OOC:  First of hopefully two for the "baby" of Body, Heart & Soul.  Hers should be read last.



Season 6 / Episode 7 / Coping (Part 1 - It's Been A While)

OOC: Just as a heads up for full clarification, I deciding I'm doing only joint efforts for Luz and Amelia this year, similar to last year. Honestly, everything story-wise just feels like it works better if I go this route, so I'd rather roll with it this way and if things play out that they face one another and it results in a tie because of this, then I'm willing to roll with it. Who knows? Maybe we'd get some neat angle stuff out of it if that happens.
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The month of November so far hadn't quite been the wedded bliss La Pequeña Luz and Amelia Nevado would've hoped for.

At least it gave them a good excuse to hold off on taking their official honeymoon trip for the time being.

They had known that holding their wedding in Tulancingo on Día de Muertos and then being in Detroit two nights later to compete in a Chamber Match was going to be a grueling endeavor. That challenge being amplified by having to start the Chamber only made every ache and pain that shot through their bodies when it was all set and done more noticeable, but The Light In The Darkness had been upfront time and time again that they would step up and take on any challenge if it meant proving that they belonged here. That was why they had successfully contained the chaos unfolding all around them and risen above it, running the table and walking out of Under Attack with their World Tag Title reign intact, officially making this their longest run with the titles to date.

Unfortunately, instead of Breakdown being a night of celebration, what fans witnessed in San Francisco was arguably one of the most painful nights the couple had endured yet since coming back to SCW.

It had started off... alright enough, in hindsight. Luz unfortunately had a feeling that it was coming, but officially being named the interim United States Champion still left a sour taste in her mouth. She had technically earned it when she became number one contender back at Apocalypse, so it wasn't as though she was just being handed the title with no rhyme or reason. Still, she knew Deanna would bounce back and return stronger than ever, and she had no problem standing in as the champion until that time came for her to rightfully earn the honor, even if it meant a second year in a row of being triple booked for Fatal Fortunes.

Luz wanted to feel bad for the extra opportunities she was getting out of this, but Amelia had been quick to remind her about the Trios contract she was in possession of, meaning she could simply open any door she wanted if it came down to it. Plus, there was always the chance Amelia's non-title booking could end up granting her a singles title opportunity of her own to even the field.

Of course, everything had gone downhill when the Fall of Man decided to make their presence felt. True, Luz and Amelia had done a celebratory waltz down to the ring when Alex had invited them out for the announcement, but both women were masters of hiding any problems that were bothering them, for better or worse. The reality was that they were both still a bit banged up from going bell-to-bell inside the Chamber, so despite the fight they had put up in the moment, Amelia being dropped on her head with a piledriver while Luz was powerbombed off the top rope and across the barricade had really done a number on them.

All so James Evans and Waylon Creek could send a message at their expense while propping themselves up as the saviors SCW needed right now.

It was almost frightening how much they portrayed themselves in the same manner as Caleb White with what they'd done.

One benefit to the recent Breakdown being in San Francisco was that it was a relatively short flight back to their home in Anaheim, allowing the newly wedded couple the chance to recover in the safety of a space they were more than comfortable in. This, combined with the fact that their found family had been busting their behinds to care for the two of them after the brutal beatdown, had left Amelia and Luz with plenty of time to properly think about something they knew they'd been intentionally ignoring since their wedding night. The Chamber had been a perfect distraction, as had embracing the fact that they were finally married, but they knew they couldn't just ignore it forever in hopes that doing so would suddenly make it disappear.

If it were that simple, then Caleb and his cult would have never been a problem in the first place.

Deep down, they knew the possibility always existed that Caleb might find a way out of prison. The man was a manipulative schemer on a level that rivaled some of the worst people in human history, and just like them, he had a devoted following that were passionate enough that the law paled in comparison to their cause. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before he escaped and resumed his delusional attempts at some sort of 'global cleansing' or whatever disgusting term he wanted to label his plans with, but every effort had been made to prevent this from happening in the first place. The FBI and the NCA couldn't be blamed for doing their best... after all, how were they supposed to know that some of their most devoted agents with years of service to their name were part of Caleb's true inner circle and would betray their jobs and their countries if he asked it of them?

Like it or not, Caleb and The Empire were once again a problem hanging over their heads like the proverbial Sword of Damocles, and they were left to wonder if he would truly not hold back this time if he felt Luz and Amelia were that big of a threat to his 'divine destiny' or if his threats were a cover hiding his original desire to recruit them to his cause by any means necessary.

At least for now, Caleb seemed content with leaving them be after crashing their reception via hologram to reveal his escape, though it was more likely he and his 'true elite' were laying low knowing full well that law enforcement were hunting them. Regardless, it bought Luz and Amelia enough time to pull themselves back together, knowing that Fatal Fortunes was on the horizon and being champions meant defending everything they had fought tooth and nail for against the unknown while also embracing whatever opportunities they happened to spin so they could make the most of them. They had found an incredible amount of success during last year's trials, with Luz going three-for-three while Amelia's only stumble was hardly her fault given the unintentional issues within the Frost family that had created a rather awkward and unintended handicap match. If anything, they felt they had all the incentive in the world to try for an absolute clean sweep this year.

The thought of standing tall and continuing their incredible momentum despite what James and Waylon had done, proving to not only the Fall of Man but also to Caleb and his Empire that destroying them was easier said than done... that alone was a powerful statement that they knew would resonate throughout SCW and remind their unwanted enemy of exactly what he was up against.

If there was any downside to Fatal Fortunes this year, aside from knowing they'd have to run their respective randomized gauntlets at less than 100%, it was the fact that the first Breakdown of the event would fall on Thanksgiving Day. Thankfully, this was only a minor issue to the found family surrounding Luz and Amelia, and the decision was quickly made to celebrate it early before the couple would fly out to Denver and see what fate had in store for them this year. They were a little frustrated, however, given that despite this being their home and them technically being the hosts to everybody, every effort had been made to keep them out of cooking or setting everything up, with Camila calling her job as a doctor into play and all but demanding that the two of them rest and stay off their feet so their bodies could heal as much as possible.

