July 15th, 2019
Augustus Parker walked into the parking lot of the arena he competed in not too long ago. Wearing a plain white shirt, denim blue jeans and white Sketcher sneakers, he had a lot on his mind he needed to process. Competing in his first match in two years felt like a life time ago to Augustus. He is running through the entire match in his head from the sound to the opening bell to when the referee pounded the mat for the one, two, three. No detail escaped his mind. Tonight is a moment that will live on forever in his mind. He has every intention of going back to the hotel, going on scw.com to rewatch the match. Augustus wanted to savor the moment for as long as he can, the moment he wakes up the next day, he knows he has to syc himself back up all over again. As he approaches his rental car, he feast his eyes on a familiar captivating Australian woman leaning up on the Lincoln continental with a mischievous smile on her face. He has no idea how to react standing within inches of Persephone. He tilts his head to the side. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
Persephone wrapped her arms around him. “How could I miss your first match? I watched from the crowd.”
“You did?” Augustus says, perplexed.
Persephone withdrew from the embrace. She nods. “I was wearing a blonde wig, didn’t want you to recognize me. Are you surprised?”
Augustus rubs his forehead still processing the shock appearance of Persephone. He lightly sighs. “Sorry you flew all this way to watch me lose.”
“Jennifer was supposed to win, don’t beat yourself up too much.”
Most people would have been offended by Persephone's a matter of fact way of conveying he had no chance in hell of beating Jennifer Helms. Augustus takes it in stride. “Believe me, I know Jennifer was going to beat me. I hate that you wasted money to cross the border to watch me lose. I’ll refund you--”
Persephone catches Augustus off guard by kissing him on the cheek. “Augustus, life is a marathon, not a sprint. Chalk up tonight as a learning experience, next time, you’ll continue to evolve. Or Emerge. Pun pun? ”
Augustus responds, “Lousy pun. Thanks for showing up. I don’t quite know what to do now, all I had planned was going back to the hotel, win or lose. You got any plans?”
Persephone nods. “One. Telling you the truth.”
“The truth?” Augustus arches one of his eyebrows in disbelief. “Are you a secret agent? A mole? Secret family member of someone on the roster? SCW and Emerge has some interesting characters I’m beginning to learn.”
“Get in the car.”
“So you are someones secret cousin?”
“I’m being serious. Get in the car.”
Augustus reaches into his pocket. Walking around to the drivers side of the rental car, he gets in. He presses the unlock button to give Persephone access to the passenger side seat. With both doors closed, Augustus leans back into his seat. “What’s the big bad secret you want to tell me?”
“I... used to compete for Emerge--”
Before Persephone had the chance to elaborate, Augustus cuts her off. “That’s it? A bit shocked you used to wrestle, there is nothing wrong with that? Drew Bryant is still in the building. Want your old job back?”
“There’s more.” Persephone rest her hand on Augustus right knee. “I made my debut towards the end of last year with my tag team partner, Kaycee Caprice. We set out to become Emerge Tag Team Champions, in January we completed our goal. Our last time on television didn’t pan out the way we hoped, it is what it is. The tag team title reign isn't an important part of the story, the woman who brought us to the dance is. She’s back. You were a patron of her club.”
“Cindy fucking Todd?” Augustus’s eyes widened.
“A bit surprised you didn’t put piece together the dots sooner. Your naivety to our history was charming.” She pauses. She opens her mouth to speak again. “I never expected you to come to Emerge. I had an idea Cindy was coming back, not in the dramatic fashion she did tonight. Sundown is quite a coup; her very own monster. Cindy is going to run roughshod through EMERGE, it’s truly a matter of time.”
“Why are you telling me this now?”
“I can’t let my investment become a victim of Sundown.” Persephone tilts her head to the side. “Cindy has been itching to cause chaos in the wrestling world for a couple years. She has influenced more then Kaycee and me. UWA. ULW. All felt her wrath directly or indirectly. Drew Bryant knows all too well the power Cindy Todd wields. Kaycee and I were supposed to spread her influence. Agents of chaos, we let her down. Anyway--”
Augustus has finally had enough of Persephone’s explainer. He holds up his hand. “Slow down.”
Persephone blinks. “This is a lot to take in?”
Augustus lightly scoffs. “I’ve studied up on Sundown, nasty son of a gun. I wouldn’t pick a fight with him on my best day. If this Cindy Todd is the mastermind you claim she is--”
“Not a claim. Fact.”
Augustus gives Persephone’s corrections to sink in. “And you’re connected to her? Am I part of her masterplan?”
Persephobe allows Augustus question to linger in the air long enough to make him uncomfortable. She breaks her silence. “Cindy has no knowledge of our relationship, promise. What would she know? Hundreds of people walk into her club, most of them a blur, on the off chance she you approaching me that day? My personal life is my business. I assure you, there is no way Cindy is aware of my involvement in your life. She is not the type of women you have normal girl talk conversations with.” Persephone removes her hand from Augustus knee. She uses that same hand to rub the back of her hand on his cheek. “The only reason I am telling you any of this, you would have found out I competed in Emerge eventually; I owe you that news. But, I also owe you the chance to avoid Sundown at all cost. Should the day come Drew decides to place you in the path with him, run. Cindy isn’t playing around, I would hate to see you get hurt. If Cindy gets what she wants, no one is safe. Even the more reason to keep my involvement in your life is on the hush. None of her business what I do with my life. Sorry to dump all this on you.”
