Trios Tournament 2022 Quarterfinals
2 RP per character in Trios Tournament (6 RP max per team)
3500 word max per RP
Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET THURSDAY, December 15, 2022 (NOTE DEADLINE DATE)
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December 9th
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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The incidents and events surrounding the life of Glory Braddock would have broken most ordinary individuals. These incidents would have rocked someone as tough and rugged as The British Bombshell to the core. Braddock has heard rumors and talk of a faction within her corporate board of directors plotting a hostile takeover to push her out of power, she has learned her that her oldest daughter Melinda Braddock is yet again dating arch nemesis Clyde Sutter, and to top it all off, Glory’s mother, Mary Kurinsky, has passed away, leaving Braddock without either one of her parents. Those close to her noticed the decline in her mental state. Notably Kurt Logan, her husband, noticed how his beloved wife Glory seemed to decline into madness after these three incidents occurred all at once, as if they were planned by some sadistic designer just to see how much she could take.
Yet suddenly the London native began to get better. She was calm, cool, and collected. It was as if she had no problems in the world. In fact, she began to have a run of success. She would go on to win the SCW United States Championship at Apocalypse. And despite losing it the next month at Under Attack, Braddock would not let that loss bring her down. In fact, she would go on one month later to win the MWE World Championship at their five year anniversary show, marking her seventeenth overall career world championship victory.
Most of her friends and family have simply shrugged it off as Glory doing what Glory does best. She is a fighter and a survivor. Glory can endure the most difficult and challenging of circumstances. This was no different. She refused to let the talk of a hostile takeover distract her, she refused to let her daughter’s drama distract her, and she refused to let the grief of the loss of her mother distract her. She continued to fight on and she earned two more championship victories. And now she stands on the precipice of yet another history making moment; with Chance Owens and Josh Hudson as her tag team partners, Glory Braddock could win her third Trios Tournament. A record setting achievement, to be sure. Even with the prospect of having to team with Hudson, a man whom she has been feuding with for the better part of 2022, Glory is still confident that her success will lead her to a Trios Tournament victory. And her friends and family do not find any of that unusual. That is just Glory Braddock being Glory Braddock.
Kurt Logan knows better. He knows her better than anyone else because Glory is his wife. He knows that something does not add up, that there is something hidden underneath the surface that The British Bombshell is refusing to reveal to the rest of the world, including himself. His wife is good at putting on a good front for the public. But in private she rarely is able to have such a quick emotional turnaround as the one she has just recently had. None of it makes sense to Kurt but he does intend to talk to his wife, to try and wrap his head around this.
Glory and her family are finishing up dinner in their luxurious dining room in their home at Miami, Florida. Kurt is currently washing the dishes but is keeping a close eye on his wife, who sits at the head of the table dressed in a knee length royal purple skirt, a matching purple blouse, and high heel sandals. Her long blonde hair is pulled into a ponytail in the back. Sitting perpendicular, to Glory’s left, is her youngest daughter Dawn, who has eaten most but not all of her roast beef dinner this evening. She is poking her remaining food with a fork but clearly is uninterested in finishing it. Kurt uses this opportunity to get his wife alone.
“Dawnie…” Kurt says in a sweet tone as he stops doing dishes long enough to turn and face his daughter “...are you going to finish that?”
“Nah…” Dawn says with a sigh.
“Well if you’re done you can go on upstairs to your room and play.”
“But mom said I had to finish it.”
“Don’t worry.” Kurt says as he kisses her on the head. “I think mom will find it in her heart to let you go.” He looks up at Glory and winks. Dawn looks at her hopefully. Braddock finally nods her head, giving in to her daughter and husband’s pressure.
“Yeah, right, run along then, Dawn.”
“Are you sure, mom?”
“I’m sure.” Glory smiles warmly at her daughter. “Go and have fun.”
“Yaaaaay!” Dawn happily hops off the chair she was just sitting in and bolts out of the room. Once she is gone Kurt chuckles softly to himself.
“I wish I still had her energy.”
“If we could bottle and sell it we’d be millionaires.”
“I think you’re already making plenty of cash, Miss Money Bags.” Kurt says as he takes Dawn’s plate off the table and brings it to the kitchen sink. Between Glorious Golden Enterprise, wrestling for SCW, and wrestling for MWE, you are making a boatload of money. You, me, Dawn, we’re living quite comfortably. Dare I say, we live in the lap of luxury.”
“Yes but what good is it, love?” Glory says as she watches her husband begin the process of washing Dawn’s plate along with the other plates and dishes in the kitchen sink. “You’re still doing everything around the house.”
“And the problem with that is what, exactly?” Kurt says with a sly grin. “I am a retired wrestler. You don’t need me working at the wrestling school, you have plenty of trainers there. So the only thing I am good for is to be a stay at home husband. A Stepford Husband, if you will. Isn’t that every woman’s dream? A man who will serve his wife hand and foot?”
“It IS tempting.” Glory says with a soft bit of laughter. “But that is not what I want and you know it.” The British Bombshell rises up out of her chair. She walks over to the kitchen sink and lovingly embraces her husband in a soft hug. “I love you, Kurt, and I want to be with you. I want to spend time with you and with our daughter, with Dawn. I do worry that I’m missing out on so much because of exactly what you said…I run a successful business, I wrestle for SCW, I wrestle for MWE…there is so much on my plate that I miss time with you and my daughters.” She sighs and wipes a tear from her eye. “You saw what happened with Melinda.”
“Melinda is fine.”
“The hell she is!” Glory exclaims. “She’s dating Clyde Sutter again. He is a dangerous man.”
“Melinda says that he has changed. Don’t you trust our daughter’s judgment?”
“I do trust her judgment but…” she sighs and shakes her head “...just look at her! She’s not following in my footsteps. She’s not following the Braddock code.”
“She’s doing her own thing. Children will eventually go on to take different paths from their parents. It is bound to happen.”
“But I know what’s best for them. If I had been there for Melinda things would be different. But I wasn’t there to guide her. Sutter was there to guide her and now look at her. Things will be different for Dawn.” She motions to the dishes. “That’s why this needs to change.”
“Doing dishes?” Kurt grins sheepishly. “I didn’t realize having clean dishes was a problem.”
“Not the dishes, love. It’s the fact that you are doing them. It’s the fact that sometimes I have to do them. Why should either of us have to do anything around here when we have enough cash to pay for a housekeeper, or a regular staff even?”
“We discussed this already…” Kurt says, his voice trailing off. Glory nods her head.
“Yes, and I think it’s time we went with it. I already had the interviews and found some promising prospects.”
“One of which is Jacob Samson.” Kurt says pointedly.
