Eavan Maloney vs. Kimberly Williams

[Konrad Raab]

SCW Underground Championship

2 RP Limit for singles

No Word Limit

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET WEDNESDAY, June 19, 2024

[eavanmaloney]

The fans and the folks in the locker room know her as Eavan Maloney. Today, we get to see the day in the life of Olive Zdunich. The woman behind Sykobitty.

The scene opens up at The Krigarakademin, the Warrior Academy, co-founded by Olive Zdunich in 2022 in a quiet town in New Jersey. At the end of May, a few of the girls at the Academy had their graduation ceremony of different degrees. Three girls finished their 30-day sobriety challenge, one their 60-day, and another their 90-day. Two girls received their GED as well. Unfortunately for Olive, with the constant road schedule she has competing in three separate companies, bringing ‘Eavan Maloney’ to the masses, she had not been able to attend but had recorded a video message congratulating all of them by name. However, on this day, Olive knew she had to be there in person, as the next session was beginning. Unlike standard schools, there is no summer break at the Krigarakedemin as there are always more girls and women needing a new and better direction in life.

At the beginning of each session, there is a presentation in the auditorium. A presentation that, despite recounting the story numerous times, has never gotten easier for Olive. As the students and staff filed into the auditorium, she paced backstage, setting up her headset, fussing with her clothes; today is a white button-down shirt with a loose black tie, black slacks and Doc Martens boots. Her black and white hair, once tied up this morning, was now hanging loose over her shoulders. She pulled out her phone and opened up her Photos app, and opened the same folder as she always did on days like today. Flipping through pictures of her late father Randall “Black Wolf” Kash with his wife Gianna “Madre” Palerma. Her parents Ellen and Ryan Maloney. Her own family of wives Katra Adriana Zdunich, and their daughters Emileigh, Violet and Iris. She stayed on each photo for a few seconds, steeling herself for what she had to do when she walked out on that stage. Finally, she kissed her phone screen and closed her eyes, and took a big sigh…

“Please welcome the Dean of The Krigarakademin, Olive Zdunich.”

As Olive stepped through the curtain, the urge to become Sykobitty rose within her, and quickly subsided as this was not the time for “Her”. This wasn’t the wrestling business, this is her passion project. Her future beyond the sport. Olive smiled and bowed to the audience and the sounds of applause and the energy washed over her. On the stage was a single leather armchair, which she always sat on the arm of instead of in the chair itself.

“Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to Orientation Day. I know some of you have sat in those seats through a few of these already, and I congratulate all of you on the progress you are making. I know it can be frustrating seeing people who you become peers with either graduate before you, or have to start over. The thing you have to understand is that nobody recovers at the same pace. Sometimes there are relapses; that feeling of falling behind or feeling like you’re going backwards, and that’s okay as long as you remember all it takes is that first step forward. Accepting responsibility for the relapse. Being accountable for those moments of weakness that are just that… they’re moments. They pass… if you want them to. It’s real easy to get back into that mindset of feeling useless or unworthy or unloveable but you’re not any of those things. You are all warriors in your own way. And we as staff are all here to help you find that strength to fight again.

You know, I’m always happy to see new faces. While the circumstances for seeing them may be dire, I’d rather see you here than out there left to the devices you’re used to, and worse, seeing so much potential lost in the obituaries. I know what it feels like to lose people I care about. I’m sure everyone in this room can think of one person in your lives that you wish you still had with you today…”

Olive stops as she sees a few girls in the crowd start to cry. Olive instinctively grabs a tissue box and goes into the crowd to hand tissues out and hug them. Olive wipes her own eyes as she walks back to the stage.

“I hit a few nerves, and I won’t apologize for that. In fact, that’s one message I push here. Grieve the loss, and remind yourself that you are here to become better so you don’t become a reason for someone else to grieve over you. We will make you the warriors you are. We will help you overcome whatever you need to. Trust us, we’ve seen it all. We’ve probably lived it all collectively. And truthfully, we as staff are constantly learning just as you are because we don’t know everything. This world is so chaotic and moving so fast, so we try to keep up. I guarantee every member of staff has learned something new from you, the students. And we thrive on that because it shows that we’re listening. We all strive to be as accountable to you as we expect you to be to us. My goal was to make this place a home. A safe space to allow you girls the best opportunities you can have. A place to teach you how to use your voice.”

Olive sits on the edge of the stage, looking at some of the new faces in the crowd. Some look like they’d rather be anywhere else. Some appear eager, at the end of their rope. Some look lost and scared. However, Olive smiles at each of them warmly and nods her understanding.

“I’ve learned the best way to help you on your journey is to share my own. A lot of people in this room tonight have heard this story because I tell it every Orientation Day and the reason I do is because as much as I’m Mom in this house, I’ve been in your shoes. There have been times when I didn’t even have shoes because I sold them for drugs. Now, I see some of you looking at me like I don’t know what I’m talking about. You think I haven’t been in your place. Hell, some of you probably even think I’m full of shit.”

The word ‘shit’ seemed to catch some peoples’ attention, and Olive chuckles.

“You new girls don’t know me yet, but you will. Some of you are going to hate my guts because you’ve never been treated the way you will be treated here. If you mess up, there WILL be consequences. You can tell us to go to hell and we’ll give it right back to you. This ain’t a normal school, this Academy is more than that. Fully accredited, but we don’t adhere to the State’s standards as they wish to describe them. In this house, we do things a lot different. You’ll earn our respect just as much as we’ll work to earn yours. We’ve been on those streets, we’ve heard those promises that turned out to be either empty or nefarious so why would we make those same ones to you here? This is a house of empowerment. We will make you stronger, smarter, and better than you came in here. THAT promise is one I have yet to break.

So do I have your fucking attention now?”

At that moment, all eyes were on Olive as she sat down in the chair.

“Throwing the unexpected curse word always works. Now, allow me to tell you a story. In the spring of 2017, I broke into the world of professional wrestling and from the onset, I was really good. Racking up championships, gaining fans, I was the hottest thing going for a while. Met a Swedish girl who spoke broken English named Katra. Fell in love instantly, got married quick, regretted nothing. I had the whole world in my hands… until I threw it all away. My father had died suddenly and I couldn’t cope. I stayed on the road because at least in an arena, surrounded by twenty thousand fans, and in that ring, I could block out my real life. I also discovered cocaine. I went home, and tried to hide it at first, until I stopped caring. Cut my beautiful wife down verbally and walked away…”

Olive brings her knees up to her chin as she feels herself wanting to cry.

“I became a full-blown slut. Fucked anything that moved. Sold my body to feed my habits. Most wrestling companies I worked for straight up fired my ass. I became bitter, I was ashamed of who I became. I’d see a mirror and I’d shove my fist through it, I didn’t want to see the monster I was. Even remarried at one point, I thought since I had fucked up so badly with Katra, it was either move on or kill myself, and I was trying to do both simultaneously. Eventually, I ended up living in an abandoned building in Los Angeles that was called The Church. Valentine’s Day 2018, I had a gun in my mouth ready to pull the trigger when the first opportunity for help fell in my lap figuratively. In my altered state, I almost destroyed two peoples’ lives and that sent me back down another dark road again. I started feeling like I was every bit the cancer that people in the wrestling business said I was. And then the strangest thing happened to me.”

Olive sits up again, feeling stronger than she was a few moments earlier.

“This part of the story, I’ve never told a soul but I feel it’s time I share it. Some people here know that I dabble in music. My father taught me guitar at a young age and I let it go as I grew older, only to end up marrying a guitar goddess. Back at The Church, I found a beat-up acoustic that I tinkered with, got it back to playable condition, used it to panhandle for money for drugs. One of the songs I used to play started as a form of solace and ended up a form of punishment. I would sing the song Hurt by Johnny Cash. To this day, every time I say that, I hear Katra in my head remind me it started as a Nine Inch Nails song, but I played the Cash version. And there’s a line in the chorus that goes ‘What have I become, my sweetest friend’ which is a heavy lyric in its own right. It forces reflection on where you’re at in life. One day, I was sitting on The Strip in LA, panhandling and singing, and I start singing Hurt and I ended up singing ‘What have I become, my Swedish friend’ and holy shit, the water works started. That evening, I also discovered that The Church had a working telephone because the damn thing rang, and the call was for me.

