unreliable art projects and legally assaulting people on a weekly basis, I find it a little hard to believe that you know what the right foot truly is here.”
“Especially after all we were told by Liane’s therapist.”
The young couple exchanged confused glances at this. Granted, Dr. Marsh-Asher certainly operated a lot differently than any conventional doctor in his field, but even he would’ve had the courtesy to fill at least Liane in about the possibility of saying anything about their sessions to her parents. There was definitely something off here, and Aaron wasn’t going to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut any longer on that front.
“What do you mean? Dr. Marsh-Asher never told-”
“Dr. Marsh-Asher? Hon, you’re seeing Dr. Nancy Black, and she’s already helped us set up a course of action to fix everything once and for all.”
And there it was… the sudden brick wall that Aaron knew had to be waiting somewhere when he finally thought he was in the clear after dealing with one problem. It happened every single time, and he began to realize that out of all their efforts to try and spread the word to their families in regards to the greedy woman who disrespected the profession she claimed to be doing, Liane’s parents were the obvious exception they’d missed. To be fair, it was doubtful Liane would’ve been able to actually get through to them or if they’d even believed her, but surely they’d be open to listening to at least one of their kids that was helping to spread the word? Apparently that hadn’t been the case, sadly.
“Look, I don’t know what she told you, but that woman is not to be trusted. She’s abusing that profession to try and use Liane and I as stepping stones to undeserved fame, and she’s not who she says she is. Dr. James Marsh-Asher is the one who’s been helping us and-”
“So you are getting psychiatric help!”
Aaron exhaled a little louder through his nose than he intended to, but the fact of the matter was he’d walked right into that one and he knew it. The fact that he was seeing a therapist was not a matter of public record, and beyond Liane and James’ own contacts, the only other people who knew were SCW for the sake of him being cleared to compete on the grounds of his mental health. He wasn’t surprised that letting that slip likely wasn’t helping to paint him in a better light right now. This is when Liane sprang to her feet, trying to salvage the situation since this was her parents they were dealing with.
“Aaron’s not lying to you, I swear! That woman’s an expert on getting people to buy into whatever she’s selling. She purposely triggered ‘you-know-who’ just so I could hurt myself to prove whatever she wants anyone to believe about me!”
“Liane, we only want to help you-”
“Considering that before now, your ‘help’ was making me feel useless because you don’t think you can live out your dream careers anymore without even trying, it’s no surprise that I’m a little off! But I’m getting help from a REAL expert and Aaron’s been supporting me every step of the way, just as I’ve supported him, and we wanted to support you guys and-”
“That’s enough!”
Mr. Forte practically exploded out of his seat, his face an unnatural shade of red as he glared daggers through the two of them. As he took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself somewhat, his wife reached towards a folder that they hadn’t noticed sitting on the table before and pulled out a document that Liane quickly realized was something legally binding.
“We don’t want to do this honey, but it’s for your own good, and the only way we’ll ever truly be able to heal the damage done. Dr. Black has already helped us file the necessary paperwork with the state. She’s deemed you far too unstable to be able to make your own decisions at this point in time, allowing your father and I the legal authority to have you spend some time at a local mental hospital so you can get the help you truly need.”
“But she’s not-”
“As for you…” Mr. Forte pointed a finger at Aaron, the disgust very clear in his voice. “Whatever wedding plans you had are off. We don’t want you coming anywhere near our daughter, and once she’s in a proper frame of mind she’ll forget all about you and the toxic influence you’ve been on her.”
In that moment, Aaron swore his heart had become an anvil and dropped straight through his stomach and crashed into the floor. He could feel the oncoming stages of an anxiety attack as he beared witness to what felt like the one certainly in his future being burned to ashes before his very eyes, and in the midst of that haze he could swear he heard a mocking voice telling him that he’d been given fair warning but didn’t heed the visions, but if this was another stunt by a desperate demon to try and regain his strength, then Aaron was not conceding that easily… not this time.
“I promise you… you’ll be hearing from our actual therapist, and you’ll see exactly how badly you’ve been deceived all for the sake of being pawns in the destruction of your daughter’s life.”
“I’d like to see this ‘Dr. Marsh-Asher’ give it his best shot against the concrete evidence Dr. Black gave us. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to take Liane to be checked in. You can consider yourself trespassing on our property, and if you don’t leave within the next minute, I’m calling the police.”
“I’m not leaving without-”
Aaron was cut off as Liane grabbed his hand tightly, making sure to interlock their fingers so their engagement rings pressed against one another. She wanted the talking to stop, and he didn’t need to hear her voice to know exactly what she was trying to say in this moment. He hated the idea of leaving her behind, especially knowing that she wasn’t going to be taken somewhere that likely had her well-being at the forefront of their agenda, ESPECIALLY if Nancy Black had a hand in all of this, but they both knew that, legally, their hands were tied at the moment. Until he could let Dr. Marsh-Asher know so they could start getting everything sorted out, right now they were at the mercy of whatever legal documents Nancy had managed to wrangle with her deception that deemed Liane so mentally unfit for society that she was effectively at the mercy of her parents once again, for better or worse.