“Yes, Julia fired him and he needs work to keep himself out of trouble. I’m doing a good deed.”
“Right, and none of that has to do with payback, revenge against him for what he did to your sister in getting her hooked on drugs and nearly ruining her life?”
“That’s just icing on the cake, love.” Glory kisses Kurt on the cheek. “We would have a permanent staff who could look after the house and you and Dawn could travel with me on the road. We would never again have to be separated. Isn’t that just lovely?”
“Yes, it definitely sounds great.”
“Then why don’t we pull the trigger and do it?” Glory says smiling like a Cheshire Cat. “We have the money. Why don’t we use it to make our lives even more comfortable?”
“Your logic is perfectly sound.” Kurt taps Glory’s forehead. “The only problem is that I know something is wrong in there.”
“What do you mean?” Glory asks.
“You have been a wrestler since 2008. You have had that company of yours since 2012. When your father passed away a few years ago, you inherited most of his estate. You have had the wealth and resources to make this a reality for a long time now and yet only now you decide to make it a reality.”
“Kurt…” before she can finish her thought, Kurt interrupts her by pointing to a chair.
“Just sit and listen. Because you have been acting differently. Most haven’t picked up on it, not even Dawn has picked up on it, but I have picked up on it.” Braddock rolls her eyes.
“Different? How am I acting any differently?”
“Sit and I’ll explain.”
“Fine.” Glory sits down in one of the chairs and folds her arms over her chest. Kurt sits down next to her.
“Gloria, when your mother died you took it really hard. In fact, when you were receiving friends you ran out of the building crying hysterically. You broke down.”
“My mother died.” Glory says softly. It is clear that she is trying to block out that painful memory. “I was grieving. But I am fine now.”
“Are you really fine?” Kurt takes his wife’s hand and squeezes it tightly. “What you did that night was normal for a daughter grieving the loss of her mother. No one would have thought that what you did that night was unusual.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong is how quickly you turned around after that incident.” He snaps his fingers. “Its as if you flipped a switch and BAM! Instantly you are over her death, you have moved on, and everything is fine.” He shakes his head. “That is not normal behavior for a daughter who had just lost her mother.”
“Fine…” she sighs and nods her head “...you’re right, I did take the loss of my mum very hard. Extremely hard. And I will even go as far as to admit that I was on the brink of losing my mind. But I managed to find a way to handle the grief and the pain. Now I’m all better.”
“How did you handle the pain?” Kurt asks, pressing for more information. “What did you do exactly?”
“Does it matter? I’m better now. Mentally and emotionally I am in a good place. That’s all that matters.” Glory gets up and starts to walk away from her husband. Kurt stands up and decides it’s time to confront her with his suspicions.
“It DOES matter if what helped you to get to this point was Aphrodite.” Kurt states. Braddock stops dead in her tracks upon hearing this. She is silent but her silence speaks volumes. “It was Aphrodite, wasn’t it?” Kurt approaches his wife who still remains motionless. He steps in front of her. She is staring at him emotionlessly. “You have been taking an awful lot of so-called ‘business trips’ lately. That is what raised the red flags for me because you quit running the company. You let Aurora Alan and Francis Taylor run the company. You quit micromanaging things after the first time the board tried to take control of the company away from you. So I know that not all of those trips you took were business trips. You have been seeing Aphrodite Noel again, haven’t you?”
“Yes, I admit it.” She nods her head. “I have been visiting with her more often now.”
“You’re seeing her again in the middle of possible takeover rumors?” Kurt shakes his head. “That’s dangerous, Glory. The board took control of the company from you that one time years ago because you…”
“Because why? Because I disowned my family and declared myself a child of Aphrodite? They thought I was insane. All I needed was advice, Mother gave me that advice I needed; advice that helped propel my company to a powerhouse, advice that made me more money. For a time I pretended that I was no longer involved with her, just to appease the board of directors. But good advice is exactly what I need right now especially now that I am dealing with a potential hostile takeover yet again.”
“You need to be careful. I was there the last time you were close to Aphrodite. You said it turned you into a monster. Are you seriously going to risk becoming that monster again just to deal with a corporate takeover that may not even exist?”
“I have no choice!” Glory exclaims. “It isn’t just my company that I need help with…I’m also in danger of losing my oldest daughter to Clyde Sutter…I need help, I need guidance.”
“Trust your own judgment.” Kurt says as he lovingly places his hands on Glory’s shoulders. She shakes her head.
“I don’t trust my judgment. Not anymore.”
“But why her?” Kurt asks out of frustration. “Why Aphrodite?”
“It was my therapist’s suggestion. I went to see her shortly after my mom’s death. I was on the brink of madness and I went to see the therapist as a last resort. The therapist told me to find someone I was close to, someone I trusted, someone who was like a role model. Aphrodite is that person.”
“If your therapist knew who you had in mind I doubt sincerely he would have suggested that.” Kurt shakes his head. “You and her are too close.”
“Why? All she has ever done was help me. She helped me once before, giving me the corporate knowledge and political acumen to make my company a powerhouse. She has once again helped me, helped me to move on past the grief and pain of my mother’s death. All she wants in return is for me to be her daughter. And whether you like it or not, I am going to be her daughter.” Kurt looks into his wife’s eyes, past the steely eyed determination, and he can see pain.
“You’re serious about this aren’t you?”
“Losing my mother nearly sent me over the edge. The grief caused me to break. In the darkest point of my depression I realized that the only way out was to have a mother. Aphrodite is my mother now.”
“But it’s not real.”
“No, it’s not.” She nods her head in agreement. “But if living out a fantasy helps numb the pain then just leave me alone to live out my fantasy.”
And with that, The British Bombshell turns and walks off. Kurt can only watch as his wife storms away. He senses something else is wrong, that maybe there is something else she isn’t telling him. He just can’t put his finger on it. He worries about his wife but he feels powerless. He feels as if he can’t do anything to help her.
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December 12th, 2022
Northern Ireland
Off Camera
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A few days has passed since Glory Braddock finally admitted to her husband that she has been seeing Aphrodite Noel again. This was a conversation she has long dreaded. She wasn’t cheating on Kurt; Glory’s relationship with Aphrodite isn’t like that. Braddock acknowledges Aphrodite as her mother and is obedient to her as a daughter is obedient to her mother. This is a renewal of a relationship they had once before, a few years ago and Kurt was there to witness firsthand what it did to his wife back then. She became ruthless, cutthroat, and a downright “monster” in Glory’s own words. Her own behavior during this time led to the board of directors taking control of her company away from her due to her questionable mental stability. Kurt himself did not trust Aphrodite and did not like the influence she held over his wife. He tolerated it due to the fact that Glory loved Aphrodite so much. That’s all it was; toleration. Glory knew that her husband only tolerated the mother-daughter relationship they had forged. She knew that Kurt was thrilled to learn that Glory that she was going to distance herself from Aphrodite. And she knew that Kurt would not be pleased to learn that she has recently renewed her relationship with this woman.
