Post by Webmistress Barbie on Aug 6, 2020 2:46:34 GMT -5
Anthony Leonhart Vs. Dragon Lady Vs. Dominick Strife Vs. Harry Hampton Vs. Mickey the Butcher Vs. Aaron Kincade
Beat The Clock Challenge! TWENTY MINUTE TIME LIMIT! The Competitor with the MOST PINFALLS at the end of 20 Minutes Will be rewarded with a title shot that C$J will Announce at WAR!!!
Post by thedragonlady on Aug 7, 2020 19:30:53 GMT -5
"Why? After all of these years you have known me, why are you still so angry?"
The Dragon Lady grunted as she tried to throw a jab at Mameha. And then another. And another. Not one hit landed. Mameha was quick.
"Faster." she said. And after a moment more of sidestepping this way and that, dodging every punch and kick that came her way Mameha said louder, "Stop thinking you're going to hit me and hit me." Mamehas voice sounded as calm and fluid as each step she took. Nothing like the constant rain that pitter pattered against the gym's windows.
The Dragon Lady tried to lunge at Mameha this time. Only to get more air. She doubled over, resting her hands on her knees taking a moment to catch her breath. "Why didn't you hit me?" Mameha asked."You've hit me before. Why not now?" She said looking at the nails on one of her hands. Not an ounce of sweat on her. She looked completely at ease. At peace.
The Dragon Lady breathed hard with her hands still on her knees. "You're too damned fast Mameha."
Mameha chuckled a bit then. She said. "I'm as fast as you believe I am. Clear your mind. Let that negative energy leave you. I sense a lot right now. Now..." she got in a stance where her feet were planted firmly on the ground. Her arms set gracefully outstretched. She didn't look intimidating but The Dragon Lady knew it was a trick. To make her think no threat lay before her.
"Hit me."
And with that, The Dragon Lady caught her breath. She began to throw more punches and kicks. Faster than before. She pushed herself more and more with each movement. Yelling and screaming in frustration as Mameha lifted not one finger but shifted her weight in her feet to dodge each attack.
After a few more minutes passed, with an angry sounding warrior scream, one of the Dragon Lady's feet is raised up in the air at Mameha's throat. The Dragon Lady has Mameha pressed into a corner With nowhere else to go. The Dragon Lady's foot is but an inch from Mameha's throat. Both ladies look out of breath.
And then The Dragon Lady lowered her foot. Still panting. Mameha got a big goofy smile after The Dragon Lady lowered her foot. "It's tea time!" Mameha said as she took off to another side of the gym they were training at to find her special cast iron tea set.
The Dragon Lady stood in the dispersed crowd surrounding the ring. As she is not on CW's card to fight tonight, she stays silent watching the movements her future competitors make against each other. She is watching Chaos 96.
She paid close attention to not only who went into the ring, but the wrestlers who stood in the crowd booing and cheering for wrestlers they wanted to win or lose. She feels like many of the wrestlers have major beef with each other, and decides she will try her hardest to stay out of the messy situations many seem to be smack in the middle of.
The Dragon Lady definitely thinks Johnny Vegas is something else. She cant put it all into words yet, but something else was a good place to start. She is sure he is going to have nothing nice to say about her mask. He didn't seem much a fan of wrestlers in masks.
Not only did the wrestlers around her and in the ring seem to have beef with each other, but the boss man, or rather new boss man, C$J seems a bit like a prick. Of course she wouldn't say this to his face. She hasn't even fought yet. The Dragon Lady thinks it best to avoid him unless he called for her.
The last match is a bloody mess. She didn't expect to see such violence. The fight was very personal and for reasons she didn't completely understand yet. All she knew was it was family drama. Guess everyone has some sorta family drama. She did too, but she was trying to wipe her hands of him, or rather her father.
She would walk away from the crowd after Chaos 96 finished. A tad intimidated by a few wrestlers. She wouldn't even head out the main exit. She would find a back exit not wanting to get in no one's face yet even for a chat. She wasn't always so good being put on the spot when it came to conversation. Nor was she good at getting close to others, or letting others get close to her.
She had come to learn through different relationships she's been through, most people left you disappointed. Or hurt. Mameha was someone she let in. And Mameha hadn't let her down. Not once since Mameha found her back in San Francisco pummeling a punching bag. Lightning would strike as she got outside hoping the day never came when Mameha couldn't be there.
The Dragon Lady walked into the locker room for the first time. She found her locker after a moment and then placed a bag inside. She reached into her bag for a single picture she kept on her of Mameha and herself. No mask. No gear. Just her and Mameha. Smiling and happy. The woman made her more happy then The Dragon Lady believed Mameha thought she made her.
She spit out a piece of gum from her mouth and mashed it onto the inside of her locker door. Then she stuck the picture of her and Mameha on top of it. Yup. That ain't going no wheres. She smiled looking at the picture thinking of only happy thoughts at the moment.
She closed her locker door and locked it tight. Then she took a deep breath and went to the camera crew waiting for her to do her very first promo. She was nervous. Very. She sat down in front of the camera thankful her getup she wore came with a mask that shielded half her face. She could hide some of her emotions.