The two of them leaned close to one another, touching foreheads as Aaron whispered his promise to her that this was going to be resolved as quickly as he could manage, and she returned the favor with a promise that she would stand strong until he could save her. With tears in his eyes and a heart that felt like it was literally burning a hold through his chest because it didn’t want to be there anymore, Aaron slowly let go of her hand and began to slowly take his leave before her father could make any moves towards the phone. As he reached the front door, however, he paused, his hand trembling before the knob before he turned to stare at the Fortes one last time. When he finally spoke, the pain in his voice was clear, but so was the conviction that he was going to take something positive away from this mess even if it killed him.
“Liane told me all about your dreams… to be a head chef operating your own restaurant… to be a successful author… she told me all about how you think you’ve passed the point of making those dreams a reality, so you looked to your kids to live vicariously through their dreams and their successes. In doing so, you’ve become so involved in their lives that you’ve driven them all away, or hurt them without fully realizing it. Meanwhile, there’s a near forty year old man who just became SCW’s World Champion, despite everyone saying his time had long passed and he couldn’t do it anymore. There’s a man even older than him who, regardless of whether his wins or loses, keeps pushing forward with his career because he’s living his dream and no one will succeed in stopping him from doing what he loves. I have the means to help you both get off the ground and moving in the right direction, if you’re willing to just take the chance… and you have far more support than I think you realize. I just wanted you to know that…
Aaron trailed off a bit, starting to lose his nerve in the face of the chaos that had unfolded in his life in the span of however long he’s been inside this house. With one last look back, he could see the look of strength from Liane for speaking his piece regardless of the situation… more importantly, he saw the looks on both Forte parents’ faces soften, as though he actually found a way to get through to them after all and make them understand a possibility they hadn’t ever considered. Still, the situation was too volatile to keep pushing his luck, especially as Mr. Forte’s hand still slowly reached for the phone, and he took his leave.
As he tried to steady himself to make the painful drive away from the house and towards his next destination, knowing he’d need to start heading towards Houston for the first Breakdown of the new cycle, he managed to anchor everything that was going through his mind in that moment to a single belief:
No matter what, this was not the last his love’s parents would see of him, and he was not losing the most important person in his life that easily.
At this point, I really shouldn’t be surprised that this isn’t the case.
When my night came to an end at Rise to Greatness, I walked away from that ring with my arm raised in victory, overjoyed at the fact that I had finally conquered the jester who had spent two-thirds of the past year playing games with me for reasons I made very clear once I finally saw through his little charade. Between that and the break that followed, I was ready to walk into Breakdown two weeks ago in Houston and find out what was next for my creative journey now that my back was free of that proverbial monkey.
And now, here I stand, heading into the final Breakdown before Apocalypse, knowing the unfortunate truth that I’m not quite done with Shilo Valiant just yet. I want to be frustrated, I really do, because even he has to realize how long this has dragged on for, but I guess falling short at Rise to Greatness wasn’t a clear enough message for him, because once again I’m going to meet him on ‘his home turf’ and try to end this once and for all by doing what I do best… being me.
That said, I can’t really be frustrated going into this Breakdown, as much as I probably should be knowing full well what’s awaiting me on the horizon. After all, I get to walk into Portland with a rare opportunity I really haven’t truly had before. I know that sounds odd when you realize this isn’t exactly the first time I’ve stood across from the individual at the top of the mountain, but when you really think about it… when have I had a chance to simply test the waters to see whether or not I might be ready to take that next step up instead of just taking a leap of faith?
I’m well aware that my track record when it comes to championships is… a mess, to put it lightly. On one hand, I’ve managed to hold the TV Title on three separate occasions, even if a few moments along the way left a bitter taste in my mouth afterward. On the other, though, any time I’ve been able to take a stab at any other championship, I’ve always fallen short despite my best efforts, and this year alone has two clear strikes against me when it comes to the World Title in particular. It reached the point where the crux of a lot of the conversation regarding my little dance with Shilo back at Rise to Greatness was questioning whether or not I had what it took to finally prove I could win a big match, not necessarily whether or not I could finally overcome Shilo himself or all of his head games.
Thankfully, the only thing I have to think about on Breakdown is simply putting my best foot forward and testing myself to see how well I stack up now, not just as a tag team partner to my bud Owen Cruze once again, but also to two longtime veterans of this business and one of whom just so happens to be another Hall of Famer and the man holding the grand prize we’re all hunting for.
I know it sounds weird that I might have some doubts about how well Owen and I can mesh as a team, especially since we’re staring down a tandem composed of two guys who have literally known each other since birth, but I think I’m a little justified here. Sure, we’ve managed to win both times in the past where we’ve stood side-by-side in battle, but I’m pretty sure Owen and I aren’t really counting the ‘win’ we got over Cain and Alice that one night when they were simply messengers to Gio’s twisted machinations. The one win we did actually earn also feels a little tainted to me, considering I came away from that match feeling like I let my best friend down because I was plagued the entire way by the aforementioned jester trying to have some fun at my expense, as has been his M.O. throughout this entire saga. So, assuming Shilo’s going to shelve his spotlight now that he knows it’s become a stale act, I consider this the first true test of how well Owen and I are able to work together as a tag team, and I can think of no better test than a few guys we both not only respect the hell out of, but also kind of had a hand in getting my partner to this point in the first place.
