Taking Hold of the Flame 2026

[Team Desire]

Marcus V. Lopez | The Dresser Boys | "Death"

Inside his small apartment in New York, Marcus sits on his couch. The glow of a television rests on his face. Some show called Bridgerton plays and he does his best to try and follow along for the sake of tonight’s evening. It has to be a fun night. He is spending it with his daughter, Isabella who had dropped by to see him. It’s something of a rare occasion as they never have had much time together. So yeah, he wants tonight to be perfect for her.
“Argh, is there anything else to watch?” Sparky pipes in from the other chair next to Marcus. “Are they throwing another gala event?”
“Sparky, please. Isabella is in the kitchen. I can’t have her hearing me with you all up my head.” Marcus begging Sparky to just leave him alone for tonight.
“So what you’re saying is that I embarrass you? Is that it?” Sparky shakes his head in disgust. He stands up from the couch and walks out of the room in protest. “Enjoy your night. I’m not going to ruin it.”
“Oh, I’m not getting a good night's sleep tonight.”
A nervous Marcus reflects on what Sparky is going to do now that he has clearly upset him. Marcus turns back to the television. He starts to panic, losing his place in the show.
“Oh no, I got to rewind. I got to follow this for Isabella.” Marcus picks up the remote and starts to rewind it a few minutes back.
Isabella walks back into the room with a bowl of popcorn. She joins her dad on the couch ready to join him to continue spending time together. She notices him rewinding the show quite a bit too far back.
“You’re not really enjoying this, are you?” Giving her dad an easy out.
“No. I’m finding this all very, very… it shows, doesn’t it.”
“Just a little bit. To be honest, I don’t really watch it either. I just heard a few other students at NYU talk about it.” Isabella sits back on the couch. Popping a couple of kernels in her mouth.
“Ok, sure. We could talk. How is college?”
“It’s amazing. I honestly can’t believe mom let me come to New York for it.” Isabella smiles as she is quite proud of herself that she got into NYU.
“Well, I’m out here in New York.”
“Yeah, that was one of the issues that she had with me going.” Isabella nods her head. She sets the popcorn aside and sits up on the couch. “Actually, dad, I was wondering. Do you have any of your old tapes?”
“My old tapes? You mean my old wrestling matches? I think so, why?”
“I was just curious. I never knew about any of it. You know how mom is.” Isabella looks at Marcus with a bit of sad eyes. Trying to get him to cave.
“Yeah, I know your mom. I also know how she feels about the whole wrestling thing. If she were to find out she would kill me. Then she’ll pull you out of college. Then she will kill me again.”
“I know, but she also doesn’t have to find out. I won’t tell her.” Isabella begs, but it doesn’t seem to work on him.
“Can you promise that there would be no way she ever finds out?”
“We’re the only people here, dad. I won’t tell her, if you won’t.” Isabella laid it out quite clearly. They can pretty much get away with it.
“Ok. I think I still have an active account on the network. There are some really good matches in my catalog, if I do say so myself.”
Marcus sits up and scrolls through the apps on the television to load up some of his classic matches for Isabella to watch. She sits back with the bowl of popcorn. She is ready for the cinematic performance that was Marcus V. Lopez.

