[b]Tuesday April 19, 2011
City Street
Portland, Oregon
3:15 PM Local Time[/b]
The light turned red, and I slowed down, coming to a stop at the line. Putting one foot on the ground to steady myself, I quickly reached up and adjusted my helmet, wiping some dirt off my visor as I did.
Even though we had managed to bring my motorbike with me when we left Indianapolis a week ago, I hadn’t found time to go for a ride, as busy as Terrence and I were kept between our scheduled obligations, and travelling to them, I hadn’t had much time for anything, other than maybe a couple of minutes reading before falling asleep at night.
But today, this glorious Pacific Northwest day, I finally had a small window of time to myself, and I was going to make the most of it.
The light turned green, and I accelerated, careful to keep my balance, and watching out for any obstacles. The last thing I needed right now was to be getting myself hurt in a motorbike crash.
Merely thinking the word “crash” jolted me like a slap to the face, and I couldn’t help but direct my thoughts back to Terrence’s accident at Talladega just a few days prior. Even though he had walked away uninjured, as had all the drivers involved, the mental video projector in my mind kept replaying the crash over and over again,
I supposed it was one of those inevitabilities risks that came with the job. In professional wrestling, it was inevitable that sooner or later, you take a big move, and quite possibly knocked out in the ring. It was something that happened if you competed enough, and any wrestler that said it wasn’t something they dreaded was either crazy, or lying.
So too was it with racing, I figured. There wasn’t a driver in racing that hadn’t been in an accident before- most drivers got in several every year. Like taking a fall in wrestling, it was something that you dreaded, but couldn’t avoid over the long run. The best thing for it was to recover the best you could, and move on.
But all the confidence I had felt watching that race was gone. In the span it took for Terence to smack a spinning vehicle at one hundred ninety miles per hour, my confidence about this venture- both mine and my husbands, had plummeted.
I knew it was foolish to tie my in-ring success in with my husband’s on-track success. We were two seperate people, now in two seperate professions. Whatever Terrence did, I controlled my own destiny in FFW. But the disaster at Talladega had forced me to deal with a question I hadn’t wanted to, a question that couldn’t escape my mind.
What if I failed?
What if, after all the hype my manager had put out about me, and all the pressure I had put on myself, I fell flat on my face out there?
It was a ridiculous thought, wasn’t it? There wasn’t any reason I could fail here, was there? I had the tools I needed to succeed, I was a competent wrestler. All I needed was to get in that ring, and erase Charity Deas like I needed to erase these doubts from my mind.
I wasn’t going to take this for granted... I learned long ago that nothing ever came cheap in this business, and perhaps that was one of the secrets to my success- I simply knew it wouldn’t just happen.
Hard work and preservation paid off elsewhere. They would in Femme Fatale Wrestling, as well.
I smiled grimly as I began to accelerate, my motorcycle gaining speed as I went along the parkway.
I just had to prove it.
=======================================
Thurdsay April 21, 2011
The RV- Main Cabin
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
10:39 AM Local Time
[Ah, just what the FFW faithful needed to see today...]
[Daniel Pollaski’s chubby mug, plopped right in front of the camera]
[The Pollaskinator seems to be standing in the main cabin of the WhirlyBirdz’ RV, just in front of the hide-a-bed sofa that dominates the port side at the rear of the cabin. Pollaski’s standing, however, and oddly enough, has a guitar controller from Rock Band in his hands. This is made even more odd due to the fact that the 36” flatscreen television hanging on the wall at the back of the cabin is very clearly off.]
[Then again, Pollaski’s not exactly known for being normal, now is he?]
[Suddenly, the opening chord to “Hollywood Whore” by Papa Roach is heard, and Pollaski ‘strums’ it on his plastic guitar. He then leans forward, eyes closes and passionate, as he begins singing over Jacoby Shaddox]
#Charity Deaaaaaaas...#
#Losing to Wendy Briiiiiiieeeese...#
#I’m sorry but your career’s over....#
[The guitar intro begins to play, and Pollaski begins rocking out, milking the guitar for all he’s worth, and even banging his head a few times. It’s not the prettiest sight in the world]
[Suddenly, mercifully, the music stops, and Pollaski’s left looking even more like a doofus, clicking away on a plastic guitar controller with no sound to accompany him. The hits just keep on coming, as a now-familiar female voice is heard from off camera.]
Wendy Briese: “What in the blue HECK are you doing?”
[Pollaski gives the off-screen Wendy a look that could be very interpreted as ‘duh’.]
Daniel Pollaski: “I dunno. I thought maybe a little bit of mood music would help things...”
WB: “That’s... ‘music’?
[Wendy finally walks in front of the camera, giving her manager a look of pure exasperation. Pollaski feigns indignity]
DP: “Hey, I’ll have you know that song peaked at number THIRTY-SEVEN on the US Mainstream Rock chart.”
[Considering how overplayed it fuggin’ was, you’d have think it had been higher...]
[Anyways, Wendy doesn’t look too impressed]
WB: “I’m sure they’re very proud of themselves for that.”
[Pollaski, never daunted, merely shrugs]
DP: “Okay, fine. Here’s one that should be a little more familiar.”
[Pollaski goes acapella this time, once again closing his eyes, and this time bending his knees slightly and clenching his fist at his side, again in an attempt to make it look like he’s singing passionately. The overall effect is that he looks constipated]
#She’s never gonna win again...#
#Cause Charity Deas ain’t got no talent!#
[“Careless Whisper”, yo. But more in the lines of the Seether cover. Except a lot worse.]
[Unfortunately for Dan, the ‘musical’ act only draws a blank stare from his client. Pollaski looks over at her, and shrugs, as if saying “what?”]
