- Event: Chaos 029
Courageous Paths Counseling
Denver, Colorado
Tuesday April 18th, 2023
It was a warm but overcast day here in Denver, Colorado. The view opens to a building with a sign that reads Courageous Paths Counseling in big block letters. Inside is an empty waiting room in one of the offices. Empty except for the current HOW LSD Champion, Jace Parker Davidson, sitting in a chair with his phone in his hand. Jace stares down at the open text message conversation he has with Becca Curci aka Whisper.
She had heard about what happened Sunday night on Chaos in Little Rock. Whisper had messaged Jace to check on him and inform him of an upcoming BBQ she was planning at her place. She informed Jace that he was invited but only on the caveat that he went to see a Therapist that she recommended. Naturally, the LSD Champion argued and mentioned that he only wanted to continue his training at HellsGate.
Whisper slammed the door shut on any access he had to the facility, or to her until he agreed to her request of seeking professional help.
He ground his teeth together in anger as he looked around the drab and empty waiting room. Most of the appointments were taken care of online. However, Becca had called and arranged a face-to-face meeting with this Shrink who was supposed to ‘fix him.’
Becca would owe him big time for all this trouble. That was the thought that raced through his mind until the door that separates the waiting room to the more private sections of the office opened. A woman in her early 30s poked her head out and spoke to the LSD Champion.
“Mr. Davidson? Right this way, please.” She said cheerfully before gesturing toward whatever lay behind the door.
Jace pulled himself up to his feet with a small sigh and then followed the woman through the door. On the other side was a long hallway that turned in different directions and was lined with doors on either side. A sprinkling of random paintings lined the walls between every few doors. Finally, Jace was led into an office at the end of the hall. Inside was a leather couch, and a bookshelf that sat behind a wooden desk. There was a nameplate on the top of the desk that had the name Paulina Siegel on it.
The Therapist closed the door as Jace took a seat on the couch. She made her way around the desk to take her seat as Jace’s eye scanned the various degrees framed on the wall.
“Sorry, that took so long.” The Therapist apologized. “You were a last-minute appointment made by Miss Curci. This was honestly the only time that I could fit you in.”
“I must be lucky,” Jace remarked with a fair amount of sarcasm.
“Naturally,” Paulina said as she folded her hands together on top of her desk. Completely ignoring the sarcasm. “I’m told you are a professional wrestler with some unresolved issues. Would you like to tell me what is going on?”
Jace narrowed his brow and cursed Whisper under his breath.
“I don’t have any unresolved issues,” Jace said stubbornly before pausing a moment. “Or at least any that I need to see a Shrink about. I like to handle my business on my own.”
“That’s great to hear,” Paulina responded with an overly obnoxious smile. “However, even the strongest of us sometimes need a helping hand. A shoulder to cry on or even lean on when times get tough. There is no shame in that at all, Mr. Davidson.”
Jace rolled his good eye.
“Let’s start at the beginning,” Paulina suggested as she pulled out a notebook and pen. “Tell me about your childhood and how you were brought up.”
“My childhood was awful,” Jace said flatly. “I was forced to live on the street when I was 14 years old because I wanted to be a professional wrestler. My Uncle took me in and trained me. He’s dead now.”
“How unfortunate.” Paulina gives an emotionless reply as she began to write in the notebook. “I take it your father wasn’t present in your life?”
“My father left before I was born. My mother married an asshole.” He confirmed.
“How do you feel about your mother?” Paulina tried to delve deeper.
“She’s a smart woman with zero common sense.” The LSD Champion scoffed.
“Do you have any siblings? Have you tried to find and connect with your biological father?” Paulina looked up from the notebook.
“Next question.” Jace waved his hand dismissively.
“Okay, how about the present?” Paulina leaned back in her seat and pointed toward Jace with the pen. “How did that happen?”
“Wrestling match,” Jace grunted. “The man I work for decided to make himself the special guest referee. I came into the ring and then he stabbed me in the eye with a pen.”
