09-05-2021, 03:14 AM
09-08-2021, 02:45 PM
A new, confident, happy Ricky James smiles back at himself in the mirror as he finishes buttoning up a nice white dress shirt. Confident and happy are two adjectives that were seldomly used to describe Ricky James in the past, unless one was referring to false confidence and the facade of the “old” Ricky James with The Silent Majority. Since his hiatus after Retribution and his return at Rise to Greatness, Ricky James has completely changed his tune, acting in ways we have never seen before.
It began when Ricky voluntarily entered the TLC match at Rise to Greatness. The “old” Ricky would have never done that. He was deathly afraid of heights, and as we saw at Retribution, he would do whatever he could to avoid a match like that. After months of self-reflection, Ricky made a triumphant return, conquering his fear of heights and comfortably climbing ladders multiple times throughout the match. Unfortunately, Ricky did not emerge victorious, though he did look very impressive in the match.
The old Ricky James would immediately begin pointing fingers, deflecting the blame for his loss to someone else. The old Ricky would begin brainstorming with The Silent Majority on ways to explain to SCW fans why it was someone else’s fault that he lost. Rudy Powell and Lucy Huckabee Sanders continued this pattern of behavior, desperately trying to frame the loss as yet another conspiracy against The Silent Majority. The reality is, Rudy and Lucy have been relying on Ricky’s earnings since his SCW career began, and Ricky as a champion would mean more money for them.
Ricky did not choose to go that route this time. Ironically, he had a case for Rudy Powell costing him the match with his grand golf cart entrance and subsequent distractions during the match. Ricky didn’t blame anyone for the loss, though. He didn’t even blame Rudy. Ricky James came out on the following Breakdown to congratulate Holly Adams on her Adrenaline Title victory and to reveal his true identity to the SCW fans: Ricardo Jimenez, former Mexican wrestler who recently immigrated to the United States - a far cry from the man Ricky claimed to be before.
This did not sit well with Rudy Powell, who technically still represents The Silent Majority, but clearly does not represent Ricky. Rudy attempted to silence Ricky in a last ditch effort to preserve the facade of Ricky James being a born and raised American. Ricky wasn’t having it. It is clear that Ricky is calling his own shots now, while Rudy and Lucy Huckabee Sanders cling to their last bit of hope in the original Silent Majority message.
Ricky James is clearly a changed man, playing to the fans, owning his losses, and showing respect to his competitors. Though the change has not yet translated to wins, Ricky has clearly become a bigger part of SCW programming, finding himself in the new Breakdown intro video and competing against marquee opponents. One could argue The Silent Majority helped Ricky establish himself in SCW, but Ricky would argue his own decisions have propelled him up the card.
As Ricky awaits an answer from Gavin Taylor on a possible match at Apocalypse, he finds himself in a match this week against one of the greatest superstars in SCW history, Ace Marshall. Ace is fresh off a Taking Hold of the Flame victory and a main event match at Rise to Greatness. While Lucy Huckabee Sanders and Rudy Powell may feel more comfortable parading around with a defaced SCW TV Title, it is clear to Ricky and the rest of SCW that a match against Ace Marshall is much better for Ricky’s exposure and career.
Ricky takes a deep breath and flashes another smile as he turns the bathroom light off and begins to head off to the airport to travel to Nebraska for Breakdown. He grabs his luggage and makes his way to the door when suddenly he hears loud, aggressive knocking. Who could that possibly be? Ricky had distanced himself from anyone close to him in America, which was sadly just Lucy Huckabee Sanders and his bigoted neighbor Joe. Nonetheless, Ricky shrugs and opens the door.
Standing in the doorway is a dirty, disheveled, and noticeably rancid smelling Lucy Huckabee Sanders. Ricky’s jaw drops. He has never seen Lucy in this state. Although he knows the “put togetherness” of Lucy is mostly a facade, he could never imagine Lucy getting to this point.
Ricky: Uh, you alright there Luce?