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Isabella walks into a coffee shop near the NYU compass. Her arms and hands are very busy carrying her book bag and art supplies. She walks up to the front of the counter and places her order for her usual iced vanilla latte. Isabella digs through her bag looking for her wallet. A few items spill out onto the floor. The girl behind her helps her out. They bend down and pick up the items. A couple of pencils, some brushes and Isabella’s NYU ID card.
“Here.” They say hending Isabella back her thing. They then step follow and offer up their punch card to the barista. “I’ll have the same thing. Charge it to my card. Thanks.”
“Uh, thanks. I’m Isabella.” She holds out her hand to greet the stranger.
“Ash.” Ash takes Isabella’s hand and the two shake.
The barista returns to the counter and hands the girls their orders. They head out of the coffee shop. Ash walks Isabella to her art class.
“So do you go to NYU too? Is it your first week too?” Isabella asks and takes a sip of her drink.
“No. I was just walking around the city and suddenly just needed some coffee. You know how it feels. Sometimes you just need a cup.” Ash smiles, laughing a bit at her comment.
“So Ash. Is that short for something? Like Ashlee. My mom is named Ashlee.” Isabella looks at her. Doing her best to try to get to know the girl.
“No. It’s not Ashlee.” Ash freezes up a little bit. Nervous for what she is about to say next. “It’s actually, Asherah. She was a Goddess. My mom is kind of insane.”
“Oh. Ok. Well it’s a really nice name.” Isabella smiles at Ash. Ash feels a little bit better telling her. Happy that she didn’t run off.
They stop out front of the arts building. Isabella looks up at the building with the feeling of dread in her stomach. Knowing that this is where they are parting ways. She doesn’t want it to end though. She might have just made her first college friend in her first week of college. It’s something positive that she could tell her mom about. Isabella turns to Ash, but before she can say anything.
“Here. You also dropped your phone back at the coffee shop. I’ll talk to you later.” Ash hands Isabella back her phone. She continues on her walk leaving Isabella to her classes.
“But I don’t have your number…” Isabella looks at her phone. Unlocking it with her moms name and seeing Ash’s number there. “Right.”
Isabella just smiles, holding her phone close. She heads into the building happy to have successfully made a friend.

The Present

Back at the coffee shop where they first met. Isabella walks inside and finds Ash sitting at a table. She walks over and joins her.
“How did it go?” Ash asks her.
“He actually showed me some of his old matches. It was amazing. I never knew that about my dad. It was like learning about this whole new side of myself. I also think he really enjoyed showing me.” Isabella was just beaming with excitement. “How did things go with you?”
“Oh, yeah… I… I chickened out.” Ash lowers her head in a bit of shame, but shakes it off anyways. “It doesn’t really matter though.I already know everything there is about my mom and her career. If I ask the question she might pick up on it and become invested. That’s not what we want. No one is going to find out about this.”
“So we’re really going to do this?” Isabella puts on a nervous smile.
Ash returns the smile and nods. “Oh yeah.”