Paulina begins writing in the notebook once again.
“Does it hurt?” She inquired.
“Lady, it hurts all the fucking time,” Jace revealed.
There was a long moment of silence between the two of them. Paulina continued to scribble inside the notebook while Jace closed his eye. His mind was filled with flashbacks of his near-death experience after the bottomline he received. Meeting the Grim Reaper. The deal that was struck to sell his soul for another chance at life. The so-called mystery gift building in place of where Lee Best’s pen was plunged.
Jace could still hear the voice in his ears laughing. Gloating about the pain he would suffer in the process. Reveling in the fact that each time Jace used whatever it was that was given to him, it would shorten his life span. All of it was like some kind of bad nightmare that wouldn’t go away.
“What are you feeling right now?” Paulina broke the silence.
Jace opened his eye to find Paulina’s curiosity burning a hole through his very being. He gripped his knees with his hands and then shrugged.
“Nothing, I’m just… tired.” The lie was easy even if it was obvious.
“Understandable, it also seems like you deal with a lot of pain, both physically and emotionally.” Paulina summed up. “What about love?”
“Love is pointless.” Jace snapped.
“Really? Why do you feel that way?” Paulina crossed one of her legs over the other and tapped the pen against her chin.
“Why? That’s because it’s all anyone ever wants to fucking talk about. If it’s not that idiot Darin Zion and his insistence on coming after me time and time again for a shot at my title. Preaching the word of love and being a general annoyance. It’s motherfuckers going around marrying inanimate objects and professing love like they are some kind of maniac.” Jace hunched over on the couch.
“So you don’t love anything?” Paulina raised her eyebrow.
“I love professional wrestling,” Jace said confidently.
“Okay, but what about a person? Is there no one in your life that you love?” Paulina leaned forward on the desk.
Jace didn’t answer but decided to fold his arms across his chest.
“Alright, it seems like you haven’t yet felt comfortable opening up to me.” Paulina closed the notebook. “Do you have a history of substance abuse?”
“Absolutely.” Jace nodded.
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable prescribing you any medication.” Miss Siegel explained. “What I can do is schedule you for appointments twice a month moving forward. It’s going to take a great deal of time to open up and get to the root of your issues.”
“I’m not going to do that,” Jace said as he rose up from the couch.
“Excuse me?” Paulina was confused.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t take any medication if you gave it to me. And I’m certainly not going to come here twice a month to do this shit again.” Jace shook his head. “I only did this because Becca made me. Now that it’s done, I can go train and eat BBQ. So, thanks, I guess. See ya never.”
Jace saluted the Therapist before walking out of the office and slamming the door closed behind him. Paulina raised her hands up to her temples as the scene fades.
—–
The HOTv World Tag Team Championship belts.
Belts that represent every single federation on the HOTv Network. It is almost fitting that the current Champions are Dan Ryan and Jatt Starr. One man has a legacy a mile long over several federations over the years.
Not many people can claim they’ve never heard the name Dan Ryan before.
But then there is Jatt Starr. A stalworth here High Octane Wrestling where the HOTv network was born. One of the original HOW Hall of Famers. A man that can hold the claim to being the HOW Classic and not one person would dispute it.
Fitting Champions, indeed.
Champions, who have to defend those belts Sunday night in New Orleans. Their opponents are a couple of wrestlers you wouldn’t expect.
The first of them is one of the newest HOW signees by the name of Zach Kostoff. The son of legendary Chris Kostoff. HOW Hall of Famer, an original just like Jatt Starr. But also the man that was murdered in cold blood by Lee Best and company in a match on a PPV for the entire world to see.
The other one? Well, he is me. The LSD Champion, HOW Hall of Famer. Former War Games winner and overall pain in Lee Best’s ass, Jace Parker Davidson.
Odd couple to say the least, but here is the question.
What in the ever-loving fuck have Mini Kostoff and I done to earn a shot at the titles?
