Latest Roleplays
“This time it was Penny Lane asking about it.”
“I now understand why some people consider the media to be vultures.”
Rebecca Hines sits behind a table in the Miracle Enterprise Apartment with a pad of paper and a blue felt tip pen in her right hand. Jack Marley sat at the other end, a cell phone sitting in front of him as he had been given phone duties. In hindsight giving the perpetual stoned idiot phone duties might have been unwise but so far, he had performed better than expected.
I guess, that isn’t exactly HIGH praise.
Heh.
Since Chaos had come to an end the visual of Brian Bare looking surprised as Ellis Jackson stepped out of Steve Harrisons locker room has been shown around the wrestling world. Well, at least in corners that matter so I apologize if you get your views from Twitter.
Jack checks the phone and sees a blocked number and pushes the reject button. “They are coming out of the woodwork, mon.”
“I find the wrestling media to be very…odd,” Rebecca responds with a tone less flattering than what she said.
Jack laughs, “you mean sleazy, right?”
She shrugs back towards Jack, “sure let’s end with that.”
Before Jack can answer a knock at the door is heard.
Jack jumps like a dog from his seat but stays seated.
KNOCK
KNOCK
Rebecca nods to Jack as he points at the door to see if he should answer it. He finally can jump off the chair and walks towards the door swiftly like there was a treat on the other side of it. He gets to the door and opens it up and in less than a blink his shoulders drop, and a loud groan is heard. Slithering into the apartment was Sandy Reed-Lawson. The psychologist and wife of Steve Harrisons trainer was not a welcome sight for anyone especially how things ended with Steve last year. She ignores Jack’s disappointment and scans the place and then locks eye with Rebecca.
“Ah Rebecca, it is nice to see.”
Rebecca fakes a smile, “Sandy, how long has it been?”
Sandy smiles back and walks towards Rebecca, “let me get a look at you. It is rare to talk to someone after being brainwashed…you know?”
Rebecca stops faking her smile as Sandy gets closer. “I am not a test subject for you.”
Sandy shrugs and then goes in and gives Rebecca a hug that looks more awkward than Steve trying to hit on Rebecca. “Of course, of course,” Sandy whispers into her ear loud enough for Jack to cringe.
Rebecca pushes Sandy back softly, “so what have we done to get a visit from the great Sandy?”
Sandy laughs, “I see Steve’s sarcasm has started to rub off on people.” She looks around the place again and then to Jack, “speaking of the conquering hero to be, where is Steve?”
Jack looks past Sandy to Rebecca to see if he should respond but Rebecca pays it no mind, still looking angry from what Sandy said. “Uh…training?”
“Are you asking me?”
“No?”
“Again, stop being stupid. This isn’t a hard question and I know one of you knows where the future wrestling champion is,” she responds with her own sarcasm showing her disdain for wrestling is still a thing that exists.
Rebecca finally snaps out of it and pats her clothes down as composes herself. She clears her throat and then replies, “he is doing whatever he pleases, Sandy. You haven’t answered why you are here.”
She nods back to Rebecca and then walks over to Steve recliner and sits down on it. She crosses her legs and then puts her hands together as he thinks to herself. She takes a breath and responds, “I hear Ellis is around.”
Jack and Rebecca nod in unison and Jack begins to talk, “yea…I am not sure what is going on, mon.”
“So, you both also don’t approve of Ellis, I take it?”
Rebecca sighs, “oh great we agree on something?”
Sandy rubs her hands together and nods slowly, “Ellis may be family,” she pauses and thinks to herself.
Rebecca runs out of patience quickly, eagerly awaiting when Sandy leaves, “ok, you want to finish that thought?”
“I am trying to think of how to put this, Becca.”
“Don’t call me Becca.”
Sandy shrugs her wry smile returning, “so defensive, maybe I was right along about you being a good fit with Steve. Anyway, he may be family, but he has gone rogue.”
“What do you mean that he has gone rogue? Those are words people use against traitors, not immoral businessmen.”
“Correct,” Sandy says nonchalantly. “He has gone against our interests and my husband is not very happy. His dealings in Ukraine and Russia have not put us in a good light internationally. To say, him suddenly appearing back in the USA is a surprise is an understatement– to say the least.”
Rebecca raises her left eyebrow with a confused look on her face, “I know the guy is not to be trusted but what are you trying to tell us?”
“I am trying to tell you that he is up to something, and it isn’t sanctioned by his brother or the company.”
Rebecca rolls her eyes, “that’s really helpful.”
