Ricky James vs. Aaron Rupp

[Konrad Raab]

2 RP Limit for singles

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET MONDAY, September 26, 2022

[Ricky James]

“Ohhh yea. That’s it…ooooo..ooooo…..”



Ricky James is awoken by the sound of someone moaning. He sits up on the couch and looks around. He sees a bedroom door partially open and shakes his head in disgust.


Ricky: God! Rudy! What the fuck?! I’m 5 feet away from you! At least close the door!


Rudy: Just a sec, Ric. Oooooooh…..oooooo….oooo..


Ricky, completely repulsed, grabs two pillows and presses them tightly against his ears to try to block out the sounds of Rudy moaning from his bedroom. 


Rudy: Ahhhhhhhhhh….


A couple minutes pass, Ricky trying desperately to ignore what is going on around him. Rudy Powell emerges from his bedroom zipping his pants back up. Ricky, noticing the noise has stopped, removes the pillows and sits up, turning towards Rudy before abruptly turning back around.


Ricky: Oh my God, Rudy….


Powell laughs as he pats his sticky hand on Ricky’s shoulder. Ricky quickly pulls away and stands up.


Ricky: Rudy, I don’t think I can..


Rudy: What, Rick?


Rudy struggles to secure his belt, which has seen better days. Ricky looks on but is speechless.


Rudy: You don’t really have many other options now, do ya?


Rudy laughs as Ricky, looking defeated, stares down at the floor. 


Rudy: Get ready, son. We got a big day ahead of us.


Ricky continues to stare and reflect on his current situation.


Prior to the recent “Ricky vs. Imposter Ricky” saga and the Gimmick Battle Royal at Rise to Greatness, the last we saw Ricky James was in yet another losing effort at the 2021 Under Attack PPV. Ricky was in a very rough state, feeling like he had nowhere else to turn in life. His magical yet brief run in the Trios Tournament came to an abrupt end. When initially it seemed like two women were fighting over him, they both abandoned Ricky after the Trios loss. Kandis of course did not have actual interest and was just doing her Kandis thing. More importantly to Ricky was the loss of Lucy Huckabee Sanders, the love of his life - or so he thought. 


Ricky also lost his relationship with his neighbor, Joe, who had become aware of Ricky’s past as a Mexican immigrant and had disowned Ricky. Ricky was beginning to lose his mind before the opportunistic Rudy Powell pounced on the vulnerable wrestler. A reluctant Ricky, feeling like he had no other options, once again aligned with Rudy Powell going into his big elimination chamber match at Under Attack. Unfortunately and perhaps unsurprisingly, Ricky’s alliance with Rudy was a failure yet again, as he was eliminated from the chamber match.


We did not see Ricky again for quite some time after the loss at Under Attack. Already on the verge of a nervous breakdown heading into Under Attack, the loss weighed incredibly heavy on Ricky. Ricky went off the grid immediately following the PPV. He did not speak with anyone for months. Lucy was out of his life. Joe was out of his life. He did not respond to any requests from SCW. He lived an extremely secluded life for a few months.


As we all know, Rudy Powell, having lost his client in SCW, was desperate to get back into the promotion and take advantage of another wrestler. Ricky is a very talented athlete but not the sharpest tool in the shed. Despite being a caricature, Rudy Powell can be very shrewd. After realizing Ricky James had seemingly no interest in returning to the ring and being well aware of Ricky’s total ignorance, Rudy made a power move and purchased the trademark to the “Ricky James” name. Rudy was then able to scout out an unnamed but talented wrestler to take over his vision of the “Ricky James” persona. 


Rudy Powell was back in SCW, much to the chagrin of the SCW audience and likely most of the SCW locker room. We all know the real Ricky James eventually caught wind of what was going on. But if Ricky was paying no attention to SCW at all, and showed no desire to return after months of avoiding everyone involved in the promotion, why would he suddenly decide he wanted to return? The answer may surprise you. Ricky didn’t just happen to tune into SCW as Rudy paraded around his fake “Ricky James”. Ricky was actually finally contacted, in person, by a familiar face.


A few weeks into the “Ricky James” charade, the real Ricky James heard a knock at his door. “That’s weird,” Ricky thought. The only visitors he had had in months were delivery drivers. And he hadn’t ordered anything. The disheveled looking former SCW superstar slowly made his way to his front door and opened it. None other than Lucy Huckabee Sanders stood in the doorway. Lucy looked like her old self - well dressed and made up. She looked Ricky up and down and surprisingly smiled.


“It’s so good to see you again! May I come in?” Lucy asked. 


A speechless Ricky stood there in disbelief for what seemed like an eternity before eventually motioning for Lucy to come in. Lucy made her way into the messy home and Ricky closed the door behind her, trying to fix up his messy hair.


“Please, have a…seat” Ricky said as he rushed to clear some dirty clothes off the couch. Lucy kept a smile on her face as she took a seat, barely on the edge of the couch. Though it seemed like Lucy was surprisingly accepting of Ricky’s current state, it was apparent she was still a little repulsed by what she saw and was doing her best to hide it. Meanwhile Ricky, who had supposedly sworn Lucy off, was still clearly infatuated with her. He quickly threw months of trying to ignore her away and was once again about to be under her spell.


“So…how have you been?” Lucy asked, putting on a charade that she actually cared. Ricky, despite everything he had been through with Lucy, found himself falling for it yet again. Maybe it was the fact that Lucy looked like she had her life back together. Or maybe Ricky was just incredibly vulnerable, as he often tends to be.


“Well Luce, I’m…better now that you are here. I’m really sorry about everything that has gone on. I’ve been a mess. I don’t know who I am or how I even got here. I just wish we could go back to the way things used to be….” Ricky said as Lucy smiled back.


“Me too, Ricky. Me too” Lucy answered, “lovingly” staring deep into Ricky’s eyes. “I take it you haven’t been paying much attention to what’s been going on though, have you?” Lucy continued.


“Well I…I see you’re doing well. What’s going on?” Ricky asked.


“Forget about me, Ricky. To be honest I’ve been going through some rough times recently as well….as we both know. But I’m not here to talk about myself. We can catch up on me another day. I was referring to SCW. You haven’t been watching I take it?” Lucy asked.


“I can’t say that I have, Luce. I’m just not interested anymore. All the stress. The travel. The physical pain I’ve had to endure. I know you brought me here for this…but I don’t know. There has to be something else out there,” Ricky answered.


Lucy signaled for Ricky to get closer. She grabbed his hand and looked deep into his eyes. “You were born to wrestle, Ricky. I know it, and you know it deep down. But right now, you are being slandered,” Lucy explained.


“Slandered? Well I don’t really care…people can say what they want. I gave it all in that match, I just…” 


“No no, Ric” Lucy interjected. “That fat disgusting slob Rudy Powell is dragging your name through the dirt!”


Ricky perked up a bit. “Wait, he’s back? Well, screw it. I don’t know how he still has a job there but whatever. I’m past it. I’m sure he’s going to shit talk…”


“It’s worse than that, Ricky” Lucy again interrupted, but the interruptions didn’t bother Ricky, still under her spell. “He is out there with some random guy CLAIMING it’s Ricky James. He’s using your name, music, a ripoff of your attire….everything!”


“Wait, what? How? I’m Ricky James!” Ricky answered, confused.


“No, you’re Ricardo Jimenez. Unfortunately. We didn’t own any trademark to that Ricky James name. Rudy was free to purchase and use it,” Lucy explained.


“What? I’ve been Ricky James ever since I’ve been here. He can’t -” 


“He can, Ricky. Look, everyone knows you’re Ricky James. But legally speaking….”


“This is another bullshit ‘legal’ thing? I don’t buy it, Lucy”


“He’s actually right on this one, Ricky. But we can put an end to this. You need to come back, Ricky. I need you back. SCW needs you back! We need to teach that slug a lesson!” Lucy tried to fire Ricky up.


“I don’t know….as much as I can’t stand Rudy…I don’t think I can go back to wrestling. It’s not worth it. Let Rudy take advantage of some other poor soul. I’m done with it,” Ricky answered.


Lucy sighed and paused. She looked away, disappointed. Ricky sensed this and gently put his hand on Lucy’s face, trying to turn her back to him. 


“But we don’t have to be done, Luce. We can start fresh, you and me. Together again. I am so sorry for everything. Truly. I’ve actually been thinking about you every day since we last spoke. I hate the way it ended..” Ricky pleaded.


Lucy refused to look at Ricky. Ricky’s hopeful look quickly turned to one of disappointment. Lucy wouldn’t answer Ricky as she continued to look away.


“Lucy….please…give me another chance…” 


Lucy eventually looked back at Ricky.


“Ricky….I need a real man. And a real man would go back and fight to protect his name. His identity. Are you really going to sit back and just let a guy like Rudy run around saying he “owns” Ricky James? Are you going to let that happen? Or are you going to MAN up and take your identity back?”


Lucy pulled away, stood up, and started heading toward the door. Ricky sat there pondering for a moment. Just before Lucy could turn the doorknob, Ricky perked up.


“Wait!” Ricky shouted. Lucy turned back to him. Ricky walked up to Lucy and again grabbed her hand, staring deeply into her eyes again. “I’m…I’m in. Let’s do it.” The fickle Ricky James didn’t take much convincing. Lucy grinned.


“Good,” she answered. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, though. Clean yourself up and meet me at the gym in one hour…you’ve let yourself go a bit.”


Ricky looks down at himself, a bit embarrassed, though he had remained in better shape than one would have guessed he’d have been in after being inactive for so long. Still, he trusted what Lucy was telling him again. Lucy picked up on this and tried to flip back to encouragement. She ran her finger down his chest towards his stomach. “I just want you to be in peak physical condition, like you used to be, babe.” Ricky blushed. “So, see you in one hour, okay?” Ricky nodded. Lucy smiled and kissed Ricky on the cheek. She then made her way out. Ricky stood in the doorway watching his (legal) wife head back to a car waiting for her on the street, seemingly completely under Lucy’s control once again.