WB: “You know, I’m not entirely sure why Charity seems to be the butt of so many jokes here in Femme Fatale Wrestling”
DP: “I don’t know. Probably because she’s the only member of the FFW roster who rides to the arena in a little yellow school bus.”
[Wendy shoots her manager a look that very clearly says ‘that’s not funny.’ Pollaski replies with a shit-eating grin that pretty much says ‘oh, yes it is!’. Wendy rolls her eyes, and sighs]
WB: “I think Charity Deas is a person to be admired.”
[A pause, and Pollaski looks at Wendy like she’s clinically insane]
DP: “Garoooooo?”
[It’s a grunting sound. Think a cross between Tim “The Toolman” Taylor and Scooby Doo]
WB: “Don’t give me that look. I’m serious. Did you know that the average age of the Femme Fatale roster is twenty-four point six years?”
[Pollaski arches an eyebrow, but replies in a complete deadpan voice]
DP: “No, I didn’t. That’s extremely fascinating. What’s your point?”
WB: “My point is that, most of the girls here also have at least a couple years of experience under their belt, too. Most women in wrestling today start in their late teens or their early twenties. But Charity... she’s thirty-five, and she’s trying to break into the sport. Do you have any idea how much courage that takes?”
DP: “Or a complete lack of intelligence. Which brings me back to the little yellow schoo-”
WB: “Cut it out. Most women have retired from wrestling by that point, and she’s just starting out. People can crack all the jokes they want about her, but that takes some serious guts. And I hope she makes it here, I really do.”
[Pollaski chuckles slowly, and shrugs]
DP: “Well, I know ONE way she can make it so she suddenly gets noticed...”
[Wendy laughs quietly, and smiles, but she shakes her head]
WB: “Well, I can’t be allowing that to happen. This is my debut match, and I have to win it if I hope to start establishing myself as a legitimate threat around here.”
[Pollaski’s voice takes on a sarcastic tone]
DP: “Well, you better watch out, Wendy. I don’t know if you realized this, but Charity is a DEAS. And this will be the year, decade, century... hell, even MILLENIUM of the Deas!”
[Wendy laughs quietly, and shakes her head]
WB: “Unfortunately, Charity and her brother place WAY to much emphasis on the importance of a last name. It’s great that she’s proud of her lineage, and of her brother’s accomplishments, but ultimately for her, they mean little. She can’t rely on her name forever- she has to find a way to gain recognition based on her own merit. And sometimes, in doing that- names like that can be a curse. Sometimes, all a name gives you is a set of unrealistic expectations you have no hope of meeting.”
[Wendy’s voice takes a tinge of bitterness, as if she’s reflecting on personal experience. But just as quickly, she manages to shrug, and it goes away]
WB: “And the truth is, when it comes to wrestling, so many people misunderstand what it takes to succeed in this business. Natural raw talent is nice, as is experience, high-end training, and knowledge. But knowing how to use those assets is far more important than having them. Hard work, dedication, willpower... those are far more critical traits in a successful wrestler. I don’t know if Charity has those qualities- you can’t tell after just a couple matches.”
[Pollaski chuckles, and shakes his head, suddenly amused.]
DP: “Speaking of which, did you see what happened to Charity at Breaking Point? How much you wanna bet that she comes on here blaming Hope for that...”
[Wendy shrugs, although she still continues to smile]
WB: “Well, it was unfortunate that Hope decided to make her presence at ringside like that, but ultimately, you watch that match, and I think we saw what many people expected to see. Charity seemed in over her head from the get-go, and she was obviously struggling against an experienced and talented woman like Crystal Hilton. She did her best to fight back, and she had her moments, but Crystal pretty much controlled that match from the opening bell.”
DP: “So I assume you think your contest with her is going to go the same way?”
[Wendy shrugs, and laughs softly.]
WB: “Well,I hope to get a similar result. Get an early advantage, keep up the pressure, and don’t let up until the bell rings. But that’s easier said than done, of course. I’m sure Charity’s watched the replay of the match, but I hope she’s not just focused on Hope’s distraction at ringside. That’s a loss that could very easily be used as a learning experience, and I’m sure Charity’s working on rectifying the mistakes she made in that contest. I should be facing a wiser, more controlled Charity Deas tonight.”
DP: “But I think its safe to say, this is going to be another ‘learning experience’ for Charity..
[Wendy pauses for just a second, and nods]
WB: “No match is ever won until that bell rings, but I’m feeling pretty confident about it. I think I’ve worked out a strategy that should end up in my victory. But I don’t anticipate it coming easy... Charity seems like she’s a fighter, she’s not one to give up. And if it does goes my way, and I am the victor I hope she doesn’t get discouraged. Sometimes it takes a while for it to click in this business. I should know- I lost seven of my first ten.”
[Wendy shoots Pollaski a self-depricating grin, although Pollaski doesn’t return it. Wendy suddenly looks concerned, and she reaches into her jeans pocket, pulling out her cellphone.]
WB: “Whoah... its almost eleven! We need to get going- we’ve still got a ways to go to get to Baltimore, and I’d like to be early for a change!”
[Pollaski nods, although a little reluctantly, and stretches, letting out a yawn.]
DP: “Yeah, you’re right. Terrence should be back from Subway any second, and off we go. Dammit, it’s my turn to drive, too.”
[Wendy smiles at her manager, not unsympathetically.]
WB: “Well, I better go rest up. I have a feeling I’m in for one heck of a night.”
[Pollaski takes his plastic guitar off, and goes to put it away, while Wendy turns her attention to the camera, and suddenly it fades to black.]