The British Bombshell gave her husband a clear ultimatum; deal with it or leave. She made it abundantly clear that her relationship with Aphrodite would not end anytime soon and that he should just learn to deal with it. He dealt with it and tolerated it once before, Glory is hopeful that by the time she gets finished with Breakdown in a few days he will be accepting of this new normal and new reality for Glory Braddock. She is hopeful that he will once again be ready to tolerate it.
Unfortunately, there is still at least one big secret that Glory Braddock has yet to reveal to her husband. It is a secret so big, so scandalous, that she is not certain her husband is quite ready to hear it just yet. Sure, he may be able to tolerate his wife having this unique and unusual mother-daughter relationship with Aphrodite Noel, but would he be able to tolerate the fact that his wife is now sleeping with and having an active affair with her longtime childhood best friend Sophie O’Brian?
The truth is that a romantic relationship between Glory and Sophie is something Sophie has long sought after, not so much Glory. But it was Sophie who has been loyal to Glory and her family their entire lives. Every single time Glory found herself in trouble, Sophie was there to bail her out. Sophie’s loyalty to the Braddock family has known no bounds. She would do anything for the Braddock family. Sophie has always longed for, lusted after, Glory but never once said a word, never asked for it, knowing that her friend would reject it. So what has changed? Glory became Aphrodite’s daughter in exchange for Aphrodite’s advice, guidance, and love. It made sense in Glory’s now twisted, unbalanced mind that if Sophie has been so loyal and giving to her for so long that Glory should in return give Sophie the one thing Sophie has longed for.
Breakdown is in Houson, Texas in a few days. Kurt Logan thinks that his wife is on her way there this moment. Braddock will be on her way to Houston for the beginning of the SCW Trios Tournament but only after spending a day with Sophie in her home of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Glory finds herself in a luxurious dining room, one of many in Sophie’s newly inherited mansion. She is dressed for the occasion in a black long sleeve sequin cocktail dress with heels. Sophie sits across the table from her in a sleeveless teal cocktail dress and high heeled sandals.
“Do you like the steak?” Sophie asks, her voice echoing in the large dining room. Glory nods her head as she takes a sip of her red wine.
“Delicious.”
“Excellent. I was going to fire my chef if it were anything less.” A butler enters the dining room carrying a bottle of wine. He approaches Sophie.
“More wine, Ms. O’Brian?”
“Yes.” He pours her some wine. He turns and approaches Glory.
“More wine, Ms. Braddock?”
“What was that?” She asks with an arched brow.
“Do you want more wine?”
“No, my name.” Glory states, shaking her head. “In this house I am Lindsey Noel, daughter of Aphrodite Noel, and you will refer to me as such. Are we clear?”
“Yes, my apologies, Ms. Noel.”
“And the answer is no, I don’t want any more wine at this moment.” The butler nods his head and walks off. Braddock sighs and shakes her head in frustration.
“I apologize for the behavior of my staff. I will fire him post haste, my love.”
“Thank you.” Glory answers. “Still, even having incompetent staff is better than having no staff at all.”
“It does have its perks.” Sophie admits as she drinks some of her wine. “Have you discussed hiring staff with your husband?”
“Yes. I think I finally have talked him into it. It’s just a matter of how many people we hire. It is just what I needed, Sophie. It will allow me more time to spend with Kurt and our daughter Dawn.”
“Family is very important indeed.” Sophie says before making a motion with her index finger for Glory to approach. Braddock immediately rises up out of her chair and approaches Sophie. “Sit.” Sophie motions to her lap. Glory nods and sits on Sophie’s lap. “So tell me something, how does it feel to live a fantasy? How does it feel to be Lindsey Noel?”
“It feels wonderful!” Glory exclaims, shutting her eyes and smiling wide. It looks as if the blonde is in ecstasy.
“Even though you are under threat of a corporate takeover? Even though your daughter is dating a man you believe to be an abuser? Even though your biological mother has died? All of that and you still feel wonderful?” Sophie asks. Glory nods her head.
“I know all of what you just mentioned is true. But this fantasy I am living out…it is like a very strong opioid. All of that emotional and mental pain is numbed. I don’t feel it anymore. I don’t care. As long as I have Mother, as long as I have Aphrodite, I know I will be fine.” Glory kisses Sophie on the lips. “And I have you to thank, Sophie. You convinced me to take the risk. I had been tempted to reach out to her for so long but I had resisted the temptation due to the risks. But you convinced me to give in to the temptation, to become who I was truly meant to be.”
“And just look at what you have accomplished since ridding yourself of that excess pressure you had put upon yourself; in the span of two months you won the SCW United States Championship and then the MWE World Championship. And in a few days you begin your quest in the Trios Tournament, what could be your third Trios Tournament victory.” Sophie states definitively. Glory shakes her head.
“No…it WILL be my third Trios victory.”
“Even though you have to team with Hudson?”
“You forget, I got my start in 2008 as a tag team specialist. Also I already have won two Trios Tournaments. I can team with anyone, friend or foe, and make the team work. This will be…” Braddock’s rant is interrupted when she hears her cell phone ringing. She rolls her eyes. “...bloody hell! Who the hell is calling me at this hour? I thought I told everyone to leave me alone?”
“Who is it?” Sophie ask curiously. Glory pops out her cell phone and takes a look. Her eyes grow wide.
“It’s Aurora.” She says, referring to Aurora Alan, a minority shareholder and current CEO of her company. “I’m sorry, Sophie, but I must take this.”
“Of course.”
Braddock straightens herself up as she goes into another room, a fancy living room that is even nicer than the dining room. Braddock sits down on a nearby sofa and looks at her phone again. It is a FaceTime request. Glory answers it. Immediately she sees Aurora Alan, presumably live from the corporate headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Is something wrong?”
“You seem in a pleasant mood, Glory. Is that how you normally answer your calls?”
“Sorry about that, mate. I was just a little busy.”
“It looks like it. Are you and Kurt out at some fancy party?”
“No, it’s just me. I’m handling some personal business and I really should get back to it.