“This sucks,” Luz bluntly said as she and Amelia were cuddled up on the couch, at least taking advantage of the forced recovery period to study their Chamber Match so they could keep refining their game.

“I know it's not the most ideal situation...” Amelia replied, sighing as she tried to restrain her frustration better than Luz was doing.

“Ames, they're treating us like we're made of glass!” Luz exclaimed, flailing her arms to punctuate her statement before hissing as a fresh jolt of pain shot through her back.

“How do you think I feel?” Amelia couldn't help but let out a pained laugh. “I may not be a Blythe anymore, but every instinct of that old mindset is screaming at me because I'm not using this time to train. Thanks, mom and dad...”

“Amelia, you were dropped on your head,” Luz pointed out. “A neck injury is what derailed you back during our first attempt.”

“And your spine was nearly snapped in half across the barricade,” Amelia responded, the two of them trading frustrated looks before mutually sighing in defeat. “OK, I think we can at least agree that we're both pretty bad at knowing when we need to stop pushing ourselves and just take a step back.”

“I wanted to think we'd learned our lesson after our little meltdown months ago when the Stewards beat us,” Luz shook her head in almost disbelief. “God, we're terrible at absorbing any important lessons that aren't about bettering ourselves in the ring.”

“You know,” Amelia began to note as she held Luz closer, trying her best not to aggravate her neck or Luz's back, “they do love and care for us. Yeah, maybe they're going a bit overboard with it, but when's the last time we gave them a reason not to get overly concerned about us? Besides... it's been a while since we've come out of a show looking as bad as we did just a few days ago.”

Luz sighed again and nodded, knowing Amelia had a point. Her thoughts couldn't help but flicker back to that fateful Retribution back in 2021 where Amelia had been helped to the back mid-match after landing awkwardly on her neck, with her following suit not too long after following the rather severe concussion she'd sustained. It was a memory that made her cringe, and rightfully so. But the more she thought about it, the more she felt like she was trying too hard to compare this to how her mom had acted when they'd had their falling out after her dad's death, trying to coddle and protect her too much out of a fear of losing her the same way they'd lost him. If that were still the case, Camila would have demanded she and Amelia both leave wrestling behind for good... the fact that she had backed down, even reluctantly, when the subject of their titles and having to forfeit them was brought up, was proof that her mom had come a long way.

“Maybe we should talk with them?” Luz suggested. “I don't want to sound ungrateful, because we didn't really have this kind of support system around us for the longest time, but maybe we can find a mutual wavelength where they're not forgetting that, for better or worse, we're sturdier than we look?”

“Well... I think we both need an excuse to stretch our legs anyway,” Amelia suggested, and Luz almost wanted to laugh in response to the audacity of just tackling this issue now and taking care of it immediately. That was usually a Luz move, and it made the luchadora giggle at just how much she had rubbed off on Amelia after all these years.

“Sure beats just having to sit around like a couch potato... although it's hard to complain when I'm cuddling up with my wife while doing so,” Luz returned fire with a cheesy grin, causing the both of them to laugh before they worked together to get to their feet. As Amelia carefully cracked her neck and Luz stretched her back with a satisfying pop, they couldn't help but briefly lose themselves in each other's eyes. It was hard to believe, but even weeks later, the fact that they were now married and could officially call each other 'my wife' still hadn't fully sunk in yet.

It all felt like a dream come true... and they would be damned if that dream was ripped away from them by anybody.

“...I just don't think it's going to work.”

Amelia and Luz exchanged curious glances at the sound of Marilyn's voice when they turned off the TV. Joining hands for silent support, they slowly moved to peek around the corner to where their dining room was, seeing a few people sitting at the table in conversation. Marilyn and Camila sat on one side while Avery, Darius and Evie sat on the other, and there was an odd tension hanging in the air. Occasionally, the caught glimpses of one of their other friends or siblings going in and out of the kitchen, probably keeping an eye on the food and hesitantly staying out of whatever this chat was about, which only made the couple more curious.

“Look, Marilyn,” Camila sternly said. “Believe me when I say that hijo de puta has caused our family far too much pain over the years, for no reason other than his own egotistical beliefs, and I want to see him six feet under. But they're still young and have so much life left ahead of them. I don't want to see them end up in a far worse state than what happened on Breakdown because of someone who may want to end far more than just their careers!”

“Which is exactly why we're looking into doing whatever we can to remove them from this situation entirely,” Darius explained. “Plain and simple, the actions of Caleb White and The Empire have started to classify them all as a religious terrorist group by virtually every government across the globe at this point. I don't care how badly he wants them involved, he's got enough to worry about that Luz and Amelia don't have to be a part of this anymore.”

“I'm telling you it's not that simple,” Marilyn said, exasperated. “Take it from someone who's been plagued by the guy for far longer than they have: like it or not, if Caleb wants them involved, he'll find a way to make it happen.”

“And we'll be ready to shut it down every single time,” Avery fired back, surprising Luz and Amelia with how stern they were being. “I'm sorry, Marilyn, but they've even admitted they never wanted this fight in the first place.”

“So you're going to just take that decision away from them?” Marilyn raised an eyebrow while crossing her arms across her chest, and Camila noticeably became uncomfortable at that realization being put on the table.

“They've got more than enough to worry about without a religious zealot being part of it,” Evie pointed out.

“And we say Caleb's just as much our problem as he is yours,” Luz cut in as she and Amelia walked into the room, drawing all five sets of eyes to them in surprise.

“Cariño... the two of you should be resting,” Camila finally said as she started to stand up, but Amelia held up a hand to stop her.

“We were actually coming to talk with you anyway,” she stated. “All of you... and it seems like we picked the perfect time to do so.”

“Look...” Darius began.

“Darius,” Luz interrupted him before he went any farther. “I'm sorry, but can we have a chance to be heard first?”

The three agents all exchanged glances while Camila looked on in concern. Marilyn seemed to be the only person in agreement with the newlyweds, motioning for them to have the floor. Luz and Amelia squeezed each other's hands for extra strength before Luz continued.