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
EPISODE 92: Not All Roses
Sunday April 19, 2011
Dale’s Gym and Training Center
Talladega, Alabama
10:03 AM Local Time
With a smile, I shoved the last of my practice gear into my gym bag, and zipped it up. I was about as happy with my performance today as I could ever possibly be.
Even before Terrence’s newfound racing career gave us an entierly new set of dates and destinations that we needed to travel to, I had grown accustomed to having to train on the road. Pretty much each day, Pollaski was in the phone book, looking up local gyms and trying to set up some ring time. It was a mixed bag of benefits and drawbacks. On one hand, having a new environment and sparring partner to train in pretty much every day kept things fairly fresh, something that was well-needed when you spent half your life in an RV travelling, and the other half fulfilling your obligations to your wrestling companies.
On the downside,however, was the simple fact that you never quite knew what you were going to get. The gym could be a state-of-the-art training facility, or it could be a seedy warehouse with a couple weight benches and a wrestling ring. And the sparring partners, which we generally hired from the up-and-coming talent of local independent wrestling companies, ranged from eager students of the game who viewed this as not just a job, but an opportunity to step in the ring with a seasoned, world-reknowned veteran, to complete idiots looking to grab a paycheck and nothing more.
Today, however, everything worked out perfectly. The gym wasn’t the absolute best I’d ever seen, but considering that it was in a small Alabama town of 15,000 people, it had been a surprisingly nice facility. And my partner today, the light-heavyweight champion from the local Birmingham Brawlers company, had been an absolute blast to spar with. Throw in the fact that I was completely on my game myself, and today had turned out superbly.
I slung my bag over my shoulder, and quickly walked out of the locker room. Pollaski was leaning lazily up against the wall, although he pushed himself off as I came into view, reaching into his jeans pocket and snapping out the keys to Terrence’s Charger. He offered them to me, but I declined- with the exception of my motorbike, I wasn’t much of a fan for driving.
We walked out of the gym, towards the Charger, ready to begin the drive back to the race track where our RV was parked. I slid into the passenger’s seat, while Pollaski started the muscle car.
“Nice job today,” he muttered, pulling out of the parking spot.
“Thanks,” I replied, “Keep an eye on that Brent though. He was great to spar with. I think he’ll make it.”
“Mmm-hmm” Pollaski muttered in agreement as he turned out into the street, but he offered nothing more. I cast a sidelong glance at him, and could tell by the way he was gripping the steering wheel, not to mention the clenching of his jaw, that he was agitated about something.
Suddenly uncomfortable, I decided to try to break the ice a bit. “Well, I think that if I wrestle like that on Tuesday, I could win that match all by myself!” I chuckled- the thought of me being able to beat KYD, Theresa, and Rotten back-to-back-to-back was a bold one indeed. “Good thing I’ll have Jenova and Graham to help me,” I said with a grin.
Pollaski scoffed, and looked out the drivers-side window. I could barely hear him, but I could have sworn that he muttered “fuckin’ stupid,” under his breath.
“Pardon?”
“I said it’s fucking stupid.” Pollaski said, louder and certainly more clear this time. “Two weeks from your first title defense, and they’re throwing you in this match, while your challenger, fresh off of winning the easiest goddamn round robin tournament in history, sits at home and sips pina coladas?”
“I don’t think it was that easy,” I said simply.
Pollaski snorted. “Wendy, Szalinski slumped to the ring with his mind fucking broken, and he STILL finished second. Hell, the three people you’re facing this week would have been better in that than Stryfe, Knight, and Malone. At least they might have put up a challenge.”
I shrugged noncomittally. I had hoped that Yvonne would have put up a better fight in that final round, but there was little doubt that Flynn had earned himself that number one contendership. “I don’t mind this week,” I finally said, looking straight ahead. “Especailly if it gives me a chance to redeem myself.”
Pollaski chuckled darkly. “If you truly want to ‘redeem’ yourself, you should kick Joey Jenova’s teeth down his throat for completely dropping the ball.”
For a few seconds, I said nothing. I had been disappointed in how my match at the last Shatterpoint had ended, that’s for sure. I would never say it publicly, but I had felt fairly let down. But I couldn’t deny the implications of karma in the loss either- Joey had cost me a loss the previous show, it was only fair that he cost me a win. And besides- we were a team. We won and lost as a team.
“I should have been able to get in there and break it up,” I said quietly. “I’m better than that. But that’s not what this week’s about. It’s about upholding the honor of X3, and stopping those three from destroying it, and Mr. Talinsdale.”
Another rough chuckle from my manager, who just shook his head. “It seems to me that Brydon Talinsdale’s doing a good enough job at destroying himself. You do realize you don’t owe that guy shit, right?”
I shook my head. “That’s not true. He had faith-”
“All he did was advance you in a fucking tournament because you kept winning. That’s not faith in you, Wendy. That’s just following the natural order of things. If he had that much faith in you, he wouldn’t have started putting horse in his veins the moment he fired Thatcher Rex.”
I turned in my seat, and glared at Pollaski. I was pretty sure that Talinsdale’s issues had been going on from well before Revelations. Either way, it was a callous thing to say about a man who needed help. “Its not just about Talinsdale, its about the whole company. I’m the champion; I’m its representative. If I’m needed to help defend it, it’s my duty.”
Pollaski burst out laughing, and not a kind one. “Ah, so the Great Crusader rides off to battle again! Who cares if her partners have a history of letting their teammates down, which she just experienced firsthand? Who cares if there’s practically a bounty on her head from the other side. Hell, who cares about Pay-Per-View Main Events and title defenses when there’s a cause to be fought?”
I blinked, stunned by my manager’s words. Irritation began to well up in me, and I folded my arms across my chest, looking out the passenger’s window. “It’s a loyalty thing. I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”
I was surprised when Pollaski suddenly veered the car onto the shoulder, and quickly slowed to a stop. I looked back over, “What are you...?”