“Fair enough, I will try to make it as quick as possible. Do you remember how you spoke to me about a potential corporate takeover attempt?” Braddock nods her head. She does recall asking Aurora Alan to look into this matter for her. She does not fully trust Aurora Alan though. Aurora’s older brother Matthew Alan founded the company that Glory now owns. There are many within the company that are still loyal to The Alan Family and would love to see them return to power. But Aurora does strike Glory as honest, even to a fault, so she does believe Aurora would potentially get her the information she needs.
“Did you find something?”
“I’m sure you remember the time about two years ago when the FBI investigated the company thanks to Meagan Collins.”
“Yeah. Her connections to organized crime nearly got us into serious trouble.”
“Apparently Floyd Ryan, the board member who approached you with this warning of a hostile takeover from within the company, he has strong connections to organized crime; the SAME connections Meagan Collins has.”
You’re kidding me?!” Glory is stunned at this news. Aurora shakes her head.
“No joke, Glory. I would be careful with Floyd Ryan and his niece Jamie. If there is any potential plan to takeover this company, it would come from them. They are the only remaining members of the board with criminal ties.”
“That was helpful, Aurora. Thank you for looking into this for me.”
“It was my pleasure, Glory.” With that the call is disconnected. Braddock puts her phone away. She turns her head ever so slightly to see Sophie standing a few feet away. “How much of that conversation did you hear?”
“All of it.” Sophie casually makes her way over and sits down next to Glory. “So, do you want my advice, love?”
“Of course.”
“Sun Tzu says, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
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December 14th, 2022
Houston, Texas
On Camera
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The camera begins to roll; we open just outside of the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, the city that will play host to SCW Breakdown. Standing out in front of the building is the familiar figure of the ever so arrogant “British Bombshell” and reigning MWE World Champion Glory Braddock as well as her trusty sidekick Amelia Stone. Braddock is wearing an open front crop long sleeve pink jacket, a white top that shows off just a little of her midriff, and a bodycon skirt that matches the pink of her jacket. She is perched atop pink patent leather high heel pumps. Her long blonde hair hangs straight and unrestrained to past the shoulders. The British Bombshell has her MWE World Championship title belt draped over her right shoulder and the United Kingdom Championship draped over her left shoulder. Standing to Braddock’s right is her friend, ally (or lackey as some would call it) Amelia Stone. Amelia is carrying a British Union Jack flag.
“Congratulations are in store.” Braddock begins to applaud. Amelia, on the other hand, remains perfectly still. “Congratulations to my student, my STAR PUPIL, Amelia Stone! She has shown such great dignity, class, and poise. She has been such a great student and most importantly, she has been completely loyal to me. In return for her loyalty and dedication to the greatest professional wrestler of all time, I am hereby presenting her with this…” she places the UK Championship belt over Amelia’s left shoulder “...the United Kingdom Title belt.” Glory pats Amelia on the head. “Congratulations, Amelia, you have earned it.” Amelia flashes a grin. Braddock then turns back to face the camera.
“I suppose I should congratulate Owen Lee…Cruze…whatever damn name he is going by these days.” She shrugs her shoulders. “It doesn’t really matter though, does it? You are the SCW World Champion and that’s all the name that matters to the ungrateful idiots watching Breakdown week in and week out. It’s also the name that matters most to the goofs in the back. I mean, you have quite the target on your back. My deranged cousin Kimberly has a guaranteed title shot. Someone will get awarded a title shot in a glorified popularity contest. Asher Hayes has returned and suddenly decides he wants another title shot. I suppose Adam Allocco will be back in consideration now that Xander is no longer champion. But out of all of those names there is one name, one person, you should fear more than anyone else.” She pats herself on the chest.
“That’s me! What makes me dangerous is the fact that your identity as SCW World Champion is secondary to your identity as a Cruze. Your uncle screwed me out of the SCW United States Championship. He illegally put his hands on me and cost me the title. Then, just like the coward that he is, he chose to run away. He ran because he knew that when I got my hands on him I would choke his ass out.” She sighs and shakes her head. “Alas, that won’t happen. Instead I have to take my frustrations out on the next best thing and that would be you, Owen. So is it finally becoming clear why I attacked you on Breakdown? Is it becoming clear why I ruined your big moment? It isn’t just because you are the new SCW World Champion and I want to put my name in contention, although that is icing on the cake. I attacked you in order to get my revenge. Shaun Cruze stole the United States Championship from me, so I will now get payback by taking the SCW World Championship from you. So enjoy it, Owen. Enjoy it while it lasts. I intend to make your reign a living hell.”
Braddock chuckles softly as she shakes her head. “But I don’t want to get ahead of myself. My personal problems with Owen and his god forsaken family are problems I can deal with in the future. It is time to focus on the problems of the here and the now. There is a more immediate war brewing and that is the war known as Trios.” Glory holds up two fingers. “I am a two time Trios Tournament winner and starting tomorrow night in the Toyota Center here in Houston, Texas I am going to begin working towards number three.” She holds up a third finger.
“Chance Owens, you are new here so let me introduce myself to you. I am Glory Braddock. A seventeen time career World Champion, reigning MWE World Champion, former SCW World Champion, SCW United States Champion, former SCW Adrenaline Champion, and 2019 and 2020 Trios Tournament winner. You, Mr. Owens, are certainly one of the luckiest if not THE luckiest men in this damn tournament to draw ME as one of your partners. Because with me by your side, there is no possible way we are losing this tournament. And as for our Quarter Final Opponents; I OWN Polly Playtime.” She smirks knowingly. “It’s true, Polly. You may be reveling in your championship victory…congratulations, its about time you became relevant here in SCW. But I still OWN you. You have yet to earn a victory over me in any way, shape, or form. Then there’s Datura. The poor little girl who is just coming off of a crisis. You were unsure of yourself, weren’t you? You weren’t sure you deserved to be Adrenaline Champion.” She rolls her eyes.
“Obviously you did NOT deserve that title, which is why you collassly failed as soon as you dropped The Brand. Now you think you’re going to climb back to the top using the Trios Tournament? Don’t listen to Bree, Quinne, or anyone else trying to fill your head with nonsense. They are telling you lies to make you feel good about yourself. I will tell you the truth, Datura, and the truth is that your team is weak. Between you and Playtime, I’m not sure which one of you is the weaker of the weak links. The only person on that team with any capability of holding his own is James Evans.” Braddock shakes her head.
“Poor, James. I almost pity you. Almost. You are the only one worth a damn on that team of yours but you are in shark infested waters with two lead weights tied to each ankle…one lead weight is named Polly Playtime and the other lead weight is named Datura. Face it, James, you are in an unwinnable situation.” The British Bombshell laughs softly.
