Clyde Sutter vs. Sapphire Taylor

[The Assassin]

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December 4th, 2024
Edmonton, Alberta
Off Camera
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Tonight is the second night of Fatal Fortunes in Supreme Championship Wrestling and it was the night that “The Assassin” Clyde Sutter made his unexpected return to the company after years of absence. The Assassin recalls his last stint in SCW. He was not much more than a mindless beast, a weapon utilized by none other than Mason Van Stanton to use for his own selfish gain. Sutter’s mindless rage, combined with Van Stanton’s inability to control him, led to his failure during his first run in SCW. Sutter knew he needed to make a change. So he left and took some time to reflect, he took some time to look deep down into his heart and soul. The Assassin, formerly a monster, made his shocking return at Fatal Fortunes and true to form, fate certainly smiled down upon its most devoted follower. Clyde got the opportunity this evening to wrestle for the SCW Adrenaline Championship against Glory Braddock. That in and of itself created for some awkward tension. Sutter is dating Glory’s daughter, Melinda Braddock, and Glory isn’t too happy about it. She no longer is vocal about her disapproval, mainly because she doesn’t want to drive Melinda away. But Sutter can tell that Glory still isn’t happy with him dating her daughter. Still, personal issues aside, this was his big return to SCW. Fate had gifted him this opportunity and he would not squander it. He may not have become champion but he laid waste to The British Bombshell. He left her a bloody mess. He certainly made an impact and sent a message to the rest of the locker room. Currently The Assassin stands just outside of the trainer’s room. His opponent from this evening, Glory Braddock, is currently inside being tended to and Glory’s daughter, Clyde’s girlfriend Melinda, is there with her. Despite the fact that he brutalized Melinda’s own mother, The Assassin still cannot stop himself from smirking with a lot of pride. Indeed he is proud of what he did tonight. He made his return and laid waste to a champion. The future is bright for him. He is confident that fate has big plans for him now that he is back in SCW.

Clyde is still wearing his ring gear from this evening; mostly black, including black shorts, black knee pads and boots, and black elbow pads. His long stringy, oily black hair hangs down to his shoulders. The backstage area of the Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, the arena that hosted SCW Breakdown this week, is an expansive labyrinth of corridors and rooms, with a distinct division between administrative zones, performer preparation areas, and technical support spaces. The walls are painted in neutral tones, with occasional banners and posters featuring the promotion’s branding or previous events. Overhead, industrial-style lighting casts a bright, clinical glow, illuminating the space without casting dramatic shadows. Just then a sound gets his attention. Sutter turns and finds the door to the trainer’s room opening. He watches as he sees not Glory but Melinda walking out.

The arrogant, prideful, smirk immediately changes. It is replaced by a more warm, loving smile as he watches his goddess approach. Melinda’s platinum blonde hair cascades past her shoulders. She wears a loose, beige satin dress with a halter-style neckline, designed to drape effortlessly over her figure. The dress has a soft sheen, reflecting the opulent lighting of the room. Her legs are adorned with fishnet-style stockings featuring a fine mesh pattern, adding a touch of sophistication and allure. She completes her look with white pointed-toe heels, which enhance the sleek, high-fashion aesthetic. The heart of this monster is immediately turned to mush as he approaches her and embraces her in a hug.

“My love…” he says softly “...how is your mother?”

“You’re lucky I’m not exactly a big fan of my mother right now.” She says playfully, winking at Clyde. “Otherwise I would be pretty upset with you right now.”

“Did I do that much damage?”

“Eh, she’ll be fine.” She shrugs her shoulders. “I wouldn’t worry about her. She’ll be fine. Hell, she’s already cleared to compete, although they’re gonna give her at least one week to fully recover.”

“Good.” He nods his head. Sutter reaches out and runs his hand through Melinda’s long blonde hair. “Your mother and I may differ on philosophies, we may have a rough past, but we share one thing in common…” he kisses Melinda on the lips “...we both care deeply for you. And I know that despite your own hard feelings for your mother, you still care for her.”

“Of course I care for her.” Melinda sighs and then rolls her eyes. “I’m not the one putting tension on our relationship. I’m not the one pushing her away. She’s the one pushing me away with her damned affection towards that bitch Aphrodite.”

“You do realize that your affection towards me upsets her, do you not?” Clyde smirks. “Yet she does not display her anger the way you do.”

“Oh come on.” Melinda shakes her head. “Don’t tell me you’re taking her side! You do remember what Aphrodite did to the Braddocks, don’t you?”

