Kimberly Williams vs. The One

[The Matt]

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August 1st, 2022
Las Vegas, Nevada
Off Camera
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Las Vegas is the gambling capital of the world. Gambling involves heavy risk taking and Kimberly Williams was forced to take a huge risk at Rise To Greatness by competing in not one, not two, but three matches through the two night SCW spectacular. Just how did Kimberly’s luck work out? As they say, not too good. The Woman Scorned lost the SCW Underground Championship to Deanna Frost, she didn’t win the gimmick battle royal, and she failed to capture the SCW World Tag Team Championship with Sarah Wolf. Kimberly went zero and three in her SCW Rise To Greatness performance.

The failure to leave with championship gold doesn’t bother Williams. She has said it before and she meant it when she said that championships, while a nice perk, are not that important to her. Even the fact that she couldn’t win any of her three matches at Rise To Greatness only stings just a little. She is a proud wrestler and proud of her abilities. Losing stings. But even then she can block that out and ignore the sting of the loss. What ultimately bothers The Woman Scorned is how she is perceived by management and how she is being treated by management. The commissioner, Shaun Cruze, is the one who double booked her. Wrestling multiple times in one night was not Kimberly’s choice. If she had it her way she would have just had the one match against Deanna Frost and Sarah Wolf could have gotten a different partner. But Cruze saw it necessary to put her in a situation where she would have to wrestle on both nights in two brutal matches. And the commentary team of Sharper, Knots, and Lyman, they all seem to want to paint this picture of her as a troublemaker within SCW.

It is this that bothers Kim the most. Despite her outward appearance and antics, despite the fact that she may come across as a deranged sociopath, Kim does have real feelings and emotions. She may keep them bottled up and locked away but she does have them. The fact that a company that she once thought trusted her and accepted her looks down on her as just a troll really does hurt her feelings. The one solace she has is the fact that the fans are still solidly on her side. Whatever Cruze and the commentators may say about her, the fans still support Kim and that does bring a bit of happiness to her weary soul.

Rise To Greatness concluded just twenty four hours ago. The Queen of the Death Match and reigning HKW Bloodlust Champion is inside one of the famous Vegas casinos, seated at a table playing Texas Hold ‘Em with a group of three other people. The eccentric ginger is dressed in torn denim jeans, a t-shirt with a penguin on the front, sunglasses over her eyes, and a police hat on her head. A confident grin is on her face as she gazes down at the cards in her hand. Her opponents in this game? One a heavyset balding man in a denim shorts, a blue t-shirt, and baseball cap; a tall, thin wiry man with a polo shirt and khaki pants; and a young woman with a pink silk blouse and denim jeans.

“Wow! This is a great hand!” Kim exclaims. She tilts her head to one side and studies her cards some more. She furrows her brow in confusion. “I mean, I think it is. Not really sure. I just have pocket aces.” She looks up at her opponents and grin. “What good are pockets anyway except for storing keys, wallet, loose change, and shit like that?”

The three other players groan as they all fold. Williams smirks as she applauds giddily. “Yay! I win!” The Queen of the Death Match is definitely proud of herself. Whether is she aware or unaware of what she did is uncertain. What is certain is that she doesn’t care. She’s having fun out here on the gambling floor. Kimberely’s excitement is brought to an end when a masculine hand is placed on her shoulder. She looks up to see the domineering look of one of the casino employees gazing coldly and sternly at the demented ginger.

“Ms. Williams?”

“That’d be me!” She shows him her hand, the pair of aces. “Is this good? My Dalek got broke in that battle royal at Rise To Greatness last night. I usually ask Dalek for poker tips but he’s not here.”

“Ahem, yes, it is a good hand…”

“Great.” She shoos him away. “Now go away. I’m busy!”

“Actually, Ms. Williams, I think you should leave this table.

“Awwww, why?” Kim sounds genuinely disappointed at first. But then she quickly perks up. “Oh, wait, you want me to play another game?”

“Uh, sure, yes, why don’t you just go play another game?” He turns and points to the slot machines. “There are slot machines available for you. Where you won’t be able to bother any of the other guests.”

“You mean those machines next to the great big statue of the naked lady with big boobs?” Kim asks. The casino employee sighs and nods his head.

“Yes, that’s the one.”

“Thanks!” Kim hops up from the poker table, embraces the worker in a big hug, and then rushes towards the slot machines. She finds a machine that is all by itself with no one else around her. Kim sits in front of the machine and then reaches into her jean pocket to produce some loose change. She puts the coins into the slot to start the machine. “Come on! Big money! Nooooo whammy annnnnnnnd stop!” Wrong game. But right concept. The machine does eventually come to a stop showing three pictures; one of an orange, one of grapes, and another of an orange. Kim waits for her prize but nothing comes.