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Marcus sits in his apartment with Sparky sitting next to him. Some mindless action or comedy program plays on the television. Sparky seems entertained by it, but Marcus doesn't pay much attention. He is still very much happy after spending time with his daughter.
“I can’t believe that she chose to attend NYU just to be close to me and to see me. She’s amazing.”
“Yeah, MV, she turned out pretty good. It’s amazing what you, having no influence in her life, could do for her.” Sparky shakes his head in disapproval. Annoying at not getting any attention from Marcus as he’s currently obsessing over her daughter.
“Are you seriously this needy? You can’t just let me have this?”
“Yes, MV, you know this. Have you even thought about what happens to me if you’re spending all this time getting to know her. I’ll start feeling like I don’t exist.” Sparky plays his hands in his lap. He starts trying to make Marcus understand what he’s saying. Marcus understands that too well though.
“You mean me getting better mentally by having a healthy relationship with someone and I won’t have to talk to an imaginary teddy bear anymore?”
“So you are with me on this then. The brat needs to go.” Sparky stomps his paw on the floor.
“Hey!” Marcus shouts at Sparky getting defensive at the name calling. “I’ll take care of it.”
Marcus stands from the couch and walks around the living room away from Sparky.
“He won’t do a thing about it.” Sparky shakes his head knowing Marcus too well.
The phone in the apartment rings and Marcus answers it. “Hello.” Marcus listens to the caller and nods his head along. “Oh yeah, I know that place. I’ve done a few shows there the last couple of years. Is there another one coming up?” Marcus nods along. “There is.” “But, I’m not booked.” “You’re calling for someone else…”
Marcus hangs up the phone. He looks very confused about the phone call. He walks back over to the couch and sits down next to Sparky.
“What? Split it out.” Sparky gets a bit antsy with Marcus’ dumb constipated look on his face.
“That was just that old arena that we did a couple of shows for awhile ago. You know the one, the one that is just a few blocks away from NYU. They were calling about their next show. They were asking for Isabella. Do you think their next show is some kind of art exhibit thing? If she was showing off her art, why wouldn’t she tell me about it?” Marcus rackets his brain trying to connect some kind of dots.
“Do you want to know my thoughts?” Sparky sits up straight. He turns to Marcus with his arms on his knees ready to tell him. Marcus however isn’t having it.
“Oh no! I’m not listening to you. You already want to get rid of her. All you’re going to do is fill my head with lies and make me think the worst of the situation only then making me go to the show and making an ass out of myself.”
“MV, I was just going to say that I agree with you.” Sparky shakes his head, disappointed in Marcus that he’ll think he’ll do something like that. “If this is an art show and she didn’t ask you. She’s probably very self conscious about her work and thinks you might not like it.”
“Really?” Marcus turns to Sparky. A bit of relief swept over him. “I can handle that. I can just go and talk to her. We will have another fun night together and take in the art.”
“Exactly. That’s probably what it is.The other situation would be if she didn’t invite you to her show then it’ll be because her “art” wouldn’t be something you’d want to see her do.” Sparky looks at Marcus with a dead serious look.
Marcus doesn’t break. Until he does. “Stop it. You’re doing that thing that I said you were going to do.” Marcus jumps to his feet and paces around the apartment. Trying to block out Sparky’s words. They’re unfortunately stuck in his head and he just lets out a scream and marches out of the apartment.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Luckily the phone call earlier was for the show tonight, so Marcus didn’t have to wait. He walked to the small venue where the show was being held and got around the lines to enter through the side entrance where the employees usually go. Marcus walks through the very busy hallways. A lot of foot traffic going on. It must be about time for the show to begin. Marcus wondered just what kind of show it was going to be.
“MV, maybe we’re going about this all wrong. You’re not thinking straight.” Sparky shows up by Marcus’ side. He tries to control the monster that he’s unleashed. “You don’t really know what she’s doing at a place like this.”
“Sparky, if you’re right. Then she used me. She used me to get what she wants and now she’s free from her mother’s nest. Well, I’m going to show her. If what she needs is a father figure, then that is what she’s going to get.”
“Ok, I like this energy that you’re putting out, MV. I kind of wish I saw this earlier out of you, but maybe we should pull back just this one time. I’ve never seen you like this before and just now realized that maybe I’ve gone a bit too far.” Sparky tries his hardest to reel back Marcus. He marches through the crowd halfway and that’s where he runs into Isabella.
“Dad. What are you doing here?” Isabella is a little surprised to see her dad. She doesn't know how he found out. The only other person who knew was Ash.
“We need to have a little talk.” Marcus puts on his dad’s tone and moves him and Isabella into an empty room.
“Dad, what are you doing here?” Isabella throws out the question almost immediately.