Pollaski angrily threw the car into park, and looked over at me. “You don’t think I know about loyalty?”
I didn’t respond.
“You don’t think I was loyal when I stood by your side when you and Terrence couldn’t win a goddamn match to save your life? You don’t think I was loyal when your ankle was practically snapped in two, and I HELPED you battle back to reclaim the Cruiserweight title? You don’t think I was loyal when your fucking Father tried to kill me to get at Terrence? You don’t think I was loyal when you two walked away from wrestling, and hung me out to dry? You don’t think I was loyal when Mandrake nearly killed me because I tried to prevent him from interfering in your match against Terrence? You don’t think I was LOYAL when your fucking husband broke his contract with me AGAIN so he could go finish TWENTY-NINTH IN A FOURTH-TIER STOCK CAR RACE?”
Pollaski rammed his fist into the steering wheel of the car, so hard that the horn beeped for just a second. Stung, I looked away out the window, and I could feel tears threatening to well up in my eyes. I knew Terrence’s decision to retire from wrestling again had hit Dan hard, but I didn’t know just how strong his feelings of resentment were.
Finally, I took a deep breath, and fond my voice. “I... I’m sorry. It was a careless thing to say.”
Pollaski also was trying to calm himself down, but with another curse, he angrily shifted the car back into drive, and peeled out into the road.
“And you know what? I’m fucking worried about you. Kevin Flynn was the LAST guy I wanted to win that tournament. So of course he did. So now not only are you defending your title in what might be the most dangerous match of your career, you’re doing it against the one guy in the world who knows what it’s like and what it takes to win that match. And here you are, about to take on Johnny Rotten and Crazy KYD again, as if you’re not even worried about Fatal Attraction! I mean, for the love-”
“I’m worried.”
I had been looking straight ahead, and remained silent as my manager had continued to rant, but I finally had enough. My interruption was quiet, but it was still enough to cut my manager off. He paused, and looked over at me. I continued, my voice shaky.
“I know what’s in two weeks. I see the advertisments on television. I have people ask me about it. I’ve seen highlights from the first match getting replayed over and over again. Why is everyone so keen on REMINDING me? Does anyone honestly think I’ve forgotten? That I’m going to forget? Is there a reason for shoving it down my throat every hour of my life?”
I took a deep breath to steady myself, and exhaled in a shuddering fashion.
“This match has been hanging over my life like a dark cloud ever since Madeline announced it. I can’t stop thinking about it. I dream about it- and they’re not the kind of dreams where I envision myself raising my arm in victory. They’re more like... not happy ones.”
I laughed helplessly. Tears had begun to leak from my eyes, but I wasn’t paying them any attention.
“Everyone wants me to talk about it. But I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t even want to THINK about it, because every time I do, I get scared. And then I feel like such a coward, because I’m the world champion, and champions aren’t supposed to be afraid of anything. And then I... I don’t know. None of it makes sense to me.”
I paused for just a second, and wiped away the moisture from my eyes.
“But this match... a team gauntlet. It makes sense to me. You break it down, and its just a best three falls out of five contest, except the losing side has to change team members between falls. And I know my opponents are dangerous- I’ve experienced it firsthand from all three of them. But I also know that in this match, I don’t need to worry about barbed wire, or C4, or anything else out of the ordinary. I just need to wrestle my best, and hope my teamates and I can get the job done.”
The gates to the superspeedway were just ahead, and Pollaski looked around cautiously, trying to maneuver us into the appropriate lane to take us into the race tracks infield, where the RV sat. I had been amazed Pollaski had kept quiet for so long, but apparently, he had been content to just listen to me talk. I was grateful for it- it had actually felt good to relieve some of the pressures I was feeling inside.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said. “I didn’t mean to come apart on you like that.”
Pollaski shrugged as he slowed the car at the back of the line to get past the gates. “It’s fine. I think we’re all a little high strung right now.”
I nodded, trying to wipe the tear streaks off my face. “Just do me a favor. Don’t say anything about this to Terrence. I don’t need him worrying about me.”
Pollaski burst into laughter, although there was very little humor behind it. He looked over at me. “A bit too late for that. He’s might not say anything, but dude knows what you’re about to go through, and he’s worried as hell about you.” Pollaski paused for just a second, as he presented our parking pass to the gate attendant before being waved through. He sighed as he pulled the car forward.
“I think we all are.”
==========================================
Monday April 18, 2011
The RV- Main Cabin
Lincoln, Nebraska
9:12 AM Local Time
“I suppose congratulations are in order.”
[And so the scene fades up, inside the main cabin of the WhirlyBirdz RV, stopping for the night in Lincoln en route to the Shatterpoint taping in Portland. The world champion sits on the couch, the title, as usual, draped over her shoulder. Wendy’s smiling, but it’s almost a grim, forced smile]
“First, a big congratulations to Kevin Flynn, who has officially become the number one contender- and will be my first challenger in just a couple weeks at Fatal Attraction. Your victory was hard fought, and well-earned over some of the best that X3 Wrestling has to offer. You should be proud of your accomplishment, but I know that in no means are you satisfied yet, nor will you be until you’ve taken what is mine.”
[Wendy swallows hard, and sighs]
“Normally, I’d be looking forward to the challenge you will bring me with a lot of enthusiasm, but you’re going to have to forgive me. Considering the type of match that we’ll be walking into on May First, I’m sure you’re more thrilled about the upcoming match than I am.”
[A weary sigh, although Wendy’s emerald eyes bright up a smidge]
“On a MUCH more positive note, please welcome Ariel Shadows back to the realm of the living...”