“He is like a vampire and you idiots let him in, so I am just warning you not to be surprised when you are bit,” Sandy says as she flips some hair that had dropped over her right eye.
Jack shudders, “I don’t want to be a Vampire, mon!”
“It’s rhetorical, Jack, relax,” Rebecca says as she begins to get annoyed at his stupidity.
“Is that some new STD?”
Sandy and Rebecca both stare daggers into the poor middle-aged stoner with zero brain cells left. Jack looks at both intelligent women giving him a feeling of dread and then turns his back seeing he is not wanted any longer or maybe never was.
Rebecca clears her throat, “anyway what does he want…or what is he going to bite?”
Sandy stands up and looks around the place again, “the place looks nice, I am assuming that is your handiwork, Becca. Steve better not lose you–again.”
“That’s…yea, that isn’t any of your business can you please explain what Ellis is up to?” Rebecca responds unsure of herself.
Sandy shrugs as she gets back to the front door, “I have no idea, but he left Ukraine in a hurry, and we all know he is probably being targeted by people he screwed over on both sides of that fence.”
“How could Steve possibly help him about that?”
Sandy opens the door and takes a step out and then looks back, “tell him I said hi but remind him to keep both his eyes on that guy.”
She walks out and shuts the door behind her. Jack finally turns back from his self-appointed timeout and looks over at Rebecca who is still staring at the front door, her face red in anger from the exchange with Sandy.
“So… why is Steve suddenly listening to Ellis anyway?” Jack asks.
Rebecca shakes her head as she tries to forget Sandy and then turns to Jack, “I don’t know.”
Fade
—
Christopher America, all I want to hear from you is a yes or no on our match at Rumble at the Rock. You trying to wedge something between Bobbinette Carey and me is a waste of time.
You are already speaking to the choir, champ. I have lost count how many times she has gotten on my nerves. I have beaten her several times as you have said so eloquently. Each time, she has an excuse, yet she will never be on my level and those days she could say she was our long past, and I can only imagine how sad those days must have been.
That said, I have to team up with her this coming Sunday.
This is all about Lee Best trying to soften me up before Rumble at the Rock. He forces me to team with Conor Fuse and it doesn’t work so now he gets the idea…and let’s be honest it is a better idea for me to team with Carey.
Ugh.
Trust me, I hate this situation.
If I had to say if there was someone I couldn’t stand more then The Board, Carey would be that one front and center. That shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone but what will come as a surprise as I will once again swallow my pride.
Seriously.
I can do it.
Maybe?
Goddamnit, I hate you Lee.
I am sick of putting a phony smile on and tagging in these arrogant liars. They don’t care about me, they only care about my spot and trying to steal it from me. Ellis told me I needed to believe in only myself. I don’t need friends or allies because people will always let you down.
Such a sad thing to believe.
Yet, I used to believe just that. It is what I learned from him and his brother when I was training to become a wrestler. I was never that person though and when I remembered who I really was I tried to become more open to friends and allies. The Best Alliance started as just a means to an end but when it was actually ending itself I was out injured and unable to keep the team together.
I wanted to keep it together. I had changed and I believed some of these guys were my friends and maybe that was a fatal flaw in myself when I challenged Sektor and then Jace for their titles. At least they continued to say that it was because of that, that I could not win.
Funny, isn’t it?
I have had a lot of success since I got back and most of that has been as a member of The Highwaymen so maybe I have proved all those people wrong. I have run and fought with them for months now and we have all done well in our own ways. I didn’t feel jealous when Solex fought against Chris. No, I was front and center cheering him on, drinking a beer with him, or giving him advice.
This is what we are, and I am not hesitant on continuing these relationships.
We will get those Tag Titles back. I trust Bergman to make that happen. I have done my best to not erupt into anger about the eGG Bandits winning the straps. I have come to terms that I cannot control everything and none of us are perfect. I will miss seeing those damn things, but I know I will see them again…real soon.
So why am I backstage with Ellis Jackson?
He has continually told me to ditch everyone.
I cannot trust anyone.
People holding me back.
Pfft.
It is all ridiculous but not everything he has said to me is wrong.
Maybe I have lost a little of my resolve inside the ring. I think it is silly to think about that, but I have said I will do anything to win a match, but I haven’t done anything to win a match. I haven’t had to though but when a time comes where things are not working can I flip the switch?
Can I actually do anything it takes?
That…I wasn’t sure about.
Chris has proven he will do whatever it takes to keep that HOW World Title. I respect that even if I don’t respect anything else about that human cockroach.
