Spite

Fadein. MJ Flair. 

No frills or extras. Ready? Go.

“Why do we do what we do?”

“Isn’t that the biggest question of all?”

Fine. Some extras. MJ is sitting in the middle of a studio apartment with minimalist decoration and addition, dressed in a tank top, over-the-knee yoga pants, and ankle socks. Her hair is pulled back into a flat ponytail, and her cheeks are flushed. 

We’ll skip the speculation and just tell you – she is still cooling off from a workout.

Even more, her feet are up on a pillow on a coffee table with a closed cup in front of her. And it’s a protein shake. 

Ya never know what you assholes want to hear or know.

“This sport is a tough business ta be in. Win or lose, we’re beat up and sore after each match. Win or lose, every confrontation has a subtext to be dealt with.”

“Win or lose, we win or lose based on a tonn’a details that have nothin’ ta do with whether or not we can win or lose.” 

Pause.

Smirk.

“Sometimes you’re Mike Best. You find your comfort zone, you excel beyond all possible possibilities, and ya use that as a home base ta dip your toes into another company while takin’ as little risk as ya can.”

“Sometimes you’re Jack Harmen, so good at what’cha do that ya don’t give a fuck whether or not you’re any good at what’cher doin.”

“Sometimes you’re Andy Murray. So good at fightin’ that you forgot what else ya might have in ya, and ya focus everything on the one.”

“And sometimes you’re Mariella Jade Flair.”

“None’a the above.”

“Don’t get me wrong, man. I don’t wanna rain on anyone’s reasons for not bein’ there. Yeah, sometimes you’re a cowardly bitch – but sometimes you’re just there. And ya can’t shit on someone for Being There.”

“Peter Sellers deserves better.”

“But why am I here? What gets me up every day and fightin’ the fight?”

“There’s some in High Octane that’d say I’m biting my dad’s name, making the office think I should get some extra consideration ‘cause my dad was good at this. There’s some in High Octane that tie me to the Industry, as if all’a my success at any level here was solely based on LT, Ryan, and Jack holdin’ my hand since I’m clearly a shitty wrestler that doesn’t deserve ta’ be here. 

“And there’s one or two fuckin’ emmy award winners that seem t’be convinced that I’m literally a waste’a space, only fit t’pad the win-loss records’a the real athletes. Now, I don’t wanna shit all over Little Jimmy for what’s clearly a well – thought – out point’a view, except ta say that that little shart hasn’t ever done anything’a note without at least three better athletes holding his hand through the scary things like ‘having to earn literally anything.’ Little Jimmy likes t’talk about Dynasty – but between Mikey, Eddie, Sean, and Kendrix, he was – at best – the fifth most talented wrestler in that group.”

“So why am I here? Why do I look at my record so far in twenty-twenty and say ‘Fuck yeah, I’m jumpin’ my ass into the Lethal Lottery?’ Am I so arrogant as t’say I’mma beat anyone I get into the ring with?”

“Fuck no.”

“But we’ve all got a reason ta’ be here, and we’re all tryinna make a mark. Whether we’ve already made it or not.”

“No matter how many times Mike’s been ICON Champion, he’s gonna go into this like it’s his birthright t’retain the belt. Cause that’s his ish, man – if he don’t believe he’s the best in the world he might not wrestle like it.”

“Max Kael’s ranked number one, but he’s still showin’ up like he’s got something ta prove ta’ any of us here. Cause as fucking ridiculous as his shit is, he cares about this company and his standing inside.”

“Go figure.”

“Andy Murray and Little Jimmy are so fuckin’ arrogant that they’re actually lookin’ ta’ send the Bruvs to the Lottery to defend the tag team titles on their behalf. I mean, that’s what they’ve said. So they’re either cowards or liars. I wonder how Andy Murray, the fucking paragon of fucking virtue thinks’a that.”

“But this is what the Lethal Lottery’s gonna come down to: a series’a ‘What Ifs.’ What if I get another crack at Mike. What if I get another crack at the LSD Title.”

“What if I end up in a Tag Team Championship match without Jack? What if he ends up in one without me?”

“The entire concept’a ‘what if’ can drive ya crazy.”

Pause.

“I tell ya though, when you’re down ‘n out, the entire concept can be a catalyst ta’ flip the script.”

“I’ve had people that never even knew my father tellin’ me that I’m only here ‘cause’a him. I’ve had people that never stepped foot in the ring with me tellin’ me I didn’t deserve t’step foot in the ring with them.”

“Second Coming? Third Coming? Fourth Coming? Ya stink and we don’t like ya.”

“Except for the fact that that’s the biggest mistake anyone can make in this sport: present an opinion as fact.”

“So why am I here?”

“My goal in High Octane Wrestling is to earn the chance to wrestle for the LSD Championship one more time. My secondary goal is to step into the ring with Mike Best before either he retires, I move on to somethin’ else, or the Refueled Era comes to a close.”

“And I wanna explore this tag team with Jack Harmen to the fullest extent.”

“So why am I here?”

“Because I’m more than the sum’a these parts. Because I’ve stared down Murderers Row this year and I’m still standing and beggin’ for more. Because I’ve come within an inch’a beating the best wrestlers High Octane has ever seen… and I’m playin’ the Lottery ta’ earn that inch.”

“I’m still here because War Games was a career defining moment for me a year ago, and I’m lookin’ ta make lightning strike twice.”

“Because my fellow athlete’s opinions’a my career seem ta’ be limited to ‘You should just give up, you suck and nobody wants you here.’”

“Well. That’s good enough for me.”

“I dunno if anyone’s ever built a successful career in this sport fueled on spite, but, mother fucker, I’m willin’ ta’ give it a go.”

“Because I’ve lost this year. I’ve lost a lot. But I’ve lost by the skin’a my teeth every time, and I’m not gonna give anyone the satisfaction’a sayin’ they ran me off.”

“Maybe I’ll make it the extra inch at the Lethal Lottery. Maybe I’ll finally lose one decisively. I can’t say, and I ain’t no mind reader so I ain’t gonna speculate.”

“But I’m gonna be there for the Lottery. And I’m gonna be there every other night this year, next year, until High Octane shuts down or until my wrestling ability does the same.”

“And while I ain’t gonna lie and say I don’t care if I lose every match from here to eternity, I’mma say this – I ain’t gonna be stopped if I lose every match from here to eternity. I’m still gonna be showin’ up t’wrestle every week on Refueled.”

“Ya can’t beat someone who refuses to acknowledge being beat.” 

“And if all I’ve got left ta give to the sport is spite? Then I’mma give the sport the best spite I can, and I ain’t gonna step off.”

“Just put me in, coach. Cause if I don’t win, if I don’t achieve, if I don’t overcome…”

“At least I’mma make my opponent pay for it.”

Cut.