“I should have known there was more to you than meets the eye.” Augustus shakes his head. “I didn’t return to the ring after a two year hiatus to run from every boogeyman who walks stomps around the corner. Willow Wilkes ran two men out of EMERGE, it's no secret there she is one of those boogeyman. As far for Sundown, anyone who wears a burlap sack for a mask can’t be a boy scout. IF I ran away Persephone, I couldn’t respect myself. I appreciate the warning. Sorry. Running away from danger is not an option.”
Persephone rolls her eyes. “You don’t win brownie points for being brave.”
“Maybe not, I’d rather sit in a wheelchair unable to walk again with my self respect intact then sitting on a remote island somewhere with my tail between my legs with little to no self respect at all. Real men don’t run, P.”
Augustus stares at Persephone. He is unable to read the poker face she is presenting him. Turning his face away, he stares at the brown station wagon right in front of him when she uses her hands to guide his face back in her direction. He is unexpectedly met with her sultry lips pressing up against his. Savoring the kiss for a few seconds, he lightly separates Persephone from him. He cocks his eyebrow. “What was that?”
She smirks. “Just the answer I wanted to hear. I would not have held it against you if you took my sound advice. Any rational person would heed my warning. You are ever bit the reckles man who blew out his knee two years ago. Yes, this is a positive step.”
“Thanks... I guess.” Augustus touches his lips. “Can you do me one favor?”
“Name it.”
“No more secrets.”
“Technically I’ve never lied. You never asked me what I do or have done for a living.”
“Am I supposed to walk up to every woman I meet asking them are you a former wrestler who used to hang out with other dangerous people?”
“Yes...?”
“All I’m saying Persephone, tell me everything that is relevant, that’s all. But I do have a ton of questions.Did you know who I was before I approached you? Did you know anything about my prior history in wrestling? How--”
Persephone opens the passenger side door. “Someday, I’ll answer all your questions. Not today. You should go back to your hotel.”
“Catch up with you another time?”
“You bet. Goodnight Augustus.”
“Night Persephone.”
Augustus sticks the keys to the car in the ignition not bothering to watch Persephone leave. The sound of the door closing confirms to him that Persephone did exit. So many questions left unanswered. He hopes one day he will be able to unwrap this puzzle. Won’t be today. He accepts that. Turning the car on he pulls out of the parking lot to head back to his hotel.
--
<<PROMO TIME>>
‘Know what I felt waking up the next morning after my first match back in two years?’
‘Empty.’
‘I was standing at my friend’s bedside when he gave me the bright idea to wrestle again. He made me promise to resume my career. Piece of cake. I felt a wave of emotions in Drew’s office when the ink dried on my contract. I left his office feeling the same emptiness I experienced after my first match back. Why feel that way? I completed one goal, I jumped on board of one of the hottest companies around. Saw that I was likely going to wait until August to wrestle, I couldn’t have that. Drew granted me my match with Jenni, I was excited again, mission accomplished. Again, I felt the same emptiness. Got the match, got to wait. Then the match happened. Jennifer Helms is as great as advertised. I left the arena that night, drove back to my hotel, went to sleep, woke up the next morning. Emptiness filled me again. There is one reason why that is...’
‘I didn’t know what was next.’
‘I was always going to be grateful for what my next match was going to be, later I learned I would be competing in a triple threat match. Haven’t competed in one of those in three years. Should be fun. It dawned on me I needed an overarching goal to drive me forward. You only get one first match back in x number of years, I don’t want to go on hiatus again if I have anything to say about it. The first match jitters are over, I needed a new goal to drive me. Before any of you jump to conclusions, no, my goal does not involve the Emerge Championship.’
‘I am NOT that reckless.’
‘I am not ready nor have I earned the right to challenge Willow Wilkes. But I do want to earn my way to another prestigious championship. At Invasion: Texas last year, a former general manager by the name of Vanilla Sky said, The Spirit Championship is the starting people of an Emerge wrestlers career. The brand new championship signified the beginning of our Emerge journey. I may have started off mine by challenging a future Emerge Champion, this time, I am going to do it right. I am pumping the breaks. I look at the two women in this triple threat match. Desiree Devna and YUYO are two excellent competitors who are starting their Emerge careers just like me. I can only assume Drew is looking at all three of us to build the Spirit division around. Vanilla said it herself, the Spirit Championship IS the starting point for all of us. So, my new goal is to become the Spirit Champion; I will put myself into contention, no disrespect to certain wrestlers who no longer compete in Emerge, I don’t want to flame out too soon. I don’t want to go so far above my paygrade that I burn myself out in the process.’
‘Jennifer Helms is the highest I’ll go for the time being.’
‘Next week is all about building myself up. Life is a marathon, not a sprint, I am in no rush to ascend to the top of the mountain. I believe becoming Spirit Championship is achievable. And I take my first step to earn my place in Emerge by showing Desiree and Yuyo I have no intention of slowing down.
See you next week, ladies.'