So, Katra has two older sisters. Seleana and Zenna. They are all amazing people, but Zenna and her partner Linnea had been down the roads I had and were in recovery themselves. During all of this time, they would always find a way to make sure I was okay and I can’t tell you how many times I lied to them and said I was. And yet, despite me being as bad as I was, they never showed me anything but love. No judging. No anger. Love. And I felt smaller and smaller because to me it was like - how the fuck could someone else love me if I couldn’t love myself? That phone call started my road back. This place didn’t exist then so recovery, for me, was worse than being on the drugs themselves. I had to re-learn who I was, find that warrior within again. And it was SO hard. I relapsed often, I damned near quit a few times. I raged and yelled and cried and… survived it. I started training again, wrestling again. I was so afraid to commit to someone else because the only person I wanted back in my life was Katra… who remarried. With my blessing. I even went to her wedding, trashed as fuck and held it together with thread and duct tape.

I’m happy to say that October 29th 2024 will mark five years I’ve been clean. And I made it back home. That’s why this place is called The Krigarakademin. It’s Swedish for Warrior Academy because of the nickname Krigare that Katra would call me back in the day, and to this day. So this place is for them. And my way of paying it forward. I know what recovery’s like and I would have killed for a place like this when I was going through it. You might even see me at some of the meetings here because I still have moments today.

So I look at you and I see a little bit of me in each of you. And if I had the strength to fight my way back, I know each and every one of you does as well. So, to conclude, I have two final words for you. Välkommen hem. Welcome home.”

As the crowd in the auditorium rise to their feet to applaud Olive, Olive puts her hands together and bows to the crowd. She puts her hand over her heart and bows again before walking backstage. As she steps through the curtain, Olive collapses in a heap of emotion. Tears flow hard as she hyperventilates before Olive manages to crawl into a dark corner to compose herself. She pulls out her phone again and sends a text to her family group chat.

Told my story tonight. Still hurts. Thank you for loving me. Be home soon.

[The Matt]

1 of 2
=====

==========
June 6th, 2024
East Bethany, New York
Off Camera
==========

Kimberly Williams has made a habit of putting on some great performances when Rise To Greatness season rolls around and this year was no different. Starting with Taking Hold of the Flame, The Woman Scorned won a chaotic six person Underground Rules Match. Well, technically it was a six person match, but in reality five of those individuals…namely the three members of the European Fiery Nation, SCW United States Champion Deanna Frost, and Kimberly herself…all wanted The Enigma’s head on a platter. Instead of a five on one beat down on the mysterious monster who has been plaguing SCW since his arrival, it devolved into utter chaos as everyone had their own reasons for wanting to take apart The Enigma and everyone wanted the masked fiend all to themselves. In the end, Kimberly picked up the win after dropping Enigma through barbed wire. She got payback on Enigma for his attacks on her and her twin sister Marie, and in the process she defended her turf as the undisputed Queen of the Underground. And if that victory wasn’t enough of an impressive performance, she went right back out to the ring later in the night and competed for over twenty minutes in Taking Hold of the Flame and, for the second year in a row, came oh so close to winning it all. Enduring the chaos of the Underground and to still go that far in Taking Hold of the Flame is quite the impressive feat to say the very least.

Unfortunately there is no rest for the weary. Taking Hold of the Flame saw the return of James Evans. After their first two violent, bloody Underground encounters, James obviously still holds a grudge against Kimberly, whom he targeted in the rumble itself. Not only that, but Kim has to defend her turf on the January 20th edition of Breakdown as she puts the SCW Underground Championship on the line against Eavan Maloney. The Woman Scorned knows that her dance card is quite full as she marches towards yet another Rise To Greatness where she hopes to once again walk in as the defending SCW Underground Champion, her third year in a row if she makes it to the greatest show of SCW’s calendar year as champion. Still, she cannot look too far ahead. In order to make it to Rise To Greatness as Underground Champion, she will need to defeat Eavan Maloney first, a newcomer to SCW who has taken a bit of an interest in Kimberly and her Underground.

That Underground Title defense is still two weeks away and Kim knows she has plenty of time to prepare herself for this inevitable war. First she is going to rest her body after the events of Taking Hold of the Flame. Resting doesn’t necessarily mean just lounging around and doing nothing. Quite the contrary, The Woman Scorned has a project on her “to-do list” that involves her good friend Larry Dempsey. Kim and Larry met when they were both locked away in a mental hospital. Kimberly was suffering through severe bouts of depression and feelings of hopelessness while locked away in the asylum. Larry helped her survive. He helped her stay focused on getting well and getting out. When both of them were released, they promised to watch each other’s backs and they promised to keep each other honest; in other words, they promised to make sure neither one fell back into the same insanity that got them locked away in the first place. Unfortunately it appears that Larry Dempsey is having a renewal of the symptoms of his insanity. He hears voices and it takes every bit of his will power to ignore them. This is what prompted Kim to help her friend Larry. She promised she would watch his back and keep him from regressing, and so she will. But Kimberly’s methods are always unorthodox and unusual. Larry would probably prefer any method of treatment other than the one Kimberly has chosen this afternoon.

The Woman Scorned stands outside in East Bethany, New York on a bright sunny afternoon. Williams is wearing faded torn denim jeans, black boots, and a white penguin logo t-shirt with the name “Wasley” printed on the front in bold black lettering. Her long red hair flows down to past the shoulders. She is wearing a black leather jacket. Standing next to her is a very nervous and exceedingly anxious Larry Dempsey wearing brown khaki pants and a plaid button up shirt. Why is Mr. Dempsey so upset and nervous? Anyone would be nervous considering what stands before them; Rolling Hills Asylum stands ahead, a grand and eerie relic of the past, its stone walls weathered by time but still imposing. The sunlight created stark contrasts, highlighting the textures of the building's aged façade and casting long shadows that stretched across the overgrown lawn.

“Why did I agree to let you drag me out here?” Larry asks with a low growl as he expresses his frustration.

“What can I say?” Kim shrugs. “I am quite a charmer!”

“You are something, my dear, but I am not sure I would call you a charmer…” his voice trails off. Kimberly winks knowingly and playfully at him.

“Now don’t take that tone with me, buster. You knew damn well that I was fucking insane the moment you asked me to help.” She points a finger at Larry. “So the fact that we’re here is entirely on you!”

“I knew you were…unorthodox…but I never anticipated this!” He exclaims.

“Oh come off it, Lawrence of Arabia…”

“Larry.” He says defiantly, correcting her. Kim just shrugs her shoulders.

“Whatever. Larry. Just come off your high horse. You said it yourself that you are not superstitious, you don’t believe in the supernatural. If you can see it you will believe it. Am I right?”

“If it can be proven by scientific method then yes, I believe, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“Need I point out that despite your oh so scientific outlook on life, it was YOU who opted to have a freaking priest perform exorcisms on you on a regular basis. You called it ‘placebo’ in addition to your medication, but if you really didn’t believe in the power of what that priest was doing, why did you get so upset when the diocese forced him to stop treating you? Do you believe in science or the supernatural? Which is it Lawrence of Arabia?”

“Science…” Larry answers quietly.

“Then you should be fine!” Kim exclaims. “Coming here should not be a problem, should it? So what if it is supposedly one of the most haunted buildings in the nation? So what if this is where lunatics like you and I were locked away to die once upon a time? So what if so much torture and inhuman acts went down at this very place? It’s not like they’re gonna hurt you, right? Because none of it exists…” she pokes Larry on the chest “...according to you.”