[A small flicker of a genuine smile]
“Finally... after over a month, its over. Ariel’s been freed, and whatever horrible plan Psycho Soldier had in store has been foiled. But I know for a fact the nightmare is not over for you, Ariel. The mind cannot just simply recover from an experience like that overnight, I can tell you first hand. Be glad and thankful for your freedom, but please, Ariel, take it easy. And if you need anything... you know how to get ahold of me. But it really is good to have you back, my friend.”
[Wendy pauses, looking like she’s about to get emotional again, but she merely takes a deep breath and continues.]
“Even so Ariel, know that I wouldn’t miss your match against Psycho Soldier for the world. The best person possible to avenge you is none other than yourself, and I hope you make sure you give Psycho Soldier EXACTLY what that monster has coming for him.”
[Wendy’s good mood sobers, and she takes antoher deep breath, sighing in disgust, seemingly with herself]
“And of course, I have to congratulate Johnny Rotten and Crazy KYD for defeating Joey Jenova and I. That was a well-executed strategy you two implemented, isolating the both of us, and keeping me from rescuing Jenova at the end. Well done, the both of you.”
[Wendy continues to look disgusted with herself, and again she shakes her head]
“And I owe Joey Jenova an apology, of course. I should have been able to get into that ring and save you, but unfortunately, I was too slow. I’m disappointed in my performance that night, and I’m sorry I couldn’t be a better teammate.”
[Another small, grim smile]
“Let’s just hope that you and I have learned the lesson of our defeat, and we’re ready to redeem ourselves in this week’s guantlet match. I know the both of us can do better, so let’s go out there and show it.”
[Wendy’s eyes light up again, and she breaks into another, truer smile]
“I think we can both be happy that we’re welcoming in Graham Clauson to the fold for this week as well. It’ll be an honor to fight alongside someone who has been such a veteran of the business as Graham has.”
[A pause, and a small, more lopsided smile]
“Of course, I realize that due to the circumstances of this match, our alliance is simply a symbolic one, as each of us will be in the ring until we are either eliminated ourselves, or we eliminate all of our opponents. So the chance for true teamwork is at a minimum. Still, we are on the same side, and we’re accomplishing the same thing, against three people bent on ruining this company’s reputation.”
[Wendy’s smile fades just a bit, as she looks quite pensive.]
“Each of the three people we face this week have something in common- all three wrestlers have lost to me previously in one-on-one competition. And all three wrestlers lost in insanely close, ultra-competitive matches that saw me winning by the skin of my teeth.”
[A deep breath]
“Each one is quite formidable on their own, but I learned very much the hard way that when you throw them together, their threat multiplies significantly.”
[Sigh]
“Jason Riviera is every bit as good as he was the first time we faced back in January, but he’s still wrapped himself in his delusional zealotry. I still can’t quite wrap my head around the idea that beating people up for a living will get you your child back, but I guess I’m just blessed enough to have a mind that’s significantly more based in fantasy than it is reality.”
[A longer pause, and Wendy finally shrugs]
“Considering how long its been, and Jason still has yet to make any progress in his mission, you’d think he’d start to question that maybe he might be going about things the wrong way.”
[Wendy arches her eyebrow]
“Of course, there’s Johnny Rotten, who’s turned into somewhat of a nemesis for me. Try as I might, I just can’t quite seem to get the better of him, although I know our encounters have left him as unsatisfied as they have left me. Still, I’m looking at another opportunity for redemption against this man, although there’s a chance we may not even face each other.”
[Wendy suddenly rolls her eyes in exasperation]
“As far as Rotten’s friend Mike Powers goes.. not a week goes by where I don’t find myself liking this man less and less. I don’t appreciate his attitude. I don’t appreciate his comments towards me. And I certainly don’t appreciate his attempts to build an army to-”
[Wendy trails off, and she pauses, scratching her chin]
“You know, I’m still not sure WHAT they’re even trying to accomplish with all this. Are they out to ruin Mr. Talinsdale’s reputation? Are they trying to take over X3W and run it for themselvers? What exactly is all this going to prove?”
[Wendy shakes her head, almost in disbelief, and sighs]
“Whatever it is, the fact that this little faction just keeps seeming to find more and more members is concerning, and perhaps is a problem that needs to be nipped in the bud. Possibly starting with the newest member- Theresa Rex.”
[Wendy pauses for a long while, and almost seems to wince, as if she remembers the hurting Theresa put on her the first time they met.]
“I know for the fact that the Theresa I could very well face Tuesday night will be much better than the one I faced almost two months ago. Theresa continues to gain more and more experience, and you can tell it almost weekly.”
[A small grimace, and Wendy shakes her head]
“But Theresa is a woman who relies on her power and aggression. So far, its served her well, especailly against the maniacal likes of Project: Revolution. However, when she and I faced, my discipline, experience, and technique proved to be the difference in that match, as they so often do. I still hold great advantages in those fields, and I plan on having those be the difference again.”
[Wendy shrugs, and sighs wearily]
“Either way, the time has come for this nonsense to end. Between Mike Powers and Psycho Soldier, I’ve had just about enough of these insipid plans to get at my friends, my colleagues, and myself. I don’t know how Psycho Soldier was foiled, or who managed to do it, but I know that its time that Mike Powers’ scheme goes the same way. And if I get the opportunity Tuesday night, I will send this entire charade crashing down, and drive the remnants into the ground.”
[A short pause, as Wendy sits up a little straighter]
“Because I am Wendy Briese, and I am the X3W World Champion...”
[A grim determined smile as Wendy tilts her head up defiantly.]
“... Brydon Talinsdale’s Champion.”