Unbeknownst to Ricky, Lucy had resumed her other relationship with Mike Sanders. This should have been obvious based on Lucy suddenly having her life back together - the nice clothes, the makeup, and the private vehicle - but Ricky as usual was oblivious. Lucy was clearly manipulating Ricky once again for her own gain, and Ricky once again fell right into the trap. 


As the next few weeks passed, we all know what happened with Ricky and SCW. He made a shocking appearance in the crowd on an episode of Breakdown to confront Rudy and the imposter Ricky. What most didn’t know was the fact that Lucy was pulling some strings behind the scenes, helping Ricky gain access to the arenas and continuing to “motivate” Ricky. Ricky worked out harder than he had ever done before in his life, part in preparation for the “Ricky vs. Ricky” match on the Rise to Greatness pre-show, but more so to impress Lucy. 


Lucy continued to “reward” Ricky with some kisses on the cheek and encouraging words. As we all know, though, Ricky had never gone all the way with Lucy. This had been boiling up inside Ricky for years, but he seemed once again content with the mostly platonic relationship under the false pretense that winning back his name would somehow mean Lucy would sleep with him. Ricky kept this motivation private to SCW, sending a cryptic message to fans ahead of Rise to Greatness.


The premier SCW PPV came, and the renewed Ricky and Lucy alliance was finally revealed to everyone as Lucy helped Ricky foil Rudy Powell’s plot and regain his SCW identity. Ricky James had his name back, and had his girl back. The SCW fans were elated to have Ricky and Lucy back. They had a happy ending after a tumultuous couple of years.


Ricky James was riding a high, and he continued to get one over on Rudy Powell. With Rudy disappearing after the Rise to Greatness pre-show, Ricky pulled a page out of Rudy’s book and stole Rudy’s spot in the Gimmick Battle Royal. While the audience was under the impression that this was entirely a new, confident Ricky’s doing, it was actually Lucy who convinced Ricky to take this action. Lucy had convinced Ricky that he had unfinished business in SCW and a great way to once again make a name for himself would be to enter and win the battle royal on SCW’s biggest stage.


Of course with this came promises of more intimacy in their relationship. Ricky went along with it, but he began to become wary of Lucy. Despite reclaiming his name and ridding the SCW of Rudy Powell, Ricky was not rewarded in the way he had hoped with Lucy. She continued with the phony encouragement and small pecks on the cheek. Ricky was hoping he had finally “earned” Lucy’s love. He was hoping the night of the Rise to Greatness pre-show would be the night Lucy and he would finally go all the way.


Unfortunately for Ricky, there was just more of the same that night. Ricky played along, but was visibly frustrated. Lucy picked up on the frustration, but still felt she had complete control of Ricky. She felt she could continue to lead him on. Ricky, meanwhile, was beginning to lose it again. He almost lost his cool on Lucy, but decided to give her one final chance.


We all witnessed Ricky’s backstage interview early on the night of Rise to Greatness. Ricky and Lucy seemed happy once again, but little did everyone else know, this was Ricky’s final test for Lucy. He had hoped that Lucy would publicly show him affection, but she once again rejected his advances, this time in front of everyone in SCW. While the cameras only picked up some of the fallout, they did not capture just how embarrassed and frustrated Ricky was. Ricky was completely “over” Lucy….once again.


Having nowhere else to turn, Ricky made the unfortunate decision to go back to the one man in his life he knew would actually answer him. It wasn’t Joe, who had disowned him. It wasn’t Ace Marshall. It wasn’t anyone in the locker room. It was the only man more desperate than Ricky at the time - Rudy Powell.


If there’s one thing extremely clear about Ricky James, it’s that he doesn’t learn his lessons, and continues to go back to people who have caused him great harm. After once again having a revelation that Lucy was only using him, Ricky ironically turned back to the con man Powell.


Prior to the Battle Royal, Ricky called Rudy. Not two seconds after the first ring, Rudy answered.


“Rr…ricky? Is this a butt dial? Hello?” Rudy answered.


“No, I meant to call you, believe it or not,” Ricky said. “But shut up and listen. You need me, we both know this. But I…unfortunately need you,” Ricky said. The sweaty attorney perked up on the other end of the line.


“Oh yeah?” Rudy responded, excitedly. 


“Look, I’ll fill you in later. I know you’re still around here…probably stuffing your face at the hotel buffet. Just get down here as soon as you can. I need your help,” Ricky demanded.


“Well…that’ll cost ya…” Rudy responded, infuriating Ricky.


“Look, you want a job?! Get your fat ass down here now! You help me, and I take you back as my manager. Deal?” Ricky yelled.


Rudy cackled before responding, “Deal”.


Not long after that call, Rudy and Ricky met privately outside the arena. Ricky poured his heart out to Rudy, a very questionable decision but something Ricky was prone to do. He explained his rollercoaster of emotions with Lucy. He filled Rudy in on everything that had transpired leading up to Rise to Greatness. He went to Rudy for help because he did not know where else to turn. He knew he wanted to end it with Lucy, and he wanted to be emphatic about it. 


Lucy had no problem ignoring Ricky in the past, when she thought Ricky was depressed and still obsessing over her while she dealt with her own personal issues. Now with her life back together and “in control” of Ricky, Lucy would not take kindly to Ricky defying her. Ricky was not very bright, but he knew if he broke it off in the ugly way he wanted to with Lucy, Lucy would be vengeful. Ricky’s legal status in America was tied to his marriage to Lucy. He knew he would be in some trouble in a divorce scenario, which Ricky was looking to pursue.


Lacking viable resources, Ricky turned to his most well-known attorney, Rudy Powell. The deal was pretty simple - Rudy would return as Ricky’s manager and get a percentage of his salary in exchange for his assistance with Ricky’s legal issues. There were likely thousands of better options for Ricky here, but this is Ricky James we are talking about. He is not known for making the best decisions.


Ricky was determined to make a deal regardless, but Rudy gave his best sales pitch, “connecting” with Ricky on a personal level. Rudy spoke poorly of Lucy and women in general. Much like his neighbor Joe used to do, Rudy told Ricky that women were pure evil. He explained to Ricky that this is a “man’s world” and men should be calling the shots, not women. Ricky, having already felt an immense amount of ill will towards Lucy, ate this all up. Though the two look nothing alike and have little in common, Ricky felt he could better connect with Rudy because they were both men. 


The brief meeting ended with the two coming to an understanding that they would continue to stay in contact and work out the details of the manager agreement after Rise to Greatness. All fired up now going into the Battle Royal, we saw Ricky’s frustrations boil over completely after being eliminated from the match. Ricky hit his finishing move, the Art of the Deal, on Lucy. The fans, announcers, and other competitors were in complete shock. Robin Brooks and Aaron Rupp, Ricky’s opponent at Apocalypse, came to Lucy’s defense, but the damage had been done. Ricky ended the relationship with Lucy emphatically, as he had intended.


Hitting such a devastating move on a basically defenseless Lucy was reprehensible, and Ricky was suspended as a result. The suspension didn’t phase Ricky, though. He hadn’t felt as good as he felt after assaulting Lucy in a long time. He felt as though a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders, despite how despicable his actions were. Quickly after returning to in-ring competition, Ricky was sent back home. That didn’t matter to Ricky. What mattered was he had finally sent his message to Lucy. As manipulative and conniving as Lucy was, she didn’t deserve what happened to her. Ricky would disagree, though. That Art of the Deal was payback, in his mind, for the years of teasing and manipulation. 


Ricky was finally “free”, but we’ve been down this road before. Ricky was free from Lucy, but at the expense of being aligned with Rudy Powell once again. Ricky used this time off to continue to plot with Rudy. The two surprisingly got along, relatively speaking. Rudy continued to promise Ricky would be taken care of legally. He would present Ricky in divorce proceedings with Lucy and ensure he would maintain his legal status in America. Rudy convinced Ricky to trust him and for whatever reason, perhaps feeling like a new man after ridding himself of Lucy, Ricky went along with everything.


One of Rudy’s requests was for the two of them to move in together. Ricky was clearly reluctant at first, but again trusted Rudy, in part because Ricky had no experience finding a place to live on his own. His prior home in Boca Raton was secured through Lucy and technically owned by Mike Sanders - Lucy had always played it off like it was her own to Mike. Ricky had essentially been squatting there, and with assistance from Rudy, came to the realization that Lucy would be after the house. Ricky quickly abandoned the home after Rise to Greatness and moved in with Rudy into a one bedroom apartment just outside of Miami. This brings us back to today.


While not an ideal arrangement, Ricky was okay with the apartment because Rudy took care of the finances. Ricky had taught himself how to manage money briefly while on his own, but he was used to someone else taking care of his money, so he deferred back to Rudy. Ricky would make the money for the two, and Rudy would handle paying rent (albeit with Ricky’s money). 


Ricky wasn’t crazy about sleeping on a couch and sharing a bathroom with Powell, but he lived with it. He knew this job requires a lot of travel and he’d be in a hotel just as often as he’d be home. The last few weeks of his suspension had proven difficult, though, as Ricky had to spend more time in the apartment with Rudy.



Rudy: Ric….hello? You there?


Back in the present, Ricky shakes his head to snap out of his reflecting.


Ricky: Yeah, sorry.


Rudy: Good. The car’s waiting for us outside. You ready?


Ricky: Where are we going?


Rudy laughs.


Rudy: You’ll see buddy. It’s a wonderful place. Just the place you need to be.