“They called me from the venture about your show. I’m not really sure what to think. I thought we were getting along nicely the other night. Real daddy, daughter bonding. Next thing that I know is that you have this secret show that you didn’t tell me about. I honestly don’t know what to think.”
“Sorry. Ash and I didn’t want you to know. We didn’t want anyone to know. It was supposed to be one little thing just the two of us. Just to see how we do.” Isabella tries to explain it to Marcus. He however just picks up on one small piece of that explanation.
“Ash? Oh, there is an Ash. Are they the ones that got you into this? That has you sneaking around. Feel like you’re using me.”
“No. Dad, that wasn’t what we were trying to do. No one was supposed to know. You definitely didn’t want to know.” Isabella tries to reach out and consult Marcus, but he isn’t having him.
“Oh, it’s this bad. No. I can fix this. I just do my dad duties and take care of business. I think it’s time that I mean this Ash. So where are they?”
“I don’t think that is a good idea, Dad. You don’t know…”
“No. I know that I should meet them. So where is this Ash that I need to meet!”
“Oh man, and I thought my mom was dramatic.” A voice from behind them is heard.
Marcus turns to the doorway of the room to see a tiny blonde woman standing there. “Who are you?” Marcus speaks out wanting an answer.
“Oh, Hi, I’m Ash.” Ash walks up confronting Marcus. “I heard that you wanted to meet me.”
Marcus stares her down a bit, but he slowly backs away. Ash walks over and joins Isabella by her side. Marcus tries to figure out what their game is.
“I think we should tell him. He’s already come this far.” Isabella tells Ash. “We can trust him. He’s not going to want to tell anyone else about this.”
“Ok, sure.” Ash gives a nod to Isabella agreeing to letting Marcus in on their secret.
“Dad, Ash and I are having our first wrestling match tonight.” Isabella lowers her head and awaits for her dad to explode.
“Oh God… wrestling?” Marcus looks at the both of them. “No, no, no, no. no… that can’t happen. We’ve been over this. I’m a dead man. She’s going to murder me.”
“See that’s how I knew he wouldn’t tell anyone about us.” Isabella says to Ash. “It’s ok, dad. No one is going to find out about this. We have everything planned out.”
“And how are you going to do that?”
“We have masks!” Isabella shows off her and Ash’s masks that they’ll be wearing for the show tonight. Do you like them? I designed them myself.”
“Those are kind of cute. No. Don’t. This isn’t happening. You’re not wrestling. I don’t want to die.”
“Ok, I didn’t think he’ll try to stop me.” Isabella says to Ash with an apologetic look.
“No. There is no try about it!” Sparky finds Marcus in the room and joins him. “Isabella is wrestling.”
“Oh. I did not see that coming.” Sparky laughs at the surprise turn of events.
“Yes. Isabella is wrestling.” Isabella tells her dad. “We can’t back out now.”
Marcus stands there with his foot down. He is completely in charge of the situation. Definitely in charge. No Isabella or Ash defile his orders.Outside of the room an announcement is heard from a manager of the current champs of the show.
“I’m ‘The Slick’ Vinny Valentino and I have a message from Vicks and Venom for tonight. If anyone is feeling lucky.” A man in a cheap suit stands by the locker rooms. He looks like a sleazy gangster, or a used car salesman.
Marcus slips out a bit of a chuckle that gets the man’s attention.
“Is something funny?” Vinny walks over to Marcus standing in the doorway.
“No. Well, kind of funny way you put the names out there.”
“Alright. You’re got yourself a match. Like to see your team handle mine.” The Slick measures Marcus trying to get him to back up. A power move from the managers playbook.
“I don’t have a team.”
“Yes, you do. He has us.” Isabella runs over to back up her dad.
“Yeah, The Legacy Dolls accept the challenge.” Ash follows suit and steps up with Isabella.
“Seriously. After I just laughed at their name, that’s the best you got?” Marcus shakes his head.
The Slick chuckles back in all three of their faces. “We’ll see you in the ring. All three of you.”
“No. I’m not their manager. What just happened?” Marcus looks stunned. How did he get roped into this? He turns around to Isabella and Ash. Both look excited and ready. They hold their masks in hand and then head off to their lockers to get ready.
“What just happened?” MArcus repeats himself. Still no one gave him an answer.
“Relax, MV. Being a manager isn’t all that bad. I can show you the ropes if you want.” Sparky smiles at him. The bear seems to be really enjoying himself right now.
“I’m so dead.”

______________________________________________________________________________________________

So the match happened. A lot happened. Marcus accompanied Isabella and her friend, Ash, for their match. Sort of backup in case things got out of him. He could step and settle things. Sure enough things got a bit crazy. Somewhere down the line their opponents got a great idea for ‘heel heat’. They unmask one of them and get a ‘pop’ from the crowd. It didn’t go over too well for The Legacy Dolls and a bit of a ‘shoot’ broke out. In all the commotion. Marcus got involved with The Slick. Somewhere is the chaos and the referee counting for anything. The Legacy Dolls somehow were crowned the new champs. So much for the one and done approach. Guess Marcus’ life will continue to hang in the balance for awhile.