Lucy blankly stares at Ricky for a moment before bursting out into tears. She ducks her head down and cries into her hands, continuing to just stand in the doorway. Ricky slowly begins to put his arm around Lucy to console her, but the smell overcomes him and he has to take a few steps back.
Ricky: Can I….can I get you anything?
Lucy shakes her head while keeping it buried in her hands, continuing to sob. She takes a few steps into the house and sits down on Ricky’s couch, much to the chagrin of Ricky, who couldn’t get out “Not the couch!” before Lucy carried her stench into the room. Though Ricky feels a bit of disdain for Lucy after all The Silent Majority shenanigans, he still ultimately cares deeply for her, and the new Ricky is full of compassion. Ricky takes a deep breath before sitting down on the couch next to Lucy while trying to keep a bit of space between the two.
Ricky: Lucy, please. Tell me what’s going on.
Lucy slowly stops sobbing and takes a few deep breaths as she lifts her head up.
LHS: I’m fucked, Ricky. I’m so fucked. Mike kicked me out and cut me off. I have no money. Do you know where I had to get this dress?
Ricky: Uh….
LHS: WALMART, Ric! WALMART! The cheaper Target!
Ricky: Oh...no….that must be so hard for you…
LHS: I need a favor, Ric.
Ricky sighs. He really does not want to help Lucy, but he still cares too much to let her suffer.
Ricky: What’s that?
LHS: Can I stay with you for a little bit? I just can’t take it anymore where I’m at…
Ricky: And where is that?
Lucy looks incredibly ashamed as she hesitates before answering.
LHS: Rudy’s…..
All of a sudden, everything about Lucy’s appearance now makes sense to Ricky. Rudy Powell is one of the most disgusting human beings on the planet. Ricky begins to feel sympathy for Lucy.
Ricky: Oh God….why would you subject yourself to that, Luce?
LHS: I had nowhere to go, Ric. I wasn’t going to beg to stay with you. Well, I wasn’t until now…
Ricky sighs and shakes his head.
Ricky: I don’t know, Lucy. We’ll have to discuss this later. This isn’t a great time. I’m on my way to the airport…
LHS: Oh! Could I catch a ride? ….and possibly borrow some money for a plane ticket?
Ricky rolls his eyes and drops his head. As much as he wants to say no, Ricky doesn’t have it in him to let Lucy suffer.
Ricky: Okay…..under one condition.
LHS: Yes! Anything Ric….
Ricky: Please use my shower before we leave. Like, right now. It’s pretty bad, Luce.
Lucy looks incredibly offended and glares at Ricky, but then gets a whiff of her armpit and nods.
Ricky: Just leave your clothes outside the door so I can wash them for you. Hurry up, I was planning on leaving now but I can give you about a half hour. You’ll either have to wear some of my old clothes or wear a wet dress….I’ll let the Uber driver know we’ll need the windows down for the trip…
Lucy shamefully makes her way to the bathroom. Ricky sighs again as he makes his way to the laundry room to prepare the washing machine. While completing the mindless tasks, Ricky begins to drift off into his own thoughts. In his mind he flashes back to his and Lucy’s wedding day. He shuffles through memories of Lucy and how beautiful she has always looked to him. Through his entire time in the United States, Lucy has been in Ricky’s life. Despite having constant doubts and ultimately distancing himself from her, Ricky has always had feelings for Lucy. These feelings, and perhaps a bit of his newfound compassion for others, have clearly outweighed all the bad Lucy has done to Ricky over the last year.
Ricky begins to weigh the pros and cons of letting Lucy live with him. Does he really want to put himself in the same toxic situation he was in a few months ago? Is it worth it to him to help Lucy, or should he just be done with her completely? As he continues to weigh the positives and negatives, Ricky thinks about what he has done for himself since going on his own. He thinks about the TLC match at Rise to Greatness, then his challenge to Gavin Taylor. He then begins to think about his upcoming match with Ace Marshall, and what an honor it will be to take on one of the best in SCW. Suddenly all thoughts of Lucy have completely left his mind as he focuses on this week’s Breakdown.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ace Marshall. Wow. Am I really starting to make it here? It seems like just yesterday I was buried on the lower card, facing a bunch of unknowns. They’d put me against local talent, or maybe a Derek Adonis here and there. Every now and then I’d be up against some greats, but it was usually in some larger gimmick match, like a battle royal, scaffold scramble, TLC match. Sure those matches are big, but it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. You really need to come out of those victorious for anyone to remember you even being in the match. People will remember Datura and Holly Adams. But in a few years, will anyone remember Ricky James was in those matches?