Ricky shrugs and goes along with Rudy. The two leave the apartment and get into a black car waiting outside for them. A few minutes into the drive, they turn on some questionable looking streets. Ricky feels a little uneasy but ultimately trusts Rudy, who pulls a Big Mac out of his suit and downs the sandwich in two bites, blotting his sweaty forehead with the burger wrapper. Rudy turns to Ricky and laughs.


Rudy: Gotta fuel up, ya know?


Ricky, trying not to be too obvious with his disgust, nods. The car eventually pulls up to a very run-down looking building with a half burnt out neon sign.


Ricky: Rudy what is this?


Rudy: Sweaty Betty’s!


Ricky: Sweat Betty’s?


Rudy: Yeah, the strip joint! Gotta get those juices flowin, ya know?


Ricky: A strip joint? Rudy, it’s 3 pm on a Tuesday….


Rudy: The best time to go!


Rudy quickly exits the car, moving faster than we’ve ever seen him move in his life. Ricky pauses for a minute in disbelief before ultimately following Rudy inside. The two walk past a “bouncer” paying no attention and then are greeted by three less-than-desirable looking strippers.


Strippers in unison: Heyyyy Rudy!


Rudy blushes and waves at the strippers. Ricky looks dumbfounded and turns to Rudy.


Ricky: Popular guy here, huh?


Rudy: What can I say, Ric? The ladies love me!


Rudy approaches the strippers and pulls out his damp wallet. He pulls out a handful of dollar bills and the strippers’ eyes light up. He smacks two of the more overweight strippers on their asses and then slides a dollar bill in between the gap in the third strippers’ teeth. Ricky tries his best not to vomit as Rudy and the three strippers flirt. One of the strippers notices Ricky and turns to Rudy.


Stripper: Ohhhh who’s your friend?


Rudy laughs.


Rudy: That’s my associate….first timer.


Strippers in unison: Ooooooooooooooo


Ricky, clearly put off, tries to avoid the situation and change the subject.


Ricky: Do you have a bathroom I can use or something?


The strippers turn to Rudy and one whispers in his ear.


Stripper: Did he say “back room”?


Rudy looks at the stripper then back at Ricky and grins before turning back to the girls.


Rudy: Oh yeah….he needs the back room.


Two of the strippers smile then approach Ricky. Before he can refuse, they grab him by the arms and bring him towards the “back room”. Rudy follows the group with the third stripper.


We won’t go into much more detail here. Basically, Rudy pays a surprisingly low amount of money for a toothless stripper to give him a blowjob. Ricky is reluctant to go along the whole time, but eventually gives in and allows the two overweight strippers to blow him as well.


Twenty minutes after entering the club, Rudy and Ricky make their way out, Rudy making sure he says bye to “his” girls.


The details weren’t important here, but this was the first time in Ricky’s life that he had gone that far with one woman, much less two…even Rudy paid for it (with Ricky’s money). Ricky had experienced something in his life he had never experienced before, thanks to Rudy.


In the car on the ride back, Ricky has a gleam in his eye. Rudy notices this and grins.


Rudy: Pretty good, huh?


Ricky can’t muster any words, but smiles and nods his head.


Rudy: Remember Ric, women are good for some things. Not many, but some things. Those girls know their place in life. They are there to please us. And when they do a good job, we can reward them. But remember, they are EXPECTED to please us.


Ricky keeps smiling but is still speechless, staring blankly ahead.


Rudy: Bet Lucy never did THAT for ya, huh?


Ricky, keeping the goofy smile on his face, shakes his head no.


Rudy: Hahaha, that’s what I thought. She’s an evil one, Ric. She doesn’t know her place in society. But don’t worry, bud.


Rudy pats Ricky on the shoulder.


Rudy: She’s gone now.


Rudy smiles at Ricky, who is still in his post-ejaculation trance. Ricky slowly comes back to reality over the course of the ride back home. Rudy, who had been creepily watching Ricky the entire time, again puts his hand on Ricky’s shoulder.


Rudy: Ready for tonight?


Ricky: Wh…what’s tonight? Do we get to go back to Betty’s?


Rudy cackles.


Rudy: We can’t afford the night special, Ric. Not yet. Once you are champion again. Tonight is about sending a message to Socialist Shaun Cruze and Rupp the Cuck.



Later that evening….


Rudy Powell, wearing his trademark sweaty suit and a spiffy new American Flag tie, sits at a table next to Ricky James, wearing an American Flag polo shirt. The two appear to be in a common office area in their apartment, sitting in front of a laptop with a webcam. Rudy turns to Ricky, asks if he’s ready, and Ricky nods. Rudy then starts a livestream.


Rudy: Good evening American SCW fans. Thank you for joining the most Patriotic team since the American Revolution, Ricky James and Rudy Powell! We are here to address some very troubling issues we have seen in recent weeks within what we now call Sociliast Communist Wrestling. I will address the “federation” and the “leadership” as a whole, and then the new and improved American Hero Ricky James will discuss his pathetic excuse for an opponent at Apocalypse, Aaron Rupp the Cuck. But before we get to the “man” Ricky James is going to embarrass this weekend, let me start with Socialist Shaun Cruze. Mr. Cruze, you claim to be British, but I have it on good authority you are actually from Cuba, which should not come as a surprise. With a name like “Cruze”, you aren’t fooling anyone. Now look, I am all for foreigners coming to America for a better life. After all, this is by far the greatest country in the world. What I am NOT okay with is immigrants coming to this country to spread their communist propaganda and ruin this great country of ours! It is obvious over the last few weeks that Communist Cruze has been brainwashed by his idol Fidel Castro, as he has ruled over SCW like a dictator. Suspending Ricky James for performing a wrestling move on a fellow SCW competitor is beyond unfair. It is unconstitutional and un-American. The only explanation for this, Mr. Cruze, is that you hate America. You hate people who stand up for this great country. You hate anyone who dares to go against your radical left-wing agenda. Well I have bad news for you, pal. The dynamic duo of Patriots is coming after you. We’re coming after you in the courtroom AND in the wrestling ring. Ricky James’ suspension is the biggest miscarriage of justice in American history. Ricky James did NOT receive a fair trial as is promised to EVERY American in the United States Constitution. This isn’t Cuba, buddy. This isn’t Venezuela. This is the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. People have what we call FREEDOM in this country. True Americans like Ricky James should not and will not be subject to the rule of a dictator. This is beyond SCW. This is about Americans’ freedoms being in jeopardy. This is a serious matter that I intend to take to the highest courts. Take this as a warning, Mr. Cruze. We WILL NOT REST until Ricky James has his FAIR day in court, and we plan to sue you for everything you are worth!


Rudy pauses and starts coughing uncontrollably. Ricky tries to help by patting Rudy on the back. Rudy, still coughing, motions for Ricky to grab something under the table. Ricky turns and pulls a 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew out. Rudy’s eyes light up as he grabs the bottle, opens it, and begins to chug. He downs about half the bottle before slamming it down on the table burping loudly.


Rudy: Ahhhh…sorry about that. I get passionate when I talk freedom. As I was saying…this suspension is completely unwarranted. And to make matters worse, this Rupp character, I assume a Communist sympathizer, is allowed to put his hands on Ricky James with ZERO repercussions? Really, Cruze? How is that fair? And then you double down by granting Rupp a match against my client? How is that legal? I’ll tell you what - it’s not. It’s not legal in America. Maybe it is in Cuba, but not in America. So in addition to the lawsuits you will face regarding the unjust punishment and slander of Ricky James, we will also challenge the validity of this “match” at Apocalypse. Apocalypse….a fitting name, because this will be the beginning of the end of your regime. Now while we do not accept this match as an officially legal match, we do intend to be there, in New York City, this Sunday night. This won’t be about a “wrestling match”. This is personal for Ricky. And I’ll let Ricky take it from there.


Ricky nods at Rudy, who opens the bottle of Mountain Dew again and proceeds to chug the remainder.


Ricky: Thanks, Rudy. Well, well well. Aaron Rupp. Rupp the Cuck. I know you’re supposed to be the “veteran” here, but your behavior at Rise to Greatness says otherwise. I’d like to address your actions, but I have a few questions first. Number one - who the hell do you think you are? Number two - why the hell are you sticking your nose in my business? And number three - do you have any idea what I have been through? Can you please explain to me why you felt the need to attack me at Rise to Greatness, completely unprovoked? And don’t give me that crap you have been spewing on Breakdown every week. What happens between myself and that cunt I used to hang out with is between us, not you. Yes I had some women issues, but I took care of them. The fact that you felt the need to get involved, the need to “play hero”, really speaks volumes. Going back to my first comment….I don’t know much about you…before Rise to Greatness I had no idea who you were…but it is apparent you have never been with a woman intimately. You claim to be married, but I don’t buy it. Your kids? Obviously someone else’s. I don’t care what type of charade you’ve played in your career. I don’t care what you’ve said or what type of phony life you claim to have. Your little “white knight” stunt at Rise to Greatness says it all. You’re the type who wants to come across as the “good guy”. A “gentleman”. Let me speak from some personal experience here. That gets you nowhere in life. It admittedly took me a while to realize this, but trying to be the “good guy” does nothing but feed into the manipulative evils of women. Again, I’m a bit surprised that a veteran like yourself hasn’t realized this yet. Women are no good, and the fact that you “came to the aid” of a woman you didn’t even know is extremely troubling to me.


Ricky shakes his head.


Ricky: You need some help. You’ll realize the error of your ways soon enough. Now had it been some random woman, fine. I’d just feel sorry for you. But it wasn’t. You stuck your nose in MY business. You made this personal for me. So I guess I’ll have to teach you a few lessons this Sunday. First, you’ll find out what happens when you dedicate your life to appeasing women who are only there to take advantage of you. And also, more importantly, you’ll find out that attacking me was the biggest mistake of your life. You’re lucky your buddy Cruze abused his power and unjustly, as Rudy said, suspended me. But the suspension only delayed the beatdown I’m going to give you. It only made me stew longer. It only made me think about what a pathetic excuse for a “man” you are and how badly I want to show you what a real man is. Again, Rudy already said it best. This is not a wrestling match we have at Apocalypse. This is a hard life lesson you are about to find out. If you thought what I did to Lucy at Rise to Greatness was bad, just wait for what I have in store for you this Sunday.