David, I can’t even begin to tell you how much I’ve been hoping for something like this, even if I wasn’t quite expecting the scenario in question to be a tag match with you holding SCW’s greatest prize. I know when I addressed Shilo back at Rise to Greatness, I had quite a bit to say on the idea of legends and long-time veterans simply not knowing when their time is up. That said, there’s a big difference between you and Shilo in that regard, no matter how similar your respective lists of accolades may be. Shilo isn’t the competitor he used to be, and if I didn’t pick up on that with how much he was trying to avoid directly confronting me, I sure as hell know now after finally having an honest match with him. I can tell that the idea of not being the huge attraction he once was eats away at him constantly, and he’s deceived himself into thinking that somehow, I am his only out. You, on the other hand, don’t need to play games or screw with people to try and find some sense of validation that you still belong here with all of us ‘young kids.’
I think the Trios contract you hold, the battle royal win at Taking Hold of the Flame and the fact that you ended SCW’s biggest night of the year as World Champion all speak volumes to the fact that you’ve more than earned the right to say you can still do this.
That’s why I’m excited as all hell for this opportunity. Call me crazy if you want, but the idea of getting to test myself against the top dog right now without the title on the line actually means a lot more to me than you may think. The last two times I saw that title on the opposite side of the ring, I was directly challenging for it, practically trying to make that final ascent to the top knowing full well there would be no safety net to catch me if I fell, adding the pressure that always comes with knowing I could very well have to start from the bottom and work my way up all over again. In this match, amidst all this talk that I’ve finally proven I might actually be able to shatter that proverbial glass ceiling at long last, I get to truly put that to the test against not only the champ himself, but a man who’s also pretty much done everything there is to do in this business… and a man who’s also proven capable of overcoming Bree Lancaster, something I have to admit is an obstacle I have yet to prove I’ve been able to overcome no matter what I’ve thrown at her. That last one alone holds a lot more weight than I think you realize Dave, even at the risk of placating Bree’s ego in the aftermath of that night and the past few weeks.
This Wednesday night, there’s absolutely no risk to finding out if, with Shilo almost out of my picture entirely at long last, I finally have what it takes to finish that climb, or if there’s still more work to be done, and I look forward to being able to lock up with you.
Of course, I can’t forget that we aren’t the only guys in this match. Being that tunnel-visioned would not only be disrespectful to a man who’s had my back as much as I’ve had his since almost day one of our time here, but also a man who’s just as dangerous as his brother, something that I think a lot of people forget about in the face of all of your antics Jason. Sure, maybe I disagree with the way you go about things sometimes, even if the people you target with your games do kind of need to be knocked down a peg or two and you’re usually trying to beat them at their own game, but when you stop playing games… well, you being part of the Helms legacy sure as hell isn’t a coincidence, that’s for sure. After all, even though we’ve both come a long way since that time, you’re a former U.S. Champion, another title I’ve admittedly tried and failed to earn in the past, and you also did so by defeating a few people who have also proven to be roadblocks I have yet to overcome in my career. Obviously, that takes a lot more than having some fun at the expense of others to earn, and you’ve only become more dangerous and talented as the years have passed.
You and your brother have both been through far more than I could ever imagine Jason, both long before SCW and during your times here. Hell, if I’m being honest, this Sunday feels like the first time I’ve really found myself in a scenario where I have a completely new set of rules staring me down that I’ll need to adapt to, something you’ve no doubt become an expert at doing by this point. Plus, you’ve never been the kind of guy to let setbacks stop you, as even months removed from dealing with Gio and whatever the hell he did to you, you’re still walking out with a grin on your face, ready to either see what new challenge awaits you or aiming to kick the hornet’s nest to make something happen. Believe it or not, I respect that a lot more than some other might, because it serves as inspiration to someone like me that maybe, once I have the opening, I shouldn’t just stick to slowly but surely proving I’m worthy, but maybe start trying to take a few shots of my own to see how ready I really am in the grand scheme of things.
One thing is for sure: the four of us get to clash on Breakdown in a tag match for the ages, and one I highly doubt many fans ever thought they’d get to see. Even in the face of the huge challenges that are staring us down days from now, none of that will matter once that bell rings on Wednesday night. It’ll just be four of the very best SCW has to offer, putting it all on the line for no reason other than it being what we all do best, and those fans are going to be in for one hell of a treat when that happens.
I wish you guys the best of luck, but I’m also going to warn you: with what we managed to accomplish at Rise to Greatness, Owen and I might be a little hungrier than I think even you may fully understand, and by the time we’re all moving on to Apocalypse, Dave might need to be looking over his shoulder a little more for these two hungry kids that gave him a hell of a fight and want to prove we can go all the way when it matters most.
