Past Mistakes

So what’s next for The Crown Jewel of Professional Wrestling?  What is my next move in Supreme Championship Wrestling?  There are those who argue that I still need my signature win.  There are those who say that I still need that one win that says I have arrived and I am a threat to anyone and everyone I step into that ring with.

I disagree.  Just look at what I’ve done since arriving in SCW and you will see the record of a woman who has racked up a string of signature wins.  As United States Champion I beat Regan Street and Tyler Tucker in a triple threat.  In the world title contender series I defeated Ace Marshall and Christy Matthews.  As Television Champion I defeated Donovan Kayl in non-title action.

Be honest with yourselves; The Phoenix has racked up signature wins.  That’s not the problem now.  That is no longer the goal.  The goal now is to take that next step.  The goal now is to finally reach up and grab the one achievement I have desired since signing with this great company.

The SCW World Championship.

Katelyn Buehler and I are both former World Champions in other companies.  We have history against one another.  And at the end of this best of five series, one of us will continue our path to greatness here in SCW while the other will suffer a setback.

This isn’t about signature wins; this is about a turning point in the SCW careers of myself and Katelyn Buehler.

I have to win.

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Scene 1

Off Camera

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Trafalgar Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, built around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars with France and Spain.  Enormous Nelson’s Column towers high into the air commemorating Horatio Nelson’s naval victory over the French off Cape Trafalgar in 1805.  There are four monumental bronze lions which are set at each of the four corners of the plinth of the column. But the column isn’t the only beautiful thing to look at here in Trafalgar Square.  The square has two large fountains and a number of statues.  Off in the distance one can easily see the National Gallery.  It’s over by one of the fountains that we find Marie Annabelle Jones and her half-sister, Jessica Jones Lasiewicz.

The elder, redheaded, Jones is wearing an ankle length floral print black maxi skirt, a pair of wedge heels, and a red blouse.  She is wearing her signature black leather jacket and her long red hair hangs unrestrained to shoulder length.  Jessica is dressed far more comfortably in denim jeans, black boots, and a long sleeve black sweater.  Her long black hair hangs unrestrained to shoulder length.  Jessica is here just tagging along with her sister Marie, who is the one who actually has business here in London.  Supreme Championship Wrestling has come to London to present its brand of competition and wrestling and it is for those reasons alone that Marie is here; competition and wrestling.  She wants to match herself against the best wrestling has to offer, specifically the best SCW has to offer.

Ever since her arrival in SCW, Marie has proven time and time again that she belongs in the upper crust.  Have there been bumps in the road along the way?  Sure, of course there have been.  But she has beaten the top names in the company, names like Ace Marshall, Christy Matthews, and Donovan Kayl.  Marie has been a United States Champion and, most recently, a Television Champion in SCW.  The Phoenix has nothing to prove to anyone in Supreme Championship Wrestling.

Still, despite her accomplishments, Jones still has yet to get to her ultimate goal.  It’s the one goal she has had since arriving in SCW, something she has always had her sights set on: the World Championship.  Marie came to SCW with the desire of getting a fair opportunity to one day be world champion again.  But she needs to earn that title opportunity, it won’t just be handed to her.  She knows how close she is and she knows that one big win could cement herself into the world title picture.  One signature win could open the eyes of any and all remaining critics and doubters.

That signature win could come in the form of not just one win, but three wins over Katelyn Buehler.  Buehler is another who held world championship gold elsewhere but has had a rough go of it in SCW.  The two have quite an extensive history back in the old IWC and now that rivalry is being renewed in SCW, but in a more professional sense, to see who is the best in a Best of 5 Series.

And the similarities between the signature win that the beautiful architecture of Trafalgar Square commemorates and the potential signature win Marie has coming to her if she can manage to over Katelyn Buehler three times out of five is not lost on either Jones herself or her sister, Jessica.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Marie says, absent mindedly staring out at the fountain.

“It is, but you’re not telling me anything I don’t already know.” Jessica responds. “My dad used to take me here all the time.  He wanted to fill my head with the stories of Horatio Nelson…”

Jessica’s voice trails off as her eyes roll.  Marie notices this and giggles.

“I take it you weren’t one for the history behind this place?”

“Not exactly.” She shakes her head. “I enjoyed the birds, the pigeons. I still remember coming here with dad, buying seed, and feeding the birds.  Not so much anymore, though.”

“Speaking of Nelson,” Marie points over to a column not too far away, a column surrounded by lion statues “that’s him, isn’t?  Or it’s is column, anyway.”