Rudy pats Ricky on the shoulder as James intensely looks into the screen.


Ricky: I’m glad we aren’t considering this an official match. What I am going to do to you, Mr. Rupp, wouldn’t be legal in a sanctioned match. I’m going to do to you what you pay real men to do to your wife while you watch. We get to play a little game of role-reversal this weekend, Aaron. Except this time, instead of being Rupp the Cuck, you get to play the role of your “wife”. I’ll be the one destroying you, and my friend Rudy here will get to sit back and watch. I can’t guarantee Rudy will enjoy watching as much as you enjoy watching other men fuck your wife, but I can gurantee I’m going to put on a show. And Cruze, I hope you enjoy the show. After Apocalypse, you’ll wish your phony suspension was indefinite. Unfortunately for you, Ricky James is back, and here to stay.


Rudy grabs Ricky’s shoulder again and grins.


Rudy: That’s right, folks. Communist Cruze, Rupp the Cuck, and all of you sheep who follow this joke of a federation…be warned. But for all the true Patriots out there, worry no more. Ricky James and Rudy Powell are back and better than ever. And we WILL. MAKE. SCW. GREAT. AGAIN!


Rudy cackles and Ricky grins for a few moments before Rudy closes the laptop.


Ricky: So…how was that?


Rudy: Excellent, Ric…I’ve taught you well.

[Ruppy]

When Aaron showed up to compete in the gimmick battle royal at Rise to Greatness, he never went in planning to win. While many others in that match likely had that goal, he knew full well that he hadn’t wrestled in roughly half a decade and hadn’t planned on ever stepping back into a ring for any reason. He’d kept up with working out, mostly to slowly but surely rebuild his knee and shoulder after the damage done to them, but it was never to the same intensity as when he’d train for an upcoming match. The goal was to show up, give the affair his best shot and leave having finally satisfied the dormant desire for proper closure in the wrestling business with one final match.

In that regard, Aaron thought he’d succeeded as he headed to the back following his elimination at the hands of Ricky James.

And then Ricky himself was the next competitor eliminated, and his actions following that were something that Aaron just couldn’t ignore.

Now, Aaron wasn’t blind to things that went on in SCW after his retirement. Considering his kids had been raised around the business for their first few years of life and became genuinely interested in their father’s former career once they were old enough to truly understand what wrestling actually was, seeing an episode of SCW Breakdown playing in the living room on Wednesday nights was a common sight. He was familiar with Ricky and Lucy and had a lot of doubts about how much Ricky truly believed in the political agenda he was portraying and how much of it was Lucy being a puppet master of sorts.

Considering that Lucy had helped Ricky reclaim his ability to actually use that name the night before on the pre-show, not to mention she was actively trying to reassure him after he’d been eliminated that it was alright, it was a no-brainer that when Aaron’s conversation with Robin Brooks at the Gorilla position was interrupted by Ricky’s actions that he ran out with her to make sure that no further damage was done.

In that moment, Aaron could feel those dormant instincts for the business reawaken, and the desire for in-ring justice was too great to ignore.

“What are you all still doing awake?”

When he returned home after the pay-per-view, he was surprised to find that his wife and kids were still up despite the late hour his flight had touched down. Luke and Celeste wasted no time barreling into their father with hugs while Nym simply chuckled and gave him a gentle kiss.

“I’m sorry, mon amour,” Nym chuckled, “but they refused to sleep until you got home. I think they’re a little too excited from seeing you wrestle again.”

“You kicked so much ass, dad!” Luke proudly yelled, to which Aaron just snickered.

“Luke, what have we discussed about using that kind of language?” he scolded. Luke turned his gaze to the floor and mumbled an apology while Celeste giggled.

“But seriously dad, you did great,” she said as she turned her gaze away from her brother and back up to her father.

“I’m glad to hear you kids are proud of me,” Aaron said softly. This was quickly replaced by a grin and a lot more confidence in his next words. “Not bad for someone who hasn’t done this in a while, huh?”

“Like you never left the business in the first place,” Celeste agreed.

“Does this mean you’re going to wrestle more?” Luke asked.

Aaron’s eyes went wide and he bit his bottom lip at the question. He had planned on the gimmick battle royal being a ‘one and done’ and the desire for proper closure on this chapter of his life would finally be resolved. The more he thought about what had happened with Ricky, though, the more he knew he couldn’t just ignore it. Sure, there was a chance SCW could handle it, but would it really change anything the next time Ricky set foot in the ring? What was stopping him from making a whole thing out of this, much like how he’d been on the other end of it when Rudy Powell was holding his name—and effectively his career—hostage?

“Sorry you two, but this was it for your father. One last match to get it out of his system,” Nym suddenly cut in, and Aaron breathed an internal sigh of relief at her bailing him out before he got lost in his own head over the matter.

“Aw man!” Luke cried. “I really wanted to see dad wrestle more aside from those old matches. I could rub it in everyone’s faces at school how great a wrestler he is and how he can beat anyone in SCW today.”

Aaron exhaled a small laugh at this before looking down at his son with a gentle smile. “That’s a nice thought kiddo, and I’m honored that you think so highly of me. That said, I haven’t wrestled in years, and that battle royal was full of mostly people in that same boat. If you put me up against anyone who’s competing for SCW regularly these days, I’d likely get my ass kicked no matter how much I pushed myself to be ready.” His eyes slowly narrowed at this point as he remembered how his son worded the praise. “Luke... please tell me you’re not trying to pick fights at school again...”

“Of course not!” he declared.

“He would have fought this one kid after school on Friday for talking about how much he thought you ‘sucked as a wrestler’ if the teachers weren’t watching everyone leaving like hawks after the last bell rang,” Celeste cut in, and Luke immediately turned to glare at her over the betrayal.

“What, I can't stand up to someone who’s talking trash about our dad?” he demanded to know. “And why do you need to be such a goody two-shoes and rat me out?”

Aaron just sighed and rubbed his temples. “Luke, I appreciate you wanting to defend my honor, but people are allowed to have their own opinions. If I got that upset over what people thought of me in the ring, I’d have quit wrestling much sooner and who knows where my life would’ve gone.” Luke was looking up at his father in awe of this wisdom, and even Celeste was paying close attention to his words. “That’s no excuse for you to be picking fights with other kids. I’m an adult and I can take care of myself, and your sister is just trying to keep you out of trouble. I don’t want to be getting a call from the principal because you threw hands with someone over a few words and risked your education doing something dumb.”

Luke nodded in response, and Aaron wanted to think he understood. He was a good kid and never meant any harm, but he was always eager to jump to the defense of others even if doing so only got him into unnecessary trouble. It was something he’d picked up from watching whenever his father had done that in wrestling after he’d essentially devoted the last few years of his career to the Liberation Dogma and carried on with it even long after Brayden had left the business, and while doing that in the ring was one thing considering someone had to step up and do the right thing most of the time, beyond the ropes there were always better options for doing just that without having to literally fight somebody.

As Aaron glanced up, he locked eyes with Nym and was a bit surprised to find her expression unreadable. Normally whenever he was lecturing either of his children about something, he’d catch her gazing at him fondly as she saw him prove why he’d been the man to ultimately capture her heart and lead her into the kind of stable life she had never once considered to be possible before they first crossed paths in VWA so long ago. Something about this look, however, was eerily familiar to him, but at the moment he couldn’t quite put his finger on when he’d last seen it. It still sent a shiver down his spine, and he quickly returned his attention to the twins.

“You know, while we’re on the subject of you two doing things you’re not supposed to, you both should be asleep right now,” he told them. “I know I’m tired from wrestling again after so long and then the flight back, but I’m pretty sure you both still have school tomorrow and you’re going to have a long day with how little sleep you’re actually going to get at this rate.”

“Your father’s right, kids,” Nym added. “I was nice enough to let you stay up with me to wait until he got home, but now it’s time to rest. You’ll have plenty of time to talk with him more about everything after you get home from school.”

Luke and Celeste both groaned in protest, but their parents were not budging on this. Nym began trying to herd them off to bed so Aaron could be free to finish bringing his bags in, but while she was gently prying her husband free of their hugs, she leaned in close and spoke low so that only he could hear her.

“I know you’re exhausted, but don’t go to bed just yet.”

As Aaron carried his bags to their bedroom and started changing into his pajamas, he pondered that message and especially the tone she’d used. Normally, such a line would have been said in a seductive manner that easily implied some ‘late night fun’ between the two of them once the kids were finally down for the night, and even as worn out as he was Aaron knew better than to argue with Nym’s virtually insatiable sex drive. In this instance, however, she’d used a tone that was treading more into the territory of “I’m upset and we need to have a serious talk now,” and he couldn’t help but be concerned.

She hadn’t spoken to him using that tone in a long time… not since the argument over why Aaron wouldn’t just take time off to heal and insisted on competing after she’d watched him get virtually dissected before her eyes in the last appearance she ever made in a wrestling company. He’d almost lost both her and the kids out of that mess, and he was dreading where the conversation Nym wanted to have tonight may go now.

“Alright, they’re finally down for the night,” Nym called as she entered the room, finding that her husband was already laying in bed. She glanced over to the untouched bags and tilted her head. “Not going to unpack?”

“I’ll worry about it tomorrow,” Aaron told her. “My muscles still ache from wrestling for the first time in several years.”

“Fair enough,” she replied with a nod before sitting on the edge of the bed, the look in her eyes growing more serious. “Is there something you want to tell me, Aaron?”