Maybe they will. Maybe they’ll remember me embarrassing myself on that scaffold. Hopefully they’ll forget. I wish I could forget about it. Unfortunately I’ll never forget that. But the best way to handle that is to just move on. Don’t dwell on the past, let’s look ahead. I have an opportunity one on one against Ace Marshall in one of the top matches on Breakdown this week. I’ve faced some greats one on one. Hall of Famers like Jay Gold and Tommy Valentine, both of whom I was somehow able to defeat with that circus at ringside.
I mean no disrespect to Jay Gold and Tommy Valentine. They are Hall of Fame wrestlers for a reason. But both are clearly past their prime, at least compared to Ace. Ace will undoubtedly be my toughest challenge yet. He’s already accomplished so much in SCW and he’s still continuing to dominate. He has won the Tag Team titles, won Taking Hold of the Flame, and main evented Rise to Greatness just in the past 4 months. He’s a three-time World Champion. He has done it all in SCW and is at the peak of his career.
I’ve actually been very fortunate in my first year in SCW. I’ve had various title opportunities. I’ve had chances at a World Title match. I got to kick off Rise to Greatness this year. But this match - this opportunity - to take on undisputedly one of the greatest of all-time - is my biggest break yet. Ricky James vs. Ace Marshall. I still can’t believe it. I’m sure nobody else can believe it either. And I’m sure no one is giving me a chance. But, could you imagine what would happen if I pulled it off? Imagine the possibilities if Ricky James can defeat Ace Marshall while still in his prime?
I can say I’m more focused than ever. I can say I’ve gotten rid of the distractions that have previously held me back. I’m going to need more than that, though. I’ll need to be at my best and thensome. And maybe I catch Ace on an off night. He does seem to be a little preoccupied with some other issues. He seems to be fixated on Cid Turner getting a World Title match, thinking it is Jake Starr instead. I can’t really blame him - when I first moved here I thought all white guys looked the same too. On top of that, he’s got that Lexy Chapel distraction, which I am all too familiar with.
This could be an opening for me. For once, my opponent may have a bigger circus around him than me. As long as Powell keeps his nose out of my business, I should be clear on my end. I would worry about Lucy, but something tells me she’ll keep a low profile this week. I just need Rudy and Lucy to stay out and maybe, maybe I’ll have a fighting chance.
I don’t want to blame them. Win or lose, I will own the outcome. I just know I need to be free of my own distractions to be at my best. I need to be at my best to have a fighting chance. It’s Ace Marshall. Ace Freaking Marshall. What an opponent. What an opportunity.
-------------------------------------------------------
“I thought you had to leave? Hello?! Ric?”
Ricky snaps out of his own thoughts as he hears Lucy Huckabee Sanders exiting the bathroom. Ricky steps back out of the laundry room, having never washed Lucy’s dirty dress. His jaw drops as he sees a freshly showered Lucy Huckabee Sanders wearing nothing but one of Ricky’s American Flag towels. Ricky can’t muster any words as he looks at Lucy, who is starting to grow impatient.
LHS: Ric?! What’s going on? Do you have clothes for me? My dress? Hello?
Ricky remains unable to answer Lucy. He can’t stop thinking about how beautiful Lucy looks to him. The focus on Ace Marshall has rapidly shifted back to Lucy. Ricky couldn’t manage to remember to wash Lucy’s dress as he got sidetracked thinking about his match, and now he can’t even manage to focus on getting ready to leave. As much as Ricky would like to think he’s focused on his career, his feelings for Lucy are still very much on his mind. He starts imagining Lucy without the towel on and thinks about the two of them making love. Lucy, almost at her breaking point, walks up to Ricky and snaps her fingers in his face. Ricky shakes his head and looks down, getting a glance of Lucy’s cleavage as the American Flag towel drops slightly. He smiles and finally is able to blurt out three words.