I have a reign as LSD Champion that is well past 250 days and Kostoff? Well… did I mention that his father was a Hall of Famer?
Let’s cut the bullshit, shall we?
Lee Best is like a mean teenager with a magnifying glass on a sunny day hovering over the ant hill that is Zach’s young career. For me? This is yet another plan to try and break me before we get to War Games in Mexico. I showed I had a spine and say the big bad things about ‘GOD’ and now he’s going to take every single opportunity to try and smite me.
Jatt and Dan are the next ones in line to do this by orders of the man in charge. All in this farce of ‘defending’ the HOTv World Tag Team Championship belts.
Jatt Starr isn’t taking this title defense seriously and nor should he. This isn’t a real defense of the ‘Co-World Championships’ as Mr. Starr likes to call them. This is a layup given by Lee Best to make his boys look good and give them some more momentum heading into War Games.
Jatt doesn’t expect to lose the belts on Sunday night. I don’t expect to win the belts on Sunday night. Dan Ryan will pretend to take it semi-seriously and make sure they don’t lose the belts on Sunday night.
Jatt and I used to be friends, teammates. Dan and I have never had the pleasure but as of this moment, I have no reason to put a target on the man’s back. Holding both HOTv Championship belts at the same time is enough torture for any man.
But that leaves Zachy boy.
The young 25-year-old wrestler that’s here to make money for himself. The man that’s his father’s son but not his father’s clone.
For him, this is the biggest match in his young career so far.
For me? It’s a crash course in making sure I survive the match and make it to War Games in some semblance of one piece.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m going to show up in New Orleans on Sunday, I will step into the ring and I will fight against both Jatt Starr and Dan Ryan. I will show The Final Alliance that I haven’t just rolled over and died. That I haven’t thrown in the towel due to the numerous brutal attacks or the ever-present numbers game.
I’m just not going to LEAVE it all out in the ring for the pipe dream of a 2nd reign with those belts. I won’t take any unnecessary risks to have a ‘moment’ inside of the ring to hold those belts high into the air and achieve a true underdog story.
And you can bet your ass that if push comes to shove and another Final Alliance mass beatdown starts to happen? I will not have your back, Zach.
I don’t hate you, and I highly respected your old man. However, you are not him and to be frank… you’re greener than fucking grass, kid. I’m not going to break myself to help you achieve an impossible victory. I’m not going to stick my neck out just so you can get your first taste of HOW gold. I once carried Scott Stevens to an HOTv World Tag Team Championship reign.
I have no desire to experience that type of torture again.
I’m sorry if you’re excited about this match. I apologize if you think we’re going to join forces and strike a mighty blow to Lee Best and his pack of goons.
There will be no team bonding exercise on Sunday night, Michael Lee Best be damned. I’m officially on this rag-tag War Games team. You’re still waiting to find out if your invitation is real or just a cruel joke.
I’ve done this enough times to know that walking into War Games as the LSD Champion is its own little special circle of Hell. Walking in it with one-half of the HOTv World Tag Team Championship belts is pretty much committing yourself to eternal damnation.
I admire the fact you’re pumped for this, I am also honored that your old man spoke highly of me. But the thing is… we’re not friends. We’re co-workers at best. We aren’t going to be hanging out together and drinking a beer outside of HOW any time soon. Jatt was someone I considered a friend as I said, and I sympathize with what his daughter is going through. Yet, I still walked out on him and Conor for greener pastures. Dan Ryan and I haven’t had so much as a conversation together, let alone a history together.
There are no REAL friendships in High Octane Wrestling. I’ve been learning this lesson the hard way. I hope you listen closely, Zach. I hope you don’t make the same mistakes that I have. This is the harsh reality when the ink dries on that signed contract.
You have no friends here. Not Conor, not Scottywood, not Stevens, and certainly not me.
I’m not going to jump in front of a bullet for you on Sunday night. I’m sure as fuck not going to let you piggyback ride me through an entire War Games match if you find a way to make it to that match at all.