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When one door closes, another one opens.
For as much as Aaron’s tried to subscribe to that philosophy over the years, it’s a little easier said than done half the time when doors keep getting slammed in his face even when he thinks he can finally see daylight. Whether it’s issues he was certain were finally over somehow finding a way to drag on for just a little longer, or unexpected wrenches being thrown into the plans he was trying to make, or even others simply cutting him off and trying to take an opportunity for themselves for whatever inane reason they could concoct… for whatever reason, closing a door behind him and trying to move on always seemed to be a lot harder to accomplish than it might be for virtually anybody else.
After Rise to Greatness, however, he could honestly say for the first time in… maybe ever, truth be told, he was finally free to pursue whatever other options were now on the table for him.
The usual break that followed Rise to Greatness every year was a welcome relief that allowed the creative soul the chance to let everything finally sink in. Last year around this time, he’d spent this period simultaneously recovering from rib damage and trying to somehow slam his train of thought back onto its tracks in the wake of the whole mess with Dylan’s attempt to murder him to have the blood of two Blackbournes on his hand as opposed to one, which had made the entire gap a far more uncomfortable experience than he would’ve liked. This year, however, he was able to kick back a bit and immerse himself in the realization of what he’d taken away from this year’s spectacle.
Aaron Blackbourne was finally free of Shilo Valiant.
Having that burden off his shoulders held a lot more meaning than most people would realize. True, he’d walked away that night both with a significant and decisive victory over a former multi-time World Champion and Hall of Famer, but in doing so he’d also cleared his head of any of Shilo’s attempts to set up shop there through his months of mind games and desperate attempts to figure out if he truly believed the creative soul was ripping him off or trying to declare him a worthy successor. For Aaron, that was one less problem to worry about, and that meant one less source of stress potentially fueling any attempt at a return by the one demon he truly wanted to evict from his mind more than anything else.
With this in mind, Aaron knew the best use of his time off from SCW would be fulfilling a promise he’d made some time back and, with any luck, resolving another lingering issue that could pave the way for a much smoother second half of 2020.
“Nervous?”
“It’s kind of hard not to be, considering I have absolutely no clue how they’ll react to seeing me again.”
While there were certainly other problems on their plates at the moment, they were all at points where it was really hard to actually address them until something happened and new moves could be made. The lone benefit to that, however, was being able to turn their attention to a concern that shouldn’t have been buried beneath it all to begin with, but could be addressed at long last. That was why Aaron and Liane were currently making the drive out to Royal Oak, Michigan, as much as the latter was hesitant to actually go through with this now that the opportunity had finally presented itself. Even if you could somehow discard the mess with this pseudo-therapist who seemed out to ruin their lives in the name of a major status boost for herself or forget about the months Aaron was trying to clear his head of the Shilo nonsense to focus on wrestling, the fact that these two had fairly rigorous touring schedules between their respective professions was enough of a reason to make it feel like this chance would never come. But even the comedian couldn’t deny that, at the end of the day, this was a necessary step that needed to be taken.
That was why she steeled herself as best as she could when she finally pulled their rental car into the driveway of a two story suburban home that she never thought she’d find herself at ever again.
Even as he took in the architecture of the home before his eyes and began to understand how it was able to house a family as large as the Fortes once upon a time, Aaron could see out of the corner of his eye how much Liane seemingly tried to sink into her seat, biting her bottom lip as though she would wake up and this would all be a dream. He’d be lying to her if he said he wasn’t feeling just as nervous about this… after all, the only time he’d met either one of her parents, it had been because he was protecting her from perceived harm from her father even at the risk of missing a scheduled match when he was already running late, which had turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he shuddered to think of what would’ve happened on that night had he actually been on time or even early to the arena.
Still, it was only right to include Mr. and Mrs. Forte in the loop regarding their wedding plans, both to finally try and smooth over years of long-standing tension on what would soon become a new addition to his life that he could call family and to avoid the risk of them trying to object to the union when the time came.
“We can do this Liane… I know it’s not going to be easy, but all bridges can be rebuilt if you work hard enough to re-establish a base of trust. I know your parents haven’t exactly been fond of you, but you’ve also given me all the insight I need to help you not only lay the groundwork, but also show them that I’m a worthy addition to their family.”
Aaron reached over and held her hand as he said all of this, not breaking eye contact with her through the entire speech. She could see in her beloved’s eyes that despite his own doubts and fears, he truly believed deep down that he could get through to them and start erasing years of arguments, harsh words and lack of faith. She couldn’t help but wonder if being done with Shilo at long last had given him an extra boost of confidence or not, but the fact that he was more than willing to try and mend a fence that she believed was impossible to repair made it clear that he was dedicated not only to her, but to the idea of them.
She couldn’t help but nod and give him a peck on the lips in response before they made the short trip up to the front door.