“Yes but…” Larry is trying to sound confident but his fears are showing as he looks anxiously at Rolling Hills Asylum and then back at Kim “...why here? What is the point of coming here? You know how I feel about places like this?”

“You mean lunatic asylums? Yeah, I do, because I feel the same way.” She grins from ear to ear. “It’s like a homecoming!”

“Please, Kimberly, focus!” He exclaims. “Focus and explain why are we here?”

“Fine, party pooper.” She sighs. “You were locked up in the mental hospital because you heard voices in your head, voices that told you to commit unspeakable acts of violence. Before being locked up, before your treatment began, you were convinced that those voices were demons.”

“Yes, and now I know better!”

“Do you?” Kim asks playfully. “Or are you trying to convince yourself? I mean, you DID hire that priest for a reason. Maybe subconsciously you still believed that it was demons, and now you still fear those demons? That brings us to Rolling Hills Asylum and flooding!”

“Flooding?” Larry arches a brow out of curiosity.

“Flooding therapy is an intensive type of exposure therapy in which you must face your fear at a maximum level of intensity for an extended amount of time.”

“For the love of God…” Larry says as he fully begins to realize what Kim has gotten him into.

“That’s right! We’re gonna march into that ‘haunted asylum’ chock full of evil galore and put your body’s fight or flight system into overdrive until it exhausts itself! Then BAM! You’ll be healed!”

“How the hell do you know this will work?!” He exclaims. Kim shrugs her shoulders.

“How should I know? I’m not a therapist!”

“But you are supposed to help me!”

“Then maybe you should hire an ACTUAL therapist.” Kim winks. Larry sighs and shakes his head.

“I would rather not.”

“If you still refuse to see an actual psychiatrist or therapist then you’re stuck with me.” She motions for him to follow her. “Let’s go, bucko!”

As they walked up the cracked path towards the asylum's entrance, the gravel crunched under their feet, each step bringing them closer to the mysteries that lay ahead. Kimberly's stride was purposeful, her steps light and eager, while Larry's pace was more measured, his gaze darting from the building to the surroundings as if assessing potential threats or hidden secrets. The asylum loomed larger as they neared, its tall windows dark and foreboding, some of them boarded up while others seemed to watch like silent sentinels. The air was filled with the scent of wildflowers and freshly cut grass, a deceptive calm that contrasted sharply with the ominous presence of the asylum. As they get to the front entrance they spot a woman, middle aged, with brown hair in a green pantsuit and simple black flats. She is smiling pleasantly waving at Kim and Larry.

“Hello there!” The woman says. “You must be Kimberly Williams?”

“Yep, that’s me!” She extends her hand and the woman accepts the handshake. Kim motions to Larry. “And this is my friend Lawrence of Arabia!”

“Kim!” He exclaims.

“Larry.” Kim says. “His name is Larry Dempsey.”

“Well my name is Susan Conklin, I am a local historian and I can take you on a tour of Rolling Hills if you like? I have all the right permissions for us to tour the grounds.”

“You got us a tour guide?” Larry asks. Kim elbows in the ribs to silence him.

“That sounds great, Susie!”

“Excellent. First some background information.” She points to the huge structure that is the asylum itself behind them. “This used to be called the Genese County Poor Farm. It was built to house so many of what many considered society’s rejects back then; not just the poor but orphans, widowed women, the disabled, minor criminals, and yes, the mentally ill.”

“Is it haunted?” Kim asks cheerfully. “Where are the demons?”

“Kim!” Larry exclaims again, only to receive another sharp elbow to his ribcage. Susan just chuckles lightly.

“Well I don’t know about demons but there have been reports of strange occurrences. People have told me about hearing whispering and murmuring but there is no one around to have made the sounds. People have reported footsteps when the asylum should have been empty. People have been touched and have had their clothes tugged and hair pulled.”

“Well that’s kinda lame.” Kim sighs, as if she is disappointed.

“Perhaps you might see something more interesting if we walk inside and get a closer look?”

“I’d really rather not…” Larry tries to protest but Kim interrupts.

“Lead the way!” The eccentric ginger exclaims happily.

“Ok then! Follow me!” Susan starts heading towards the entrance. But just as she is about to open the doors Larry turns and takes off running in the opposite direction. Susan looks on at the man running away and she appears confused. “What’s wrong with him?”

“Oh don’t mind Larry.” Kim says. “He’s getting his afternoon exercise!”

==========
June 8th, 2024
Baltimore, Maryland
Off Camera
==========

She meant well. She really did. The SCW Underground Champion Kimberly Williams had hoped to ‘treat’ her good friend Larry Dempsey of his recurring mental issue. Apparently ‘flooding therapy’ doesn’t work that well, or maybe it was the fact that she tried to use Rolling Hills Asylum as the site of the flooding therapy? Whatever the case may be, it did not work. Granted, Kim really would rather him go to a psychiatrist, an actual therapist who can give him legitimate help. But Larry has refused to see a therapist in fear that they would recommend a return to a mental hospital. It is the reason why Larry decided to run away from Rolling Hills before the actual tour could even begin. Kimberly can relate to his fears. She, herself, gets nervous around mental hospitals. But she learned to handle her fear, she learned how to conquer it. She wants to help Larry and she wishes he would just see a therapist. Unfortunately therapy is exactly what he is afraid of; what if the therapy sends him back to the mental hospital? He does not want that and he will do anything to avoid it; even letting the deranged Kimberly Williams try to conquer his issue.

Kimberly isn’t giving up on hopefully talking him into seeing an actual psychiatrist but in the meantime she will do anything to help her friend. This is why she now finds herself at Larry’s home two days after the Rolling Hills incident. The living room of his room is rather quaint and simplistic in the decor, the sofa is somewhat raggedy and the television set is a relic from the eighties. Larry lives a simple lifestyle much like Kim herself, which makes The Woman Scorned feel even more at home in this place. There is a chair set up by the sofa and Larry finds himself sitting in the chair but that is probably the only normal thing about this particular scenario. Kimberly, who is wearing a long black hooded robe, is currently in the process of tightening leather straps around Larry’s wrists. His feet have already been strapped down to the chair.

“Y’know, Lawrence of Arabia, if my boyfriend found out about this, he’d be pissed…”

“Why is that?” Larry asks curiously. He winces a little as Kim tightens the strap on his right wrist before moving to the left.

“Well, I mean, leather straps…” she winks “...I can get kinda kinky…”

“Kim!”

“Hush it or I make it tighter.” Kim smirks before tightening the strap on his left wrist. “I don’t even know why you want me to do this.”

“You agreed to help treat me, my dear.”

“Yeah, and I did try but you ran off!”

“Being forced to confront my fears by taking a tour of an abandoned asylum like Rolling Hills is not exactly my idea of treatment.” Larry says in a low monotone voice.

“And this kinky shit is?” Kim asks.

“You know that’s not what I want!” Larry complains. “Why you insist on these straps is beyond me.”

“Yeah, you wanted me to perform an exorcism since your old priest pal can’t. That sounds crazy to me but hey! Who am I to judge someone else’s crazy? So if we’re gonna do an exorcism we’re gonna do it right. Every movie I watched they strapped the patient down just in case they start crawling up the walls or some shit like that.”

“I assure you, Kimberly, that I will not be crawling up any walls.” He sighs. “And I am not possessed.”

“Then why the hell are we doing this?” Kim asks frustratedly. “Let me unstrap you and you can go get some real help.”

“No…” he shakes his head “...I need this…”

“Then explain it to me!” Kim sighs. “Look, I am just as unbalanced as any other loony tune, but even I can’t make heads or tails of this crap!”

“I do not believe in exorcisms but…” he sighs “...trust me, something about these prayers and the knowledge that this rite of exorcism was being performed, it seemed to put my mind at ease. I know that if I can just get this done then these voices will go away.”