So, good luck, I guess, kid. I hope to see you on the other side of this whole shitstorm.
Bottomline. I gotta look out for number one, first and foremost.
—–
Whisper’s House
Grand Junction, Colorado
Friday April 21st, 2023
The land behind the HellsGate facility was where Becca’s house sat along with a good portion of land. It was this land that was filled with friends, family, and wrestlers from all over the business. All gathered together by one person. She looked over her family and students alike as if they were her own flesh and blood.
Becca Curci brought all of these people together to share food, drinks, and comradery on this fairly decent day in Colorado.
Off in a corner of the land was the LSD Champion, sitting at one of the wooden benches and tables that lined the entire space in front of the house. Jace was alone with an empty plate in front of him and a drink in his hand. He chose to keep to himself, he wasn’t exactly immediate family and didn’t care to mingle with some of the so-called talents that Becca decided to train.
Jace was beginning to become comfortable in those moments of solitude. He was becoming very skilled at tuning out all of the noise around him and just living in the moment in his own personal space. That space and that solitude were invaded by a stiff punch to the shoulder that almost caused him to spill his drink. Jace snapped to his feet quickly, ready to run through whoever dared destroy his peace. However, when his good eye saw Becca standing there with a stern look on her face, he lowered himself back down onto the bench.
“Is that how you’re greeting people now?” Jace mumbled as he rubbed his shoulder.
“No, just you,” Whisper replied in a no-nonsense tone. Jace gave a look but she shook her head. “Don’t even, you know exactly what you did. You’re lucky I’m even allowing you on the property right now with how you acted during that Therapy session the other day.”
“You said that I had to go to it.” Jace reminded her. “You never said that I had to enjoy it or be productive during it.”
Whisper sighs with a roll of her eyes before taking a seat on the bench beside him.
“How was the food?” She asked using her eyes to gesture at his empty plate.
“Real good,” Jace confirmed. “So good that I would almost consider going to Therapy again, almost.”
“Oh, you’re going to Therapy again, whether you like it or not, you stubborn ass,” Whisper informed.
“That’s just not going to happen, Becks.” Jace laughed as he grabbed a hold of his drink and took a sip.
“We’ll see,” Whisper said in a semi-threatening tone before silence fell between the two. “You didn’t want to open up to Paulina about anything but at least tell me this, how are you holding up?”
“A little banged up, especially after last Sunday but that’s nothing new.” He said with a shrug. “I just suck it up, patch it up, and keep moving forward.”
“You mean that I patch it up so that you can keep moving forward.” She elbowed him in the side. “Honestly, though, there is only so much patching up I can humanly do. You’re going to have to start being more careful out there.”
“Careful isn’t a thing that exists in High Octane Wrestling,” Jace confessed. “With War Games right around the corner, it’s pretty much impossible at this point.”
“All you’ve done lately is train and brood,” Whisper grumbled. “Don’t you have a tag team match coming up?”
“I do.” Jace nodded his head before taking another drink.
“Then why the hell aren’t you training with your partner?” Whisper asked the logical question. “I would think getting your teamwork down and learning to watch each other’s back would be productive in the ‘careful’ department.”
“I’m not doing that,” Jace said arrogantly. “This team-up is a one-time thing. I don’t care to watch this kid’s back nor do I want to share the HOTv World Tag Team Championship belts with him. He’s a huge hindrance to me in the ring. It’s totally one and done with him.”
“You’re as prickly as a cactus sometimes,” Whisper admitted judgmentally.
Jace shrugged his shoulders once again and took a drink from his cup.
“You’re nice to me and the members of my family.” Whisper began. “But to a majority of the world? You’re just a giant walking middle finger.”
“Thank you, Becks,” Jace responded sarcastically. “I appreciate the compliment but there are no friends in professional wrestling. It’s rare to find someone that you can truly depend on, and even then, there is an expiration date on everything. You have your family, I hope enjoy it while it lasts.”