[And fade]
Dale’s Gym and Training Center
Talladega, Alabama
10:03 AM Local Time
With a smile, I shoved the last of my practice gear into my gym bag, and zipped it up. I was about as happy with my performance today as I could ever possibly be.
Even before Terrence’s newfound racing career gave us an entierly new set of dates and destinations that we needed to travel to, I had grown accustomed to having to train on the road. Pretty much each day, Pollaski was in the phone book, looking up local gyms and trying to set up some ring time. It was a mixed bag of benefits and drawbacks. On one hand, having a new environment and sparring partner to train in pretty much every day kept things fairly fresh, something that was well-needed when you spent half your life in an RV travelling, and the other half fulfilling your obligations to your wrestling companies.
On the downside,however, was the simple fact that you never quite knew what you were going to get. The gym could be a state-of-the-art training facility, or it could be a seedy warehouse with a couple weight benches and a wrestling ring. And the sparring partners, which we generally hired from the up-and-coming talent of local independent wrestling companies, ranged from eager students of the game who viewed this as not just a job, but an opportunity to step in the ring with a seasoned, world-reknowned veteran, to complete idiots looking to grab a paycheck and nothing more.
Today, however, everything worked out perfectly. The gym wasn’t the absolute best I’d ever seen, but considering that it was in a small Alabama town of 15,000 people, it had been a surprisingly nice facility. And my partner today, the light-heavyweight champion from the local Birmingham Brawlers company, had been an absolute blast to spar with. Throw in the fact that I was completely on my game myself, and today had turned out superbly.
I slung my bag over my shoulder, and quickly walked out of the locker room. Pollaski was leaning lazily up against the wall, although he pushed himself off as I came into view, reaching into his jeans pocket and snapping out the keys to Terrence’s Charger. He offered them to me, but I declined- with the exception of my motorbike, I wasn’t much of a fan for driving.
We walked out of the gym, towards the Charger, ready to begin the drive back to the race track where our RV was parked. I slid into the passenger’s seat, while Pollaski started the muscle car.
“Nice job today,” he muttered, pulling out of the parking spot.
“Thanks,” I replied, “Keep an eye on that Brent though. He was great to spar with. I think he’ll make it.”
“Mmm-hmm” Pollaski muttered in agreement as he turned out into the street, but he offered nothing more. I cast a sidelong glance at him, and could tell by the way he was gripping the steering wheel, not to mention the clenching of his jaw, that he was agitated about something.
Suddenly uncomfortable, I decided to try to break the ice a bit. “Well, I think that if I wrestle like that on Tuesday, I could win that match all by myself!” I chuckled- the thought of me being able to beat KYD, Theresa, and Rotten back-to-back-to-back was a bold one indeed. “Good thing I’ll have Jenova and Graham to help me,” I said with a grin.
Pollaski scoffed, and looked out the drivers-side window. I could barely hear him, but I could have sworn that he muttered “fuckin’ stupid,” under his breath.
“Pardon?”
“I said it’s fucking stupid.” Pollaski said, louder and certainly more clear this time. “Two weeks from your first title defense, and they’re throwing you in this match, while your challenger, fresh off of winning the easiest goddamn round robin tournament in history, sits at home and sips pina coladas?”
“I don’t think it was that easy,” I said simply.
Pollaski snorted. “Wendy, Szalinski slumped to the ring with his mind fucking broken, and he STILL finished second. Hell, the three people you’re facing this week would have been better in that than Stryfe, Knight, and Malone. At least they might have put up a challenge.”
I shrugged noncomittally. I had hoped that Yvonne would have put up a better fight in that final round, but there was little doubt that Flynn had earned himself that number one contendership. “I don’t mind this week,” I finally said, looking straight ahead. “Especailly if it gives me a chance to redeem myself.”
Pollaski chuckled darkly. “If you truly want to ‘redeem’ yourself, you should kick Joey Jenova’s teeth down his throat for completely dropping the ball.”
For a few seconds, I said nothing. I had been disappointed in how my match at the last Shatterpoint had ended, that’s for sure. I would never say it publicly, but I had felt fairly let down. But I couldn’t deny the implications of karma in the loss either- Joey had cost me a loss the previous show, it was only fair that he cost me a win. And besides- we were a team. We won and lost as a team.
“I should have been able to get in there and break it up,” I said quietly. “I’m better than that. But that’s not what this week’s about. It’s about upholding the honor of X3, and stopping those three from destroying it, and Mr. Talinsdale.”
Another rough chuckle from my manager, who just shook his head. “It seems to me that Brydon Talinsdale’s doing a good enough job at destroying himself. You do realize you don’t owe that guy shit, right?”
I shook my head. “That’s not true. He had faith-”
“All he did was advance you in a fucking tournament because you kept winning. That’s not faith in you, Wendy. That’s just following the natural order of things. If he had that much faith in you, he wouldn’t have started putting horse in his veins the moment he fired Thatcher Rex.”
I turned in my seat, and glared at Pollaski. I was pretty sure that Talinsdale’s issues had been going on from well before Revelations. Either way, it was a callous thing to say about a man who needed help. “Its not just about Talinsdale, its about the whole company. I’m the champion; I’m its representative. If I’m needed to help defend it, it’s my duty.”
Pollaski burst out laughing, and not a kind one. “Ah, so the Great Crusader rides off to battle again! Who cares if her partners have a history of letting their teammates down, which she just experienced firsthand? Who cares if there’s practically a bounty on her head from the other side. Hell, who cares about Pay-Per-View Main Events and title defenses when there’s a cause to be fought?”