Ricky: God Bless America.
It began when Ricky voluntarily entered the TLC match at Rise to Greatness. The “old” Ricky would have never done that. He was deathly afraid of heights, and as we saw at Retribution, he would do whatever he could to avoid a match like that. After months of self-reflection, Ricky made a triumphant return, conquering his fear of heights and comfortably climbing ladders multiple times throughout the match. Unfortunately, Ricky did not emerge victorious, though he did look very impressive in the match.
The old Ricky James would immediately begin pointing fingers, deflecting the blame for his loss to someone else. The old Ricky would begin brainstorming with The Silent Majority on ways to explain to SCW fans why it was someone else’s fault that he lost. Rudy Powell and Lucy Huckabee Sanders continued this pattern of behavior, desperately trying to frame the loss as yet another conspiracy against The Silent Majority. The reality is, Rudy and Lucy have been relying on Ricky’s earnings since his SCW career began, and Ricky as a champion would mean more money for them.
Ricky did not choose to go that route this time. Ironically, he had a case for Rudy Powell costing him the match with his grand golf cart entrance and subsequent distractions during the match. Ricky didn’t blame anyone for the loss, though. He didn’t even blame Rudy. Ricky James came out on the following Breakdown to congratulate Holly Adams on her Adrenaline Title victory and to reveal his true identity to the SCW fans: Ricardo Jimenez, former Mexican wrestler who recently immigrated to the United States - a far cry from the man Ricky claimed to be before.
This did not sit well with Rudy Powell, who technically still represents The Silent Majority, but clearly does not represent Ricky. Rudy attempted to silence Ricky in a last ditch effort to preserve the facade of Ricky James being a born and raised American. Ricky wasn’t having it. It is clear that Ricky is calling his own shots now, while Rudy and Lucy Huckabee Sanders cling to their last bit of hope in the original Silent Majority message.
Ricky James is clearly a changed man, playing to the fans, owning his losses, and showing respect to his competitors. Though the change has not yet translated to wins, Ricky has clearly become a bigger part of SCW programming, finding himself in the new Breakdown intro video and competing against marquee opponents. One could argue The Silent Majority helped Ricky establish himself in SCW, but Ricky would argue his own decisions have propelled him up the card.
As Ricky awaits an answer from Gavin Taylor on a possible match at Apocalypse, he finds himself in a match this week against one of the greatest superstars in SCW history, Ace Marshall. Ace is fresh off a Taking Hold of the Flame victory and a main event match at Rise to Greatness. While Lucy Huckabee Sanders and Rudy Powell may feel more comfortable parading around with a defaced SCW TV Title, it is clear to Ricky and the rest of SCW that a match against Ace Marshall is much better for Ricky’s exposure and career.
Ricky takes a deep breath and flashes another smile as he turns the bathroom light off and begins to head off to the airport to travel to Nebraska for Breakdown. He grabs his luggage and makes his way to the door when suddenly he hears loud, aggressive knocking. Who could that possibly be? Ricky had distanced himself from anyone close to him in America, which was sadly just Lucy Huckabee Sanders and his bigoted neighbor Joe. Nonetheless, Ricky shrugs and opens the door.
Standing in the doorway is a dirty, disheveled, and noticeably rancid smelling Lucy Huckabee Sanders. Ricky’s jaw drops. He has never seen Lucy in this state. Although he knows the “put togetherness” of Lucy is mostly a facade, he could never imagine Lucy getting to this point.
Ricky: Uh, you alright there Luce?
Lucy blankly stares at Ricky for a moment before bursting out into tears. She ducks her head down and cries into her hands, continuing to just stand in the doorway. Ricky slowly begins to put his arm around Lucy to console her, but the smell overcomes him and he has to take a few steps back.
Ricky: Can I….can I get you anything?