“I think you’re grasping at straws, Larry.” She shrugs her shoulders. “But ok…” Kim walks away briefly and then returns wearing a purple priestly stole around her neck. This isn’t any ordinary stole. On one side of the stole is a picture of Deanna Frost and on the other side of the stole is a picture of Konrad Raab. Larry furrows his brow.

“What is that?”

“It’s a stole silly!” She laughs. “Surely your priest pal wore one?”

“Yes but…the pictures…”

“Oh, Deanna and Oktoberfest.” She grins from ear to ear. “I’m hoping to channel the energies of The Revengers!” She puts a hand over his mouth. “Now hush! We are about to begin! Ready?” She waits and Larry nods his head. “Good. Repeat after me…”MR. D HAVE MERCY!”

“Huh?” Larry looks confused. Kim smacks him in the back of his head.

“I said repeat after me! Mr. D have mercy!”

“Mr. D have mercy…”

“CHBK have mercy!”

“CHBK have mercy…”

“Juneau McFrosty have mercy!”

“Juneau McFrosty have mercy…”

“Magical Cosmic Princess YUYO graciously hear us!”

What the…?” He shakes his head “...Kim…” she smacks him in the back of the head and he sighs “...Magical Cosmic Princess YUYO graciously hear us!”

Kimberly reaches underneath her black robe and produces a bottle of Holly Adams Brand Trademarked holy water. She pops the top and tosses it repeatedly all over Larry, dousing him in the holy water. “In the name of the Queens of Chaos, I CAST THEE OUT!”

Larry has finally had enough of Kimberly’s nonsense. He starts to pull at his restraints. Kimberly watches him struggle and smirks. “See, Lawrence of Arabia? Told you those restraints would come in helpful!”

“Let me go, Kimberly!” He shouts. “You obviously are not taking this seriously!”

“Do not speak unless spoken to, unclean spirit!” Kim declares. “What is your name?!”

“My name is Larry!”

“No it’s not!” Kim shakes her head. “Is your name James? You sound like a James I know.”

“MY NAME IS LARRY!” He pulls harder at the restraints, they start to give way. Kim doesn’t notice and just pours more holy water on Larry.

“I CAST THEE OUT!” Kim declares. Suddenly Larry, with one final mighty pull, pulls free of his wrist restraints and lunges forward, bringing himself and the chair, which still restrains his feet, onto Kimberly. He glares angrily at her and is about to strangle her but Kim just breaks out into laughter. Shockingly, Kim’s laughter brings Larry back into reality. He calms himself and rolls over off of Kim.

“I…I am sorry…” he says quietly.

“Eh, no biggie. It isn’t the first time someone tried to murder me.” She smirks. “Some of my best friends have tried to murder me.” She approaches Larry and kneels down next to him in order to undo the straps on his feet. “You promise not to strangle me, right?”

“I promise.”

“Good.” Kimberly continues to work on undoing the leather straps on his feet. He frees Larry and then she stands up. She helps Larry back to his feet. Larry shakes his head.

“Look, I appreciate the…attempt….but perhaps you performing an exorcism just isn’t a good idea.”

“I tried telling you that!” Kim exclaims with a big grin. “But noooo, you insisted…”

“Yes, my fault.” He sighs. “A proper priest would be best but alas the diocese will not condone an actual ordained priest performing any further rituals on me.” He shakes his head with disappointment. Kim wraps an arm around his shoulder.

“That’s because the church doesn’t think you are actually possessed. Neither do I! And in your own words, you don’t believe in this shit anyway! So why on earth are we doing this?”

“Because it might help! If only there was an actual priest who could do this…”

“Well…” Kim pats him on the back “...I don’t particularly agree with this ‘treatment’ of yours, but if it makes you happy, then I will do my best to track down someone, anyone, who is willing to do this for you.”

“Can you?” Larry asks hopefully. “Would you?”

“Of course!” Kim smiles happily. “You’re my friend, Larry. I would do anything for you.”

[The Matt]

2 of 2
=====

==========
June 11th, 2024
Boston, Massachusetts
Off Camera
==========

Kimberly Williams did not win Taking Hold of the Flame and thus will not be challenging for the World Title in the main event of Rise To Greatness but she still has her sights set on another big prize, another remarkable achievement that could add to her already stellar record and resume as queen of the Underground; she wants to walk into Rise To Greatness as the defending SCW Underground Champion for a third consecutive year. But this will not be an achievement just handed to her on a silver platter. She will have to earn it by first getting past Eavan Maloney. Maloney, a newcomer to SCW but certainly not a newcomer to the violence of hardcore wrestling, is the one obstacle standing between Kimberly Williams and yet another appearance in the biggest show of SCW’s calendar year as the reigning and defending Underground Champion. Eavan Maloney has taken a great interest in Kimberly since arriving in SCW. Kim, in turn, has taken an interest in Maloney. The Woman Scorned has been the single most dominant force in the Underground for a long time now and while she enjoys being champion, she also knows that the Underground needs fresh new blood, she knows that the Underground needs new individuals who can step up and carry it on their shoulders when Kimberly is finished. Eavan Maloney could be the individual to step up. The Queen of the Death Match will make her earn it. Kimberly will not go away without a fight and she definitely does not want to step aside or step down at least until after she has walks into Rise To Greatness for a third straight year as the division’s champion.

The Woman Scorned seems to know that this upcoming title defense on Breakdown will be challenging. She knows that Eavan Maloney will bring the fight. The Queen of the Death Match is leaving nothing to chance, which is what brings her to her legendary mother’s home in Boston, Massachusetts. Angelica Jones owns quite a large chunk of land in Massachusetts and along with her large, exquisite home, Angelica has quite the modern training compound on the grounds that she has used during her own active wrestling career to train and prepare for her matches. It is available to any member of the Jones family but Kimberly, even though she is Angelica’s daughter, has not often made use of it. Williams wants to think she can go it alone and make it on her own without too much help from her famous thirteen time world champion mother. This is one instance that Kim is willing to make an exception. Angelica has all the tools at her disposal to make sure Kimberly is ready for the war that Eavan Maloney is sure to bring at Breakdown.

Fluorescent lights hang high above in the ceiling, casting a bright light that illuminates the entire gym. In the center of this workout area is a standard regulation size wrestling ring with a light blue canvas, black ring ropes, and black turnbuckle pads. Surrounding the ring are various other training equipment that any wrestler could find useful, including punching bags, speed bags, free weights, and even a treadmill and elliptical. The Woman Scorned, reigning SCW Underground Champion Kimberly Williams, sits on the edge of the ring apron. She is wearing black workout shorts, sneakers, and a white t-shirt with a penguin emblem on the front. Her long red hair is pulled into a ponytail in the back. Seated next to her is her beloved penguin Wasley. A tiny headband is placed on Wasley’s head for this occasion. The Matriarch of the Jones Wrestling Family, Kim’s mother Angelica Jones, stands in front of them. Jones is wearing gray workout pants, a white t-shirt, and sneakers. Her long red hair is pulled into a ponytail in the back.

“You know, Kim, I love you and all…”

“Don’t get all mushy on me.” Kim states with a playful grin. “This is about deadly violence and bloodshed!”

“Yes, that’s kind of the point.” Angelica motions to the equipment around them and the wrestling ring. “This facility of mine is really to help prepare for a standard wrestling match. I have no problems helping you prepare, but you are defending the Underground Championship against Eavan Maloney and I have a feeling that match will be anything but standard wrestling.”

“Oh I know but we shouldn’t make fun of her for still having a Barbie Doll.”

“That’s not a Barbie Doll…” Angelica sighs and shakes her head “...look, I mean, are you sure I am the person you want to help you prepare for this fight against Maloney? True, I have dabbled in hardcore wrestling before. I was Extreme Champion in Motor City Wrestling. But that was ONE hardcore title reign. You are a former MWE Chicago Way Champion…”

“Oh stop!” Kim says playfully.