I blinked, stunned by my manager’s words. Irritation began to well up in me, and I folded my arms across my chest, looking out the passenger’s window. “It’s a loyalty thing. I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”
I was surprised when Pollaski suddenly veered the car onto the shoulder, and quickly slowed to a stop. I looked back over, “What are you...?”
Pollaski angrily threw the car into park, and looked over at me. “You don’t think I know about loyalty?”
I didn’t respond.
“You don’t think I was loyal when I stood by your side when you and Terrence couldn’t win a goddamn match to save your life? You don’t think I was loyal when your ankle was practically snapped in two, and I HELPED you battle back to reclaim the Cruiserweight title? You don’t think I was loyal when your fucking Father tried to kill me to get at Terrence? You don’t think I was loyal when you two walked away from wrestling, and hung me out to dry? You don’t think I was loyal when Mandrake nearly killed me because I tried to prevent him from interfering in your match against Terrence? You don’t think I was LOYAL when your fucking husband broke his contract with me AGAIN so he could go finish TWENTY-NINTH IN A FOURTH-TIER STOCK CAR RACE?”
Pollaski rammed his fist into the steering wheel of the car, so hard that the horn beeped for just a second. Stung, I looked away out the window, and I could feel tears threatening to well up in my eyes. I knew Terrence’s decision to retire from wrestling again had hit Dan hard, but I didn’t know just how strong his feelings of resentment were.
Finally, I took a deep breath, and fond my voice. “I... I’m sorry. It was a careless thing to say.”
Pollaski also was trying to calm himself down, but with another curse, he angrily shifted the car back into drive, and peeled out into the road.
“And you know what? I’m fucking worried about you. Kevin Flynn was the LAST guy I wanted to win that tournament. So of course he did. So now not only are you defending your title in what might be the most dangerous match of your career, you’re doing it against the one guy in the world who knows what it’s like and what it takes to win that match. And here you are, about to take on Johnny Rotten and Crazy KYD again, as if you’re not even worried about Fatal Attraction! I mean, for the love-”
“I’m worried.”
I had been looking straight ahead, and remained silent as my manager had continued to rant, but I finally had enough. My interruption was quiet, but it was still enough to cut my manager off. He paused, and looked over at me. I continued, my voice shaky.
“I know what’s in two weeks. I see the advertisments on television. I have people ask me about it. I’ve seen highlights from the first match getting replayed over and over again. Why is everyone so keen on REMINDING me? Does anyone honestly think I’ve forgotten? That I’m going to forget? Is there a reason for shoving it down my throat every hour of my life?”
I took a deep breath to steady myself, and exhaled in a shuddering fashion.
“This match has been hanging over my life like a dark cloud ever since Madeline announced it. I can’t stop thinking about it. I dream about it- and they’re not the kind of dreams where I envision myself raising my arm in victory. They’re more like... not happy ones.”
I laughed helplessly. Tears had begun to leak from my eyes, but I wasn’t paying them any attention.
“Everyone wants me to talk about it. But I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t even want to THINK about it, because every time I do, I get scared. And then I feel like such a coward, because I’m the world champion, and champions aren’t supposed to be afraid of anything. And then I... I don’t know. None of it makes sense to me.”
I paused for just a second, and wiped away the moisture from my eyes.
“But this match... a team gauntlet. It makes sense to me. You break it down, and its just a best three falls out of five contest, except the losing side has to change team members between falls. And I know my opponents are dangerous- I’ve experienced it firsthand from all three of them. But I also know that in this match, I don’t need to worry about barbed wire, or C4, or anything else out of the ordinary. I just need to wrestle my best, and hope my teamates and I can get the job done.”
The gates to the superspeedway were just ahead, and Pollaski looked around cautiously, trying to maneuver us into the appropriate lane to take us into the race tracks infield, where the RV sat. I had been amazed Pollaski had kept quiet for so long, but apparently, he had been content to just listen to me talk. I was grateful for it- it had actually felt good to relieve some of the pressures I was feeling inside.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said. “I didn’t mean to come apart on you like that.”
Pollaski shrugged as he slowed the car at the back of the line to get past the gates. “It’s fine. I think we’re all a little high strung right now.”
I nodded, trying to wipe the tear streaks off my face. “Just do me a favor. Don’t say anything about this to Terrence. I don’t need him worrying about me.”
Pollaski burst into laughter, although there was very little humor behind it. He looked over at me. “A bit too late for that. He’s might not say anything, but dude knows what you’re about to go through, and he’s worried as hell about you.” Pollaski paused for just a second, as he presented our parking pass to the gate attendant before being waved through. He sighed as he pulled the car forward.
“I think we all are.”
==========================================
Monday April 18, 2011
The RV- Main Cabin
Lincoln, Nebraska
9:12 AM Local Time
“I suppose congratulations are in order.”
[And so the scene fades up, inside the main cabin of the WhirlyBirdz RV, stopping for the night in Lincoln en route to the Shatterpoint taping in Portland. The world champion sits on the couch, the title, as usual, draped over her shoulder. Wendy’s smiling, but it’s almost a grim, forced smile]
“First, a big congratulations to Kevin Flynn, who has officially become the number one contender- and will be my first challenger in just a couple weeks at Fatal Attraction. Your victory was hard fought, and well-earned over some of the best that X3 Wrestling has to offer. You should be proud of your accomplishment, but I know that in no means are you satisfied yet, nor will you be until you’ve taken what is mine.”
[Wendy swallows hard, and sighs]
“Normally, I’d be looking forward to the challenge you will bring me with a lot of enthusiasm, but you’re going to have to forgive me. Considering the type of match that we’ll be walking into on May First, I’m sure you’re more thrilled about the upcoming match than I am.”
[A weary sigh, although Wendy’s emerald eyes bright up a smidge]
“On a MUCH more positive note, please welcome Ariel Shadows back to the realm of the living...”