“Alright... trust me when I say that we understand why you're all so worried about us, and that goes for those we know are eavesdropping from the kitchen as well.” Luz shot a smirk at their friends and siblings all awkwardly peeking around the corner before they quickly dipped back into the kitchen. “Having people to worry about us and pick us back up when we're hurt... it's, admittedly, a positive change in our lives we're still getting used to even now. But you've all seen us, in one form or another, fight through everything that's been thrown at us, no matter who it came from or what it was. We're tougher than we look, and while we love you all and appreciate your efforts since Breakdown, we don't want to feel like we're being overprotected just because of one attack. Yeah, it sucked, but we can still walk and kick some butt.”

“We really do appreciate you all looking out for us, though... especially when we haven't always been the best at doing that for ourselves and each other,” Amelia admitted. “But Marilyn's right: if Caleb wants to fixate on us for his stupid 'holy war' then we're going to be a part of it, like it or not. It's easy to say we can be kept out of it, but look at how easily he's constantly found a way to get to us in one form or another. Having a fake Luz try to ruin her reputation in Mexico, trying to force me to marry Henry, what happened with Ryan, the attack on Marilyn's wrestling school... Caleb's brilliant, as much as I hate to admit that, but we've overcome everything he's tried so far, and we're more than prepared to keep doing so if that's what it takes.”

“You two shouldn't have to, though...” Darius pointed out.

“We're not arguing that,” Luz replied. “But whether it's Caleb outside the ring or people like James and Waylon inside of it, there's always going to be someone out there coming after us for their own reasons. We're not turning down any support, but if they want us to be at the forefront of this fight, then we can't afford to back down from it.”

“We've worked too hard and come too far to just roll over and die for anybody who thinks the life and career we've built together is just something they can easily destroy to pave the way for how they think things should be,” Amelia added as she and Luz stood tall despite the pain. “That's why we choose to fight... because if we don't, then they win, and we refuse to let anybody like them have their way because their 'biggest threat' didn't fight back when it mattered most.”

Marilyn couldn't help but clap for the couple as the agents once again exchanged looks. Camila, for her part, moved to gently pull both women into a hug.

“Lo siento,” she told them in a low tone. “I didn't want to feel like I was being overprotective again, I just... I'm worried...”

“We're worried too, Mamá,” Luz admitted. “We have a lot to be worried about, honestly...”

“But we can't give up and back down just because of that,” Amelia followed up.

“You're right,” Evie admitted, earning an annoyed look from Darius that was quickly subdued with a look of her own. “Whether we like it or not, Caleb wants you two at the heart of this nonsense. After everything I've seen the two of you overcome in this past year alone, though? Maybe we are wrong to worry too much about you... if anything, I think Caleb's the one who needs to be worried.”

“Oh, he absolutely does!” Marilyn cheered.

Darius still looked unsure, but turned his head as Avery put a hand on his shoulder. “I think their minds are made up, Darius. That said, they were the ones who ultimately took Caleb down the first time.”

“With Henry's help,” Darius noted. “Still... you've got a point. We can't let our fears and worries get the better of us, even if we have the best of intentions.” Darius turned to lock eyes with the girls again. “My sincerest apologies... everything about all of this is unfamiliar territory and trying to comfortably make a plan of attack has been difficult.”

“Believe me, we understand,” Luz told him. “And that's not just because we've got Fatal Fortunes coming up.”

“We learned a long time ago that we're stronger together, even when we're fighting alone,” Amelia nodded. “And with all of you in our lives now, we're all even stronger, and Luz and I are thankful for that.”

“Sounds like a perfect segue into a Thanksgiving feast to me!” Marilyn couldn't help but call, inciting some laughter from everyone and bringing a much lighter tone to the household.

As Luz and Amelia were allowed to carefully help set the table, they couldn't help but breathe a collective sigh of relief. They felt it wasn't the smoothest of talks, and it was clear the concern was still there all around, but at least this would be a Thanksgiving they could remember for more than just their recent marriage.

After all, there was a lot to be thankful for, and as long as The Light In The Darkness kept fighting, there would be even more to be thankful for in the years to come.

(David Striker) "You Might Think..."

{EZRA: Chapter Two}

When I told the world about my "rebooted" mentality, bringing the idea of the "Misfits" to life, again, but on a new scale, a new platform, and a new mentality, I knew that there would be critics.  I knew that, what started as a theoretical "bigger plan" by Jake Starr, that evolved to me bringing the idea of the "Misfits" to life would be seen as controversial, by some.

And that has been the case, both inside the ring, and within the confines of those surrounding me.

Some of those near me have been critical, thinking I'm just coming up with a way to make a statement, when I have been down, lately.  Others have suggested that I'm just rehashing something that was fledgling before I ever came about.  To each of them, I've said the same, this is different.  A name, no matter how similar or variation of that it may be, is just a name.  It's the intent.  The idea.  The mentality.  Everything that surrounds it, is what DEFINES what that name represents.  For Jake Starr, it was the "Social Misfits," a band of outcasts who were banned from everywhere, blacklisted, not allowed to even be signed, coming together and storming the court, whether anyone allowed them to or not.  The "Misfits," however, talked about one idea... Never dying in battle.

Never giving up...

Never giving in...

And no matter the adversity I've had as of late, that's what I stand for, and that is who I want to surround myself with.  People who won't take those difficult times as a time to run away.  Those who won't look a wins and losses, and decide if "it's worth it anymore."  Because what is WORTH IT is the endgame.  The purpose.  The mission.  And for me, that was what I walked into SCW with the idea of, and that is what I am going back to.  I got away from it, and it's time I bring together the coalition I need to ensure its success.  I can't do it alone.  I can't win by myself, and that is something I have learned over these first couple of years.  It takes an army... And it's time I build it!

The problem is... Sometimes when you begin that building process, there is some animous amongst those you have entrusted with your leadership.  I am not at the point where I am the leader.  I can likely recruit, but lead and guide, it takes those who have been in the trenches, been in battle, and seen things first hand.  And unfortunately for me, it looks like I may have found the two poles of a magnet to be those two opposing viewpoints, who may have to work a lot harder to find their way to the center of our "gravitational field."