“Now then, I know exactly what each and every one of you morons out there are thinking. I know what all of you are dying to say…oh but Glory, can you work together with Josh Hudson? Hell, even the damn commentary team had to bring up that stupid ass question. And let me say it again, it IS a stupid question. Do you want proof? 2019, I teamed with Kellen Jeffries and Regan Street. Both of them had their own reputation for being hotheads and difficult to trust. But we mowed through the competition and won it all. 2020, Ace Marshall was on my team and Ace is the most annoying piece of garbage on the planet, but I put my problems with him, as well as my problems with David Helms, to the side to work towards a victory in that Tournament.” She shake sher head defiantly. “So do not tell me that I cannot work with Josh Hudson for the duration of this Trios Tournament.” The British Bombshell takes a quick glance at the British flag that Amelia is holding. She sighs and turns back to face the camera.
“I’m reminded of how Britain had to work with unlikely allies to achieve a common goal. It happened during World War 2 when the British empire worked with ideological foe Russia to defeat a common enemy in Germany. The British can put aside their differences for the common good. And when it comes to the Trios Tournament, knowing the prize that awaits the winners…the power to book any match of their choosing…that is something that I know a newcomer like Chance Owens would love to have to sky rocket his career. And I think that despite our differences, Hudson and I can work together so that we can win Trios and get those contracts.”
“The team of Chance Owens, Josh Hudson, and Glory Braddock are on the same page. I can guarantee it. Datura? Polly? Evans? Can you three say the same? Can Datura and Evans trust an unhinged loon like Polly? Can Evans trust Polly and Datura to hold up their end of the bargain in Trios?” Braddock shakes her head. “I think everyone knows that the answer to that question is a definitive NO! They will fall at our feet…the first of three teams to be beaten by the eventual winners of the Trios Tournament…Braddock, Owens, and Hudson.”
All I could think about as I stood before the camcorder, my child, was how badly I wanted to stomp Glory Braddock’s face in. All I could think about was how badly I wanted to step into the ring against Owen Cruze once again and take the SCW World Championship as my own for a third time. I was sickened by the fact that Glory, who managed to beat me in New York, made her presence felt at the end of Owen’s match against Xander. I was sickened by the fact that Xander was toppled by Owen, who seemed to be on the upswing after our war had ended.
I wanted to be the one to find myself across the ring from Xander, but the powers that be continued to do what I’ve said they’ve done. They plastered Owen as the golden child. Then, Glory returned to doing what she does best, which is take someone else’s shtick before passing it off as her own. I had to deal with Colleen, because she and I fought to a draw once SCW returned from Under Attack. Owen had to deal with whoever won the End of the Year title shot, and if he survived that, he’d face Kimberly Williams.
Something didn’t sit right with me if you couldn’t tell. I figured I needed to bide my time. Get as far as my team with Glory and the blonde-haired schmuck, Chance Owens, could get in the Trios tournament. I’d defend my championship against Colleen, making her regret the day she signed a contract with SCW, and move forward. I was done with the setbacks. I wanted a real challenge. I knew I’d get one if I stood in the ring against my protégé, James Evans. But then again, his mindset seemed to be different. He wasn’t one for violence all of a sudden. I stared at the camera, telling myself that I’d have to treat him the way I needed to treat Glory, Owen, and the powers that be. I needed to beat some sense into all of them.
[REC.]
“Under Attack came and went. I regained the SCW United States Championship,” I said as I patted the title, which was draped over my left shoulder before continuing, “I did what I said I’d do. I went to war inside that ring. I took the fight to Polly Playtime as well as my *sighs* partner, Glory Braddock. Sure, Glory wanted to watch Polly and I destroy one another so she could have the easy road, but a certain Cruze made sure that didn’t happen. I could care less for Shaun or Owen, but I have to commend the bastard for doing the right thing when he did.”
“Unfortunately, it’s led us to Glory bitching on Twitter and in her promos. It’s also led to Glory developing this idea that she’s worthy of competing for the SCW World Championship because Shaun’s nephew won it. Cheers to you, Owen. You defeated Xander. Come find me. We can have a real match. We can have a real test for you as champion. I’ll even put the United States title on the line. I know how badly you wanted to wrestle it from my grasp. I’m sure you won’t do it. I’m sure the front office won’t go for it. They want to stick to their carefully laid plans, which is all fine and dandy, but I said it months ago. I’m done giving. I’m here to take what I want,”I said with a wink.
“Which means…Glory…I know we have to co-exist for this tournament, how ever long we last. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to bow down to you. It doesn’t mean that you’re some sort of leader. I don’t give two squirts of piss that you’ve won this tournament two times already. I don’t like you and if you cross me, I’ll drop you where you fucking stand! I hope we’re real clear on that front. Chance, I know you’re new to this promotion, but I’m not one to take shit from anyone. I can teach you something about this business, but I could also be your worst nightmare. That’s not a threat. That’s just a fact of life, son. I expect Glory to remove her head from her ass and get the job done when the bell rings. I expect the same from you, just as I expect it from myself. I won’t stop fighting until the dust has settled and the smoke has cleared. If you want to survive in SCW, then you better be prepared to do the same, otherwise you’re wasting my time.”
A sigh escaped me,’If you want proof, Chance then look no further than the man across the ring from you. His name’s James Evans. He’s a Supreme Champion. He’s held this title, as well as the World title, twice. I trained him. I made him into a machine. I pushed him beyond his limits, and I broke him down. He survived. Didn’t you, James?”I smirked,”Long time no see, old friend. It’s good to have you back in the ring, doing what you were born to do. Did you hear that, Owen? I said…born to do. But yes, James…you were born to do this. You’ve reached the top of the mountain in the top promotion on this planet, and you’ve done it twice. We’ve been in the SCW off and on for a long time, but we’ve never truly shared the ring. We’ve never been booked in a match against one another. I’m not including battle royals because anyone can show up for those. This…this is the first legit match we’ve been scheduled to compete against one another. And I have to tell you…I’m slightly bummed about it, man.”
I shook my head, “I was excited to see you come back. As I said, you were born to do this. I was looking forward to you taking on Christy Matthews, but I know Raab had other plans. You two went at it back and forth, and it led to your match at Under Attack. Now, I’ve been in the ring against Raab, and I know he can be a crazy son of a bitch. I put him down myself, so I figured you would’ve beaten him to a pulp before leaving him where he was barely breathing. That is not what I saw at Under Attack. What I saw is a shell of the young man I trained. A shell of the greatness you’ve put on display since you decided this is what you wanted to do. And that son is going to be your downfall in this match. If you happen to make it by us, then you’ll have to step it up and turn things around, otherwise you’re going to get eaten alive.”