“Yeah, that s right.” Jessica nods her head and begins to make her way towards the column.  Marie follows suit.  The two women stop at the column and look up at the statue of Horatio Nelson at the very top.  Marie’s eyes grow wide and a smile forms on her face.

“Your dad is right, Jess.  This is an awesome sight.”

“I haven’t always agreed with him, but you’re right Marie, this is an awesome sight to behold.  I can’t argue with him on that one.” Jessica looks over at Marie inquisitively. “You do know the story of Nelson, don’t you?”

“Of course.” Marie answers, nodding her head. “Don’t forget, our mom was married to your dad for a time and so I heard some of these stories myself straight from him.  Napoleon was marching across Europe and Britain was one of the last remaining bastions of freedom.  The decisive British victory spectacularly confirmed the naval supremacy.  During the battle, Nelson was shot by a French musketeer; he died shortly thereafter, becoming one of Britain's greatest war heroes.”

“Impressive.” Jessica nods her head, grinning knowingly. “You sure know your history, sis.”

“I also know that this battle was a turning point for the British and French in the sense that it confirmed that Napoleon could not and would not take Britain.  Conquering Britain would be one goal that he would not be able to achieve.”

Marie looks back up in the sky at the Horatio Nelson statue.  Jessica does the same and then looks back at Marie.  She notices how she stares intensely at the statue.  Jessica hears her older half-sister taking a deep breath and sighing.

“Are you ok, Marie?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Marie looks back at Jessica. “I just can’t help but think that I’m the verge of something great, Jess.  Look at what all I’ve since arriving in SCW.  I’ve beaten former world champions, I’ve beaten living legends like Donovan Kayl, I’ve held the United States and Television Championships.  But every single time it appears as if I will turn a corner and get my just due credit as a legitimate, credible main event player, the road becomes longer, more obstacles get thrown up in my way.  Every time I get close to that signature win, it appears as if it become more and more elusive.”

She shakes her head with disappointment. “I’m honestly not sure what else I can do, Jess.”

“You can stop whining.” Jessica says rather coldly, but Marie is rather used to her sister being like that. “That would be a helpful start.  Secondly, look at what you HAVE done.  You’ve done in a shorter amount of time what some in SCW have never.  Two championship wins, a victory over world champions, and quite honestly, I’d say a win over Donovan Kayl on the grand stage of a pay per view would be a signature win.  If it’s a legitimate, signature win you want, I’d say you got several of those.  If you want to be taken seriously with respect in the locker room, you got that too.  So be honest with me, Marie.  What do you really want right now?”

Marie stares into the intense eyes of her sister Jessica, ignoring the passers by on either side of them.  It’s as if no one else exists but them.  Marie finally sighs and nods her head, relenting after what seems like an eternity.

“Alright…I want a world title shot.”

“Who doesn’t?” Jessica chuckles.

“I’m serious.” Marie retorts somewhat offended. “I came to SCW with that purpose always in the back of my mind.  I felt UWA was treating me unfairly.  UWA was granting anyone and everyone rematch after rematch but when I lost the UWA World Championship not only was I not granted a rematch but I was not even booked on television for months.  I was left off of the next pay per view, Sectioned.  I signed an SCW contract with the understanding that I would be treated fairly, that I would get a fair opportunity, which is all I wanted from the start; a fair opportunity to once again become world champion.”

“Ok, ok, I get it.” Jessica says, trying to calm her agitated sister down. “But you do understand that you have to earn it.”

“I do.  And that’s why this Best of Five Series against Katelyn Buehler is so damn important to me.  You’re right, Jess, I have been on a roll.  I beat Ace Marshall and Christy Matthews, I won the United States and Television Championships, I beat Donovan Kayl.  But I need to keep winning and keep winning big if I am to get that opportunity I want so badly.  I have to win, Jess.  I just have to.”

Jessica smiles warmly at her sister.  Then she reaches out a hand and places it on Marie’s right shoulder.

“And I’m sure you will.  Just don’t doubt yourself.  Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Jessica shakes her head. “It’s unnecessary, Marie, especially considering you’ve been doing such a great job lately.”

“In the ring, maybe, but outside the ring not so much.” Marie sighs and shakes her head. “I didn’t tell my son the truth about his father, and did everything I could to avoid telling him the truth about his father, all because I was afraid to talk to my own son.”

“You were stuck between a rock and a hard place, sis.  I think anyone can understand the tough decision you had to make.  It was completely understandable.”