Jake Starr: ... Listen, I get it, I know you're pissed...

Pro: Yes, I'm fucking pissed, Jake.  I gave you his number so you would talk to HIM and handle business with HIM, and not act all weird with CHBK...

Jake Starr: And that was my plan, Pro.  My plan was to deal with the guy I had a history with, but that guy is obviously DEAD.  He's a fucking lackey now.  He ran to CHBK to tell him I was on the phone, and didn't handle business with ME directly...

Pro: He likely had a reason...

Jake Starr: Yes, because he's a bitch now...

Pro steps up to Jake.

Pro: I'd suggest you watch your words when it comes to him...

Jake steps back up into Pro's face.

Jake Starr: And I suggest you go visit an optometrist because you're blinded to what's staring you in the fucking face!

Pro: Oh I see what in front of my face, and I know who Dillusion is.  I know how he works... I know how this is something he is doing for his fun, and his benefit...

Jake Starr: Or he's doing it because for the past few YEARS he's succumbed to the MONEY aspect, and simply used his name as a way of staying relevant!  Huh?

Jake gets more stern.

Jake Starr: ... I'm not going to say you're some moral compass of perfection, Pro, because you and I have never seen eye to eye, but the fact is, Dillusion is just that to you... He's a farce of who he once was and it's up to YOU, as a grown up, fucking, adult, to finally see it.  If you can't, that's not my fault.  I brought this whole thing together for a reason, and that reason was to destroy the hierarchy that has hurt you, in ALL of your crazy-assed, mindsets, and those who have tried to break through.  I wanted to be that, but I was a fucking old geezer, now just with the wisdom to put forth to those who can handle the hard work.  I'm sorry you're fucking butthurt because someone you thought was a buddy of yours, decided to be a facade...

Pro: Fuck you, Jake...

Jake Starr: Yes... Fuck me... Fuck me for opening people's eyes to the reality they have avoided.  Fuck me for wanting something BETTER for this business.  Fuck me for being the guy who looked out for those who nobody else would...

Pro: Oh quit with this act of being all high and mighty.  You're as much of a shit-show, and conniving asshole as everyone else.

Jake nods.

Jake Starr: Yes... I am... But the difference is I'm honest about it!  I never fit in anywhere, and I had to do what I had to do, in order to make things play out in my favor.  Did you not?  Did CHBK not, by becoming family with the boss, and what-not?!  Did the Streets, and all of those other cookie-cutter pieces of garbage not do the same, just to gain a edge?!  You act like you, being Pro, being the defender of the Alter, is higher and mightier than the rest.  Fuck off... We both know we don't like one another, but we see a similar future.  So quit trying to turn this into a you versus me shit-show, and let's focus on what matters.  We don't have to like, love, or ANYTHING, one another, but we have a common purpose.  But with you, you have to understand that your "family," as you want to call him, isn't who he once was, and is now just one of those who is holding everyone else back..

Out of nowhere the door swings open, and, by the response of Kirsten, it is obvious the conversation was loud enough to be heard beyond its threshold, as she storms in with Hailey and Emma in tow.

Kirsten Scott: Ok you two, your little marital conflict can wait because we have bigger issues to deal with here!

The brashness of Kirsten completely throws off both Pro and Jake, and both become a bit annoyed at their protege.

Pro: What in the FUCK did you say?

Jake Starr: Pardon me?!

Kirsten grins, staring them both down.

Kirsten Scott: Ok good... Your little tift, whatever it may be about, is now over because now you're both focused back on the task at hand.  For once in your fucking lives you actually both are not bitching, moaning, and at each other's throats, about the future, but instead on the same page.  How does it feel?!

Pro: I'm going to be blunt on my problem, or concern, or whatever phrasing you want to give it, here.  It's Dillusion.  Putting him in a category of CHBK and Lucas Knight, that's not OK with me...

Jake Starr: But he's...

Kirsten cuts Jake off.

Kirsten Scott: Ok... Explain...

Pro: Dillusion is unpredictable.  He's not someone who you just take at face value.  Why do you think he and I got along?  He's conniving and willing to take things to extreme measures for whatever it is in his head.  So this whole ordeal, to me, is part of his plan...

Kirsten Scott: His plan for WHAT?!

Pro: That's just it... You DON'T KNOW!  He's convinced them, and you two, even, he's a suit?  It's Dillusion.  Jake has faced him, Kirsten, you've looked his history up.  Where in that do you see a "yes man?"  Where do you see this suck-up of a human being, and not someone who will play HIS GAME, just like you two, to get WHATEVER he wants?

Jake Starr: So you're saying he's doing this for a reason?

Pro: I'm saying he's not someone to be believed on face value...

Kirsten Scott: But how many years has been doing this?  How many years has he been in CHBK's pocket?  You want to talk history, you have to accept reality as well...

Pro: Don't you DARE question me and reality...

Kirsten Scott: Then open your damn eyes and see what we see.  This isn't the same Dillusion you befriended, and now he's a Dilly-Dally Do-Gooder, who just simps for the man writing his checks...

Pro: Fuck off, newbie...

Kirsten Scott: Defensiveness isn't going to save you from this discussion, Pro.  This is something YOU have to deal with on YOUR time.  What THIS is, here... This has nothing to do with your personal feelings toward someone who is, at least currently, showing himself to be in the line of fire.  You don't get to make this a "pick and choose" kind of moment.  This is all or nothing, and if there is a caveat, you have to handle that business on your own, and make sure they stay out of the way.  I'm not doing that.  We all know Jake isn't either.  If you want him to be "protected," YOU find a way for us to know he isn't playing both sides of the aisle, otherwise, in my opinion, and from what I see, he's a fucking SUIT.  He's not the old Dillusion anymore.  He walked away from that YEARS ago, and has just gone to being a paycheck collecting dipshit, like the rest...