As Liane knocked and they awaited an answer, having told him along the way that their doorbell had never been properly wired so it tended to shock anyone who rang it so knocking was the safer, albeit sometimes more tedious approach, Aaron suddenly felt his mind beginning to trek towards darker thoughts. Visions of this little meeting going horribly began dancing in his head, slowly leaning towards the idea that this was never meant to be and he and Liane were never meant to be together, and trying to fight that fate was only going to cause one or both of them to be hurt at the end of the day. The one dark cloud that had been cast on his immediate painting of happiness once the show had ended was the discovery from Kelcey that Alistaire and Peyton’s engagement had fallen through, and as much as she hated spoiling the mood she had done so knowing full well he and Owen would need to play their parts in trying to help and support their little family however they could in the wake of this.
Thankfully, by the time the door was finally answered, Aaron had managed to shake these thoughts from his mind and regain his mental footing. He did wonder if Nemesis was trying to subtly play a role in the outcome of this as the tactic was a familiar one from his playbook, but that would be an issue the artist could ponder later.
Right now, he had to focus on the two sets of eyes that weren’t exactly giving him and his fiancée a warm welcome.
“Hi mom… hi dad…”
“Well, isn’t this a surprise. I didn’t think we’d ever see you come back here Liane, and with him no less.”
Mr Forte certainly wasn’t hiding the venom in his words upon seeing Aaron, and he couldn’t blame the man. After all, the only other time they’d met they almost got into a physical altercation over Liane’s well-being, and it was clear he hadn’t forgotten. He fought against every urge that demanded he show disdain for the remark, knowing it was only going to hurt more than help.
“There’s no point in letting them stand around outside honey. Please, come in guys.”
As Mrs. Forte pulled her husband back and allowed them to enter, something about the tone of her voice wasn’t sitting right with him. It was cleverly masked to appear as welcome as possible, even despite whatever problem her husband had with the two of them, but something still sounded off and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Still, he and Liane were led to the living room and offered a seat on the couch while they sat down in a pair of armchairs that were easily re-angled so they could face one another. At this point, an uncomfortable silence began to take hold, with the elder Fortes clearly waiting for some explanation for the sudden visit out of the blue -- even though Liane had called ahead to set all of this up as a way of trying to set the stage so this could even get this far in the first place. Finally, with a gentle squeeze of her hand to remind her that the love of her life was right beside her in this endeavor, she worked up the courage to speak.
“Mom… dad… I know that things haven't always been a smooth ride between us. I know you had your doubts, and understandably so, about my dream to become a comedian, and I know there’s been a rift in our family for some time now because of some… disagreements. But I couldn’t just not tell the people who brought me into this world about this… it’s only right that you know.” She paused to take a deep breath, trying to brace for whatever response she was going to get once the following words left her mouth. “Aaron and I are engaged, and I want to be able to invite you both to the wedding so you walk another of your little girls down the aisle and know that she’s in good hands.”
Mr. Forte’s expression notably seemed to soften a bit, giving Aaron his first true look at the balding man without a scowl to stand in the way. He turned to look at his wife, who briefly returned the gaze before she slowly stood up and walked over to her daughter, gently removing her hand from Aaron’s before placing it between her own.
“Honey… that’s great news, and you know we love you very much and are a lot prouder of you than I think we’ve ever been willing to admit before.”
Those words, and the glimmer of hope that came to Liane’s eyes that this wasn’t going to be as difficult as they thought… Aaron just barely caught both of them, maintaining a straight face even as he suddenly felt like he was losing his grasp on reality. The thoughts of him and Liane falling apart like how Peyton and Alistaire had plagued his every active thought all of a sudden, attempting to consume his vision and make him lose sight of what was going on around him. With a subtle grit of his teeth and a deep but quiet breath, he managed to fight off this sudden attack.
“…but I’m afraid a wedding isn’t going to be in your plans for the foreseeable future.”
And just like that, the creative soul felt a pang of regret for not taking his chance to tune out the conversation when it had been offered to him. Liane shot her mom a confused look as her hand was released and the woman slowly made her way back to her chair, no longer hiding the sweet facade she’d been wearing up to this point. Now, there was a look of genuine concern for her daughter, and God only knew where that had come from.
“What… what do you mean? Aaron and I have been planning this for months, and we wanted to talk to you before we finalized-”
“We’re sorry Liane, but as much as we’ve had our disagreements in the past, we, as your parents, know what’s best for you. And I’m afraid this psychopath has been nothing but a bad influence that’s only convinced you into thinking you were happy.”
“Excuse me!?”
Aaron felt his body involuntarily shoot up to a stand, and as much as he wanted to avoid any tension, sometimes it was hard to ignore when a spark lit the fuse, and Aaron’s fuse regarding this idea of him being a ‘psychopath’ needed to be snuffed out immediately.
“Mr. Forte, with all due respect… I know you and I had a tense first meeting, and I’ll admit that I wasn’t proud of how it went even if I still feel I was doing the right thing on that night. But I came with Liane not just to support her as her fiancé, but because I want to make amends and start over on the right foot.”
“Considering your income consists entirely of unreliable art projects and legally assaulting people on a weekly basis, I find it a little hard to believe that you know what the right foot truly is here.”
“Especially after all we were told by Liane’s therapist.”