“And that goes for the rest of your team. I’m happy to see you again, Polly. You really brought it at Under Attack, but like you said, I was a step or two ahead of you. Your girl Colleen tried to take me out. I’m giving her another shot which, based on my experience in these situations, she’s going to show her face during this match, more than likely. She’ll take a page out of my book and try to take me out, to do anything to get herself an advantage. Polly, as I did with you at Under Attack and as I will at Breakdown, I’ll welcome that challenge. I’m ready to see how much you’ve grown after the fight we put one another through a few weeks ago. You got one over on the One, but you already know I’m a totally different breed. I’m far different than the two I’m paired with. I welcome the fight, and I’ll drag you through Hell, before leaving you there to fight your way out. Don’t get caught, Polly. And tell Colleen, it’s eye for an eye.”
“Speaking of not getting caught, there’s you, Datura. I watched you in Majestic. You arrived in SCW with so much hype that you failed to live up to when you took on David Helms. You returned and instead of David, you took on Regan. You beat her, changing the course of her life and career forever. You lost to her and you fizzled out. You came back, having a hell of a run in the Gauntlet, then in the scaffold match. You stole the show with Cid Turner. You even became the Adrenaline Champion. You’ve got a thing for James and you’ve got friends in high places on the card. That’s not bad, but what really counts is your consistency in the ring. History tells us that you’re able to hype up those big moments, but when it comes time to pull the trigger, you often shoot blanks. Do you have a bullet in the chamber for this week, or is it going to be another repeat? Only time will tell, but right now, I’m rooting for my team even if I want to curb stomp one third of it. You may have to take Glory’s place for the time being should our paths cross. Try not to let that happen.”I stopped speaking and leaned back away from the camera, knowing that all I could do now was wait for the bell to ring and to see where the chips fell.
[/REC.]
(The first part of this RP was written yesterday before I wound up having to stop. The second part was written today.)
- - -
“So what happened?”
“I lost my focus right near the end.”
“It could have been worse, you know... You could have lost focus near the beginning instead of near the end.”
“...Touche. Thanks, man. I needed that.”
“That's what little brothers are for, isn't it?”
“One of the things, yes.”
[And that's how we start our day... With friendly banter between brothers. Let's see who's talking, shall we? Well hello, Chance and Leo! What's got you two chatting at home today instead of being at work? Chance has a bunch of books open in front of him on the dining room table and Leo... Well, shoot. Leo's got a busted leg! Chance absently reaches out and adjusts the cushion under Leo's cast before giving the books a disgusted look.]
“Bloody insurance regulations... At least I only need fifty hours of pre-license instruction.”
[Leo shifts a little in his chair and sighs.]
“I wish they'd told you that before they hired you...”
[Chance shakes his head.]
“I know, right?”
[He finally tucks slips of paper into all the books and closes them one at a time before stretching and rubbing his eyes.]
“I have other things to focus on this week.”
[Leo knows what Chance is talking about and stacks Chance's books for him.]
“Talk about your teammates after I get back... It's my turn to check the mail.”
“Be careful, okay?”
“I will.”
[Leo gets up and grabs his crutches so he can go check the mail. Chance watches with a worried look on his face. Leo had put his crutches on the supposedly non-slip floor mat they had near the front door and the damn thing had nearly put him on his ass. He lets out the breath he was unconsciously holding when Leo comes back holding a small white grocery bag against one of his crutches. They agreed that was the best way for Leo to get the mail because his doctor hadn't given him a walking cast.]
“What's the haul today, little brother?”
[Leo laughs as he puts the bag on the table and carefully pours out the mail.]
“Looks about even between us today.”
[Chance goes through the envelopes and sorts them into the usual three piles: mail for him, mail for Leo and junk mail. The junk mail pile has four envelopes today, Leo has five and Chance has four.]
“You're the unofficial winner today, little brother. Five to four to four.”
[Leo sorts through the envelopes with his name on them, then stacks them neatly and puts them to the side.]
“I'll open them later. So what's the deal with this match you're in tomorrow?”
[Chance rubs his face with a soft exhale.]
“It's the first round of the SCW trios tournament... It's in Houston, Texas... And my partners are Glory Braddock and Josh Hudson.”
[Leo's been helping Chance familiarize himself with the roster so he knows who he's working with and who he's up against.]
“And you're facing Datura, James Evans and Polly Playtime.”
“I wouldn't have known who any of them were if you hadn't decided to help me study the roster.”
[Leo smiles as he sits down again and puts his foot back on the cushion.]
“The best way to improve is to learn, and the best way to learn is to do.”
“In other words, walk the walk in addition to talk the talk.”
“Right.”
“Tomorrow's as good a time as any to see if I can put that into practice.”
“You can... But the question is, Will you?”
[Chance goes to retort and stops. Leo has a point. Having the ability to do something isn't the same as having the desire to do it.]
“That's a good question.”
[He's suddenly hit by an incredible urge to put the entire SCW locker room on notice. It's powerful, it's fast, it's overwhelming... And he welcomes it with open arms.]
“I can... I will... And God help anyone who gets in my way!”
[Leo is caught by surprise, but it doesn't last long. He has a feeling he knows where that came from.]
“That's more like it! So what are you going to do about your match in Houston tomorrow?”
[The grin Chance gives Leo is downright wicked.]
“I'm going to make them all remember me.”
[His bags are already packed and sitting at the top of the stairs. All he has to do is get to the airport in time to catch his flight. Leo smiles broadly.]
“Good. Now what do you think about what you've seen from Josh and Glory so far?”
[Chance ponders that for a moment before he answers the question.]
“It's obvious they have their own personal issues to deal with... But given what I've learned about them, I'm going to say that's temporary and I know I can count on them to pull their weight.”
[Leo leans forward at the note in Chance's voice.]
“What's got you sounding so unsure?”
“They have history with each other.”
[Leo frowns at that.]
“And you're not completely sure they'll be on the same page. Part of you thinks they may not have put it behind them and they might go after each other instead of your opponents.”
[Josh's feud with Glory is well documented. Chance nods reluctantly.]
“Right. I mean... I'm the rookie in this match but those two are the wild cards.”
[He sighs and rubs his face with his hands.]
“All I can do is my best and hope like hell Josh and Glory can work together and work with me to move on to the next round.”
“You're starting to doubt yourself.”
[Chance shakes his head with a small smile.]
“I'm not doubting myself. I know I'm good, and I know I have what it takes to get to the top. I'm just being a normal human being. Anyone else in my position would have the same concerns.”
[Leo chuckles and concedes the point.]
“You got me there, big brother. Now, what about your opponents?”