“Hey! What’s wrong with this stupid machine?” She smacks the machine with her right hand. “I won two oranges and a thing of grapes! Where’s my damn fruit?!” She reaches into her pocket and produces more coins. She puts them in the machine to start it up. This time the machine stops on three apples. Coins start pouring out of the machine. Williams, however, is still angry. “Hey! This stupid thing is rigged! It said I won three apples but all I’m getting is stupid money!”

The Woman Scorned steps away from the machine and starts walking away. Meanwhile the other guests try to take advantage of Kim’s eccentricity. They leap on top of the pile of coins, the winnings, on the floor that Kim has abandoned. Williams is not completely naive. She is well aware of the chaos she has just caused and this does bring a bit of a grin to her face. The Woman Scorned then does a double take as she spots a familiar figure near the exit of the casino.

“Mom?” Kim stares at the figure standing far away. Perched atop patent black leather high heel pumps, wearing a knee length black skirt and a red silk blouse, is indeed Angelica Jones, Kimberly’s mother. This was an unexpected but definitely pleasant surprise for Kim, a surprise she needs when she has had nothing but letdowns the entire Rise To Greatness weekend. “Mommy!” The Woman Scorned bolts towards her mother. Angelica chuckles as she holds out her arms in anticipation. Angelica and Kim catch one another and embrace in a tight hug.

“It’s nice seeing you too, Kim. But I think maybe we should make an exit.” They break the embrace. Angelica then motions towards two casino employees trying to deal with the slot machine fiasco Kim created while another two employees appear to be making their way towards Kim and Angelica. “It appears you have created quite a disturbance.”

“It’s what I do best!”

“Indeed it is.” Angelica takes her daughter by the arm and gently drags her along. They step through an open door and out into the hallway of the casino, away from the main gambling floor. Angelica and Kim find a bench nearby where they sit down. Kim, for her part, still looks absolutely stunned to see her mother here in Vegas.

“Y’know, mom, I gotta admit that I am impressed. Very few people can trick me and yet you managed to sneak into Vegas underneath my notice. How long have you been in Vegas?”

“Since Friday.”

“Friday?” Kim is now thoroughly confused. “So wait, you were here for the entire Rise To Greatness weekend?”

“Oh now don’t act so surprised.” Angelica says with a smirk on her face. “My daughters played a huge role in this entire weekend. You were in three matches…”

“No! Only two!” She holds up two fingers. “The gimmick battle royal was all Marie.”

“...right, ‘Marie’.” Angelica winks at her daughter. “And Jessica was also in that battle royal. Not to mention I myself am an SCW alum. I’d like to think one day I might get inducted into this company’s Hall of Fame.”

“Don’t bet on that.” Kim says in a sour tone. “At least not while Shaun Cruiserweight is in charge. He hates me. But nevertheless, you’re right, I had no idea you were here.”

“Well I was here for the entire weekend. And I just want to say that I am very proud of your performance.”

“You’re proud of my performance?” Kim says with a strong note of sarcasm in her voice. “Listen to me, mom, I know your type. You are all about winning and specifically winning as many titles as you can. I lost all three of my matches…”

“I thought you said you were in just two?” Angelica says with a sly grin. Kim rolls her eyes.

“Fine! Marie wasn’t actually in the battle royal! It was me, Angel! It was me all along!” Kim throws her arms up out of frustration. “And I lost…I lost all three matches. I couldn’t even walk away with one single championship.”

“But you don’t care about titles.”

“You’re right, I don’t. But you do care about them and maybe that’s why it stings right now? It stings knowing you were there, watching me fail.”

“I don’t believe that.” Jones shakes her head. “You have never been one to care about wins, losses, and championships. You never once lost any sleep over that kind of thing. I wish I could be more like you and wrestle for the sheer enjoyment of it. But you’re right, I have to win the gold. So the thought of you suddenly caring about titles is hard for me to believe.” Angelica places a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Why don’t you tell me what’s really wrong?”

Kim folds her arms over her chest. “I don’t wanna and you can’t make me, mommy!” Kim says while intentionally acting like a child. Angelica chuckles.

“Why don’t you give it a try? It can’t hurt to get it off your chest.”

“Alright…” Kim sighs “...I just hate being lied to.”

“Who lied to you?” Angelica asks, arching an eyebrow out of curiosity.

“My new agent. I suppose that’s former agent.”

“Eduardo?” Angel asks. Kim nods her head.

“Sounds like Marie told you bout him? Yeah, he promised me lots of crap. Money, fame, success. And you know me, I could give a shit less about that nonsense. But there was one thing he promised me that I actually wanted. He promised to improve my public image and in doing so introduce the world to the real Kimberly Williams…the real me.”