A camera guy began a countdown with his fingers. Showing three fingers first. Then two. Then one. You're live.
She smiled underneath her mask. Staring the camera down she was quiet for a good minute before she spoke. "I. Am. The Dragon Lady. I have been asked to come here to promote myself. To say something that might get me people to like me, and to say something to my first competitors. Anthony Leonhart, Dominick Strife, Harry Hampton, Mickey the Butcher, and Aaron Kincade."
A long pause happens. And then The Dragon Lady hears a door creak open. Mameha walked in and stood off to the side and once again gave her a goofy smile like she did the day before, but added a thumbs up with the smile.
The Dragon Lady smiled then and said to the camera. "To Anthony. I know you have lost some matches since coming to The CW. To me, this does not make you any less of a player. To Dominick Strife, I was able to see you win your last match. Impressive. To Harry Hampton, despite your last loss, you fought with strength. To Mickey the Butcher, you seem as much a joke as the face paint you wear, though you are free to try to prove me wrong in the ring."
"And to Kincade, you seem like someone who needs to be put in their place, which I would be more than happy doing. Despite my first impressions of my competitors, I wanted to wish every one of them good luck. I wanted to say to you all, I hope you have the same spirit as me. The fighting spirit. A spirit who fights until they cannot. Because that is what you will be facing against me. I will fight. Until I cannot. I will fight. Until my body is too weak and broken. I will fight. To prove I am worthy. Expect your worthiness to be tested."
With that, The Dragon lady stood. And then walked away off screen towards Mameha. Her hope. Her light. Mameha wrapped an arm around her waist while The Dragon lady put an arm over Mamehas shoulders.
"Let's get back to training. There is still much you need to learn. Starting off with more tea." Mameha said.She was in the locker rooms much later that evening. Her muscles sore from the workout Mameha had given her. She stood under a running shower. Bluetooth hooked to her phone. No one else was there at the time at least from what she saw. The place was a ghost town this late.
She grabbed her scrubber with a long handle and began singing to the music she heard. Of course she loved american music. She was born in Tokyo, but she grew up there till only age 11. And after that moved back to the states with her dad. While we definitely know The Dragon Lady hailed from Japan she did grow up most of her life, more than half, in the states. Mostly in the San Francisco area.
Some things she sang were completely off pitch. A little on pitch. No matter, anyone who heard would be like, dang this woman loves her old school music. The only time she felt free with herself other than with Mameha, was when she sang. And danced.
She shook it. Shook it good. Bubbles all about. I'm free. Not a care in the world. I'm light as a dang feather she thought as she got down. After her bubbly shower, she would let herself out of the locker room towards home. The place she and Mameha split half rent. One day, I will pay all the rent. Buy all the food. And Mameha won't have to worry about a thing.
I will take care of her.
"Harder." The sounds of punches and kicks can be heard. "Harder!" Mameha sounded off as The Dragon Lady let loose on a punching bag Mameha held firmly in place. Her Long dark hair moved with each movement The Dragon Lady made.
After thirty minutes of this training with a punching bag Mameha can be heard, "lift. With all your might. All your strength, keep going! You can do it!" Mameha screamed over The Dragon Lady's grunts and groans as she lifted a huge tire on its side and then let it drop. And repeat.
When Mameha was satisfied she circled The Dragon Lady. "Jumping Jacks. Now." She circled The Dragon Lady for a while while she did jumping Jacks. "After each one. Tell me why you are keeping yourself going. Do it. Do it now!" Mameha said ferociously.
And so the Dragon Lady continued doing her jumping Jacks, "Because you said so!" "because I have to!", "because nothing else matters!","because I'm making myself stronger!", "because," a short pause would happen as the dragon lady jumped. And then she said, "because! I need to learn control. Before I fight someone who has all the control."
"That's right. Keep jumping! Keep pushing. Push. Push. Push! Don't stop until you have pushed past your limits! You can do it!" Mamehas voice ringed in The Dragon Lady's ears.
The Dragon Lady Listened only to Mamehas calm voice. "Clear your mind. Let the negative energies leave your body. Let them flow through you and out of your fingertips. Relax."
The Dragon Lady stood in front of Mameha. Both women are in yoga positions that called for breathing techniques. "Breathe deep. And then release. Exhale. Do this. Until there is no more weight on your shoulders. Wisdom to help you fight does not come from any one place. But from many places."
Sweat beaded on The Dragon Lady's brow as she moved at a slow pace with Mameha. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. "A true master of fighting, is someone who can use the wisdom they have gained from many places, take it, and use it to stay steady and strong. Use the knowledge I give you to your advantage. Use the knowledge I give you, to break your opponents. Not just their bodies. But their minds."
They would go through more yoga movements. These movements began to test that steady foot Mameha was talking about. "Now hold. Don't move. Hold that position." The Dragon lady is standing on one foot. Her back arched downwards with one hand going towards the foot that kept her steady. Her other foot goes straight up into the air with her other hand outstretched towards that foot.