[Chance sits back and wraps his arms around his midsection in thought.]
“Who do I start with?”
[Leo hums a little.]
“James Evans has history with Josh... From what we were able to find, Josh trained him.”
“Now I have a feeling Josh taught James everything James knows... But not everything Josh knows.”
[Leo looks at Chance and laughs.]
“That's probably the case... What's the point of teaching someone everything you know when you know they're not you?”
“Exactly! Finding your strengths should be half the journey!”
[Leo lifts his cast-covered leg to adjust it.]
“And how is your journey going?”
[Chance chuckles as he stands up and stretches before going into the kitchen to get some water.]
“You already know the answer to that.”
[He comes out and puts Leo's water bottle in front of him before settling back in his chair.]
“This is just a bump in the road.”
[Leo opens his water bottle and takes a healthy swallow of the water inside.]
“A bump in the road, huh? What made you choose that analogy?”
[Chance smiles serenely as he takes a drink from his own water bottle.]
“I do call myself the Roadblock, you know... Though right now I feel more like a speed bump.”
[Leo gives him a serious look.]
“Roadblocks usually start out as speed bumps.”
[Chance has his water bottle halfway to his mouth when Leo says that and puts it on the table.]
“What did you just say?”
“I said roadblocks usually start out as speed bumps.”
[The words tumble over in Chance's mind and settle into place with a click only he can hear.]
“That's it! Leo, you just gave me an answer I didn't even know I was looking for!”
[Leo smiles after swallowing his mouthful of water.]
“I'm happy I could help.”
[He looks at the clock before looking at Chance.]
“When does your flight leave?”
[Chance grins.]
“Six ten. Dad will be here at four to drive me to the airport.”
“Oh, good. You have time to address Datura and Polly Playtime.”
[Chance rubs his chin in thought for a moment.]
“I have no problem wrestling against women... I think it'd be safe to say women are more dangerous than men because they have more to prove.”
[Then he grins.]
“After being held down for so long, they just got tired of it and now they're fighting to prove they're just as good as men are and they're just as worthy of being treated with respect as we are.”
[He stretches out his right arm and winces when his shoulder pops, then rubs it.]
“Unfortunately for Datura and Polly Playtime, the two of them and James Evans won't be able to overcome the odds and make it past the first round in this trios tournament... The three of them have the misfortune of coming up against us. Josh Hudson, Glory Braddock and me. Chance Owens. If those three want to make it past the first round and move on in the tournament, they're going to have to do the impossible.”
[He smirks and the expression makes his eyes start to shine.]
“If they want to get anywhere, they have to go through us.”
[Leo looks at Chance with admiration and smiles.]
“Well said!”
[Chance's smirk turns into a smile and he sketches a bow while he's still sitting down.]
“Why, thank you!”
“Which set of gear did you go with this time?”
“Let me put it this way. Everyone's gonna be seeing red.”
[Leo knows which gear set Chance is referring to and his eyes light up.]
“I can't wait to watch Breakdown tomorrow night!”
[Chance laughs.]
“I was hoping you'd say that!”
[He carefully moves the stack of books so he won't accidentally knock them off the table and sets up his tablet so he and Leo can get caught up on their favorite TV shows before he has to leave. It'd be nice if they could afford a TV... Maybe they can if his wrestling career takes off.]
- - -
Houston, Texas
[Chance looks at the arena for tonight's event with a gusty sigh and his gear bag hanging off his shoulder. Despite his brave words and promises to Leo, he's still a bona fide rookie. He's just a wet behind the ears kid compared to everyone else. It's only his fourth match ever.]
“Can I really do this?”
[Someone comes up behind him and speaks quietly so as not to startle him too much.]
“Yes. You can.”
[Chance turns to his right and has to shield his eyes so he can see who's talking to him. The grin on his face when he recognizes the other person reaches his eyes and makes them twinkle.]
“I wasn't expecting to see you here!”
[Adam Brock grins and loops his arm around Chance's neck like he and his brother Liam do to each other. Adam's hair is starting to go grey now, but his eyes still have the sparkle they always did.]
“I wouldn't miss this for the world, kid.”
[Chance feels the tension start to leave his body and he smiles.]
“Thank you.”
[Then he looks back at the arena.]
“You know... This all feels surreal. Like it's a dream.”
[Adam smiles as he looks at the arena with him.]
“I felt that way too when I was first starting out.”
[Then he surprises Chance with a sigh of his own.]
“Hard to believe my first match was nineteen years ago.”
“Have you ever thought about coming back to it? I mean...”
[Adam smiles again as Chance trails off.]
“There isn't a day that goes by where I don't think about it at least once.”
“So why don't you? There's a whole crop of people like me who need someone with your in-ring experience to help guide them.”
“Physically I know I can still go toe to toe with the best of them.”
[Then he turns to look at Chance and isn't surprised when the younger man turns to face him.]
“The problem is up here.”
[And Adam reaches up to tap his temple. Chance blinks.]
“You have doubts?”
“We all have things we doubt, Chance. I haven't set foot inside a wrestling ring in eight years.”
“What makes you doubt your ability to adapt?”
[Adam takes the time to think about what Chance just asked him. The answer surprises him as much as it surprises Chance.]
“I went through hell when I moved back to Little Rock in 2012.”
“Why did you move back? Isn't your family in Philly?”
[Adam gives Chance a rueful smile.]
“That's a long story... I'll tell you after your team wins the match tonight.”
[Chance picks up on Adam's phrasing and silently wonders if he can actually help Josh and Glory win.]
“You've got more confidence in me than I do.”
[Adam chuckles quietly.]
“Someone has to other than Leo and your parents.”
[Chance smiles.]
“Thanks... That means a lot. I'd ask you to come to the ring with me but I don't know who to ask.”
[Adam knows what that means and slowly shakes his head.]
“What was their name?”
“Shaun Cruze.”
“Why does that name sound familiar?”
“Maybe you faced someone with a similar name when you were a wrestler.”
[Adam has to laugh at himself.]
“That's probably it... I did work for a lot of companies.”
[Then he smiles and lightly runs a loosely balled fist across Chance's jawline.]
“I'll be as close to the ring as I possibly can.”
“Thanks, Adam. Leo and I watched you wrestle when we were kids... You were my inspiration.”
[The look in Adam's eyes tells Chance the older man is genuinely touched. He can't remember anyone telling him that before.]
“You're the first one to tell me that, you know...”
[Chance merely raises an eyebrow.]
“That can't possibly be true.”
“As far as I can tell, it is.”
[Adam's memory problems are a known issue and Chance concedes the point with a smile and a tilt of his head.]