The young couple exchanged confused glances at this. Granted, Dr. Marsh-Asher certainly operated a lot differently than any conventional doctor in his field, but even he would’ve had the courtesy to fill at least Liane in about the possibility of saying anything about their sessions to her parents. There was definitely something off here, and Aaron wasn’t going to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut any longer on that front.
“What do you mean? Dr. Marsh-Asher never told-”
“Dr. Marsh-Asher? Hon, you’re seeing Dr. Nancy Black, and she’s already helped us set up a course of action to fix everything once and for all.”
And there it was… the sudden brick wall that Aaron knew had to be waiting somewhere when he finally thought he was in the clear after dealing with one problem. It happened every single time, and he began to realize that out of all their efforts to try and spread the word to their families in regards to the greedy woman who disrespected the profession she claimed to be doing, Liane’s parents were the obvious exception they’d missed. To be fair, it was doubtful Liane would’ve been able to actually get through to them or if they’d even believed her, but surely they’d be open to listening to at least one of their kids that was helping to spread the word? Apparently that hadn’t been the case, sadly.
“Look, I don’t know what she told you, but that woman is not to be trusted. She’s abusing that profession to try and use Liane and I as stepping stones to undeserved fame, and she’s not who she says she is. Dr. James Marsh-Asher is the one who’s been helping us and-”
“So you are getting psychiatric help!”
Aaron exhaled a little louder through his nose than he intended to, but the fact of the matter was he’d walked right into that one and he knew it. The fact that he was seeing a therapist was not a matter of public record, and beyond Liane and James’ own contacts, the only other people who knew were SCW for the sake of him being cleared to compete on the grounds of his mental health. He wasn’t surprised that letting that slip likely wasn’t helping to paint him in a better light right now. This is when Liane sprang to her feet, trying to salvage the situation since this was her parents they were dealing with.
“Aaron’s not lying to you, I swear! That woman’s an expert on getting people to buy into whatever she’s selling. She purposely triggered ‘you-know-who’ just so I could hurt myself to prove whatever she wants anyone to believe about me!”
“Liane, we only want to help you-”
“Considering that before now, your ‘help’ was making me feel useless because you don’t think you can live out your dream careers anymore without even trying, it’s no surprise that I’m a little off! But I’m getting help from a REAL expert and Aaron’s been supporting me every step of the way, just as I’ve supported him, and we wanted to support you guys and-”
“That’s enough!”
Mr. Forte practically exploded out of his seat, his face an unnatural shade of red as he glared daggers through the two of them. As he took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself somewhat, his wife reached towards a folder that they hadn’t noticed sitting on the table before and pulled out a document that Liane quickly realized was something legally binding.
“We don’t want to do this honey, but it’s for your own good, and the only way we’ll ever truly be able to heal the damage done. Dr. Black has already helped us file the necessary paperwork with the state. She’s deemed you far too unstable to be able to make your own decisions at this point in time, allowing your father and I the legal authority to have you spend some time at a local mental hospital so you can get the help you truly need.”
“But she’s not-”
“As for you…” Mr. Forte pointed a finger at Aaron, the disgust very clear in his voice. “Whatever wedding plans you had are off. We don’t want you coming anywhere near our daughter, and once she’s in a proper frame of mind she’ll forget all about you and the toxic influence you’ve been on her.”
In that moment, Aaron swore his heart had become an anvil and dropped straight through his stomach and crashed into the floor. He could feel the oncoming stages of an anxiety attack as he beared witness to what felt like the one certainly in his future being burned to ashes before his very eyes, and in the midst of that haze he could swear he heard a mocking voice telling him that he’d been given fair warning but didn’t heed the visions, but if this was another stunt by a desperate demon to try and regain his strength, then Aaron was not conceding that easily… not this time.
“I promise you… you’ll be hearing from our actual therapist, and you’ll see exactly how badly you’ve been deceived all for the sake of being pawns in the destruction of your daughter’s life.”
“I’d like to see this ‘Dr. Marsh-Asher’ give it his best shot against the concrete evidence Dr. Black gave us. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to take Liane to be checked in. You can consider yourself trespassing on our property, and if you don’t leave within the next minute, I’m calling the police.”
“I’m not leaving without-”
Aaron was cut off as Liane grabbed his hand tightly, making sure to interlock their fingers so their engagement rings pressed against one another. She wanted the talking to stop, and he didn’t need to hear her voice to know exactly what she was trying to say in this moment. He hated the idea of leaving her behind, especially knowing that she wasn’t going to be taken somewhere that likely had her well-being at the forefront of their agenda, ESPECIALLY if Nancy Black had a hand in all of this, but they both knew that, legally, their hands were tied at the moment. Until he could let Dr. Marsh-Asher know so they could start getting everything sorted out, right now they were at the mercy of whatever legal documents Nancy had managed to wrangle with her deception that deemed Liane so mentally unfit for society that she was effectively at the mercy of her parents once again, for better or worse.