"Hold it. You're like the roots of a tree. You may sway with the wind. But do you fall?" And with that The Dragon Lady collapsed. Out of breath. Every muscle felt as if it were vibrating. Mameha walked around her a moment letting The Dragon Lady catch her breath. Then she walked in front of her and offered a hand out to her.
"Sometimes we fall. Just remember. Getting back to your feet is sometimes just as difficult if not more than to stay planted like the root of a tree. Come. Let us have tea. And let your body and mind rest. Tomorrow you have a big day. Tomorrow you're going to try to make something of yourself in that ring. Something you can be proud of."
Mameha would keep to herself, that The Dragon Lady already made her proud. She was proud of the young woman's spirit. Even if she did not win her match tomorrow, Mameha already saw her as a winner.
Moments before her first match.. . .
The Dragon Lady made sure her mask was on securely. She straightened her outfit and then got down on a knee. She bowed her head. And began to talk to her mom.
Ma. Not a day goes by that I don't miss you. Not a day goes by that you don't come to mind. I. ..
She squeezed her eyes up tightly holding back tears that wanted to come. She would not let any of her competitors see her cry. She balled a hand into a tight fist before she kept talking to mom.
I'm okay. I'm not alone. Mameha is here with me. I'm going to try to find myself. No more running. Not anymore. People will run from me now.
She stood to her feet and Mameha was there with a smile. Looking perfectly elegant. "Are you ready?"
The Dragon Lady nodded. Mameha put a hand on each of The Dragon Lady's shoulders. "Now clear your mind. Stay focused."
With that, Mameha took her hands from The Dragon Lady's shoulders and followed The Dragon Lady to where she would stand before going out to the ring. The audience already can be heard from where they stood. Mameha crossed her hands in front of her as the Dragon Lady began doing a few stretches.
This is it. The Dragon Lady thought to herself. This is it. She closed her eyes and just listened to the audience booming. Then her eyes opened and she took a deep breath waiting to be called out to the ring.
Last Edit: Aug 7, 2020 19:53:11 GMT -5 by thedragonlady
"Hello?" Harry picked up his ringing phone as he had just finished his daily jog. Being away from the ring and active competition had been hard on him, just as it was with trying to readjust to the life before the injury.
Last show he had himself a doozy with the pure raw talent that was Dominick Strife and Aaron Kincade, those two were ones to look out for in the future especially that Strife guy. He reminded him a bit of himself.
"Aye... yeah... I understand yeh, awrite, Am excited to hear 'at. Awrite, see yeh then!"
Harry hung up as he was all smiles. Terra Skye walked out of the small apartment and walking down to the bottom stair.
"What was that all about babe?" Terra asked as she handed Harry a towel to wipe the sweat.
"Seems a'm aff tae be goin in a beat th' time challenge... Pure winner gets a title shot."
"Well that's good news! Look at you getting back into the swing of things!"
"Wonder if that Strife kid is in this thing..." Harry wiped his forehead as he motioned for Terra to come to him. She knew the drill as she hopped onto his back piggy back style. Harry then began to do his squats. This was a potential opportunity to go after the World Championship once again and he would not squander it. And an opportunity to Boot Dominick in the face was very much on his wishlist as well.
"So. Who's in the match?" Terra asked with a giggle as they woulr rise and lower with the squat.
"Ah'ament entirely sure, bit whoever is in thare is gon a hae tae plan accordingly fur a concentratit Harry Hampton is a dangerous Harry Hampton."
Harry was more focused than ever. And who could blame the Scotsman for turning up a gear or two. The last time he had been faced with a Championship Opportunity he managed to succeed with the Tag Team Championship. But almost immediately he lost them beside his then partner Isaiah Luck. And had then been out on the shelf with an injury. Before that, he had a World Championship shot against Melody Lennox and because he was distracted and lost focus suffered the biggest loss of his career.
Harry was a big goofball still for sure but over the years he went from just a moon walking, ass slapping idiot into a respectable competitor. And it was that Harry Hampton that was needed to show the world once again what real wrestling was all about. Despite whoever was in this match he knew they didn't have half of the passion for this business that he did. Wrestling as a whole helped Harry become the man he was today, and Carnage helped shaped his ideals of what he wanted to see in a champion. And Harry knew in his heart that could only happen if he had the title around his waist.
"Whatever happens love I know you'll rise back to the top. You're too stubborn not to. But you always have support this way." Terra reassured her husband to be.
Harry finished his sets and gave her a kiss as he smiled ear to ear.
"Noo I have tae fin' oot who's in this match. Th' road tae championship gold... It all starts wi' a plan."
The Where and the When
"So are we thinking indoor or outdoor wedding?" The planner asked Terra and Harry. Harry seemed the most uninterested as he had seen what seemed to be Harry Potter novels of venues and potential designs.
It wasn't that Harry didn't care or feel this step was important, but the planner had dragged on and on about practically everything and her raspy voice wasn't helping. It sounded as if she ate and smoked cigarettes since childhood.
"Well we're definitely feeling an indoor setting... although outdoors gives more room... but then we can just have the reception outside... oh I don't know Harry what do you think?" Terra looked over at Harry.