“You never talk about your family.” Whisper put it out there in a hushed tone. “I thought your father showed up back in your life not long ago. What happened with that?”
Jace’s expression soured at the mention of Terrence.
“Nothing at all happened.” Jace hissed. “He showed up unannounced as always. He tried to talk to me about whatever is happening in his life like we had that kind of relationship where chit-chat was a fucking option. I turned around and left in the middle of him talking, haven’t seen him since.”
“Are things at least good at home?” Becca kept prying but Jace just groaned a little. This caused Becca to cock an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“Noth–” Becca interrupted Jace. “Don’t you tell me nothing, I want the truth.”
Another groan escaped the LSD Champion as he began to fiddle with his hands aimlessly on the table.
“A while back I was at home with Samantha, just the two of us.” Jace paused but Whisper gestured for him to continue. “Everything was fine but then she decided to drop the L word on me.”
Whisper narrowed her eyes for a moment before realization set in.
“How did you react?” She asked with a sense of concern in her voice.
“I didn’t,” Jace revealed, plainly.
“What the hell do you mean ‘you didn’t?’” Whisper turned to look at him.
“I mean that I didn’t say it back to her,” Jace explained. “I actually didn’t say anything at all, if I’m being honest.”
Whisper rears back and slugged the LSD Champion across the jaw. Unlike the punch in the shoulder, this one wasn’t out of mere annoyance. This punch was intended to cause pain. Jace’s head jerked from impact and he had to use his hand to steady himself to keep from stumbling to the ground.
“What the fuck?!” Jace exclaimed while grabbing his jaw.
“You’re a fucking idiot!” Whisper growled before pointing off into the distance. “I didn’t think it was humanly possible to be this dense. They should have just taken both eyes because you’re blind.”
Jace turned his head and spotted what Whisper was pointing at, Samantha Tolson. The woman that was currently Jace’s significant other, was standing there talking with others who were at the BBQ. Namely, Kat Jones as Jace turned his head back around.
“I see perfectly fine,” Jace said in protest before reaching for his drink.
Whisper raised her hand into the air and smacked Jace upside the head. Something that Kat did often when they were around each other.
“Then prove it!” Whisper shouted. “You go over there and you make things right.”
“Excuse me?” Jace questioned with a bit of offense. “I find it weird that you of all people are pushing for this given the circumstances.”
“Don’t give me that shit.” Becca barked. “I’m not telling say the words just for the fucking sake of saying them. However, you need to go over there and tell her something. Tell her how you feel, regardless of if it’s good or bad. You just don’t ignore the fact that she said those words to you.”
“Stop telling me–” Jace started but Whisper smacked him again.
“Fucking go!” Whisper demanded as she got up to her feet.
There was a tense moment where the two of them glared at each other. Jace angrily grabbed a hold of his drink and pulled himself up to his feet.
There are no friends in professional wrestling. Alliances and partnerships are for fools who can’t make it on their own. Trust should never be given to anyone. Never open yourself up for someone to stab you where it hurts the most.
Jace began his walk trudge over the yard as Whisper watched on.
Love gets messy and complicated, then easily turns into hate. It’s a thing for puppies and simps and once that honeymoon period is over. It takes work, dedication, and patience to make that foolish emotion last between two people.
Jace approached from behind as she was in mid-conversation. He took a deep breath to prepare himself for what was about to come next.
All that energy can be put toward something more useful. Something that you can actually hold onto. That you can grasp with both hands and know it’s real. Love required blind faith that the other person would forever feel the same way about you from the moment they first laid on you.
Jace reached out and tapped her on the shoulder with his free hand. Slowly, she turned around and laid her eyes on him with a bright smile on her face.
People are awful, they will use you, they will lie to you, and you always hurt the ones you love the most. There are no friends in professional wrestling. To sink deeper into that trap and consider it love would be beyond stupid. And yet…
Jace looked at Samantha as she tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear. She had no idea what he was about to say, she was just happy to be in his presence.
“We need to talk.”