Pro approaches Kirsten to get in her face, when Hailey steps in front of her.

Pro: ... Hailey... You watch yourself...

Hailey Brooks: I'd say the same...

Kirsten interjects.

Kirsten Scott: Both of you stand down.  This is a serious conversation, and emotions are bound to flare.  So Hailey, step aside, and Pro, if you want to get in my face, step up because I'm not backing down...

Hailey steps to the side, and Pro begins to take a step forward, and pauses, but doesn't step back or step forward, instead just staring Kirsten down.

Kirsten Scott: Pro, I'm not questioning any relationship or friendship you have with him.  I'm not questioning what you feel in your gut.  I'm questioning what I SEE on the surface.  And YOU of all people should understand that sometimes that is ALL you have to go on, am I wrong?

Pro snarls.

Pro: ... No...

Kirsten Scott: Ok... Then that's all I ask.  Not an "I told you so," but a simple understanding of where I stand.  I see him for what he has demonstrated on the surface.  If there's something under the surface you believe needs to be considered, that's on you to find out, figure out, and relay.  That's not on us.  You have a personal connection to him, whereas Jake's relationship with him is rather...

Jake Starr: Non-existent...

Kirsten Scott: I was going to say "complicated," but whatever... The fact is, Pro, you and Dillusion have understandings and relationships with one another than none of the rest of us have, or want for that matter.  But this "big picture" aspect requires us all to do our fair share of the tasks at hand, and that may mean you may need to call your own friend out on the carpet and figure shit out... Because I'm not going to play nice with one person just on the OFF CHANCE that he's still, deep down, playing the long game.  So if you want that to be in play, you have your job...

Pro growls, and grits her teeth as she stares at Kirsten.  Kirsten stands there, with a very emotionless stare back, and Pro storms off, exiting the room.  Jake goes to follow but Kirsten motions to Hailey to stop him.

Kirsten Scott: ... Let her go Jake... Seriously... This is a personal matter for her.  Let her have it...

Jake Starr: But this asshole is "one of them..."

Kirsten Scott: Yeah, in our eyes.  We don't know what she sees.  And if we are right she will find out, and if we are wrong, she'll make us feel like shit, and we will find out anyway.  But she has to be the one to discover who he really is because she's the ONLY one who he will be open with.  How else did you get that number?  How else did he put trust in ANYONE?  They have a bond.  Whether or not we understand or believe it's the same as she believes it still to be, isn't our job.  We get our opinions, leave hers to her.  And then let her make the realizations for what they are.

Jake Starr: I don't like that... I don't trust it either...

Hailey chimes in.

Hailey Brooks: For what it's worth I don't either.  I don't trust anyone.  For fuck's sake, I didn't, and still have trouble trusting you.  But I'm trusting in Kirsten to show me I'm wrong.  So, I guess, we all have to trust in Pro to show us that either we are right or wrong.

Kirsten Scott: It won't be easy on her.  Both of you need to understand that, now.  It's going to be hard if she finds out he's gone to the "darkside," or if she has to make us believe he's still this loose cannon in the business.  It's why I didn't "step up" to her, or make it confrontational.  I simply stated the facts.  I simply spoke to the PERSON, and she doesn't like that, and I know it.  Don't be surprised if she comes at me for doing that.  Don't be surprised if she lashes out.  But let her.  Let Pro be Pro.  Let her be the person she is.  In the end, the fact we don't try and "change" her, and allow her to find out for herself, hence why I said it's her "job," is because none of us could do it.

Jake Starr: So we sit and twiddle our thumbs?

Kirsten Scott: No asshole... We move forward.  She's part of this, and she knows it, but she also knows part of "this" is acknowledging shit has changed from when she was around more regularly.  THAT she has to understand on her own.  Not be "shown," or forced to see... Pro is like each of us... She's stubborn, she's fierce in her ways, and she's protective of those around her, in her case, her alter.  We have to respect that like we'd ask it of one another... Got it?

Jake sighs, reluctantly.

Jake Starr: I suppose...

Hailey sounds more confident.

Hailey Brooks: I hear you...

With those words, the three begin to plot their next steps with their mission of "the hunt."  Kirsten feels nervous at how she confronted Pro, knowing Pro is someone who is willing to step up to anyone, friend or foe, and is concerned as to what repercussions may come of her action.  Regardless, she feels what she said, and how she reacted to Pro's anger toward her, were necessary in the future of Pro's involvement in their long term plan.  Hailey can sense Kirsten's concern, and simply looks at her and says "it'll all work out," as they get Kirsten's focus back on the plan at hand.

Finding Inner Peace

OOC:  Polly will have episodes 5 and 6, which are chronologically after Colleen's goings-on.  Also the recorded video has been made and sent to one select person on the roster, and ONLY to her...



Season 6 / Episode 5 / Exhausting (Part 1 - Hard At Work)

Sometimes Dexter forgot how sore wrestling could make him.

One would question how in the hell a wrestler could forget something like that when they got physical with other people on a roughly weekly-ish basis or something along those lines, but it had been quite some time since he’d had a match as physical as the one he’d gone through at Under Attack. He didn’t compete in one of those godforsaken chambers, but he’d still been speared off the stage through a bunch of production equipment, pulled himself back up and proceed to wrestle a 20-something minute match with a man who was so blinded by his own image that he concocted a problem to justify going to such extreme lengths to put an end to the Digital Detoxer.

‘I wonder if Rayne Young was paying attention to that nonsense with Blake Mason and Selena Frost?’ was a thought that ran through Dexter’s mind, finding it laughable in hindsight that Rayne took issue with Wendell swiping his phone because of the ‘risk of exposing private information’ when that had actually happened between two other wrestlers and all it took was a phone call and paying off someone in SCW’s HR department.

Further proof that SCW really wasn’t the company for someone as sensitive as Rayne Young, but Dexter has already made his statement at the man’s expense and was shifting focus to the next step in his fight.

Buying an RV.