"Um... Aye sure.... Whitevur yi'll waant love" The Scotsman said with little enthusiasm. As he spun around in the chair. Terra let out a sigh as she turned to face him.
"If you don't want to be here then you shouldn't come!" Terra stood up quickly and stormed off. Harry blinked and exchanged a look with the planner before taking off after her.
"Terra! Whit's wrong? Did ah say something ill?" Harry caught up to her in the parking lot as he took her by the hand preventing her from running away.
"It's obvious I care more about this than you do! Anytime we bring this up you don't show any concern or care about it. Why even get married to me if this is what it's going to be like?"
"Whoa awright, haud oan. Love ye think ah dinnae care? Weel a wullnae lie ah don't... Ah don't care aboot whit that boring lassie talks aboot. Bit ah care aboot ye."
"... It doesn't feel like it sometimes."
"Terra... Ah wull pat oan a happy face 'n' act lik' ah care if that wull mak' ye happy... Bit none o' this wull compare tae th' day whaur a'm standing at th' end o' that aisle peepin' ye mak' yer way tae me. Sae forgive me mah love. Mibbie tis juist that a'm lookin tae th' future tae that specific moment... Bit ah promise ye ah wull be mair attentive tae everything 'n' wull do everything in mah power tae ensure yer happiness."
Terra looked at Harry a bit teary eyed. And nodded hearing his words.
"I... I'm sorry Harry. I know you care. I really do. It's just the reality of everything setting in. I'm excited to be yours... Maybe I can stop hounding you so much about it all...."
Harry wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close.
"Listen love, at th' end o' th' day th' only thing that matters is us 'n' ensuring oor special day is juist that. Tis a team effort... Sae ah wull give mair effort oan mah pairt."
Harry gave Terra a kiss on the forhead before taking her hand again.
"Let's go back in mah love. Bit a'm gonnae need a nugget fix efter this." The two shared a laugh as they turned to go back inside. Harry knew this was an important moment as well and if meant listening to a living example of why cigarettes were bad for you, then he was all for it.
You tap, they tap, everyone taps
Harry Hampton stands in front of a podium, pencil in his ear, dressed quite dapper in a dark blue suit and a tie that is designed like the Scottish Flag. Behind him is a smart white board and in his hand is an extendable pointer stick.
He gives a smile and wave to the camera before smacking his pointer to the screen board.
The next slide comes up and says 'How to win 101'
Harry clears his throat before talking in a southern accent.
Harry: "Listen up y'all, now this here is to edumacate y'all on how to be a winner in the field known as professional wrasslin'! I will be yer instructor Harry make-a-grown-man-cry Hampton!"
Harry taps the screen as it goes to the next slide showing JD Mohr.
Harry: "Now this here son-bitch is JD Mohr. Big ol' grizzly bear! Mostly in attitude. He and I never had pleasure of sharin' the ring but I know of his ability... game plan is simple... make em Tap."
Harry slams the stick on the board again, a loud 'thwap' sound heard as he does so, practically startling himself. Up next is Anthony Leonhart
Harry: "Tony the tiger... er... sorry Anthony Leonhart... seventy percent man... thirty percent shoulders. He's a big fella but I've been in the ring with him and there's only one way to bring that cat down... make em Tap."
Harry paces back and forth as the next slide pops up of Mickey the Butcher. Harry visibly shivers before grabbing a handful of post it notes and places them all over his face.
Harry: "Yuck... aye much better... anywho... this is Mickey Mouse... the biker.... ooooh wait... Mickey the Butcher.... look here I don't have much to say about this man other than finding a prom date must have been quite the challenge for em. I have had the pleasure of engaging in a bit of combat with him in a triple threat match... but woooo booooy... this man is straight creep factor... I feel best plan of attack is... make em Tap."
Harry clicks the next slide and takes down the post it notes. Next appears Aaron Kincade.
Harry: "Look here partner, I understand where this guy is coming from... finally in the big time with the big boys and girls. Wantin' to make a name for yourself... And maybe your last opportunity wasn't the one for you... and you're probably thinkin' this is the one for ya right? Wrong... again I'm here and not because I want people making a name off me... Aaron ya got something.. ya really do... it just ain't in the same league as me and the boys in the back. So when it comes to Kincade... I'ma make em Tap."
Harry feigns a yawn as he shakes his head at Kincade but proceeds to go to the next slide. Dragon Lady
Harry: "Now you miss... you're interesting... ya see mostly everyone else in this match has some history... old matches... title wins they wanna brag about... big moments that show why exactly they were given an opportunity to sign their name on the dotted line. But not you... I don't know where you came from... hell... I don't even know why Carnage is the place you decided to come to... but I do know you ain't the type to run from a challenge... and I like that. Gonna make it that much more enjoyable when I make ya tap."
Harry smacks the board again this time snapping the pointer stick as Dominick Strife's face pops up. Harry scowls a bit before loosening his tie and then proceeds to drop the fake accent.