“...you are a three time and current HKW Bloodlust Champion…”

“You are making me blush!”

“...you are the current ZION Wrestling Hardcore Champion…”

“...yeah, I am great aren’t I?”

“...and you are a five time and current SCW Underground Champion. If anything, I should be taking advice from YOU on how to be a hardcore wrestler. So really, Kim, what brings you here to see me for what little advice I can offer?”

“Maybe I just wanna see my mommy!” Kim exclaims as she leaps off of the apron. She runs to her mother and embraces her in a tight hug. Angelica chuckles. She pats her on the back and then gently pushes Kim away.

“That’s sweet and I wish it were true,” Angelica says with a polite yet warm smile “but a mother can tell. When her kids grow up and get on their own, they typically get a bit of an independent streak. They want to do things on their own. You and your sisters, Marie and Jessica, you all have very fierce independent streaks.” She pats Kim on the back. “Especially you. You are bound and determined to make a name for yourself without having to use my name as leverage. The only time you have ever used me is when you needed me…such as when you destroyed your reputation in the SCW locker room not once but twice and you needed me to help repair some of the damage you did.”

“I gotta admit, creating that damage was pretty damn fun!” Kim says with a smirk.

“Even now I still act as your backstage manager and advocate but even then it stays just like that…backstage…and when people try to bring up your relationship to me, to the Jones Wrestling Family, you get offended.”

“Offended? Of you, my precious mommy who gave me life?” Kim shakes her head. “Never!”

“You hide it well, but yes.” Angelica nods her head. “You are offended, not necessarily of me, but the implication that your relationship to me helped in your ascension in SCW.”

“Well anyone who says that is a complete dumbass!” Kim exclaims, slipping just a little and letting her true feeling loose. “You didn’t even raise me for the first eighteen years of my life. I made my wrestling debut behind a mask so that no one would know who I was. I earned every bit of this!” Kim finally realizes that she was ranting. She smiles sheepishly. Angelica chuckles.

“See what I mean?”

“Yeah…sorry…”

“It’s ok. I don’t mind helping you in any way you want; whether you want me to be your backstage advocate, your manager, to negotiate with CHBK for you, whatever. I don’t even mind helping you prepare for your title defense against Eavan Maloney, although I still doubt I will be able to provide much help.” Angelica places a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “I just want you to be honest with me, that’s all.”

“You want the truth?”

“Yes, the truth.” Angelica nods her head. “Why are you here? I doubt it’s just because of Maloney.”

Williams pauses momentarily to consider the options. Her mother is right, of course. Kim did not come here just to help prepare for a title defense on Breakdown, although that is admittedly part of it. Kim finally sighs and nods her head.

“Yeah, you’re right. There’s something else bothering me.”

“And you need my advice?”

“Well you’re the only one who might understand.” Kim grins knowingly. “It has to do with my friend Lawrence of Arabia.”

“You mean Larry Dempsey?” Angelica asks. Kim nods her head. “What’s wrong with him?”

“His mental issues have returned with a vengeance. He was put into the mental hospital with me because he was hearing voices, voices that told him to do horrific things. Those voices have returned and for some reason he wants my help!”

“Hopefully you told him to get professional help.”

“Of course I did.” Kim states, nodding her head emphatically. “I told him to seek a legit psychiatrist, not someone like me who probably also needs to see a legit psychiatrist. I told him that the likely problem is his medication. He probably needs something new.”

“That makes sense.” Angelica nods his head.

“Yeah, but the problem is he refuses to see a psychiatrist or a therapist or anyone…anyone but me, at least.”

“Why?”

“He is afraid that a psychiatrist will send him back to the mental hospital.”

“I see.” Angelica nods her head. “Yeah, you’re right, I do understand. I recall my own time in a mental hospital and it wasn’t very fun. I can feel for him but he still needs help. He needs to seek professional help.”

“Try telling him that.” Kim shrugs her shoulders. “All he wants from me is to find a priest to perform an exorcism.”

“What?!” Angelica exclaims. Her eyes grow wide. “What the hell? An exorcism?!”

“He claims he doesn’t believe in any of the religious power behind it. He claims he used it as a placebo.”

“Sounds like he’s using it as a crutch.” Angelica states.

“He won’t let go of it, either. He wants someone to perform an exorcism for him. The diocese won’t allow it which is why he is in the predicament right now.”

“It makes sense. The Church rarely signs off on exorcisms these days unless you can prove beyond any other scientific explanation that it is supernatural and your friend Larry, it sounds like his problem is medical not supernatural. He will not get a priest to perform an exorcism, at least not a Catholic priest.”

“You’re right…” Kim’s eyes suddenly light up, it’s as if a light bulb goes off over her head “...yeah, you’re right…”

“Right about what?”

“You just gave me a great idea!”

“Oh God…” Angelica sighs, regretting immediately what idea she just gave her deranged daughter “...what idea is this?”

“No time!” Kim runs off. “I gotta make a quick phone call!”

==========
June 17th, 2024
Baltimore, Maryland
Off Camera
==========

It has been over a week since Kimberly Williams last had any contact with her good friend Larry Dempsey and that last visit was not exactly a pleasant one; Larry had the extremely unusual request for Kim to perform an exorcism on him and it led to Larry tackling her to the ground and trying to strangle her. Kim holds no grudges against it, but their friendship has been strained in recent weeks due in large part to the re-emergence of Larry’s mental issues. His initial mental problems were what led to them meeting in the first place, as they both spent time locked up in a mental hospital for treatment. Larry’s problem was that he heard voices in his head, voices that told him to do horrific horrible things to people. The treatment at the hospital coupled with medication seemed to cure him. But now it seems as if everything has returned. It seems as if all of the treatment was for naught. Kimberly thinks he needs new medication and that all will be well. Kim thinks he should seek professional help. Larry has his own unique take on what he needs; he wants religion, he wants an exorcism. The Church has refused to perform the rite of exorcism upon a man whom they are quite certain is not actually possessed but simply needs psychiatric treatment. Larry has thus turned to his good friend Kim for help but The Woman Scorned has been unable to provide any meaningful help to a man who only wants the one thing, an exorcism, and nothing more. Except now, perhaps, Kimberly Williams might have found some legitimate help. She might have found a way she can legitimately help her good friend Larry Dempsey. There is only one way to find out.

Kimberly finds herself sitting across from Larry in their usual booth late at night in the Waffle House in Baltimore, Maryland. This has been their meeting spot since forever. They would always meet here, once a month at least, to keep in touch with one another and make sure that they are still doing well. This meeting is even more important for Williams because this has been several days since she put her latest plan to help Larry into effect. She needs to know if it has worked or if it is once again back to the drawing board. Kim is wearing a pair of torn denim jeans, flip flops, and a black Queens of Chaos logo t-shirt. Her long red hair hangs straight down to past the shoulders. She studies Larry closely but cannot get a good read off of him. Larry always did have a good poker face. He is wearing a simple pair of blue jeans, brown cowboy boots, and a white t-shirt. He sips on his coffee while Kim stares into his eyes, trying to figure him out.

“Your coffee good, Larry?” Kim asks.

“Splendid, thank you.” Larry says. “Oh and, I apologize, my friend, for trying to…well…”

“Trying to strangle me?” Kim chuckles. Larry nods his head.

“Yes, I apologize for that, my dear.”

“Eh, it’s no biggie. Happens all the time.” She winks. “I tend to have that effect on people!”

“You are a good person, my friend, and you deserve better than what I give.” Larry says. “Speaking of which, the last few weeks we have focused so much on my troubles it seems as if we have ignored yours. Are you doing well, my friend?”