Lucy shakes her head while keeping it buried in her hands, continuing to sob. She takes a few steps into the house and sits down on Ricky’s couch, much to the chagrin of Ricky, who couldn’t get out “Not the couch!” before Lucy carried her stench into the room. Though Ricky feels a bit of disdain for Lucy after all The Silent Majority shenanigans, he still ultimately cares deeply for her, and the new Ricky is full of compassion. Ricky takes a deep breath before sitting down on the couch next to Lucy while trying to keep a bit of space between the two.
Ricky: Lucy, please. Tell me what’s going on.
Lucy slowly stops sobbing and takes a few deep breaths as she lifts her head up.
LHS: I’m fucked, Ricky. I’m so fucked. Mike kicked me out and cut me off. I have no money. Do you know where I had to get this dress?
Ricky: Uh….
LHS: WALMART, Ric! WALMART! The cheaper Target!
Ricky: Oh...no….that must be so hard for you…
LHS: I need a favor, Ric.
Ricky sighs. He really does not want to help Lucy, but he still cares too much to let her suffer.
Ricky: What’s that?
LHS: Can I stay with you for a little bit? I just can’t take it anymore where I’m at…
Ricky: And where is that?
Lucy looks incredibly ashamed as she hesitates before answering.
LHS: Rudy’s…..
All of a sudden, everything about Lucy’s appearance now makes sense to Ricky. Rudy Powell is one of the most disgusting human beings on the planet. Ricky begins to feel sympathy for Lucy.
Ricky: Oh God….why would you subject yourself to that, Luce?
LHS: I had nowhere to go, Ric. I wasn’t going to beg to stay with you. Well, I wasn’t until now…
Ricky sighs and shakes his head.
Ricky: I don’t know, Lucy. We’ll have to discuss this later. This isn’t a great time. I’m on my way to the airport…
LHS: Oh! Could I catch a ride? ….and possibly borrow some money for a plane ticket?
Ricky rolls his eyes and drops his head. As much as he wants to say no, Ricky doesn’t have it in him to let Lucy suffer.
Ricky: Okay…..under one condition.
LHS: Yes! Anything Ric….
Ricky: Please use my shower before we leave. Like, right now. It’s pretty bad, Luce.
Lucy looks incredibly offended and glares at Ricky, but then gets a whiff of her armpit and nods.
Ricky: Just leave your clothes outside the door so I can wash them for you. Hurry up, I was planning on leaving now but I can give you about a half hour. You’ll either have to wear some of my old clothes or wear a wet dress….I’ll let the Uber driver know we’ll need the windows down for the trip…
Lucy shamefully makes her way to the bathroom. Ricky sighs again as he makes his way to the laundry room to prepare the washing machine. While completing the mindless tasks, Ricky begins to drift off into his own thoughts. In his mind he flashes back to his and Lucy’s wedding day. He shuffles through memories of Lucy and how beautiful she has always looked to him. Through his entire time in the United States, Lucy has been in Ricky’s life. Despite having constant doubts and ultimately distancing himself from her, Ricky has always had feelings for Lucy. These feelings, and perhaps a bit of his newfound compassion for others, have clearly outweighed all the bad Lucy has done to Ricky over the last year.
Ricky begins to weigh the pros and cons of letting Lucy live with him. Does he really want to put himself in the same toxic situation he was in a few months ago? Is it worth it to him to help Lucy, or should he just be done with her completely? As he continues to weigh the positives and negatives, Ricky thinks about what he has done for himself since going on his own. He thinks about the TLC match at Rise to Greatness, then his challenge to Gavin Taylor. He then begins to think about his upcoming match with Ace Marshall, and what an honor it will be to take on one of the best in SCW. Suddenly all thoughts of Lucy have completely left his mind as he focuses on this week’s Breakdown.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ace Marshall. Wow. Am I really starting to make it here? It seems like just yesterday I was buried on the lower card, facing a bunch of unknowns. They’d put me against local talent, or maybe a Derek Adonis here and there. Every now and then I’d be up against some greats, but it was usually in some larger gimmick match, like a battle royal, scaffold scramble, TLC match. Sure those matches are big, but it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. You really need to come out of those victorious for anyone to remember you even being in the match. People will remember Datura and Holly Adams. But in a few years, will anyone remember Ricky James was in those matches?