The two of them leaned close to one another, touching foreheads as Aaron whispered his promise to her that this was going to be resolved as quickly as he could manage, and she returned the favor with a promise that she would stand strong until he could save her. With tears in his eyes and a heart that felt like it was literally burning a hold through his chest because it didn’t want to be there anymore, Aaron slowly let go of her hand and began to slowly take his leave before her father could make any moves towards the phone. As he reached the front door, however, he paused, his hand trembling before the knob before he turned to stare at the Fortes one last time. When he finally spoke, the pain in his voice was clear, but so was the conviction that he was going to take something positive away from this mess even if it killed him.
“Liane told me all about your dreams… to be a head chef operating your own restaurant… to be a successful author… she told me all about how you think you’ve passed the point of making those dreams a reality, so you looked to your kids to live vicariously through their dreams and their successes. In doing so, you’ve become so involved in their lives that you’ve driven them all away, or hurt them without fully realizing it. Meanwhile, there’s a near forty year old man who just became SCW’s World Champion, despite everyone saying his time had long passed and he couldn’t do it anymore. There’s a man even older than him who, regardless of whether his wins or loses, keeps pushing forward with his career because he’s living his dream and no one will succeed in stopping him from doing what he loves. I have the means to help you both get off the ground and moving in the right direction, if you’re willing to just take the chance… and you have far more support than I think you realize. I just wanted you to know that…
Aaron trailed off a bit, starting to lose his nerve in the face of the chaos that had unfolded in his life in the span of however long he’s been inside this house. With one last look back, he could see the look of strength from Liane for speaking his piece regardless of the situation… more importantly, he saw the looks on both Forte parents’ faces soften, as though he actually found a way to get through to them after all and make them understand a possibility they hadn’t ever considered. Still, the situation was too volatile to keep pushing his luck, especially as Mr. Forte’s hand still slowly reached for the phone, and he took his leave.
As he tried to steady himself to make the painful drive away from the house and towards his next destination, knowing he’d need to start heading towards Houston for the first Breakdown of the new cycle, he managed to anchor everything that was going through his mind in that moment to a single belief:
No matter what, this was not the last his love’s parents would see of him, and he was not losing the most important person in his life that easily.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It feels weird, addressing all of you like this once again. It’s a feeling I’ve missed, to be honest, though I’ll also be the first to admit that I thought when this time came, I’d be addressing you all as a man who had finally moved on.At this point, I really shouldn’t be surprised that this isn’t the case.
When my night came to an end at Rise to Greatness, I walked away from that ring with my arm raised in victory, overjoyed at the fact that I had finally conquered the jester who had spent two-thirds of the past year playing games with me for reasons I made very clear once I finally saw through his little charade. Between that and the break that followed, I was ready to walk into Breakdown two weeks ago in Houston and find out what was next for my creative journey now that my back was free of that proverbial monkey.
And now, here I stand, heading into the final Breakdown before Apocalypse, knowing the unfortunate truth that I’m not quite done with Shilo Valiant just yet. I want to be frustrated, I really do, because even he has to realize how long this has dragged on for, but I guess falling short at Rise to Greatness wasn’t a clear enough message for him, because once again I’m going to meet him on ‘his home turf’ and try to end this once and for all by doing what I do best… being me.
That said, I can’t really be frustrated going into this Breakdown, as much as I probably should be knowing full well what’s awaiting me on the horizon. After all, I get to walk into Portland with a rare opportunity I really haven’t truly had before. I know that sounds odd when you realize this isn’t exactly the first time I’ve stood across from the individual at the top of the mountain, but when you really think about it… when have I had a chance to simply test the waters to see whether or not I might be ready to take that next step up instead of just taking a leap of faith?
I’m well aware that my track record when it comes to championships is… a mess, to put it lightly. On one hand, I’ve managed to hold the TV Title on three separate occasions, even if a few moments along the way left a bitter taste in my mouth afterward. On the other, though, any time I’ve been able to take a stab at any other championship, I’ve always fallen short despite my best efforts, and this year alone has two clear strikes against me when it comes to the World Title in particular. It reached the point where the crux of a lot of the conversation regarding my little dance with Shilo back at Rise to Greatness was questioning whether or not I had what it took to finally prove I could win a big match, not necessarily whether or not I could finally overcome Shilo himself or all of his head games.
Thankfully, the only thing I have to think about on Breakdown is simply putting my best foot forward and testing myself to see how well I stack up now, not just as a tag team partner to my bud Owen Cruze once again, but also to two longtime veterans of this business and one of whom just so happens to be another Hall of Famer and the man holding the grand prize we’re all hunting for.
I know it sounds weird that I might have some doubts about how well Owen and I can mesh as a team, especially since we’re staring down a tandem composed of two guys who have literally known each other since birth, but I think I’m a little justified here. Sure, we’ve managed to win both times in the past where we’ve stood side-by-side in battle, but I’m pretty sure Owen and I aren’t really counting the ‘win’ we got over Cain and Alice that one night when they were simply messengers to Gio’s twisted machinations. The one win we did actually earn also feels a little tainted to me, considering I came away from that match feeling like I let my best friend down because I was plagued the entire way by the aforementioned jester trying to have some fun at my expense, as has been his M.O. throughout this entire saga. So, assuming Shilo’s going to shelve his spotlight now that he knows it’s become a stale act, I consider this the first true test of how well Owen and I are able to work together as a tag team, and I can think of no better test than a few guys we both not only respect the hell out of, but also kind of had a hand in getting my partner to this point in the first place.