“If you’re asking if I have any further urges to kidnap my sister, take her place, and basically destroy my entire family…” she shakes her head “...nope! Those urges are still gone! I direct all of those violent destructive urges at my opponents across the ring from me, which happens to be ol’ Eavee Maloney Baloney Peggy Sue!”

“Huh?”

“Eavan Maloney.” Kim smirks. “I defend my Underground Championship against her this week. It should be fun!”

“Ah, well, good luck, my friend. I shall cheer you on.” Larry says quietly. Kim points at Larry.

“What about you, Lawrence of Arabia? How have you been progressing?” Kim asks curiously.

“Ah, yes, I figured you would ask.”

“Of course I would ask.” Kim states bluntly. “Do you realize how difficult it is to get a legit Catholic Priest? Do you realize how much it costs to bribe said Catholic Priest in order to perform such an exorcism he isn’t supposed to perform without proper permissions from his Bishop? I went through a lot of difficulty for you, Lawrence of Arabia, so I expect results.”

“Well Father Thomas was a rather…unique individual…” Larry sighs “...but he did the task he was asked to, he performed the exorcism.”

“Did it work, though?” Kim asks. She taps Larry on his forehead. “Are those voices still there?”

“Alas they are.” Larry shakes his head. “Admittedly my problem still is not yet resolved.”

“Whoa, whoa, hold up a sec,” Kim begins “I want to make sure I understood this correctly. You were certain that a real priest performing the exorcism was all you needed. Well I got that for you. But you’re saying that it still didn’t work?”

“Yes, that is true.” He shrugs his shoulders. “I just don’t know what is wrong now…”

“Oh I know precisely what’s wrong.” Kim smirks devilishly. “Father Thomas? More like Father Tommy Wasley, my boyfriend.”

“What are you suggesting?” Larry asks, his voice growing a little cold and stoic.

“I’m saying that it wasn’t a priest at all, that was my boyfriend!” Kim says with a look of mischief upon her face. “Seriously, it took a lot of convincing to get Wasley to impersonate a priest!”

“How dare you?!” Larry shouts angrily. His voice resonates throughout the Waffle House. What few patrons are there now turn their attention and stare briefly before turning their attention back to their own devices. Larry then leans over and quietly growls. “You deceived me!”

“So what if I did? You were asking the impossible! There is no honest to goodness Catholic Priest who was willing to help, not in your case. The diocese was already aware of your case and forbid it. I had to think outside the box.”

“You consider lying to me ‘outside the box’, Kimberly?”

“Yes, I lied.” Kim nods her head. “But I also proved that your stupid placebo effect theory was bunk.” Kim points a finger at Larry. “You were convinced that the medication and the exorcisms were what had kept the voices at bay. And when the diocese refused any further exorcisms, you were convinced that the lack of exorcisms, NOT the medication, was the problem. I never told you Wasley wasn’t a priest. You were convinced he was real. So the placebo effect, in your theory, should have worked. But it didn’t.”

“I…” Larry’s voice trails off, he finds it difficult to argue Kim’s logic “...I suppose…”

“You never did believe in the power of exorcism, did you?” Kim asks. Larry shakes his head.

“No…”

“So the fact that Wasley wasn’t an actual priest shouldn’t have mattered, should it?”

“No…”

“Which means that the exorcism, placebo effect, whatever, that wasn’t the issue. The issue is what I’ve said all along, it’s your medication. It just isn’t working anymore.”

“You don’t know that.” Larry shakes his head. “You are not a professional.”

“No I am not. That’s why you need to seek professional help.”

“You have a point. Perhaps you are right?” Larry begins to shake with fear. “But you know how much I fear going to a psychiatrist. I might get locked away again.”

“I figured you might say that, which is why I have an idea that you might be open to; my family is in close contact with a psychiatrist. This psychiatrist, her name is Jennifer Warren, and she is a close personal friend of my mother’s. She has done special work for us in the past and I can promise you that she will not lock you up.”

“How can you guarantee that?” Larry asks.

“Because my family will make her promise not to, as a favor to our family.” Kim reaches out and grabs Larry’s hands which are trembling in fear. “And if you still need incentive, then I might go see her myself.”

“You would do that?” Larry asks. “But aren’t you…” Kim nods her head.

“Yeah, I’m not exactly thrilled about psychiatrists, either. We both have that same fear of being locked up again. But you’re my ride or die, Larry. Wherever you go, I go. So if you’re seeing the family psychiatrist, so will I. But only if you agree to see her.”

==========
June 19th, 2024
Miami, Florida
On Camera
==========

We open in a medieval looking room, dark and gray with not much in terms of ambience of glamour. In the center of this room is a throne, that does not look very comfortable and is also gray and lacking in any real color. A few moments later this dark, gray room is filled with the sounds of approaching footsteps. Kimberly Williams then enters the scene from the right. The Woman Scorned is wearing a purple and black gothic style dress and black boots. She has her SCW Underground Championship title belt wrapped around her waist, her HKW Bloodlust Title belt draped over her left shoulder, and her ZION Wrestling Hardcore Title belt draped over her right shoulder. She is carrying her beloved stuffed penguin Wasley in her right hand. She walks nonchalantly over to the makeshift throne and sits down. She rests Wasley in her lap.

“All hail the queen?” Kim laughs. “I am not going to be one of those arrogant, stuck up snobs who demands worship and praise. Don’t we have enough of those in professional wrestling these days? But I will remind each and every one of you that the Underground is my turf and I will defend my turf until my dying breath. The Underground is mine, I have proven it on five different occasions. During my reign as Queen of the Underground I was the one who resurrected it, I was the one who raised it to prominence, elevated it to be in the main event of an SCW pay per view. I defended this title in the last two Rise To Greatness events and I plan to defend it in my third straight Rise To Greatness, assuming I make it past ol’ Eavan Malone first.” She winks at the camera. “I’ll get to you in a moment.”

“Any time and every time the Underground is threatened, I am there to defend it. The Enigma thought he could use MY Underground to play his silly little games and everyone saw what happened. I shut him up and shut him down. My friends and fellow Revengers, Deanna Frost and Oktoberfest, if they still feel the need to get further revenge against Iggy The Enigmatic Enigma, let them. They can get their pound of flesh. But as for the Underground? I defended my turf. I taught that mystical supernatural bastard a lesson about stepping up to me. And after that Underground War, I still went right back out to the ring for Taking Hold of the Flame and I finished in the top ten. I came so close to winning it all. The main event of Rise To Greatness was there within my grasp…” Kim sighs and shakes her head “...but I came up just short. But even in defeat, I proved to the entire world what I am capable of; I showed what I can do and just how much physical punishment and abuse I can take. I also showed the newcomers of SCW just what they are up against if they decide to step into the Underground. They will face The Woman Scorned, someone who will not stand down from any challenge.” A smirk forms on her face.

“Eavan Maloney, your eyes have been squarely on this since your arrival in SCW.” Kim pats the SCW Underground Title belt. “You look at it with lust in your eyes. You want it. You crave it. You want to sit where I sit, you want to be the Queen of the Underground. And hell, I like you, Eavee. You remind me a lot of myself when I first entered the Underground. You have the right kind of mindset and killer instinct to succeed in the Underground. You have the same twisted personality to make it in the Underground. I could easily see you one day being Queen of the Underground.” Kimberly throws her head back and laughs. “Oh but it won’t be that easy! No, way, no how, am I going to make it that easy. I would be doing a disservice to this championship and this division, a division that I built, if I were to just roll over for you. If you want this championship you are going to have to prove that you can outcrazy me, you are going to have to prove you can be more violent and more sadistic than me. Do you know how many people have been able to do that since I resurrected this division in October of 2021?” She holds up her hand making a zero.”