Kim always keeps up this front of being an eccentric lunatic, but it is just that; a front. She is not really a lunatic, she is not really Crazy Kim. But she pretends to be that insane individual in public, even around her own family. Rarely does she ever let her guard down and allow herself to be vulnerable. She is dropping that guard right now and letting her mother see the real her.

“I know I’m not perfect but I’d like to think that deep down inside I am a good person. I thought maybe it would be nice if the world got to know the real me. Eduardo promised me all of that.” She shakes her head. “But he didn’t deliver. He just tried to make me into a carbon copy of what he thought a megastar should be. I sensed what he was trying to do to me but I went along with his silly games because I still held out hope that he would give me what I wanted. But did any public perception about me change? Did the world get to know the real me?” She shrugs her shoulders. “All I know is that the SCW commissioner holds some kind of fucking grudge against me and he took it out on me by double booking me at Rise To Greatness, the commentary team tries paint a picture of me as this troublemaker who doesn’t give a damn about this business who has no respect for this business…” real tears forms in her eyes “...I am proud of being a wrestler and I love this business! Ignoring that stupid gimmick battle royal, I wrestled in two violent, barbaric matches! I took years off of my life! And I did it all for SCW! I did it all for idiots like Cruze, Knots, Sharper, and Lyman and others in that damn company who ridicule me and accuse me of being someone I’m not!”

“I take it you blame Eduardo?” Angelica asks. Kim nods her head.

“Partially. Enough to fire his ass.” Kim shrugs her shoulders. “I can just get by on my own like I always have. Who needs an agent anyway?”

“Do you really think that’s wise? You said it yourself. SCW isn’t exactly high on you right now. You could use an advocate of sorts arguing on your behalf.”

“Who cares if SCW is against me? The fans still love me.”

“The fan support is great but you could always use an advocate.” Jones grins knowingly. “And I may have just the idea.”

“I don’t know what you’re thinking but forget it.” Kim shakes her head. “I have tried agents, managers, advocates, and all of them ended up screwing me over. I’m done with them.”

“That’s because you placed your trust in complete and total strangers. You need an advocate who you can trust.”

“I can’t trust anyone, mom.”

“You can trust family.” Angelica’s grin has now grown to an ear to ear smirk. Kimberly is now beginning to pick up on exactly what her mother is suggesting.

“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” Kim asks. Her mother nods her head.

“Look, Kim, I admit that I have been getting the itch to get back into wrestling. You already saw how I accepted the job to run and promote the new GCW show Fever. I am even looking into actively competing from time to time. Now I wouldn’t think of competing in SCW again, because I wouldn’t want to steal the spotlight from you or my cousin Glory. But I could be backstage at the shows, I could advocate on your behalf.”

“Seriously?”

“There are two very different sides of your personality, Kim. The real you and then there is the Crazy Kim you show the world. But neither one knows how to talk to people like Cruze. I speak his language. I can speak to him in a way that he will understand and therefore you will get a more fair shake with him. I can’t promise that I can do anything about the commentary team but over time they will change their tune. And besides, even if my efforts are futile, we can still be guaranteed of success in one vital area.”

“What’s that?”

“It gives us a chance to bond.” Angelica hugs Kimberly. “You were ripped from my arms at birth. You and Marie both were. I reunited with Marie when she was still very young. I raised your half-sister Jessica from birth. But you…I never actually got to meet you until you were eighteen. I missed out on so much. We owe it to each other to create some of these special mother-daughter moments.” She breaks the embrace. She gazes deep into Kim’s eyes. “So what do you say?”

“I dunno…” Kim sighs “...I have been wronged so many times with this whole manager deal. But you’re right, I haven’t had the time to bond with you the same way Marie did and Jessica did.”

“It’ll be fun.” Angelica says. “I’ll even let you bring that stupid trash can.”

“He’s a Dalek! Not a trash can!”

“Right, that thing. You can bring him along too.”

“Do ya mean it?” Kim says, her smile returning.

“I promise.”

“Well…” Kim shrugs her shoulders “...I suppose things can’t get any worse than they already are.” She extends her hand. “Let’s do this.” Angelica looks at the hand and then back up at Kim. She shakes her head.

“You know a handshake isn’t good enough.” Angelica hugs her daughter once more.

The Queen of the Death Match has been wronged many times. Sorinah Floreschu tried to manipulate her. Eduardo tried to manipulate her. The only one to ever work out for Kim, Tabitha Silverstone, is no longer available for managerial duties. Kim literally has no one to trust to help manager her career in SCW. But perhaps the one person she could trust has been the most obvious, the one right in her sight all along; her own mother, former SCW Television and Tag Team Champion Angelica Jones. She is veteran of this business but more importantly, she is Kim’s mother. If anyone knows enough to help and actually cares enough to help, perhaps it is Angelica? Perhaps Angelica is the answer.