Perhaps a random jump in plans when compared to whatever he should be doing next in using SCW as his platform to tear down the grand empire of social media, but Dexter had come to a realization in the few months he’d been on the SCW roster: his pickup truck, which had been trusty and reliable ever since he’d gone off the grid when it came to getting him where he needed to be, was too old to handle the extensive traveling required of him by the company, and that was even when he mentally cut out the extra bookings in house shows and live tours he tried to weasel his way out of through his refusal to provide entertainment to the mindless masses where his message had to rely on others spreading it through the very online platforms he was trying to destroy in the first place.

The vehicle had remained as reliable as ever, but Dexter had been mindful of the maintenance he’d been doing more frequently on it. Plain and simple, the truck was an ancient model he’d bought on the cheap with some of the money he’d gotten from selling the far more modern car he’d used to own when he was still one of the many enslaved by their screens, spent the rest on any parts he couldn’t salvage from junkyards, and put a solid year of work into getting it up and running before he began resurfacing in the public eye to make his soapbox speeches. The truck had been rebuilt to be a sturdy bastard, which Dexter cared more for than the ‘online attraction’ he saw his former car as, but he knew it couldn’t handle the wear and tear of SCW’s ridiculous touring.

Case in point: Under Attack had been in Detroit, and then after the break following that event SCW had actually come to his neck of the words in San Francisco (not that anybody actually knew that, and he’d make damn sure it stayed that way) before jumping to Denver, back up to Canada, then all the way to Baltimore and then coming back this way to Sacramento, and that was just this upcoming month alone!

“Why the hell do they need to make this so complicated?” Dexter huffed as he pulled the truck up to an auto repair shop on the edge of town, at least appreciating how out of the way this place was.

“Would it be safe to say SCW’s just trying to hit whatever city feels the most profitable from ticket sales during those dates?” Wendell offered from the passenger seat. If it weren’t for the fact that he couldn’t drive two vehicles simultaneously, Dexter would have omitted his associate from this trip, but he wasn’t about to take a walk that would amount to a couple of hours to go from his shack hidden in the woods to this place, not considering he was still bandaged up and recovering from taking a damn spear off the stage through a bunch of media junk.

“That’s a good answer Wendell,” Dexter replied as he stepped out of the truck, with Wendell not too far behind him. Dexter had been grateful that what he was here for had been found through an ad in the paper, because it was painfully clear these days that nobody selling anything online could be trusted regardless of where you were trying to digitally peddle your wares. This was at least more trustworthy than gambling on something sturdy and reliable from someone you weren’t likely to meet face-to-face, and the seller being the owner of a shop like this was already a good sign of the quality he was looking for.

“Can I help you gentlemen with anything?” they were asked as soon as they stepped through the door, courtesy of a burly-looking man with a thick mustache manning the counter.

“Name’s Dexter,” Dexter bluntly cut to the chase. “I spoke with the owner of this shop recently about purchasing an RV he was selling?”

“I thought I recognized your voice,” the man laughed. Dexter could see how this guy seemed to have a solid business going if the number of cars being worked on behind him was any indication, but his jovial attitude just seemed to rub Dexter the wrong way. Perhaps a sign his brain had been too cynical about the world for too long? “Name’s Andre, I’m the big man who owns this shop and the RV, though that second one will probably be changing here in a few minutes.”

“Why are you selling it, if you don’t mind us asking?” Wendell couldn’t help but ask, earning him a brief glare from Dexter who honestly could care less as long as he had the vehicle and it was able to run.

“I just don’t have a need for it anymore,” Andre shrugged. “Going camping and on road trips with my family hasn’t felt like an option for the past few years with the way everything is, so I’d rather see it go to someone who will get use out of it while I can put money away for my kids’ college funds.”

“A truly worthwhile endeavor,” Dexter nodded, putting on a front that he was the slightest bit interested. In reality, he was restraining himself from grilling the man about how he advertised his business and preaching his truth to a seemingly humble mechanic. As nice as it would be to have someone else willing to join his fight, he knew that he’d probably lose this deal if he gave this guy even the slightest hint that he was…what was it people had called him for his stance against social media? A nutcase? A lunatic? A savior would be the correct term he’d use, but others would only realize that if they ever put their damn phones down and listened.

“I’ll tell Max to pull it around so you can take a look at it for yourself, then we can get down to business and whatnot,” Andre stated before he wandered off to go grab one of his active employees to fetch the RV.

Dexter didn’t bother to pay attention to the interaction. His brain was instead fixated on that name. Max…he was probably reading too much into it considering it was such a common name, but he was hopeful that was the case and it wasn’t someone specific he was thinking of. It was probably just a coincidence, like SCW telling him not to even bother showing up for this recent Breakdown despite it being in his technically unknown hometown, or this upcoming set of Breakdowns being some special thing that he saw straight through but was being forced to take part anyway because of ‘contractual obligations.’

Two words Dexter hated with a burning passion so hot it would put a nuclear explosion to shame.

He understood the concept. Whoever booked the matches was essentially given a vacation and every match would be determined completely at random by the spin of a wheel, leaving whoever was drawn for said matches scrambling to prepare for someone they’ve never studied and under circumstances they may normally not feel comfortable with. He almost wanted to scoff at how much of a sham the whole thing was, desiring to question just how ‘random’ these matches truly were as opposed to the whole thing being a ploy to get away with flashier or more violent matches on television by blaming it all on sheer luck.

The whole idea infuriated him. He wasn’t in SCW to be a monkey on a leash, dancing on command for people that were programmed to hate him. His purpose was to try and unbrainwash the masses by proving that you didn’t need technology or social media to make something of yourself even in this day and age, and Fatal Fortunes was, for all intents and purposes, a giant marketing stunt meant to put the roster through the ringer for online attention to keep promoting the belief that SCW was the biggest and best wrestling company around.

Unfortunately, the puppet masters hiding behind their computer screens and telling SCW staff what to do for that precious online buzz had played this one brilliantly. By keeping him out of sight and out of mind this past Breakdown, they could enforce the legally binding words he’d knowingly shackled himself to for the sake of his cause to force his name to be on the list whether he wanted to be a part of this game or not. Trying to skip out on the next two shows ran the risk of termination, and Dexter couldn’t afford to lose this opportunity now that he was starting to get a foothold in SCW’s process. His only true out would’ve been to not be medically cleared, but that would’ve meant rolling over at Under Attack and letting Rayne’s misguided efforts be rewarded, and that didn’t click with Dexter’s agenda.