“Of course.” He nods his head. “I know how much your mother’s odd affection for the Noel woman bothers you. Yet still, that doesn’t change the fact that you are family, just like you dating me doesn’t change that fact for your mother.” He gently pats her on the shoulder. “The point I am arriving at, my love, is that you should never take family for granted. Trust me, I know.”

“Right, I forgot…” Melinda leans in close, resting her head against his massive chest “...I forgot about your family…or lack thereof…”

“My father got wrapped up in a cult. My mother abandoned me in order to get away from my father and I only recently reconnected with her, and still to this day my relationship with her isn’t the best. And of course my sister…” his voice trails off as he is reluctant to speak of his sister, Lilith Sutter, who he recently came back into contact with. Lilith seems to want something out of Clyde. What that something is still remains to be seen but it definitely bothers Clyde. In fact, it more than just bothers him; it scares him. The Assassin is used to being the one who strikes fear into people, he is not used to being frightened. Yet he is afraid; he is afraid of what his sister’s intentions might mean for this new life he has created for himself. He is happy for once, with the love of his life, making an honest living. He fears that his sister is trying to destroy all of that and take him back into the darkness he tried so hard to escape.

“Your sister certainly is a piece of work.” Melinda snaps back. “Very rude too.”

“I would rather not speak about my sister any longer.” He answers back sternly. Melinda can see the tension in his eyes. She frowns and grabs his hands.

“Are you ok, babe?”

“Of course.” He nods his head. “It’s just…” he shakes his head “...I would rather not talk about her. Perhaps another time?”

“Yeah…” Melinda smirks “...well how’s about we talk about your next victim?”

“Has Mr…”

“CHBK.” Melinda kisses him on the cheek. “I know you’re all super serious and formal, but with this dude it may be easier just to call him CHBK.”

“Very well.” Sutter sighs. “Has…CHBK…already confirmed an opponent for me?”

“I’m hearing Sapphire.” Melinda grins from ear to ear. “This will be a cakewalk for you.”

“Only if fate deems it so, my dear.” Clyde says calmly and stoically. “If indeed fate has decided that Ms. Taylor is my next opponent then she shall the unfortunate task of facing me after a loss…and you know how I am after a loss…”

“Yeah, that’s why I am looking forward to the beating you give her.”

Sutter and Melinda are about to kiss again when they hear the door of the trainer’s room opening again. They both turn in time to see Glory Braddock exiting. The British Bombshell and reigning SCW Adrenaline Champion is still wearing her royal purple ring attire, consisting of long tights, boots, and a top, approaches. Her ribs are banded up. She definitely looks worse for the wear and definitely does not look like a winner even though she was the winner this evening. Clyde and Melinda both smirk as she approaches.

“How are you doing champ?” Melinda asks. “Spit up any more blood?”

“No, I’m good, thanks for your concern.” Glory says, her sarcasm noticeable.’’

“You know, mom, this is the third time you and my man have wrestled. And despite beating him twice, you have yet to walk away from any of those encounters under your own power.” She winks. “Who is the best in the world again?”

“Melinda, my love…” Clyde begins, another stern tone in his voice “...remember what I told you. Family is important.”

“You’re no fun.” She says, pouting. Sutter leans over and kisses her on the cheek.

“Run along, I will be with you shortly.”

“Sure. Whatever…” Melinda rolls her eyes before turning and walking away. Clyde then turns his attention back to Glory. This is the third match between the two of them. Glory has gotten the better of him twice but she has always struggled. Here again she finds herself lucky to have escaped with a victory and her championship intact. There is still a great deal of tension between the two. Their past is very rocky. Still, Sutter is indeed a changed man, and he is a better man than he was once before. He extends a hand out to Glory.

“Congratulations, Ms. Braddock.”

“Yeah…” Glory is surprised to see the handshake offered but she does reluctantly shake his hand “...I suppose. But I don’t feel like a winner.”

“Would you really have wanted me to take it easy on you, Ms. Braddock?”

“Of course not.” She shakes her head. “Every time I step through those ropes, I want to face the best. I want to face my opponents at their best. That’s what makes it competition.”

“Ah and yet when I gave it everything I had at your bloody wrestling school, you kicked me out.”

“Are we really having this debate again, Clyde?” She rolls her eyes. “You were intentionally trying to hurt the other students.”

“Isn’t that what wrestling is, though?” He arches his brow. “You INTENTIONALLY try to hurt your opponent as much as you can, at least to the point they cannot get their shoulders up off of the mat for a three count…or until they have had enough and quit…”

“I don’t want to have this debate with you again, Clyde. We’re never going to agree on how to behave in this business. I happen to think you take things too far. You think I’m not taking things far enough. We’ll just agree to disagree.”