Maybe they will. Maybe they’ll remember me embarrassing myself on that scaffold. Hopefully they’ll forget. I wish I could forget about it. Unfortunately I’ll never forget that. But the best way to handle that is to just move on. Don’t dwell on the past, let’s look ahead. I have an opportunity one on one against Ace Marshall in one of the top matches on Breakdown this week. I’ve faced some greats one on one. Hall of Famers like Jay Gold and Tommy Valentine, both of whom I was somehow able to defeat with that circus at ringside.
I mean no disrespect to Jay Gold and Tommy Valentine. They are Hall of Fame wrestlers for a reason. But both are clearly past their prime, at least compared to Ace. Ace will undoubtedly be my toughest challenge yet. He’s already accomplished so much in SCW and he’s still continuing to dominate. He has won the Tag Team titles, won Taking Hold of the Flame, and main evented Rise to Greatness just in the past 4 months. He’s a three-time World Champion. He has done it all in SCW and is at the peak of his career.
I’ve actually been very fortunate in my first year in SCW. I’ve had various title opportunities. I’ve had chances at a World Title match. I got to kick off Rise to Greatness this year. But this match - this opportunity - to take on undisputedly one of the greatest of all-time - is my biggest break yet. Ricky James vs. Ace Marshall. I still can’t believe it. I’m sure nobody else can believe it either. And I’m sure no one is giving me a chance. But, could you imagine what would happen if I pulled it off? Imagine the possibilities if Ricky James can defeat Ace Marshall while still in his prime?
I can say I’m more focused than ever. I can say I’ve gotten rid of the distractions that have previously held me back. I’m going to need more than that, though. I’ll need to be at my best and thensome. And maybe I catch Ace on an off night. He does seem to be a little preoccupied with some other issues. He seems to be fixated on Cid Turner getting a World Title match, thinking it is Jake Starr instead. I can’t really blame him - when I first moved here I thought all white guys looked the same too. On top of that, he’s got that Lexy Chapel distraction, which I am all too familiar with.
This could be an opening for me. For once, my opponent may have a bigger circus around him than me. As long as Powell keeps his nose out of my business, I should be clear on my end. I would worry about Lucy, but something tells me she’ll keep a low profile this week. I just need Rudy and Lucy to stay out and maybe, maybe I’ll have a fighting chance.
I don’t want to blame them. Win or lose, I will own the outcome. I just know I need to be free of my own distractions to be at my best. I need to be at my best to have a fighting chance. It’s Ace Marshall. Ace Freaking Marshall. What an opponent. What an opportunity.
-------------------------------------------------------
“I thought you had to leave? Hello?! Ric?”
Ricky snaps out of his own thoughts as he hears Lucy Huckabee Sanders exiting the bathroom. Ricky steps back out of the laundry room, having never washed Lucy’s dirty dress. His jaw drops as he sees a freshly showered Lucy Huckabee Sanders wearing nothing but one of Ricky’s American Flag towels. Ricky can’t muster any words as he looks at Lucy, who is starting to grow impatient.
LHS: Ric?! What’s going on? Do you have clothes for me? My dress? Hello?
Ricky remains unable to answer Lucy. He can’t stop thinking about how beautiful Lucy looks to him. The focus on Ace Marshall has rapidly shifted back to Lucy. Ricky couldn’t manage to remember to wash Lucy’s dress as he got sidetracked thinking about his match, and now he can’t even manage to focus on getting ready to leave. As much as Ricky would like to think he’s focused on his career, his feelings for Lucy are still very much on his mind. He starts imagining Lucy without the towel on and thinks about the two of them making love. Lucy, almost at her breaking point, walks up to Ricky and snaps her fingers in his face. Ricky shakes his head and looks down, getting a glance of Lucy’s cleavage as the American Flag towel drops slightly. He smiles and finally is able to blurt out three words.
Ricky: God Bless America.