Aaron couldn't help but grow more worried at that. These days, she only ever called him by his actual name when she had something she really wanted to talk about with him and she wasn't in the mood for any fun and games. It had been so long since she'd called him anything other than her affectionate nickname of 'Puppy' or something that referred to him as her husband or the kids' father when she was talking to someone else that he could easily feel the pit forming in his gut over where this was going.

“What do you mean?” he still asked, his legitimate confusion evident.

“You know we ordered Rise to Greatness and watched it live,” she stated. “The kids were so excited to get the chance to watch you compete live one last time. They watched you get eliminated by that salaud Ricky, and while they were disappointed they also couldn't help but get excited when they saw you come back out to defend his manager after what he did to her. You did the right thing Aaron, and I can't blame you for it... but unlike the twins, I've been through this with you before. I know how your mind works, especially after you really took to that whole mindset that came from the Liberation thing and teaming with Brayden for so long. You're right about Luke not needing to pick fights with people over things just because he wants to do what feels like the right thing... but you're going to take your own advice... right?”

Realization struck Aaron like a ton of bricks at that moment, and he really should have known that Nym would've picked up on that. She stood by her husband every single time he'd taken the fight to someone because they started an issue that was better off resolved in the ring fair and square as opposed to whatever underhanded method they were trying to utilize for their own benefit. She'd been front and center when everything he stood for had been thrown back in his face by Kestral before she put on a technical wrestling clinic that tore his body apart to a point that not even some of his more violent matches over the years had achieved, all while mocking her and trying to make her throw in the towel on his behalf because everyone knew he would never give up of his own accord. His refusal to let her get away with it as well as the other fires he'd tried to help put out during VWA's dying days had created a rift in their relationship that almost cost him everything, and Nym was justified in fearing that she was seeing the signs of him walking down that road again.

“You've got nothing to worry about, sweetheart,” Aaron told her after a moment as he leaned up to peck her on the lips. “I learned my lesson after that whole ordeal and everything that it almost did to our family, and I'm not going to make those same mistakes again.”

“Promise?” she asked him, hopeful that she wasn't about to live through that nightmare all over again.

“Promise,” he confirmed, and she finally relaxed enough to let him pull her down onto the bed so they could snuggle up for the night.

Despite saying he learned his lesson, however, Aaron's brain couldn't resist focusing on Ricky James that night and everything that was wrong with what he'd done. Considering that Ricky hadn't been a part of SCW's roster for quite some time and outside of the battle royal the only person focused on him was that sleazeball of a lawyer who was holding his name hostage, he couldn't help but be bothered by the fact that the odds of anyone wanting to deal with Ricky about it were limited to those in that match, very few of whom were even active in SCW anymore. Sure, management could actually discipline Ricky over it, but would it truly change anything?

Something had to be done, and Aaron was starting to feel like he was the only one who actually would be willing to take on the task.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lot had changed since the last time Aaron was in SCW, or the wrestling business in general for that matter, but he was starting to realize that his thoughts might have been a bit clouded by his previous experiences when it came to trusting management to handle things efficiently in regards to certain issues.

He was familiar enough with recent events to know that his line of thinking wasn't completely wrong given what some in SCW managed to get away with, from names he remembered from when he was active in the company that didn't surprise him up to newer faces he only knew from checking in on the company every now and then. But he had to give credit where credit was due: Shaun Cruze was certainly doing a damn good job of trying to keep everything in line, and suspending Ricky James for his actions at Rise to Greatness was certainly the right call. Granted, it meant Aaron had kind of traveled out to Philadelphia for no reason now, but he didn't want to leave anything to chance.

In his mind, it was better to take a stab at helping to resolve the problem than just letting it fester until something did happen.

The endeavor wasn't entirely fruitless, though. Aaron had talked with Shaun behind closed doors and given his contact info, and Shaun completely understood where Aaron was coming from on the matter. He promised Aaron that he'd talk with higher-ups regarding the situation and see what they could do as Ricky wasn't going to be suspended for too long, and Aaron would be the first to know once he had an answer. The possibility that he was going to return to the ring one more time to show Ricky that actions have consequences and he wasn't just going to get away with what he'd done to Lucy was very likely, and at this point, it was simply a waiting game.

Unbeknownst to Aaron, he'd already lost another waiting game he was playing without fully realizing it, and now he was about to find out the penalty for this unforeseen failure.

When Aaron had gotten back home following this latest SCW-oriented trip, he was a little surprised to find the house empty. Granted, it was early enough in the day for the twins to still be in school, but Nym not being around was a surprise since she'd told him she didn't have any plans for the week aside from the shopping they'd already taken care of together before he left. He did find a note from Nym on the kitchen counter explaining that she'd be out if he came home and she wasn't there to meet him, but Nym's normally neat handwriting was messier than usual, like she'd written it in a rush because she didn't want to be here when he got home, and it had him on edge.

Maybe he was reading too much into things, but Aaron had learned a long time ago to trust his gut when it came to certain little details he'd picked up on over the years.

Even still, there was nothing to be done until Nym came home and he could find out what was going on, so he decided to spend some time in his office working on a few projects he'd admittedly been neglecting because of the traveling. Throwing himself back into writing proved to be the perfect distraction as he felt a calm wash over him while he filled out the document in front of him with words, and for a little while, he started to believe he may have just been overthinking things and getting worked up over nothing. Roughly a half hour later, Nym finally returned home, and when Aaron turned to greet her he found the words dying in his throat as it became apparent very quickly that she was pissed.

“I really should have waited to go get a massage until after this...” she muttered to herself before closing the distance. “Aaron,  mon amour... what the hell is wrong with you?”

“What are you talking about?” he replied, clearly missing whatever unspoken fact Nym thought was blatantly obvious for this conversation.

“You know, I remember hearing you often say a long time ago that you never made promises you couldn't keep,” she told him, jabbing her finger into his chest to punctuate a few of her words. “So why would you promise that you wouldn't put me through this again only to turn right around and break it barely a month later!?”

Aaron thought for a moment before he recalled the promise he'd made to Nym after Rise to Greatness about not repeating the mistakes that tore a rift between them once before. That had to be what she was talking about as he couldn't recall any other promises he'd made recently about anything, and yet that didn't seem to alleviate his confusion at all. Nym seemed to pick up on the fact that he wasn't picking up on what she was talking about, so she continued.

“You know that Celeste and Luke like to watch SCW every Thursday night since it's the only place you were part of that's still operating, and you and I both know they want to try and break into the business themselves once they're older. So imagine my surprise when I sit down to watch a little bit with them because you were on a business trip and see you backstage at this show, on camera, trying to set up another match for yourself! I didn't question what this 'business trip' was about because I trusted you, and now I'm standing here trying to remove the dagger you left in my back!”

“OK, I think we need to take a few steps back here because there's clearly been some miscommunication,” Aaron said while trying to gently take Nym's hands, though she quickly jerked them away and almost seemed angrier at his choice of words.

“So now you're telling me that you didn't promise that you'd just let this whole thing with Ricky go,” Nym growled, “or that you didn't promise me that the gimmick battle royal was a one-and-done affair because you know as well as I do what the doctors told you that finally got you to hang up your boots for good. Hell, I only brought that up because I thought it would give you the closure I know you were thinking about on your career, but clearly I made a mistake in doing so!”

“My exact words that night were that I'd learned my lesson and wasn't going to repeat my past mistakes,” Aaron responded, his tone gaining a bit of an edge to it now. “I didn't just throw myself into this blindly like I've done trying to step up in the past Nym. I actually went to the person currently in charge and discussed the matter, and you probably know from watching the show that Ricky James is suspended for what he did. Yeah, he won't stay suspended, but what happens next regarding that isn't my decision.”

“I just don't understand why you feel the need to be hypocritical about this!” Nym yelled, and Aaron was a bit taken aback by this considering she hadn't even yelled or screamed at him the last time they'd been at odds with each other. “When you came home that night, you told your own son not to pick fights with people just to be the hero, and now you're going out of your way to do just that!”

“First off, leave Luke out of this because he's got nothing to do with whatever you think this issue is,” Aaron warned her. “And second-”

“Considering what you're doing affects both him and Celeste, I'm not the one who's getting them involved in the first place,” Nym interrupted.

“This has nothing to do with our kids at all Nym! Hell, it doesn't even have anything to do with you and barely has anything to do with me!” Aaron tried to explain, though he certainly wasn't helping his case by getting heated in his own right as he rose to a stand. “You think anyone else is going to deal with Ricky once his suspension ends and make sure he realizes he crossed a line and any issues he has should rightfully be resolved in the ring? As much as I respect Robin for getting him to back off while I checked on Lucy, I honestly don't see her or anyone else coming back for a little longer to teach him a lesson, nor do I see anyone else on the SCW roster caring enough to tackle that task because odds are they'll be more focused on whatever other issues come up between each other while he's out of the picture entirely. If I don't do this, then who will?”

“You shouldn't even have to at all, that's the whole point and it's flying right over your damn head!” Nym argued as she put her hands on her head in frustration. “And that's saying something coming from the one who was always seen as the 'brainless bimbo with the bombshell body' in our relationship by literally everyone who knew we were a thing in the business!”

Aaron's jaw dropped at that, and he'd admit that it became a struggle to form any sort of response. His first instinct was to immediately make it clear to Nym that she was far more than that self-deprecating label she just gave herself, especially since they'd both heard terms like that and far worse over the years before they fully settled down and their family grew. He was finding it hard to latch onto that instinct and let go of an argument he didn't even want to be having in the first place because emotions were running high and Nym wasn't listening to him, which was making it difficult for him to respond in any way that didn't come off as heated on his end. When he did finally get his bearings in the wake of this, Nym had seemingly recomposed herself enough to start storming off, only to stop in the doorway and glance back at him.