Then again, considering he hadn’t even been mentioned on Breakdown at all, his impressive fight easily overshadowed by the three chamber matches like he knew it would be, was it ultimately worth it?

‘Maybe not in their eyes,’ Dexter thought to himself as he and Wendell found themselves outside again, with Andre joining them shortly after while they waited for the RV to be pulled around. ‘But if I got through even a little bit to Rayne, especially with the whole Blake/Selena stunt proving that he got upset with me about privacy when I was never his enemy, then perhaps in the long run it will all work out.’

The long run honestly felt like Dexter’s best bet at this point, given how slow progress had been. Nothing against his fight, considering he was, for all intents and purposes, undefeated right now, but marching onward and making his voice be heard somehow, someway, had to ultimately yield results. The easy answer would be to just win a championship or go straight for someone at the top, but that was so easy it might as well have been a meme or a trend at this point. Blake had done it, James and Waylon had just done it this past show, same with Konrad…to follow the trend would make him a blind hypocrite.

Thankfully, Dexter could stop thinking about it for a moment when the RV finally pulled around. It was a Winnebago Revel, an RV that by default came with everything he’d need while traveling for SCW, from a pair of beds so he and Wendell could each have their own to a bath that effectively eliminated the need for wasting money on a hotel room and getting odd looks from just walking through the lobby.

“Here she is,” Andre happily declared. “Like I said, it’s been on a few trips, but any issues that might’ve spawned from them have already been fixed up and this baby’s practically good as new.”

Dexter nodded, unable to resist the low whistle of appreciation for what he was looking at. “You mind if I check out the inside before I hand over any payment, just to be sure?”

“I’d expect nothing less from a serious buyer covering all their bases,” Andre laughed, and as Dexter began to approach the RV to tour the interior, he sighed and rolled his eyes. The thought of needing to lighten up a bit so he wasn’t so cynical all the damn time crossed his mind again, but he could hardly find a good reason to let his guard down when he was constantly trying to make himself social enemy number one for daring to threaten the downfall of the modern world before it collapsed and took all of humanity with it.

The door to the RV opened as the mechanic stepped out, and once he locked eyes with Dexter, the Digital Detoxer found himself cursing his rotten luck about the name Max he’d heard earlier.

“Dex?” the man, whose jumpsuit had a patch with the name ‘Max’ on it like a nametag, questioned.

“You know him, Max?” Andre called as he walked over, both he and Wendell now interested in this potential turn of events.

“...like I said, I’m checking out the interior,” Dexter just said after a tense moment. “Wendell, you get ready to pay the man so we can hit the road.”

“I…” Wendell started to say before Dexter reached into his pocket and pulled out a roll of cash before tossing it to his flunkie, who quickly scrambled to catch it.

Once he confirmed Wendell had his part of the payment secured, he stepped around Max despite the man’s best efforts to stand in his way before stepping inside. He let his eyes take in the interior of the RV, making his brain appreciate how well-kept it was and moving to confirm everything was functional. He refused to let his brain linger on the sight of…

“Dex? What the hell, bro?” that voice called again, and Dexter tried to ignore it even as he saw Max step back inside, clearly not looking to let this meeting slip through his fingers that easily. “Why are you ignoring me?”

“Shouldn’t you be doing your job, Max?” Dexter huffed as he tried to focus on the sink. “Congrats, by the way…seems like you found yourself a pretty stable job.”

“Thanks, but it would mean so much more if my brother would actually turn around and talk to me,” Max replied, and Dexter could only hiss through his teeth and slowly turn to face the man that he could now confirm was, indeed, his younger brother.

Maxwell Grant (since their parents had an odd fixation on the idea of both of their kids having the letter ‘X’ somewhere in their names) was Dexter’s younger brother, and he’d looked up to Dexter like he was already some sort of icon for most of their lives. The two rarely fought, they always went out of their way to support one another, and Dexter was wholeheartedly proud that his brother had turned his love of cars and his mechanical know-how into a job he loved…of course, Dexter’s decision to go off the grid had strained his relationship with his entire family.

“It’s good to see you again,” Dexter awkwardly admitted at least.

“Likewise,” Max replied, equally as awkward. “I saw you’re in the wrestling business now…you kicked some serious ass at that pay-per-view.”

“Thanks…” Dexter sighed.

“Mom, dad and I were hoping to see you when they rolled through here, but…nothing,” Max lamented. “Dad even said he saw you all the way out in Boston. You rebuffed him because of this whole ‘war on social media’ thing.”

“It’s not just a ‘thing’ Max!” Dexter growled. “I’m sorry if I’m still the only person who actually fucking gets it, but nobody else is doing anything and I’m not going to watch the world burn because of people who have power they really shouldn’t!”

Back to the tense staredown the brothers went, but this one didn’t last as long before Max just sighed and sat down in one of the seats.

“What happened to you at Innovatech?” Max asked, that name causing Dexter’s blood to run cold.

“...what makes you think something happened with them?”

“Dex, as much as our parents love you, I think I know you better than they do,” Max clarified. “My big brother goes to a job he loves and was excited to do since graduating from college, then one day he suddenly comes home saying he quit and goes from being one of the best damn coding geniuses I know to cursing the existence of social media and acting like an entirely different person? That math doesn’t add up, dude.”

Dexter just stared down Maxwell for what felt like an eternity before he started making his way to the door, Max making no effort to stop him. Dexter did pause before turning to face him one more time though.

“It’s complicated…” was the only answer he gave his brother before exiting the RV, leaving Max to sigh and follow him out.

“Everything alright?” Andre asked as Dexter approached him, the Digital Detoxer doing his best to try and screw his head back on straight.