David, I can’t even begin to tell you how much I’ve been hoping for something like this, even if I wasn’t quite expecting the scenario in question to be a tag match with you holding SCW’s greatest prize. I know when I addressed Shilo back at Rise to Greatness, I had quite a bit to say on the idea of legends and long-time veterans simply not knowing when their time is up. That said, there’s a big difference between you and Shilo in that regard, no matter how similar your respective lists of accolades may be. Shilo isn’t the competitor he used to be, and if I didn’t pick up on that with how much he was trying to avoid directly confronting me, I sure as hell know now after finally having an honest match with him. I can tell that the idea of not being the huge attraction he once was eats away at him constantly, and he’s deceived himself into thinking that somehow, I am his only out. You, on the other hand, don’t need to play games or screw with people to try and find some sense of validation that you still belong here with all of us ‘young kids.’
I think the Trios contract you hold, the battle royal win at Taking Hold of the Flame and the fact that you ended SCW’s biggest night of the year as World Champion all speak volumes to the fact that you’ve more than earned the right to say you can still do this.
That’s why I’m excited as all hell for this opportunity. Call me crazy if you want, but the idea of getting to test myself against the top dog right now without the title on the line actually means a lot more to me than you may think. The last two times I saw that title on the opposite side of the ring, I was directly challenging for it, practically trying to make that final ascent to the top knowing full well there would be no safety net to catch me if I fell, adding the pressure that always comes with knowing I could very well have to start from the bottom and work my way up all over again. In this match, amidst all this talk that I’ve finally proven I might actually be able to shatter that proverbial glass ceiling at long last, I get to truly put that to the test against not only the champ himself, but a man who’s also pretty much done everything there is to do in this business… and a man who’s also proven capable of overcoming Bree Lancaster, something I have to admit is an obstacle I have yet to prove I’ve been able to overcome no matter what I’ve thrown at her. That last one alone holds a lot more weight than I think you realize Dave, even at the risk of placating Bree’s ego in the aftermath of that night and the past few weeks.
This Wednesday night, there’s absolutely no risk to finding out if, with Shilo almost out of my picture entirely at long last, I finally have what it takes to finish that climb, or if there’s still more work to be done, and I look forward to being able to lock up with you.
Of course, I can’t forget that we aren’t the only guys in this match. Being that tunnel-visioned would not only be disrespectful to a man who’s had my back as much as I’ve had his since almost day one of our time here, but also a man who’s just as dangerous as his brother, something that I think a lot of people forget about in the face of all of your antics Jason. Sure, maybe I disagree with the way you go about things sometimes, even if the people you target with your games do kind of need to be knocked down a peg or two and you’re usually trying to beat them at their own game, but when you stop playing games… well, you being part of the Helms legacy sure as hell isn’t a coincidence, that’s for sure. After all, even though we’ve both come a long way since that time, you’re a former U.S. Champion, another title I’ve admittedly tried and failed to earn in the past, and you also did so by defeating a few people who have also proven to be roadblocks I have yet to overcome in my career. Obviously, that takes a lot more than having some fun at the expense of others to earn, and you’ve only become more dangerous and talented as the years have passed.
You and your brother have both been through far more than I could ever imagine Jason, both long before SCW and during your times here. Hell, if I’m being honest, this Sunday feels like the first time I’ve really found myself in a scenario where I have a completely new set of rules staring me down that I’ll need to adapt to, something you’ve no doubt become an expert at doing by this point. Plus, you’ve never been the kind of guy to let setbacks stop you, as even months removed from dealing with Gio and whatever the hell he did to you, you’re still walking out with a grin on your face, ready to either see what new challenge awaits you or aiming to kick the hornet’s nest to make something happen. Believe it or not, I respect that a lot more than some other might, because it serves as inspiration to someone like me that maybe, once I have the opening, I shouldn’t just stick to slowly but surely proving I’m worthy, but maybe start trying to take a few shots of my own to see how ready I really am in the grand scheme of things.
One thing is for sure: the four of us get to clash on Breakdown in a tag match for the ages, and one I highly doubt many fans ever thought they’d get to see. Even in the face of the huge challenges that are staring us down days from now, none of that will matter once that bell rings on Wednesday night. It’ll just be four of the very best SCW has to offer, putting it all on the line for no reason other than it being what we all do best, and those fans are going to be in for one hell of a treat when that happens.
I wish you guys the best of luck, but I’m also going to warn you: with what we managed to accomplish at Rise to Greatness, Owen and I might be a little hungrier than I think even you may fully understand, and by the time we’re all moving on to Apocalypse, Dave might need to be looking over his shoulder a little more for these two hungry kids that gave him a hell of a fight and want to prove we can go all the way when it matters most.