Therefore, I have done something I promised myself I would not do. I would call myself a hypocrite but that seems to be the go-to insult against people these days anyway so what is the point? I already know what I am and that is someone who understands what he lacks and has decided to listen to the devil I know for advice.
I might rue the day.
But I might also hold the HOW Title.
Roll the dice.
Drop the bet.
Take the fucking odds.
I will see on Sunday, Chris.
I want an answer and if I don’t hear one I will beat it out of you before you scamper yourself away like the deserter you are.
One step, two step, and the third will see you falling on that phony crown of yours and watching your career flash before your eyes as you slowly pass out.
—
I like to think that the truth is something you can always display. I know better than that though because the truth is often messy, mean, or hard. It isn’t a blanket, it isn’t a pacifier, and it isn’t something that will make you correct.
Facts are facts.
But as we all know emotions, or a feeling seems to always be what people gravitate to. It is easy to think you are right and find things that agree with you then to be told you are wrong with facts. After I left my meal early because of Ellis Jackson annoying me while in Vegas I went back to my Hotel Room.
I would have preferred to not be alone, but he irked me, and I could only focus on what he said.
He poked.
He prodded.
I had finally jumped but he hadn’t known that I had yet.
It had nothing to do with him talking about me fighting other people’s battles. That was some hocus pocus bullshit because I have never had an issue with knocking some heads around that mess with The Highwaymen.
It took a half hour of rummaging in my own mind to pick the phone up and call Ellis Jackson.
“I gave it some thought.”
A chuckle was what replied and then:
“I knew you would see the light of day. You don’t need those guys.”
It was my turn to laugh, but it was not a laugh because something was funny, it was a laugh because something was completely wrong.
“No.”
“No?”
“I have no problem fighting for the team, Ellis. I trust the boys and they will always have my back if The Board dares to help Chris against me. Do you think I have an issue with beating some hillbilly senseless?”
I wasn’t wrong there.
I am not quite sure Frank Dylan James will even make it to Rumble at the Rock and trust me Clay Byrd will be madder about that then me losing a match.
Hah.
The only issue was the amount of mouthwash I used after having that dirty moron’s fingers hook my mouth. That got him an extra knee strike by the way, so I am sorry…not sorry.
“Ok, then what is it you thought about?”
Pause.
I took a long pause.
Almost as long as it takes Conor Fuse to type in one of his ridiculous cheat codes.
Almost as long as it takes Bobbinette Carey to make something about her.
Almost as long as it takes Jace to say something cringe worthy.
Almost as long as it takes Christopher America to run away from a fight.
I am saying it was not that long of a pause obviously.
“Confidence.”
“You have told me numerous times that you know you can beat anyone, so elaborate so I know what I am dealing with.”
“I am very confident in my skills. I have one of the best overall records of any wrestler in HOW since I have joined. Check out the stats and you will wonder why I am not respected more. So, no, I believe I have all the confidence in the world to win a match.”
“That is all true, but you lack the killer instinct now, don’t you?”
“Maybe.”
“You have done anything to win but those things were what you put yourself through to win, not what you put your opponent through.”
“That is true.”
“John Sektor tore your knee to beat you. Jace helped make that injury worse to beat you. You bled like a pig to beat Pleasant, but he wasn’t injured when you beat him. You went off a roof of a saloon so Bergman could win the tag titles. You didn’t toss anyone off it though.”
All true.
I have almost become some sort of stuntman of The Highwaymen, but the results have been there for all to see. I am hard to beat, and I am impossible to keep down for long. I always get back and I don’t see that stopping because The Board wants to continually stack the deck against me.
“I am aware that is something that is hard to turn back on. I obviously don’t want to be the man who comes out looking worse but let’s be honest…if I win that is all that matters to me.”
“If you listen to me you will have nothing to worry about at Rumble at the Rock.”
I laughed and shook my head at the phone, “Oh, unfortunately for me I wish that is what has gotten into my head.”
“It doesn’t matter what it was because I can take you to the top.”
I sighed as I was sick of not getting to the point and having to speak to this leech for so long, “haven’t even held her hand, huh?”
It was his turn to pause, I heard a few breaths and then a small chuckle from him. “This is about HER?”
I hung up.
It was about her.
I needed something to push me past that awkward stage I had decided to stick myself out.
It was pathetic.
I hated having to reach out to Ellis.
But I hated how I felt more.
I might wish I had never done this but for now I will walk this tightrope.
I will be HOW Champion.
I will be a champion that SHE can be proud of.