“Everything looks good,” Dexter confirmed to him, even though it was clear that wasn’t what the shop owner was referring to. Before he could inquire about whatever was going on between him and Max, though, Dexter cut in again. “$100,000 was your price tag, right?”

Andre just nodded, a little taken aback by the shift in tone, but a nod from Dexter had Wendell handing over the full amount in cash. He looked a little unnerved himself, but Dexter chalked that up to most of the money for this transaction being money his loyal follower had borrowed from his family to cover what Dexter couldn’t with his low-level SCW contract. Dexter promised to pay him back, but right now he just wanted to get this transaction over with and get back to his shack in the woods.

A few minutes later, money had traded hands and the keys were now in Wendell’s possession as Dexter motioned for him to drive the RV, because he’d be damned if he trusted the kid with the truck he’d painstakingly put together and still planned to use locally or on shorter, less taxing trips.

“Pleasure doing business with you,” Dexter told Andre as they shook hands briefly locking eyes with Wendell to silently communicate that he wasn’t in the mood to talk about whatever had happened between him and the mechanic who was still standing off to the side and watching everything.

“Dex!” Max called as Dexter turned to head back to his truck, causing the man to stop and glance back at him. “I know this is a longshot, but damn if I’m not going to try anyway. Come home for Thanksgiving?”

“You know my next show’s on Thanksgiving Day, right?” Dexter raised an eyebrow.

“We can do it early then!” Max pleaded. “Look, we just…we just want to talk Dex. We want a chance to understand, to hear you out, like you wanted. Can you give us that chance?”

“...I’ll think about it,” was all Dexter could think to say before he hopped in his truck and drove away from the shop, knowing Wendell was right behind him with their new RV. He did make a mental note of this shop now that he knew his brother was working here…whether or not it was a note to avoid this area like the plague or actually consider coming back around again was still up in the air for him.

All Dexter knew was that he had a lot to think about in the coming days.

And this Fatal Fortunes bullshit was pretty high on that list.

Buckle in, this is gonna be a ride.

A lot of you already know from Discord why I took LOA - I am in the process of splitting up with my long term partner Ben. I technically ended it early August but he was laid off in June so he was still living with me until he either found a place to go or got a job to get his own place. Well... the Universe decided to put a boot in his ass to get this done. I've told some of you part of this but here is the whole story.

Last week on Tuesday night Ben drove himself to the VA ER in the city (he was in the Marines in the late 90s, so he gets their medical). He was coughing like crazy, couldn't breathe well. I offered to drive him, had my keys in hand, but he insisted on going himself. After he left, I found paper towels in the bathroom trashcan that were bloody from whatever he was coughing up. So, he got there. They took him back immediately because he could barely breathe. Turns out his oxygen level was 85%. I have no idea how he drove himself there.

They admitted him, diagnosed with pneumonia. He texted me updates Wednesday and Thursday morning. I cleaned the house while I had the opportunity because he had the living room a complete disaster (one of the many reasons this is done, his lack of picking up after himself in any sense - leaving dishes with food still in it all over to rot. I couldn't stand to walk through the living room because it smelled so bad. But the main reason being he was doing meth and lied to me about it repeatedly. That's another long story). But I didn't hear from him at all between Thursday morning and Friday morning. I also had surgery on the 13th - I had a cyst near my urethra. So Friday morning I had an appointment to get my catheter removed. After that I went to work and started making phonecalls. Three hours later I got a live person and was told he was in ICU because his CO2 level was 147, and normal is like 45--60ish. He was on a BIPAP and oxygen, and antibiotics for the pneumonia.

All of this meant one, I had to go there, and two... I had to call his crazy mother, because I knew he hadn't told her he was in the hospital. So, she and I both showed up there Friday night. He told me himself that Thursday night he couldn't hardly breathe and kept paging the nurses because they didn't come right away the first time. Next thing he knew he woke up with a whole medical team around him. He almost died right there. And that's when he went to ICU.

I went back there Saturday, and was there in the afternoon when he was moved back to regular inpatient as his breathing had improved. Dealing with his mom is a whole other side story that I'm not sure I have the bandwith to type out right now. Short version is she goes from being civil and even thankful with me because I let her know - to accusing me of being heartless and kicking him out of my house while he's in the hospital. I suggested he go to her house when he was released because there he has an actual bed to sleep in. At my house he was either on the couch or the floor. Both he and her agreed when I said that, and then she tried to throw it back at me.

Sunday, my friend Clint and I brought Ben's truck (which had been sitting in the ER parking lot) to his mom's house across the river.

So now today. At around 2am his mom texted me this whole diatribe about how some of the house mess was my fault and a bunch of other nonsense. I replied by telling her everything about his drug bullshit and how he kept lying to me and that's why I broke up with him. To my surprise, she believed me and asked more details.

So now he's being released today later this afternoon and she asked me to go pick him up and bring him to her house, because she has bad night vision. Which is true, she had cataract surgery a few months ago. So I agreed.

Trying to get him to get a place to go and move out while still dealing with his mess and attitude is why I had no energy to play the game. I feel like if he hadn't got this sick, he'd have kept dragging things out on leaving. It seems like a whole catalyst that forced both him and me to actually do the thing to get him to move out. It really sucks that he got that bad off and I don't wish that on anyone. I want him to get better and be okay, and probably go to rehab and get his shit together. He just has to do it somewhere else because I'm not dealing with it anymore.

The last few days with just me and the cats in my apartment while I cleaned up is the most peace I've had at home in YEARS. Part of me feels bad that I used this as a way to get him out, because he's not coming back. He's going to his mom's. But I also feel like it would have been a struggle to get him out if he didn't have a big reason like this to do it.

So.... that's where I'm at right now. I wanted y'all to know what's been going on, if I've seemed off, or really just for why I can't play right now. Those of you who have known all of this already, thank you for your support.

I will try to get back into this after the new year. I love you guys. <3

Coup

OOC:  For those reading, please read Colleen's posts first, Polly's posts second, and then Aisling's posts third, for the full effect.



Season 6 / Episode 3 / Tantalizing (Part 1 - Right Here For You)