“I'm going to go pick the kids up from school,” she said, her voice shaky and her anger barely restrained, “and I'm going to take them out somewhere for a little while so I can try to forget about what you're up to. I'll be sleeping in the guest room while you're busy throwing yourself back into this spiral again, wondering why I just had to open this proverbial Pandora's box again. If you actually come to your senses about this, you know where to find me. Otherwise... maybe I should call up my sisters and do what I should have done the last time you decided to walk this path.”

“Nym, wait-” Aaron started to say, reaching out for his wife, but Nym had wasted no time in slamming the door shut behind her. He quickly re-opened it and tried to stop her, but by the time he caught up, she was already in her car and driving away from the house.

He was left to stand on the porch and watch as the car drove away, his gaze simply locked in that direction for a few moments before he very slowly turned to head back inside. He ended up returning to his office as his body went on autopilot while his mind attempted to process exactly what had just happened, and once the realization set in that he was somehow ended up reliving the same scenario that had given him nightmares for years after the fact because of how close he'd come to losing everything he held dear, he ripped the mouse free from his computer and hurled it at the wall.

“Fuck!”

Breathing heavily as he looked down at the shattered accessory he'd now have to replace, Aaron slowly sank to his knees and clutched his head, desperately trying to figure out exactly where he'd gone wrong and how he could fix all of this.

By the time Nym finally returned to the house with the twins in tow later that night, he was no closer to an answer, and everyone was left to suffocate from how thick the tension was. Luke and Celeste didn't know exactly what had happened between them, but they had a pretty good idea and weren't too keen on history repeating itself.

Whether or not they could actually do anything to stop it, however... only time would tell.

[Ruppy]

In a sense, Aaron is almost grateful that he's still waiting to hear from SCW on the situation regarding Ricky James.

Mostly because he thinks that if he had to go through a few shows pretending that everything in his personal life was alright all over again, he was probably going to do something he was going to severely regret.

A little over a week had passed since he'd shown up on Breakdown and inquired with Shaun Cruze about coming back for one last match to teach Ricky a lesson, and his frustrations had only been mounting. That dormant desire for in-ring justice was starting to burn so hotly beneath his skin that he was almost afraid he would burst into flames if just the right buttons were pushed. He was trying to be patient and repeatedly told himself that it was alright if that call never came because that would mean SCW had well and truly come a long way from when he'd competed in terms of making sure the inmates didn't run the asylum anymore, for lack of a better term, but now that his old mindset had been awakened it was growing more and more difficult to just ignore the desire to deal with the Ricky situation in the ring, as wrestlers should do.

The fact that Rudy Powell, the man Ricky had been fighting to earn back his name, had suddenly turned around and was trying to defend him and his actions the way that only a sleazy politician would find 'fair' and 'just' only stoked that flame.

A potential extended return to SCW, however, was the least of Aaron's worries, and yet it was also the catalyst for the larger problem at hand.

Ever since the argument they'd had when Aaron got back from Philadelphia, Nym had stayed true to her word about avoiding her husband as much as she could. She'd effectively packed up her stuff and moved it to the guest room, she made it a point to leave the room anytime Aaron walked in and she'd even gone to greater lengths to find excuses to get out of the house just so he couldn't interact with her. Aaron had certainly tried to fix things and explain why he felt he needed to do this, but he barely got too far into trying to justify his point of view before she either stormed off or snapped at him to leave her alone. The last time he'd attempted to talk with her, he aborted the plan once he saw Nym on the phone with her sister discussing the issue, validating her threat to take the kids and leave if nothing changed.

The longer this went on, the more Aaron found himself falling into a darker headspace. One he'd adamantly tried to avoid for the safety of those around him and an edge he hadn't found himself inching towards since the last time they'd fought over this issue.

The weekend was upon them now, and Aaron was spending the day in the home gym. It'd be no surprise to find him here if one wanted to look for him considering he hadn't done his workout for the day yet, sticking to the physical therapy regiment he'd been given years ago to rebuild his shoulder and knee after the VWA feud that had put him in such bad physical shape that it created the initial rift in his relationship with Nym. He was adding to it today, however, much like he had trying to get back in fighting shape for the gimmick battle royal, just in case the call he was waiting on from SCW finally came in. With only one Breakdown left to go until the Apocalypse pay-per-view, if SCW was going to decide to unsuspend Ricky so he could face his trial in the ring, as a wrestler should for his actions, then that choice would have to be made sooner rather than later.

As he went through his routine, he certainly took notice of the extra little bit of aggression to everything he was doing, and he was struggling to rein it in. Maybe it was because he knew, in the back of his head, that Nym had taken the kids out for the day and that eliminated the chance of anyone being around to feel threatened if he lost himself, but that didn't stop him from actively trying to fight against the feeling. Not only would any damage caused just be unnecessary, but he hated feeling like a monster because he gave in to a side of himself that he never wanted to see in the mirror ever again. The risk of doing so was one of the biggest reasons why he'd taken a step back and seen the logic in tending to his mounting injuries first before stepping back to the ring, and the lack of stress due to being away from the business had been a godsend to every aspect of his life.

“You alright, dad?”

Aaron snapped out of the thoughts he'd fallen into while his body went on autopilot with the leg extension machine, and to say he was surprised to see his daughter standing in the gym was an understatement. Noticing that she was wearing attire that indicated she might be planning to work out too had him all the more confused, and concerned once his parental instincts kicked it.

“Celeste?” he asked. “I thought you were out with your mom and brother?”

“Well,” Celeste began as she walked over to examine the dumbbell rack, “I was supposed to be since mom really wanted to get us out of the house. But, no offense, Luke and I know something's not right between you guys and we're both getting tired of it. So we agreed that Luke would go with mom like she wanted and try to talk with her while I stayed here to try talking with you. As far as mom knows, I couldn't go with her because I had a ton of homework I'd forgotten about, and before you ask, I did actually finish the last of it a little bit ago.”

Aaron almost wanted to laugh at how casually his daughter just admitted all of that, though whether it was to stifle the desire to express pride in the fact that she at least got her homework done in a timely manner or bury the pettiness his brain tried to feel over Celeste choosing to stay with him instead of going with Nym, he couldn't say for sure. The fact that his thoughts even wanted to acknowledge that last one were concerning enough, but he quickly shrugged it off as he called an early end to his current set of reps and started to approach Celeste.

“Celeste, you know you and your brother are still a little too young for your mom and me to feel comfortable having you guys in here,” Aaron started, but before he could continue his argument, his daughter turned to face him.

“I know, and I'm sorry,” she said, which caught him a bit off guard. “I guess I just wanted to get an early start on preparing myself, and I thought it'd be alright if you were in here to make sure I knew what I was doing.”

“Preparing for what?” Aaron couldn't help but ask. “You know I'd be more than happy to train you and Luke if you want to wrestle yourselves, but that day's still quite a few years off. And if this has anything to do with school...”

“It doesn't,” she quickly cut him off before turning her gaze to the floor. “Not exactly, anyway, at least for right now. It's just that... well, after Luke and I got 'the talk' from you guys, mom pulled me aside and gave me another talk. She told me all about her family's genes and what I should expect once puberty really starts kicking in for me. I know Luke's already told me he'll gladly step up to defend me if he needs to, and I'm thankful that he's willing to do that, but I want to be able to defend myself too in case anyone starts getting any funny ideas at school or otherwise.”

Aaron just blinked at this as he watched Celeste grab some dumbbells that were light enough for her to comfortably get started with. Nym had given him the rundown on the D'Aubergine family genes after she'd gotten pregnant and he knew full well that his daughter was eventually going to have the kind of curves that would either match her mother or go beyond that and match one of her sisters. While he had no shortage of ideas in mind for making sure anyone who sought her had good intentions and wasn't just after her body, somehow his thoughts had never fully clicked regarding how Celeste herself would handle all of this once she knew. Knowing that she had chosen to be responsible about this and not decide to just use it to her advantage as her mom had long before she and him had started something serious put those fears to rest.

“Guess you take after your Aunt Vero in that regard,” Aaron chuckled after a moment. “For as much as your mom's become more responsible after we got serious and I've always tried to have a good head on my shoulders, we both don't exactly have the best track records when it comes to making good decisions, especially in the face of stressful situations.”

“Everyone approaches things differently, and sometimes there might be another angle that you're missing,” Celeste responded as she started to do some curls, waiting until her father had grabbed a set and started doing his own before she shifted gears. “If you don't mind me asking dad... what do you think mom's upset with you about?”

Aaron paused for a moment before a sigh escaped his lips as he glanced over at her. “It's hard for me to guess, sweetheart. I want to say that she's angry about me wrestling again, even though I've tried to tell her that this is just one more match and I truly will be done this time. I want to say she's worrying too much about me getting hurt which... yeah, it's a possibility, but I don't think one match is going to do enough to me physically that it's going to ruin my life.”

“Are you sure about any of that, though?” Celeste interrupted, and when her father opened his mouth to reply she quickly cut him off again. “It's easy to think that you are, but look at this from mom's point of view. The last time this happened, you kept wrestling even when she wanted to take our family away from it all, mostly for your sake. You can tell her that this is going to be only one more match, but how does she know you wouldn't just be saying that just to try and comfort her? And yeah, you might get hurt doing this match, but to think that one match won't make a difference... isn't that what happened when you first fought Kestrel?”

Aaron bit his bottom lip, knowing full well Celeste had a point. Yeah, he'd had two matches with Kestrel, but that first one was where everything truly fell apart for him. He'd been so thoroughly torn apart, and Nym had stood at ringside and watched it all happen to the man she loved while struggling to keep from giving up on his behalf, knowing all about his infamous heart and the fight he wielded because of it. Pushing for a rematch hadn't helped matters when he'd been dissected again, but by that point, Kestrel was simply finishing the job she'd already started so she could wipe her hands of her business with him and move on to the next challenge in front of her. Could Ricky be able to do something similar in the span of only one match? It was something he couldn't rule out, as much as he tried to block out all those thoughts.