“No one! A big fat zero! Sure, I lost it four times but each of them failed to keep it from me. No one has managed to keep this title and this division away from me. They’ve all been distracted and overwhelmed with other problems to keep this away from me. In order to win this and to keep it, you have to have your full and complete dedication and attention on the Underground.” She points a finger at the camera. “Can you be that person, Eavan? Do you have what it takes to be the standard bearer of the Underground? We’re about to find out because your interest, your curiosity in yours truly has paid off. You get a shot at this championship you crave. You are about to go through Underground boot camp after, what, how many matches?” She pauses for a moment before holding up two fingers. “Two matches. Two victories against people who have yet to win a match.” She cackles nastily.

“Now I get it, you have experience elsewhere, and I am definitely not here to be one of those people to belittle that experience or to underestimate you. I underestimate no one. Every person I face, especially those whom I fight in the Underground, they get the very best of Kimberly Williams. But let’s face it, Maloney, SCW fed you two weaklings in your first and already you are in a championship match? If I were you, I would be counting my blessings instead of boldly declaring on social media that you were going to defeat me. Many have tried, most have failed, but everyone who has ever faced me in the Underground lost a little bit of themselves. But you are going to defeat me…” she smirks knowingly “...let me pose a question to you, Eavee. What makes you different? What makes you different from Lucas Knight, a hall of famer…or Deanna Frost, the current United States Champion…or Owen Cruze, a future first ballot Hall of Famer…or James Evans, a Supreme Champion? What they have in common is that they are the only ones who found a way to take this from me. But none of them could keep this from me. None of them could kick me off of this throne.”

“Those are some legends in SCW, Maloney. That could very well be a Mount Rushmore of SCW. And you already want to add your name to that list? Those are some damn lofty goals. That’s why I do admire you. You set your sights high. But like I said, I am not rolling over for anyone, and I am damn sure not giving up this title without a god damn war. If you want to be Underground Champion, if you want to sit where I sit, you are going to have to go through war with the sickest, sadistic, deadliest bitch in this company. And honestly, I still am not sure you realize just what you are asking for. But you can certainly ask around. Ask David Striker…ask Oktoberfest and his European Fiery pals…ask that mysterious bastard Enigma…ask James Evans…they have all seen me at my worst, at my most vile and evil, and if they are honest then they will warn you. If they’re honest they will tell you that you might not be ready so early out of the gate to try and challenge me for this Underground Championship.” Kimberly smirks devilishly.

“We’ll see, won’t we? Because I am not going to treat you like untested Eavan Maloney who has only had two matches against two people who can’t buy a victory. I am going to treat you like Eavan Maloney, a legitimate threat to my Underground, someone who has earned the right to challenge for this; and what that means is you are not going to get playful jovial Kimmy. You are going to get one of the most evil creatures you have ever come across. You are going to get Kimberly Williams, the Queen of the Death Match, The Woman Scorned who is willing to do anything it takes to keep this championship.”

“So you’re going to re-introduce me to defeat?” She smirks. “Bold claim. Back them up if you can, because this Underground belongs to me and you will have to kill me to take it from me.”

[eavanmaloney]

***Earlier we saw an important day in the life of Olive Zdunich, the woman behind the wrestler named Eavan Maloney. Today, we get to see the woman who became known as Sykobitty.***

We find our half-sized giant in a run-down building with a wrestling ring in the middle of the floor. An older Italian man who, despite his age, still has the physique of a man half his age comes out of a back room to greet her.

“If it ain’t Lil Sprout. What brings you up here?”
“Hey, Tony, haven’t seen you around the House for awhile.”
“Business keeps me busy. You know how it is.”
“Yep. Think I can have my Zombie back soon?”
“You know she’s a lot like you. She’s a shark, gotta keep movin’. As for havin’ her back, this case is provin’ harder than we thought. We knew the ring went deep, didn’t realize how deep.”

Tony motions to a bench and the two sit down. Eavan is becoming concerned about what she’s just been told. Tony is Zombie’s step-father and former trainer. He is also the owner of a bail bondsman practice that has helped Eavan and the Devil’s Doves out on a few cases, including one that has taken some months of work already. In 2022, the Doves were tipped off to a human trafficking ring and were able to extract the children, mainly girls, from said ring. The investigation then began to track down the people involved so that they could shut the ring down completely to avoid it happening again.

“How many we talkin’? I can send you a few more to help out if you need it?”
“Will definitely take you up on that. We’ve sent a few upstate the… *Tony lifts his hands to do finger quotes* right way and a few got done our way but we’ve hit some intel about a few higher-profile people being involved so that’s a little more delicate.”

Eavan straddles the bench so she can look at Tony straight-on, especially as her curiosity was piqued by these ‘higher-up’ people.

“How high?”
“Governor’s office high. No proof of actually handling the merch, but definite proof of cover-up. Couple of Dons bought power as they do.”

Eavan pounds the bench in immediate anger and frustration, realizing what she, and they, are up against.

“So we got to take down an entire Family.”
“Three, actually.”
“Oh, fuck.”
“Oh fuck indeed.”

Eavan rubs her temples, a calming mechanism she’s picked up over time. She lays back on the bench in exasperation and closes her eyes.

“You know this’ll get messy.”
“Not if we’re smart. See, doing shit on the up-and-up gives us some additional benefits here. We just gotta make sure we get the right folks on our side, folks that won’t get took.”

Still laying back on the bench, Eavan is coming to the realization this is a case that is going to take probably every physical resource she has, and considerable financial resources as well.

“How wide a net do we need?”
“We’re talking cross-border. We’s gonna need to go fed level and yeah, resources are thinning quick.”
“Get with Topino. Anything you need is yours. We can’t fail in this.”
“I know, Sprout. If anything, at least from what we know, there hasn’t been any new merchandise bought. Could they have gotten smarter? It’s possible. Another upside, we’re working on turning a second-in-command who was supposedly unaware of what they were buying and selling. He’s got kids of his own so he gets it. If we can turn him, we’ve got a bigger chance of shutting it all down with little collateral but he’s asking a lot.”

Merchandise was Tony’s code word for ‘children’ to keep his emotions detached from his work. A lesson he’s tried to teach Eavan constantly and has yet to work yet he continues to do so subtly. Eavan sits up, as her anger and rage come over her.

“Give him what he wants, with the caveat that if he fucks us, I fuck him in return. In front of his children.”
“Shit.”
“T…”

The look Eavan shoots Tony is enough to make him move back subconsciously.

“Yeah, I know. I’ve seen that side of you. I’ll make sure the message’s sent. Now why are you REALLY here? You look like you’re ready to fight.”

Eavan cocks an eyebrow at Tony, like he has just stated the obvious considering the mindset he has put her in. Her conversational tone shifts abruptly as the anger and rage flows through her.

“Got a match.”
“You don’t need training.”
“You’re right, I need weapons. I need to remember how they feel.”
“You want me to hit you with weapons?”
“Problem?”

Tony watched her go from Olive the woman to Eavan the Dove to Sykobitty the Dove and wrestler and bona fide head case. All in the length of this conversation. Tony even smiled in pride that Eavan had showed restraint up until this point.

“Why me?”
“Do I need to remind you that I recall your history?”

Tony’s lip curled as Sykobitty looked up at him with a smug look on her face.

“You like to bring that up, don’t you?”
“I know it works. Now, what do you have?”

Tony backed off and started walking around the warehouse, noticing the weapons he had at their disposal.

“Standard array. Chairs, tables, canes, chains, thumbtacks, staple guns. Might be able to improvise a few things if we need to. Who’s the opponent?”
“Name’s Kimberly Williams, and from what I’ve seen, bitch is probably about as crazy as I am.”

Tony, without even looking at her entering the ring, continues looking around the warehouse, looking for other things that can be used.

“Sprout, ain’t nobody crazier than you. You being here asking me this favor is proof of that. I’ve got to ask, though. Think it wise to go through all of this right before a match?”

As Tony walks to the ring, Eavan is running the ropes and doing rolls in the ring as a warm-up. Eavan stops as Tony approaches.