Harry: "Dominick Strife... Whaur dae ah even begin wi' ye? I've said it afore but ah see a lot o' masellf in ye... That hunger... That desire tae be th' very best... That's how come ah challenged ye tae a match oan twitter... That's how come ah wanted tae see whit ye bring tae th' table in a one on one setting.
Ye'v landed in a pool o' sharks mah friend. Each ready tae rip th' next apairt. 'n' th' nicht... Th' nicht we see how ye fair against thaim all. Me in particular. See everybody else is fur th' maist pairt a simple plan... make em tap.
Bit ye? Ah git special the script fur... A'm aff tae mak' sure ye know who th' man o' th' hoose is. A'm aff tae mak' ye earn everything ye git against me.
Dominick a wullnae lie. Ah see a bricht future fur ye bit a'm unfortunately aff tae hae tae be that wee bit o' shade hovering ower ye. Dimming yer light as mines shines thro' better than ever."
Harry turns off the PowerPoint presentation and leans against the podium.
Harry: "This is anither opportunity fur me tae gain a title shot. 'n' ah wull mak' th' maist o' it this time. Ah wull go on tae help shape carnage intae whit it needs tae be 'n' that starts wi' a proper champion at th' reigns. Ladies and gentlemen... Hae a guid dae."
Harry smiles as he packs up his things and then proceeds to grab a permanent marker as he writes on the board. 'MAKE EM TAP' Harry stares at the board before one of thr producers rushes in.
"Harry! You can't write on those with permanent markers! That ruins the board!"
Harry blinks and hesitates for a second before running out of the room being chased by the producer.
Post by Dom Strife on Aug 16, 2020 22:17:58 GMT -5
Prologue
Backstage at Chaos 96
"Good job out there, son."
Christopher St. James wasn't as condescending as Dom expected, though that last word did catch him a bit off-guard. Dominick Strife had entered CSJ's office still clad in his ring gear. Dom's swept his dark hair back and placed his hands on his hips. He was coated in a sheen of half-dried sweat.
"Thank you, Sir."
The soon-to-be CW president seemed to be nonplussed that Dom was there. Not quite an annoyance, but not too thrilled to see him either. Beyond that he seemed even less interested in Dom's response. CSJ briefly halted his work to grab a fat stack of cash out of his desk. Dom's eyes widened as CSJ counted out a few of the bills and dropped them in front of him.
Not wanting to offend the man who would officially take office as Carnage Wrestling's next president. Dom hesitated to count his payday. Still, something seemed wrong. After having shot a quizzical glare in St. James's direction, Dom slid the bills off of the table and fanned them out in front of him.
St. James smirked. "What's the matter kid? Think I miscounted?"
Dom shook his head.
"No sir. If anything, I think..." Dom hesitated, and swallowed. "I think it may actually be too much."
CSJ laughed like it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. It nearly sent him falling out of his chair.
"Nonsense," CSJ slipped his hand back under his desk and this time produced a white envelope. "That's only your winner's purse. Here's your actual paycheck."
CSJ slid the white envelope across the surface of the desk. Dom hesitated for a moment. There was even more? Dom could feel his fingers shake as he reached out to grab the envelope. Dom wasn't sure how much Carnage was going to pay him for a one-shot match. He didn't want to offend CSJ but St. James left the envelope unsealed. Dom took the invitation.
"Wow, that's, uhm-" Dom didn't know what to say. It wasn't the most money he had ever seen - only the most he had seen in quite some time. He couldn't help but to smile. "That's amazing. Th-thank you."
St. James reclined. He slid his arms behind his head and crossed his feet up on what would soon be his desk.
"It's nothing to get choked up over kid, really. I'm always willing to help out a friend."
Dom glanced up at his new boss.
"A... friend?"
"If you want me to be." CSJ grinned wide. "Like I said at the beginning of the show: The choice will be yours."
DS # 002
"(Pay)checks & Balances"
I.
"So what're you gonna do?"
Back in his apartment, Dominick Strife laid stretched-out across a love-seat that, much like most of things within his rather cramped and modest living arrangement, had shown signs of extreme wear. Across from him on an equally ratty recliner sat Sarah, his older sister, with her phone in her hand.
Dom had his eyes glued to the ceiling. Sarah wanted to know what he was going to do with the wellspring of wealth he had come across by doing the unthinkable.
"Depends on what you're asking about." Dom shrugged.
"I'm asking about the money, Dom." Sarah snorted. "What the hell else would I be asking about?"
"I don't know." Dom replied. "I wasn't really paying attention."
This time, Sarah growled.
"So you didn't hear me at all for like, the five or so minutes I've been talking?"
Dom shook his head.
"What do you want me to say, Sar? I'm trying to run a business here."
"You look sooooo busy."
Dom sat up. "Look, just because I'm not doing anything physical doesn't mean that I'm not working."
"Mmhmm."
With her lips pursed, Sarah went on to give her little brother the silent treatment. She figured her attention was better served to an actual baby than to a manchild who acts like one.
Dom felt like he needed to cool down so he pulled himself out from the living area. He walked over to the single sliding glass door; the one with the negligible view. He pressed his hands against the glass. So often Dom felt trapped within the confines of his own (new) space.