“Why does it have to be you, dad?” Celeste continued, cutting through his thoughts.

“It's... I mean...” Aaron faltered for a moment before his mind managed to latch onto something familiar. “If I don't teach him to settle his wrestling business in the ring where it belongs, like a wrestler truly should, then who will? Yeah, SCW may have suspended him, but he's still on the roster and this suspension will probably have him flying under the radar to the point where by the time he does come back, anyone who deals with him won't be doing it because of what he did to Lucy, but rather whatever issue he tries to start with them.”

“No offense dad, but that still doesn't explain why you have to do this, and why it absolutely has to be you,” Celeste stated as she finished her curls and put the dumbbells back before turning to look her father right in the eyes. “I get it, you think that you have to do it if no one else will, but when you keep putting everyone else's issues before your own, who's going to tackle your problems if you won't?”

Aaron looked away at this, almost as though he was struggling to comprehend it. After a moment, though, he let his dumbbells drop from his hands and loudly clatter to the floor before slowly sitting down on the nearby bench, his eyes just staring at nothing in particular as he slowly came to several realizations that he feels he should have come to so much sooner.

Celeste was right, there was no reason why he truly needed to do this. Even if he tried to justify it with “if I don't then who will,” that didn't change the fact that this wasn't any of his business anymore. On paper, it was as simple as being able to do the right thing, but in practice, he knew full well it was always more complicated than that. He thought back to the end of his career, remembering when he'd gone out of his way to try and honor the memory of Shane Lawson when he had supposedly died only to be made a fool of when it was eventually revealed that Shane had faked his death all to get one over on a man who had made a major enemy out of him. That, in and of itself, had been a stunt Shane himself had fallen victim to in VWA's first run, and Aaron had ultimately been dragged into the middle of that mess afterward with no rhyme or reason.

As much as he had tried to tell Nym that he'd learned his lesson, it was clear as day now that he truly hadn't after all, and now he was just repeating those mistakes and walking down a self-destructive path all over again.

The more he pondered it, the more he began to realize exactly where this problem truly started. When he'd first been asked by Brayden Walker to join him in continuing the idea of Liberation but in a fashion that truly represented the ideals the group had intended to bring to SCW and beyond, the Liberation Dogma made sense and gave him a feeling of purpose in the business that he felt like he'd been lacking for some time. As the years passed, however, those values began to consume him, molding Aaron Rupp into someone who would throw himself at any problem without any regard for his own well-being all in the name of enforcing that belief and trying to make everyone else adhere to it as well. In a twisted sort of way, he'd become no different than the very wrestlers he opposed on that moral ground.

“No wonder I got called out near the end of it all by someone I thought would understand...” Aaron muttered to himself before he finally lifted his gaze from the floor to look at his daughter, who was starting to look worried about having maybe cut a little too deep with the point she was trying to make. At that, Aaron gave her a reassuring smile to put her at ease. “You're right Celeste... I haven't been trying to see your mom's point of view in this, I just went right back to the same guns I've stuck with ever since the whole Liberation thing became a part of me. I got so blinded by it that I never realized just how toxic that mindset ultimately was if I left it unchecked.”

Celeste couldn't help but smile at seeing that she'd gotten through to her dad, and she was sure that Luke was doing a good job of helping their mom come around to at least giving her husband a chance to talk so they could mend this bridge.

After a moment, Aaron stood up and hugged his daughter. “Thank you, sweetie... you're a bright kid, and I know you've got an even brighter future ahead of you.” Celeste tried to hug her father back but hissed at the pain that shot through her arms, which caused him to softly chuckle. “And that's why you stretch before any workout. But, live and learn... something I'm definitely going to make sure I adhere to going forward.”

From there, Aaron started to teach Celeste all about proper stretching and workout technique to make sure she was more equipped for next time. Despite her insistence on giving it another try, he talked her down so she didn't hurt herself, but promised that they could work out together in the near future as well as teaching her a few things for self-defense purposes just in case a situation arose where she would absolutely need them. Celeste had no problem agreeing to these terms and even asked if Luke could join them as well, to which Aaron agreed since he knew his son would probably feel left out if he thought his sister was getting a jump on their potential futures in the wrestling business.

It was little things like this that helped remind him of what he had now, and more importantly, what he couldn't afford to lose because of some bad decisions despite the good intentions behind them.

While Aaron and Celeste were rewatching the most recent edition of Breakdown, with the former in particular paying close attention to the claims of Rudy Powell, Luke and Nym finally returned home. The excitement that followed them into the house definitely brightened the mood as Luke made a beeline for the couch and nearly divebombed into his twin, earning him a light scolding from his father before the two of them settled in. Aaron then glanced over to Nym to see the smile slowly leaving her face as she locked eyes with him before she quickly made herself scarce. He glanced over and saw that his kids had taken notice of what was going on and they seemed to be on the same page as they motioned for him to go talk with her, to which he nodded and headed towards the guest room. Once he was near the open doorway, he took a deep breath to make sure he was composed and steeled himself as he carefully stepped into the room, finding Nym dusting some glitter off of her clothes that he hadn't noticed before from whatever she and Luke had been out doing today.

“Nym, can we talk?”

At the sound of his voice, Nym seemed to freeze in her tracks. He hadn't sounded upset or desperate or even angry, making sure his tone was one of genuine understanding. After a few moments, she finally turned to look at him, staying silent and making no further moves as a sign that she was waiting to hear what he had to say.

“I'm sorry,” he finally said, “about everything.”

Nym scoffed a bit at that. “You've been apologizing Aaron, but you still-”

“I'm not going through with anything for SCW, regardless of what happens with Ricky,” he cut in, and that got Nym's attention. “You were right... I was being a hypocrite. Yeah, what Ricky did at Rise to Greatness was awful, and I don't regret stepping in to make sure he didn't do anything else, but I really should have left it there. It's not my fight, and I shouldn't have to put this family through any more unnecessary stress because I blindly rushed in. Honestly, maybe it's time I actually be a little selfish for once and do something that truly is best for me, and that's call it quits before I get myself in too deep again.”

“Aaron...” Nym was getting a little teary-eyed at the surprise of her husband finally coming around and understanding why she'd been upset this whole time, and she quickly threw herself into his arms as they shared a tender embrace. They stood there for a while, holding one another close as Nym buried her face into Aaron's shoulder to hide her tears as he quietly reassured her that she was alright. She slowly looked up at him once she seemed to find her voice again. “I'm guessing Celeste talked with you since she insisted on staying behind?”

“She did, and I presume Luke did the same while you guys were out doing your thing?” Aaron asked back, and Nym just nodded with a chuckle. “We really did raise some good kids... even if I think they're starting to take more after your sister in terms of having common sense.”

“I'll let Vero know that the next time I talked with her,” Nym couldn't help but laugh. “I do have to ask though... how'd you finally realize?”

“I took a moment to really think about the last time we had this problem,” Aaron told her, “and I realized that I'd fallen into a toxic headspace again. That Liberation Dogma... as much as it gave me direction during the last years of my career, it took me way too long to realize that the desire to enforce it as though it were wrestling law made me just as much of an asshole at times as the very people I was going after under that ideology. I'm not a tool whose sole purpose is to try and shove that down people's throats, even if quite a few in the business could use a reality check on how they carry themselves. I'm human... I make mistakes and I'm allowed to have my own thoughts and opinions and deal with my own problems if they take precedence over doing the right thing, especially if I'm expected to just throw myself at someone else's problem with no care for my own well-being. I didn't realize that last time... the only reason I stopped was because wrestling was taken out of the picture for me and that mindset just faded, and it's about time I finally start learning from some of those old mistakes.”

“You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you finally sat that, Aaron,” Nym admitted before she pulled him into a deep kiss, one he wasted no time in reciprocating. There was passion in this kiss, but not the kind of passion that was going to lead to them ditching their clothes and slipping under the covers. Rather, it was the passion of finally feeling like they could connect on an emotional level again after years of uncertainty lingered unaddressed in their relationship since the day Aaron was left with no choice but to hang up his boots. Finally, those old forgotten scars could begin to heal, and their family as a whole would ultimately be much stronger for it.

The moment found itself interrupted by the sound of Aaron's phone going off echoing from their room down the hall. Glancing at one another and silently agreeing to move Nym's stuff back later, they made their way to the bedroom they could once again happily say they shared only to just barely miss the call. Aaron gave it a moment before the notification of a voicemail came up, and he put it on speaker so the two of them could listen to it, finding it to be a message from Shaun Cruze that the decision was made to rescind Ricky's suspension for Apocalypse if Aaron was still interested in facing him.

“Guess I need to call him back and tell him there's been a change of plans,” Aaron said as he went to hit the button, but Nym stopped him by taking his hand and intertwining their fingers.

“I think you should go through with it,” she said, to his surprise.

“But... after...” Aaron struggled to figure out what to say to this suggestion considering the issues they'd just been facing and the fact that he was willing to drop this whole idea altogether now that he finally had some clarity.

“I know, and I really appreciate you being willing to do that to prove that you were serious about apologizing,” Nym clarified. “But, if I can be honest for a moment? I think you need this closure. The benefit of one last proper match to go out on... and, more importantly, the ability to prove to yourself that you can do this and then leave that part of your life behind once and for all. No more sense of obligation, no more Liberation Dogma dictating that you have to come back for longer to resolve issues that don't have anything to do with you... just you, putting up one last fight. Plus, I don't think I can deny that Ricky just seems like the kind of guy who needs a good ass-kicking to set him straight.”

Aaron found himself grinning at that as he leaned over and gave Nym a peck on the lips. “Well in that case, how could I refuse? Just... promise me one thing Nym. If I somehow do slip and want to keep going beyond this match, for whatever reason, please smack some sense into me.”