“I look at it like this. I survive you, I get patched up, show up for the match, and what? I pop some stitches and I bleed all over the place? I’m going to bleed anyways. I’m going to get beat up anyways. I’m always fighting from underneath so this ain’t anything new. It’s just…”

Eavan starts to get antsy, even going so far as to start scratching her own arms and shivering. Tony grabs her by the shoulders in hopes of calming her down.

“You’re an addict, Sprout. Pain, drugs, booze, sex, it’s all the same shit. You’re chasing a dragon.”

Eavan quickly grabs Tony’s head, leaps up, and drops down on the mat with her knees tucked up, drilling them into Tony’s face, deliberately breaking his nose. As Tony rolls out of the ring, Eavan sits on the ropes and smiles a mischievous grin.

“Nah. This time I’m out to slay one. Let’s fight.”

For the next solid hour, Eavan taunted Tony at every opportunity. Forcing his hand to grab whatever weapon he could get his hands on, Eavan would goad him into hitting her. Any hesitation on his part and Eavan would strike his already broken nose, angering the old vet. Finally, Tony had enough and proceeded to lift welts and break skin all over Eavan, causing her to groan from the initial contact to outright laughing as she staggered around the ring. After the beatings were over, Tony lifted Eavan to her feet as she lay on the mat, smiling.

“Fuck I missed that.”
“You should get checked.”
“Psh, I’ll take a salted ice bath when I get home. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re crazy, you know that?”
“Aww, a beating AND a compliment.”
“Think you got what you needed?”
“Oh yeah. Williams can’t do shit I haven’t endured before. Her title is as good as mine.”
“Title? You didn’t mention it was a title match.I wouldn’t have gone so easy on ya.”
“Why do you think I kept smacking you in the face? Had to wake up the old wolf so he’d hit harder. You’re getting soft in your old age.”

Tony adjusts his crooked nose and chuckles.

“Lucky you’re one of my favorite folks, Sprout. I’d have killed people for less.”

Eavan chuckles and hugs him.

“I know. And thank you.”

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kimberly, Kimberly, Kimberly. I don’t mean to insult you, or your legacy, by diminishing anything you’ve done in your career, but I’ve noticed a pattern as I looked you up. Both professionally and personally, I might add. Oh, honey, if you knew the contacts and information I can pull on practically anybody I need to, I could have been an ally. I can’t say I would have made you a better person; you seem to enjoy hanging just under the radar. Which made me question why, and my theory is that you’ve never been made to feel good enough. There’s always been someone, somewhere, holding you down. Repeated actions become the norm, and I think years of being told you’re weak, you’re worthless, you’re not enough… you began to believe it. You believed, and then you began to hate yourself for believing it so you created a front. You created this badass person so nobody can see who the real you is.

But I see you. I see you because I see me. You and I are not so different, which is why the very first time we crossed paths, there was that instant spark of respect. People like us attract people like us, whether we know it consciously or not. We’re the broken toys in the cosmic toybox. And not only do people like us know people like us, but sometimes people in high places see us… and see money. They know putting two broken toys in the same playground draws attention. The fans know you and they’re starting to know me. And everyone, even you included, knew the time would come when we’d meet on opposite sides.

I mentioned you staying under the radar, and maybe my theory is right, so I’ll share another. What if this rage you have boiling under your skin is because somewhere along the way in your career, the proverbial ‘they’... were actually right? What if they saw you and knew you’d grow up with certain limitations but those limitations were those you had to learn about yourself? How do I know or, giving you the benefit of the doubt, why do I THINK you have these limitations? I look at your accomplishments her in SCW. Trios Tournament Winner. World Tag Team Champion. Television Champion. United States Champion. And now, currently, the Underground Champion. You’ve been all over this company for years and yet the one accolade I DO not see… is a World Championship. So what’s the story? Are you going to lie to me and say it isn’t an opportunity you’ve pursued yet? Or are you going to admit to me, and yourself, that maybe you’re just not as good as you think you are?

Is the realization that perhaps you ARE weak and useless the reason you don’t consider yourself a mother? Oooooh, did I go there? I told you I looked you up. Juvenile and medical records aren’t as sealed as people think they are, especially when one has the know-how to bypass certain things.

Yes I’m aware of how badly I cut you with that, and I make no apologies. What I WILL say, however, is that I’m far from innocent. In fact, I’ll even give you knowledge for knowledge. I gave up my daughter to the foster system when I gave birth to her at sixteen. Fifteen years later, I learned she had been sold into shit that I’ll leave to your imagination and my crew got her and others out of there. I was thrust back into motherhood at thirty-one. Me, a former junkie and alcoholic who’s tried to take myself off of this rock a few dozen times. The fuck did I know about motherhood, but I had to become one. For her. And then for a couple of more almost a year later. I made that choice so that THEY could potentially have a better life than I had. It’s a sacrifice I’d make again in a heartbeat. What I’m getting at is that once you have a kid, life isn’t about you anymore. It’s about them. Connect with your kid, you both deserve it and need it.

Now, I know I said some things here today that’s going to make you want to kick my ass. In your mind, you’re already thinking “how dare she…”. Guess what, it’s what I do. It’s how I motivate my opponents. See, I ain’t no cheerleader. I don’t blow smoke up peoples’ asses and build up the good in them. I find the thing that scares them most. I find the thing that makes them feel the most human. The most raw. I find that mental scab and I pick at it until it bleeds again. Until you have to relive it and face it. I want you mad because I want you focused. This coming Breakdown, I don’t give two shits about any level of mutual respect. You are merely the person holding something I want.

The Underground Championship. A title I guarantee you hold onto tightly because it’s the only thing that makes you FEEL something.

You asked me what makes me different, what makes me believe that I can dethrone the…

…the…

CUNT of the Underground. I refuse to use that word, and you know the one I mean. What makes me different is the fact there IS no difference and that should scare you. These hall of famers you mentioned to give yourself that extra bit of clout - I’ll get to THAT in a minute - all had one thing in common. They WERE different. And in those differences, you learned how to beat them. Yes, you’ve had to fall a few times before you crawled your way back, but you did. You learned what made THEM different and learned how to beat them. But what happens when you have to face yourself?

DO you ever look in a mirror, Kimberly? With everything you’ve gone through in your life, with everything that’s even been said to you, and about you. The things you unconsciously grew to believe. What do you see in that reflection? What do you hope to hide and keep hidden? I already know, I dropped a few crumbs already. So what happens when that reflection in the mirror, that real you that you try to hide… is the one standing across from you come Breakdown?

Appropriate name for the show, will it not? Thing is, Kimberly, I’ve already beat you. I’m in your head. If I wasn’t, you wouldn’t have needed to put over people you say should be on the company’s Mount Rushmore and diminish what I’ve done thus far in SCW. You did just that, while also saying you were NOT like that, so which is it? Which side of you am I supposed to believe? Which side of you should I be believing when you’ve also said ‘I’m not someone looking to be worshipped’ and ‘I am the Blah of the Underground and a Blah of Chaos’.

Do YOU even know which side of you is the real one anymore? That isn’t craziness, Kim, it’s delusion. It’s that outer shell you created to hide the chewy center inside but guess what? I am going to shove Barbie through that chewy center of yours and literally find out if you have the GUTS AND A HEART! See, I don’t have to talk up my accomplishments. I know full-well what I can do to another human being. And you don’t.

As for having to kill you to take the title off of you? That’d be too easy. I’m the crazy you wish you could be. I’m the sadist that makes people like you pale in comparison. Every limitation I’ve come up against, I took as a challenge. If I succeeded, I’d do something far worse the next time. If I failed, well fuck I still succeeded because I did it anyways. I don’t feel fear. I don’t feel pain. What I feel is drive and a gutteral glee similar to the greatest orgasm one could feel.

And THAT is what makes me… a little Syko.