"There's more to running a business than going out and doing it." Dom replied as he peered outward into the courtyard of the apartment complex. "There's all kinds of, what's the word, little, uhm, details that go into it."
"Actually, the only way to do it is to go out there and do it." Sarah retorted.
Dom pressed his fist into the glass. "You wouldn't understand," he muttered under his breath.
"The only one actually doing any work is Iz-"
Dom spun around to cut his sister off.
"That's not true," he yelled, startling her. "Why don't you try starting a business with no money and a truck that don't run and see how well you do by yourself?"
Sarah shook her head, uninterested in the prospect.
"Listen, smartass. Why don't you take some of your wrestling money and go get your stupid truck fixed?"
"Nooo, really, ya think?" Dom shot back, full of sarcasm, filled with the anger that had been brewing up inside him for quite some time. But there wasn't anything that he could do about it more than what he was already doing. So he calmed himself down. He meandered back into his living room and plopped back down on the couch. "Actually, sis, I was kinda thinking about using it as a down payment on a new one, if I'm being completely honest. Kind of... looking at it as... an investment type deal."
Sarah's eyes widened.
"What about your truck?"
"What about it?" Dom replied. "It's an old, beat up piece-of-shit. You make fun of it every chance you get."
"It still runs." Sarah reminded him.
"Barely,"He said, sounding disappointed. "I think the business would be a lot better off if we had a new truck."
"Maybe. But don't you think Iz deserves a paycheck?"
Dom's immediate reaction was to tell Sarah no. But he bit his lip, in a manner of speaking.
He thought about what Isla Burke, the only other employee of the Strife Delivery Service, had done for him. Truly, she's the one that's responsible for him getting the one-off shot at Carnage in the first place. Granted, it wasn't exactly a company move. But with junk-hauling not attracting as many customers as he had hoped, jumping up to the professional level was a smart move.
Smart for her, given that she's not the one that has to step in the ring with these... monsters.
"I just made one of the biggest paydays of my life and you want me to give some of it away to her?"
Sarah nodded her head firm. "That would be what I said, yeah."
Dom scowled.
"She's not exactly a charity case," He reasoned. "She's ain't hurtin' for money like we..."
Sarah glanced up at Dom while he stopped to correct his statement.
"...like I am."
Sarah pursed her lips as a few silent moments passed between the two of them. Finally, she put her phone down and got up. She moved over to the loveseat and sat down next to her younger brother and wrapped her arms around him.
"I know she's my friend," Sarah said softly, "But ever since you came up with this crazy idea to not apply for a real job and instead start your own company, she's been with you every step of the way."
"Yeah," Dom said, his response trailed off near the end. "She really has."
"And do you know why she has?" Sarah asked.
Dom shook his head. Sarah looked him right in the eyes.
"Because you're a good person."
II.
Dom wasn't sure that his truck would make the trip over to the Burke residence, but then again he wasn't sure he'd reach any destination he set out for in that thing.
The Burkes were an odd sort, at least to Dominick's perspective. They seemed about as carefree a bunch as any that he could have possibly imagined. The Burke family were definitionally middle-class. They apparently lived well below their means and used whatever extra money they had to go on vacations doing... what else... spending time together enjoying some good-old family fun.
Dom couldn't help but to think about it every time he approached their front door. What is life like when you don't have to worry about the rent? What does it feel like to go to work only for fun? He'd be lying if he didn't admit that he was, at the very least, a bit jealous.
Yet with all of this pretty much 'common knowledge', that's probably what puzzled him the most about Sarah's friend. She's had it all. Always had. Life for her must've been a series of day after day where she could truly focus on whatever she wanted. Dom reasoned that must be why Isla always looked so damn gorgeous, though that much he would never tell her.
Dom knocked on the door only to be greeted warmly by Isla's dad. Prejudice was not a concept that the Burkes seemed familiar to; the negativity would surely work to erode their perpetual smiles. Dom was always kind in the same way an ambassador was to the dignitaries of foreign soil; which is exactly how he felt every time he crossed the threshold into their pristine world.
"So, how's the business going Dominick?" Mr. Burke would always ask politely. "Isla's been telling me that things are looking up!"
Dom tried to smile as best he could. He nodded his head a lot; faked a chuckle every now and then.
"Oh, it's going fine Mister Burke... Ha haaa..."
"Now now," Mr. Burke replied, "Last time we spoke, didn't I say that you could call me Andy?"
Dom gritted his teeth.
"That's, uhm, true Mister Bur-, I mean, Andy." Dom replied at the height of nervousness.
"Good good! See? Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Mr. Burke slapped Dom on his shoulder. "In a house full of ladies, us men need to stick together, hmm?"
"Dad!"
Both Dom and... Andy... looked over just in time to see Isla rush up the stairs from the lower level of the split-foyer home.
"You were supposed to let me know when Dom got here." Isla said as she swept right in and took Dom by the arm.