“I have faith that I won't need to do that Aaron, but I do promise that we will rebuild this little bridge of trust between us and this won't happen again, no matter what it takes,” Nym firmly responded.

Aaron nodded in understanding before returning the call to make the match for Apocalypse official, his mind already at work to erase the Liberation Dogma from his mind so that it couldn't use him as its shield and sword anymore. No, this was going to be done on the terms of the real Aaron Rupp, and no matter how this match ended, he was going to go out with a smile on his face, knowing he got the closure he never truly got all those years ago that allowed these problems to fester in the first place.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aaron Rupp is down by the harbor, sitting on one of the ledges and looking out at the waters of Lake Erie. Even long after he retired, he would often find himself coming down here whenever he needed a moment to clear his head, as something about the waves of the lake always seemed to bring him peace. He's dressed pretty casually in a pair of blue jeans and one of his trademark black hoodies, seeing no point in getting all fancy just because this is the first time he's done something like this in several years. He simply wants people to see him for the man he truly is, not the crusader he built himself into near the end of his time in the business or the caricature that certain individuals have felt the need to try and paint him as. To that end, he ignores the camera and keeps his gaze on the lake as he begins to speak.

“It feels weird, sitting here and doing this again. It's been a little over half a decade since the last time I did anything like this, and truth be told, I truly never thought I ever would do this again. My plans certainly changed over the years... after VWA closed and SCW flat out told me they weren't going to sign me back on until I had the injuries I was trying to force myself to fight through at the time looked at, I found my life heading in a completely different direction than I thought it would for a long time. I needed to undergo surgery and doctors flat out told me that I could never put myself through anything like that ever again, otherwise, I ran the very real risk of irreparable damage. Left with no other choice, I finally hung up my boots and settled into living life with my loving wife and the twins we happily brought into the world. I won't lie... it always bothered me that I never got to go out on my own terms, and when I left wrestling behind I also ended up burying some lingering issues in my life that I never bothered to address until recently. Up until the past few weeks, I honestly thought that everything was fine.

Still, part of me always hated the way that things went down. More specifically, the man that I became while I championed the concept of the Liberation Dogma. Well... maybe 'champion' isn't the word I'd use in retrospect, because I need to come clean for a moment... it took me far too long, but it finally dawned on me that I took that whole belief farther than I ever should have, to the point where it consumed me. Because of that, it continued to persist long after Liberation had its swan song, after my old friend Brayden Walker had parted ways with this business even. While I do not regret some of what I did in trying to defend the values of this business, I do acknowledge that I became so lost in that mindset that I became no different than the people I took up that mantle to fight against. To those who called me out on what I was doing near the end of things, I can finally see through the static and acknowledge the hypocrisy of trying to shove that belief down everyone's throats and acting as though it was an unwritten law of the business that everyone had to follow.

When I had to retire, I was free from that mindset because wrestling, in and of itself, posed a threat to my well-being if I wasn't careful, and I didn't want to take an unnecessary risk and find myself unable to ever walk unassisted again. But deep in my mind, where the desire to have one last match and proper closure on my career resided, that mindset persisted, begging me to come back and right the wrongs of the wrestling world. And for years, I ignored it... up until Rise to Greatness. I showed up for the gimmick battle royal as a fun little one-off appearance, intending to give a little something back to SCW for signing me in the first place and to maybe finally get that sense of closure at long last. But the moment Ricky James was eliminated and turned his back on the very woman who helped him get his name back, even when she had no reason to do so, that old Liberation mindset returned and I found myself retreading a dangerous path, one that almost cost me everything once before and threatened to do so again.

This time, though, my family helped me take a moment to step back and realize that I don't have to go through with this just because of a mindset that once gave me purpose but was now causing me harm. Thanks to them, it dawned on me that I was about to rush into this blindly and repeat the same old mistakes that left me trying to fight the good fight for a situation that may be a little more nuanced than I was willing to believe. After all, nothing in this world is ever black and white, and this was a fight that really had nothing to do with me aside from my intervention at Rise to Greatness. That said, despite what I had talked with Shaun Cruze about, I was actually going to drop this issue and rescind my suggestion of settling things in the ring.

And then you, Ricky, proceeded to open your mouth.”

As Aaron finally turns his full attention to the camera, it's hard to miss just how annoyed he looks. While he may have expressed annoyance in the past over the actions of his opponents, there's something about this particular look that lacks the sense of professionalism that always accompanied the need to try and portray himself as the better person morally.

“I truly have to thank you Ricky, because for a moment I felt like I had flashed back to an earlier point in my career, one where people seemed more focused on the woman I now call my wife instead of the man who's actually planning on kicking their ass. It's funny because I thought that we, as human beings, were starting to move past such shallow thoughts. I mean, considering the current landscape of SCW is dominated for the most part by women who have more than earned their place in this business and proven that gender stereotypes are complete bullshit, one would think that you'd have chosen your words a little more carefully. But, then again, who am I to argue against America and its freedoms, including the freedom of speech that gives you the power to speak the piece that you did?

The funny thing about freedom of speech, though? It goes both ways, and I'm well within my own rights to call you out on both your bullshit and the hypocrisy of going right back to the very man who made a mockery of your name for quite some time.

I'll give you a few points for originality for some of how you choose to address not only me but, more importantly, my wife, but here's a lovely little disclaimer for you Ricky: most of the shit you said? In some fashion, I've heard it before, and done better quite frankly. Hell, at least when my old rival Blake Mason tried to focus on my wife as a means of getting under my skin, he was upfront about what he wanted to do with her as opposed to trying to make some convoluted metaphor. Then again, he had the advantage of actually knowing her and our relationship, as opposed to the blind assumptions you tried to throw out all because even a broken clock is right at least twice a day and you're desperately hoping to hear that chime right about now. I get it, you're upset that I tried to 'play the hero' one more time and that's why we find ourselves in this situation now, and I'll be the first to admit that I jumped the gun a bit and should've known better. But that also means I'm at least able to stand here and acknowledge when I should have thought a situation through a little more. That's why I'm able to say that I have a wife who has changed me for the better just as much as I've changed her while you not only resolved whatever issues you had with Lucy publicly as opposed to behind closed doors and invited a scenario like this upon yourself, if not from me than from someone else, but you also decided to go right back into a toxic partnership with Rudy Powell despite all the obvious logic that he's just a leech hungry for a platform for his pseudo-political agenda.”

Aaron could only roll his eyes at that. He was never big on politics, which was ironic considering all the wrestling politics he'd put up with over the years, and it was about the time of year when all the political talk was just going to give him a migraine. The fact that Ricky embraced it so wholeheartedly, especially now that he had Rudy by his side again, while ignoring everything that the two of them had indirectly been fighting over going into Rise to Greatness was enough of a red flag as far as Aaron was concerned, but while he recognized a toxic partnership through his own experiences with being used in the business over the years, he also knew full well that at the end of the day, it would be on Ricky to recognize that and cut the cord in order to seek out something that would be much healthier for him in the long run.

“You know Ricky, I would have thought you'd actually be looking forward to an opportunity like this, but the fact that you're so lost in the fog that you aren't even bothering to do your homework speaks volumes to me about how little you're concerned about where your career is heading, especially since you're letting Rudy blabber on about this match not counting despite you having that desire that every wrestler does of wanting those opportunities to call yourself a champion for whatever reason speaks to you. You want to know who the hell Aaron Rupp is? As far as SCW is concerned, Aaron Rupp is a former two-time Tag Champion, a former Adrenaline Champion and, one I think will definitely get your attention, a former United States Champion. True, all those reigns were quite some time ago, long before SCW was ever a blip on your radar, but it doesn't change the fact that my name is permanently etched into this company's history books several times over.

You know what that means Ricky?

That means you have a chance to give yourself a stronger case for a future title opportunity by defeating someone who's more than familiar with a lot of SCW's gold.

And yet... if this match isn't considered 'legal' if Rudy has his way, then you lose the luxury of being able to prove to anyone, Shaun Cruze or otherwise, that you have a case for challenging for a championship, now don't you?

I've been through this whole song and dance before Ricky, as much as I hated it and usually found myself in the middle of it against my will. The excuses, the drama, the desire to make a case while looking for loopholes to avoid slipping if things don't go your way... the politics of the game of wrestling are nothing new to me. That's why it's been intriguing to practically toss you a softball on that front and see you swing madly at it hoping to hit a home run. After all, you're the one who has everything to gain in this match for the reasons I've already stated, but that also means you have the most to lose since you're the one who will be showing up again for future shows trying to justify why anyone should seriously consider you as having earned the opportunities you want so damn badly.

As for me? This match means only one thing, and that's long overdue closure. The result doesn't change a thing... no matter what happens at Apocalypse, I will finally be able to say that I left wrestling on my own terms, having wrestled one last match and given it everything that I have left to give. I can return to retirement with no further demons haunting me about 'what if' scenarios or the need to keep being some sort of hero any longer. I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose... but make no mistake Ricky. I still plan on showing up to Madison Square Garden, the most famous arena in the entire world and where many wrestling legacies were first born, and making sure that by the time Sunday night is over... you, and everyone else, will always remember exactly who the hell Aaron Rupp is and what makes me tick.

Even though I will soon be gone, my spirit will remain with this business for years to come after everything I've given it... and after Apocalypse, that thought is going to haunt every corner of your mind every time you look back on your career and realize that you were handed a golden ticket and squandered it all because you were too focused on this charade of making SCW 'great again' and forgot to try and make Ricky James great... period.”

With his piece spoken, Aaron turns his gaze back to the lake as we leave him, reflecting on everything he's said and done recently and over the course of his entire career. And for perhaps the first time in a while and the last time we will ever see, Aaron looks at peace with the man that he is, the wrestler that he was, and what he knows the business will be going forward without him.