[A small flicker of a genuine smile]
“Finally... after over a month, its over. Ariel’s been freed, and whatever horrible plan Psycho Soldier had in store has been foiled. But I know for a fact the nightmare is not over for you, Ariel. The mind cannot just simply recover from an experience like that overnight, I can tell you first hand. Be glad and thankful for your freedom, but please, Ariel, take it easy. And if you need anything... you know how to get ahold of me. But it really is good to have you back, my friend.”
[Wendy pauses, looking like she’s about to get emotional again, but she merely takes a deep breath and continues.]
“Even so Ariel, know that I wouldn’t miss your match against Psycho Soldier for the world. The best person possible to avenge you is none other than yourself, and I hope you make sure you give Psycho Soldier EXACTLY what that monster has coming for him.”
[Wendy’s good mood sobers, and she takes antoher deep breath, sighing in disgust, seemingly with herself]
“And of course, I have to congratulate Johnny Rotten and Crazy KYD for defeating Joey Jenova and I. That was a well-executed strategy you two implemented, isolating the both of us, and keeping me from rescuing Jenova at the end. Well done, the both of you.”
[Wendy continues to look disgusted with herself, and again she shakes her head]
“And I owe Joey Jenova an apology, of course. I should have been able to get into that ring and save you, but unfortunately, I was too slow. I’m disappointed in my performance that night, and I’m sorry I couldn’t be a better teammate.”
[Another small, grim smile]
“Let’s just hope that you and I have learned the lesson of our defeat, and we’re ready to redeem ourselves in this week’s guantlet match. I know the both of us can do better, so let’s go out there and show it.”
[Wendy’s eyes light up again, and she breaks into another, truer smile]
“I think we can both be happy that we’re welcoming in Graham Clauson to the fold for this week as well. It’ll be an honor to fight alongside someone who has been such a veteran of the business as Graham has.”
[A pause, and a small, more lopsided smile]
“Of course, I realize that due to the circumstances of this match, our alliance is simply a symbolic one, as each of us will be in the ring until we are either eliminated ourselves, or we eliminate all of our opponents. So the chance for true teamwork is at a minimum. Still, we are on the same side, and we’re accomplishing the same thing, against three people bent on ruining this company’s reputation.”
[Wendy’s smile fades just a bit, as she looks quite pensive.]
“Each of the three people we face this week have something in common- all three wrestlers have lost to me previously in one-on-one competition. And all three wrestlers lost in insanely close, ultra-competitive matches that saw me winning by the skin of my teeth.”
[A deep breath]
“Each one is quite formidable on their own, but I learned very much the hard way that when you throw them together, their threat multiplies significantly.”
[Sigh]
“Jason Riviera is every bit as good as he was the first time we faced back in January, but he’s still wrapped himself in his delusional zealotry. I still can’t quite wrap my head around the idea that beating people up for a living will get you your child back, but I guess I’m just blessed enough to have a mind that’s significantly more based in fantasy than it is reality.”
[A longer pause, and Wendy finally shrugs]
“Considering how long its been, and Jason still has yet to make any progress in his mission, you’d think he’d start to question that maybe he might be going about things the wrong way.”
[Wendy arches her eyebrow]
“Of course, there’s Johnny Rotten, who’s turned into somewhat of a nemesis for me. Try as I might, I just can’t quite seem to get the better of him, although I know our encounters have left him as unsatisfied as they have left me. Still, I’m looking at another opportunity for redemption against this man, although there’s a chance we may not even face each other.”
[Wendy suddenly rolls her eyes in exasperation]
“As far as Rotten’s friend Mike Powers goes.. not a week goes by where I don’t find myself liking this man less and less. I don’t appreciate his attitude. I don’t appreciate his comments towards me. And I certainly don’t appreciate his attempts to build an army to-”
[Wendy trails off, and she pauses, scratching her chin]
“You know, I’m still not sure WHAT they’re even trying to accomplish with all this. Are they out to ruin Mr. Talinsdale’s reputation? Are they trying to take over X3W and run it for themselvers? What exactly is all this going to prove?”
[Wendy shakes her head, almost in disbelief, and sighs]
“Whatever it is, the fact that this little faction just keeps seeming to find more and more members is concerning, and perhaps is a problem that needs to be nipped in the bud. Possibly starting with the newest member- Theresa Rex.”
[Wendy pauses for a long while, and almost seems to wince, as if she remembers the hurting Theresa put on her the first time they met.]
“I know for the fact that the Theresa I could very well face Tuesday night will be much better than the one I faced almost two months ago. Theresa continues to gain more and more experience, and you can tell it almost weekly.”
[A small grimace, and Wendy shakes her head]
“But Theresa is a woman who relies on her power and aggression. So far, its served her well, especailly against the maniacal likes of Project: Revolution. However, when she and I faced, my discipline, experience, and technique proved to be the difference in that match, as they so often do. I still hold great advantages in those fields, and I plan on having those be the difference again.”
[Wendy shrugs, and sighs wearily]
“Either way, the time has come for this nonsense to end. Between Mike Powers and Psycho Soldier, I’ve had just about enough of these insipid plans to get at my friends, my colleagues, and myself. I don’t know how Psycho Soldier was foiled, or who managed to do it, but I know that its time that Mike Powers’ scheme goes the same way. And if I get the opportunity Tuesday night, I will send this entire charade crashing down, and drive the remnants into the ground.”
[A short pause, as Wendy sits up a little straighter]
“Because I am Wendy Briese, and I am the X3W World Champion...”
[A grim determined smile as Wendy tilts her head up defiantly.]
“... Brydon Talinsdale’s Champion.”
[And fade]
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