Mr. Burke chuckled. "Oh, I'm sorry honey-"
"It-it's okay..." Dom was cautious in the way he cut his elder off, "...I literally just got here. Your Dad was just askin' how things were going, is all."
Dom nodded to Isla's dad and gave him a wink and a half smile. The dudes need to stick together indeed.
"Oh yeah?" Isla turned her full attention to Dom. "Maybe I should just leave you two alone then, since Daddy’s been waiting to tell you how much he liked your match last week."
Dom looked shocked and turned to Mister Burke who nodded his head.
"Yeppers. That was some pretty good stuff I saw." Andy clapped once for emphasis. "Pretty darn good."
"I... didn't think you even watched wrestling?" Dom asked.
Mr. Burke chuckled. "Nope. That was my first show."
"Huh."
Dom glanced toward the floor. He thought about how hard it would be to get his own father to watch a match of his. Then he wondered almost aloud if his father would show up at his son's funeral.
"What?"
Isla heard Dom mumble something unintelligible. Dom shook it off.
"N-nothing," he replied and turned toward Mr. Burke. "Do you mind if I speak to your daughter outside for a minute?"
"No, not at all son." There was that word again. "You take all of the time you need."
Dom led Isla out onto the front porch. As soon as the door behind them closed, Isla seemed almost like an entirely different person. It was an odd feeling for Dom, because he knew the 'outside' Isla as the real deal; he had known her mostly through scant interactions and chance encounters when Dom and Sarah still lived under the same roof. Dom couldn't help but to think how one threshold could have such an effect on both her and him, in opposite ways, especially when the inside of the house seemed like its own little slice of heaven.
Isla couldn't wait to dig into her pocket, to pull out a pack of smokes and a lighter. Her parents knew that she smoked but she was asked not to smoke in the home.
"So, what's up?" She asked after igniting the tip and dragging on the cigarette to give it that unmistakable glow.
Dom shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh, nothing really," He replied. "Just thought I'd come over and deliver your first paycheck to you in person, is all."
Isla's eyes lit up like the cigarette between her lips when Dom produced the envelope that CSJ handed him days ago.
"You serious?"
"Mmhmm," Dom nodded. "...as a heart attack."
“I thought you were gonna get some work done on the truck...?”
"I still am." Dom couldn't help but to chuckle. "You ain't taking the whole thing."
She rolled her eyes.
“No shit, sherlock. But with as shitty as that truck is, you’re gonna need the whole thing.” She pushed the envelope back into his chest. “Put that shit back in your pocket and use it for the truck.”
Dom fixated his glare. He was gentle in the way he placed his hand on hers to push the envelope back in her direction.
"Well," He said with a deepened voice, "It's a shame that I already signed my first professional wrestling paycheck over to you, then. Shame that I have to suffer driving around in an old, beat-up truck."
She returned his glare.
“Fine.” She said as she snatched the check from his hand. “I’ll hold onto it, you know, for when you wanna finally bring yourself into the 21st century and get something that isn’t… that.”
Isla eyed the truck in her parents driveway and as if on cue a piece of the truck's rusted quarter-panel just happened to fall off.
"Hey," Dom quickly turned her attention back to himself, "It's gonna be alright, okay? I'll deal with the ol' bird now, cause at least she gets me from 'point a' to 'point b' in one piece. But soon, if this wrestling thing works out, I'm gonna get a brand new truck, and hopefully just in time for when all of this covid-shit is over with. Then, Our business is going to take right off of the ground. Just you watch."
“Oh, trust me.. I’m watching.”
Dom smirked.
"Good. Out of all of the eyes out there watching me, I gotta say that yours are some of the ones that I care about the most."
She smirked and slapped his shoulder playfully. “Aww, ain’t that sweet.”
"-says the girl who doesn't mind cashing my checks after I go out and get crushed by six other superstars..." Dom added with a wink of his own.
“Five. Five other superstars.”
"What?" Dom was surprised. "You know about the pay-per-view match already?"
She rolled her eyes again. “Duh. I’m the one who helped you get the gig to begin with, why wouldn’t I keep track of what’s going on?”
"True." Dom rubbed his chin to show Isla that he was in deep thought. "It is important to know where your next paycheck is coming from."
“Damn straight, asshole.”
III.
"This thing on?"
Dominick was told by Carnage Wrestling officials that he'd have to 'cut a promo'. He knew enough about wrestling with his stint in the independent wrestling circuit to know what a promo is. What he wasn't aware of, was how.
He wasn't aware that his impromptu interview with Deja Ndiaye a few weeks ago counted as the promo he didn't know was expected of him. But it was a lot easier to deal with a camera crew that was filming for the network directly. The best Dom could conjure up to send a video in was to record a skype call on his phone.
Dom put on his ring gear and black leather jacket to look as official as possible. In reality, he was hardcore 'winging it'.
"What is up, fans of Carnage Wrestling? It's ya boy Dom Strife here, and uhh, I guess it's time we talk about a little shindig that we like to call We Are Relentless and more importantly, the Beat the Clock challenge."
Dom cleared his throat and brushed his hair back.