“It’s more than that, though, isn’t it?” He asks with a subtle hint of a smirk on his face. “You also do not think I am good enough for your beloved daughter.”

“Bloody hell…” Glory rolls her eyes “...see, this right here is why I have a hard time believing that you have changed! First you make your return to SCW without even letting me know…”

“I enjoy surprises.”

“Well I don’t.” Glory snaps back. “Then you go around playing tonsil hockey with my daughter in public. You pick fights with me over issues you know damn well that we disagree on. It’s like you want to argue with me!”

“Do you think you can be silent and not be the sanctimonious bitch you were raised to be, just for one moment, and at least consider the possibility that I am being sincere?” Sutter asks, his own tone now taking a much more serious and challenging note. Even Glory is taken aback by this sudden change in Sutter.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you have any idea how awful I have felt, thinking back to my past life? Do you fathom how terrible I felt when I recall how I treated your daughter? How I…I…” Sutter cannot get the words out, he is too troubled. But Glory is quick to finish his own sentence for him.

“How you beat her? You got her hooked on drugs? How you nearly ruined her life?”

“Yes!” Clyde exclaims. “She was right to dump me and I do not deserve the second chance she gave me! Yet here I am, blessed by fate that I have been given another opportunity with your beloved daughter, with the love of my life. And I have sworn a vow to spend the rest of my days atoning for my sins against her by treating her like the goddess she is…” he stares a hole through Glory Braddock “...you may hate me, but I am doing my best to make sure you and your daughter remain close. She needs you, even if she doesn’t want to admit it herself.”

The British Bombshell remains silent for several seconds. This speech from Clyde took her by surprise. She may not fully trust him but those words he just uttered sounded very sincere. And the emotion on his face makes her believe that he really does have Melinda’s best interests at heart. She studies him closely as a tense moment passes before she speaks.

“Are you being serious?” She asks. “I want to believe you care for Melinda. I really do.”

“I do care for her.” Sutter remarks. “More than you can ever know.”

“I want to believe you. I really do.” Glory sighs as she clutches at her ribs. “Because, you know, she does love you. I don’t get it, but she does. And I know that if I try to drive a wedge between you two, I will just end up driving her away from me. And I don’t want that.” She chuckles. “I just have to accept that my baby girl is dating a bad boy.”

“I am not that same man any longer.” He insists. “Believe me, much has changed.”

“So you say.” Glory remarks. “And you know, a lot of what I have seen makes me want to believe you.” She shakes her head. “But you have burned me in the past, Clyde. It is difficult for me to trust you. Yet…” she smiles “...what you said to her about family, in a way you stuck up for me, defended me, that meant a lot.”

“Like I said, Ms. Braddock, you two need each other…even if she does not want to accept it yet.”

“You speak like a man with experience.” She says. Clyde nods his head.

“Quite the opposite. I have no experience with a real family. My own parents abandoned me. I grew up on the streets and only recently reconnected with my mother.” He chuckles. “Imagine my surprise that my mother turned out to be Autumn Van Stanton, my former manager’s sister-in-law. Fate, as they say, is a fickle mistress and we are at her whim.”

“The Van Stantons are not exactly the most functional of families, either.” Glory remarks. “Have they accepted it well? Have they accepted you?”

“Not fully.” He shakes his head. “Mother does her best but Henry and Mason…well…” his voice trails off. Glory sighs as she takes his hand, a sign of friendship for the first time, which is a surprise despite their encounter this evening.

“I understand. Look, I meant what I said about trust; it will take me awhile to trust you fully. But for my daughter’s sake, we do need to at least try to get along. If you ever need anything, anything at all, just let me know.”

“Thank you, Ms. Braddock.” He nods his head. “Despite our own tumultuous past, it is my hope we can finally find common ground.”

“I hope so too.” She smiles. “And if I may make a suggestion?”

“Yes?”

“Maybe you should try talking to your mother?” Glory says. “Staying away from them won’t help any of the wounds.”

The Assassin considers her words. His entire life he grew up thinking that he never needed a family, that survival was all that was important, and that he could survive with his ruthlessness and violence. But now that he has something that he cares about, namely a life with Melinda Braddock, he is beginning to realize that there is more to life than simply survival. His time away from SCW, his time spent reflecting, his time spent growing and evolving, has helped him to see that there is more to this life than simply surviving.

Fate has guided him away from the streets and into the wrestling world where he met the love of his life, where he met his family. What else could fate have in store? Is it fate’s plan for him to grow closer with the mother that had abandoned him long ago? And then there is the question of his sister. What does fate have in store for him and Lilith Sutter? There is only one way to get the answers to those questions. Only one path to take if he wants the answers. He must trust that fate will take him down the right path.