“Touche. Wanna come into the arena with me until the doors open?”
[Adam laughs and can't stop himself from mussing Chance's hair. It isn't that long, but it's a habit of his. Chance grins and adjusts the strap of his gear bag so it won't slide off his shoulder.]
“Chance, my young protege, I'd love to.”
[Protege. Chance looks at Adam with wide eyes.]
“You -”
“Yes, Chance. I'm going to train you. And the first thing we're going to work on is your confidence.”
[Being trained by the man he looks up to is very humbling for Chance.]
“I'm honored... And I'm humbled. Thank you.”
“The sky's the limit when you're willing to work for what you want, kid.”
[Chance sees the wistful look that comes into Adam's eyes.]
“And maybe you'll find it inside you to go after the one title you never won.”
[Adam looks at Chance, I mean really looks at him, and smiles.]
“Stranger things have happened... If I do, I do. You know?”
“I hope you do. You believe in me... And I believe in you.”
“Thanks, Chance. Come on.”
[Chance smiles and heads for the doors designated as the wrestler entrance. Adam is right behind him and the sound of his footsteps helps Chance stay relaxed. The arena staff doesn't ask questions when they see Adam come in with Chance; some of them remember him. And if he's there with Chance, it stands to reason he may be thinking about getting back into wrestling in some capacity. The one title Adam never got more than one match for is the World title, and he got screwed out of winning it by the stooges of the champion at the time. He's gotten over the way he lost... But he never got another chance to fight for the most prestigious championship in any company he was in after that. It's like Adam told Chance just before they came into the arena. Stranger things have happened.]
James Evans sat in front of the camera. He was scheduled to compete in the opening round of the upcoming Trios Tournament. He knew there would be those who’d claim they were going to win the whole thing. James had been in the tournament before, and he knew such claims typically backfired on those who made them.
He also knew that there would be those who the fans as well as wrestling insiders had picked to be the winning team right out of the gate. Teams like Owen, Ducky, and Rayvn. Allocco, Williams, and the One. James didn’t expect to be selected as part of the chosen few.
James just knew that he’d be in the ring against Chance Owens, a competitor he didn’t know much about. He’d also be against Glory Braddock, as well as his mentor, Josh Hudson. Glory and Hudson were technicians. Glory talked a big game but he knew for sure that Hudson enjoyed torturing his opponents. It was the same mindset Hudson had instilled in James during his days as merely a student. A mindset that James was trying to shake.
“Here we are again. Trios tournament is upon us. We’ll hear everyone’s intentions with contracts they’ve not won yet. Everyone plans to dominate and all that jazz. You know what I’m going to do? I can’t speak for Datura and Polly, but I know where I’m coming from. I’m going to step into the ring and I’m going to wrestle. I mean, that’s what we are here to do. We’re here to entertain the fans.”
James sighed.
“Now. I know the fans weren’t too happy with my performance at Under Attack. I know they expected me to come inches away from straight up ending Konrad Raab’s life, or just his career. I know they booed me. I heard them. I mean, how could I not? But the thing is this. It’s okay. The people…they have a voice and they love using it, letting us know how they feel. It is their right. And I feel we can give them more bang for their buck by freaking wrestling, instead of talking about being the Face, or being a Lion that’s ready to roar. I think it’s better to let our in-ring skills do the talking.”
“Someone who should believe in that, is you Glory. You’re one of the best in-ring technicians in the history of this business. Yet, you have this mentality that just makes everyone want to punch you in the throat. I mean, I’m not going to do that but I’m speaking in generalities. And I get it, Glory. You have won this tournament twice before. You’re supposed to be feared and all this stuff. But, Glory you just talk a lot these days. It takes away from what you can do in that ring. No one is going to remember your reign as U. S. Champion. They’ll just talk about how you ran from challenges.”
“I’m sure everyone is rolling their eyes at the fact that you attacked Owen. Like, it just doesn’t fit. It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t even look good on paper. If anything, you need this more than I do. I’ve literally done it all in SCW. I’m back to make up for the wrongs of my last run. It left a sour taste in my mouth. I intend to leave one in yours when I show you that I’m damn good at this. That I can out wrestle the best when they’re placed before me. Which brings me to you, Josh…”
James paused for a brief moment, as he thought of his time at Hudson’s wrestling school. All the hard work he put in, and how that hard work paid off. Exhaling, he began to speak once again.
“I heard your words. I felt that disappointment. I get it. I really do. Like so many, you want to see the monster. You expect to see the monster, but the monster…he’s not there anymore. I can’t live that way, anymore. People need to realize that and accept it. I have to do what’s best for me as well as my family. Now, I’ve got no issue with wrestling you. We can go hold for hold, but I’m not going to go out of my way to cripple you. I don’t want to make you bleed, or stretch your limbs beyond their means. I hope you understand that. If not, then I guess I’ll continue to leave you disappointed, just as I intend to do with the results at the end of our match at Breakdown.”
“At Breakdown, Chance…you and I get to cross paths. You’re trying to find your footing in the company, just as I am. Totally different paths, but we’re at the same starting point. I want to get back to where I was. I just want to do it a different way. You’re trying to get started in SCW, period. You want to achieve success. Take one look at you and you scream money. No one can deny that. It’s just up to you if you live up to that or not. You’ve got two partners who would be great teachers. One thinks they can coexist and the other wants to curb stomp them into oblivion. You’re caught in the middle. As my mentor would say, you’re a casualty of war. And if you’re not sure about yourself, then come Breakdown, you and your run in Trios, most certainly will be.”
“As far as things on my side go, Polly Playtime…Datura…Glory believes me to be the only one on our team worth a damn. I don’t believe that to be true. Polly you’ve stepped it up. You’re the TV Champ. Datura, you’ve gone toe to toe with the best and you’ve always made an impression. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish. But in saying that…”
James paused again. He thought about the path he was trying to follow and the actions of his partners.
“Polly. I know you’ve got your cronies. I know the three of you do not like to play fair. I know you like to bend the rules. Just like with you Datura. You did the whole thing with Kim. You have a thing for violence. I get it. I used to have it, too. But as I’ve said…that’s not me. So, consider this a warning. If any of that starts to go down with either of you, Trios or not, contracts or not, I will walk. As I just mentioned, I’ve got to do what’s best for me. I hope you can understand that. If we’re on the same page, I’ll see you at Breakdown. Stay safe out there.”
James smiled and gave a nod before stepping out of view, hoping his partners took his words to heart when they heard them. He told himself they would. He told himself to have hope before cutting the camera off, letting it fade to black.
![[Image: T6P6.gif]](https://i.gifer.com/T6P6.gif)