"To be honest, I'm not sure what there is to say, really. I thought debuting in a triple-threat match was crazy. This is that, times two. Heh."
He looked right into the camera lens on his phone the best he could.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm all for this 'Beat the Clock' challenge. Six people all sharing the same ring for twenty minutes - what could possibly go wrong with that? In reality, even though my odds are about twice as bad, I feel the same way about this match as I did at Chaos 96. I'm simply thankful for the opportunity. I don't really care how many other wrestlers are going to show up for this challenge. I'm just glad that one of those six names is mine. This will be my Carnage Wrestling pay-per-view debut-"
Dom sighed as he tried to gather his thoughts.
"-and I plan on walking into the MECU Pavilion with that same mindset. I'm coming, not to participate in this challenge, but to win it. Unlike what some might think, my strategy isn't going to be focusing on the clock. All matches, regardless of the stipulation, are won when the focus remains where it should be: on one's opponents. All the clock means is that while it's still ticking, I should be kicking someone's ass and putting them down for the three. I think this match isn't going to be won early, and it's not going to be won easily. But when it counts down to the very end, I want those other five people in the ring with me to know that I'm still coming for 'em."
"Because I'm not just gonna lace up my boots for the supershow check. Nooo, I want that winner's bonus too... and I'll take that title shot Mr. St. James was so kind enough to offer, because I bet champions get their own bonuses on top of everything else, too. If my debut proved anything, it's that I have as much of a fighting chance as anyone else in that match. Two of my opponents at WAR are the same two that I scored that victory over two weeks ago. I'm sure if they weren't so choked up about it they'd be willing to tell you."
Dom flashed a bit of a smirk.
"So let's roll down that list, shall we? First I'd like to mention a group of people in this match that I will respectfully refer to as the silent crew from now on. Top on that list of the silent bunch is: Aaron Kincade."
"And why is he a member of the silent crew? Because, I don't think anyone in this circle has heard a word out of him. I'd say that a little sweet chin music has the 'Kincade Show' feeling a bit sketchy, but it wasn't like he was a talker before. The truth with Kincade is that it's now officially put-up or shut-up time with him. For a man who came on the scene with quite a mouth I'd say he's already made his decision as far as Carnage Wrestling is concerned. But I do understand. The water goes from shallow to deep quick around here in B-more and it's not a comfortable feeling. Take my advice, Aaron. Learn to swim or drown. Makes no difference to me. Face me again, sure. But this time bring your swimmies."
Dom cleared his throat and adjusted his phone.
"Next on the silent crew is Mickey the Butcher... who only speaks when he's challenging somebody to kill him. Now, that's a touchy subject that I don't care to get into, but hey. It's a clusterfuck match - anything can happen - right? Mickey, I think that it's time that you give up the dream and go back to, uhm, beating your meat down at the deli or wherever it is you work outside of here. So far you so clearly can't cut it that I'm not sure how you got this gig in the first place. Listening to you talk quite honestly gives me an instant headache. So I'm glad that this is a fight and not a debate. I just hope this doesn't turn into a 'who can beat Mickey the most' challenge. If it does? So be it."
"But wait, there's more! Clod number three on the silent but yet not so deadly crew is Anthony Leonhart, who after a much promising debut went just about as quiet as his win column. I swear, this must be a trend. People like Leonhart lose one match and all of a sudden don't want to talk shit anymore... hmm. Kind of makes sense when ya put it like that. Listen here, Leonhart... you're almost in the same boat as Mickey as this one, but I'll give you props. You're an impressive physical specimen. Not as much as that Lab Rat guy, but hey. I'm really digging here. The truth is Leonhart that I don't care how tall you are, I'll still find a way to kick your teeth down your ducking throat. And yes, I just autocorrected myself."
Dom repositioned his throat.
"Now that we're through that shitshow, next is a newcomer, a person who wore a mask, I assume, long before 2020 made it cool... The Dragon Lady. Ooh, ominous name. Now Dragon Lady, I gotta say, I had to do a little digging on you. I like your style. I'm not going to get on here and say that you have no chance, because I quite frankly don't know a damn thing about you. All I can say is that I know full-well the advantage of being the anonymous person in a match. I don't plan on overlooking you in the same way that, maybe, Harry Hampton might have overlooked me. There's going to be a lot going on out there - just don't think that you can get lost in the shuffle. I think of all my opponents you just may be the most dangerous. That's why I personally plan to keep at least one eye on you. "
Dom smirked.
"But I've saved the best for last and that would be you, Mr. Hampton. I had a lot of fun in our match two weeks ago. Probably more fun than you did. But I want you to know that I respect you, Harry. And I mean no disrespect that I'm proud to have a win over you. But let's be real. I didn't pin you. I pinned that skank chode Kincade. You had nothing to do with it other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you think it's a fluke, I wouldn't blame you. Just don't blame me for coming at you with everything that I've got. At WAR, at Chaos 97, it doesn't matter. If you plan on beating me then you had better plan on earning it."
"I can't guarantee a victory. But when it comes to pouring my heart and soul into that ring. Mister Hampton, Sir... I deliver."