“Would you say the same thing about my judgment regarding Kimberly?” Marie asks.  She points a finger at Jessica. “You were the one who said you didn’t trust Kim.  You said you didn’t think she deserved to be a part of the family and…”

“I was wrong.”

Hearing that causes Marie to back up ever so slightly, primarily out of surprise.  She didn’t expect to hear that coming from Jessica.

“What did you say?”

“I know, it’s hard to believe, but I was wrong.” Jessica chuckles. “Me being wrong; hard to believe, right?  But the point is I judged Kimberly based upon her past, a past that is wrought with violence and psychopathic tendencies, a past that is a story of a sociopath hell bent on destroying our family.  I was right to judge the way I judged her but you took a risk, not out of naiveté but out of a familial love that perhaps I don’t have, or at least have as much of as you.  You loved her enough to take a risk on her and as it turns out you were right to do so.  Is she eccentric?  Yes.  But from what I’ve observed she cares about this family.”

Jessica smirks knowingly. “I could learn a thing or two from you about caring for your fellow human being.”

Jessica and Marie embrace in a tight sisterly hug.  After breaking the hug Marie chuckles lightly.

“I appreciate the sentiments, Jess.  I just worry, y’know?  And maybe I’m worrying over nothing.  But I do worry about some of the decisions Kim is making.”

“Like what?”

“Her new boyfriend, John Ortiz.” Marie sighs. “I haven’t even met him, Jess, but from what Kim has told me, he strikes me as a dangerous person.”

“Oh and Kim isn’t?” Jessica remarks with a smirk on her face. “Marie, you helped her all you could.  You gave her the mental help she needed, help she still receives from Dr. Warren.  She’s a contributing part of society now.  An adult.  She has to make her own decisions and make her own mistakes, paying the consequences of those mistakes, just like any other normal person.  You had to pay the consequences of your mistakes and no one rushed in to save you, did they?  So what makes her any special?”

Jessica always was a bit harsher and blunter than any of the other Jones women.  She gets it from her father, “The Polish Spirit” Andreas Lasiewicz.  Still, Marie can’t help but think that Jessica does have a point here.  Kimberly should learn from her mistakes.  Experience is the best teacher; Marie’s own mother taught her that.  Marie has had to learn from experience before.  The many mistakes she made growing up helped mold her into the person she is today.  Despite the mistakes, Marie wouldn’t change a thing.

“Yeah, I did make quite a few mistakes in my time.” Marie remarks, nodding her head. “You were there to rub it in most of the time, if I recall.”

“I didn’t like rubbing it in, but you’re right.  I did.”

“Bullshit,” Marie says smirking “you loved it.  You really loved rubbing it in about Damian Toole.”

“Oh please, don’t bring him up again.”

“Once again, you were right about him.  I was wrong.  I should’ve listened to you.”

“It doesn’t matter now.” Jessica shakes her head. “He’s gone and you have someone much better in your life, someone willing to accept both you AND your son Sean.”

“Yes, Sean…” Marie’s voice trails off as a smile creeps across her face “…Arthur is so good with Sean.  He really is the perfect man.”

“See what I mean?  You learned from your mistake and that experience helped you find the right guy.  Speaking of which, where is my brother-in-law and my nephew?”

“Arthur took him sight-seeing around London.  He said he’d call me later to let me know how things were going.”

As if on cue Marie’s iPhone starts going crazy.  Marie chuckles as she takes it in her hand. “I guess that’s him, then.  Hold on a sec, Jess…”

Jessica nods her head and watches as Marie presses a button and then places the phone to her ear.

“Hello?.......Yes, Arthur, it’s me, just calm down, I….” Marie’s eyes grow wide as she continues to listen “….WHAT?!”

“What is it?” Jessica asks. Marie holds up a hand to hush her.

“Ok, I’ll meet you back to the hotel as soon as I can.  Bye.”

Marie hangs up the phone and sighs with exasperation.  Jessica, for her part, has remained silent through the whole ordeal but is still curious about what is going on.

“What is it, Marie?  What’s going on?”

“Arthur was attacked in a park.  He had Sean with him so he didn’t fight back.”

“Did the authorities get the guy who did it?”

“No clue.” Marie shrugs her shoulders. “Arthur didn’t share much information.  He just said I needed to hear this myself, alone.”

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Scene 2

Off Camera

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The lobby of this hotel in London, England is quite exquisite.  The floor was tiled in fine marble, which made every step echo. A chandelier made rainbow colors dance across the luxurious lobby. Embroidered silk sofas surrounded a large, flat-screen television. The twin doors that led into the lobby were a pristine white with golden handles. The desk was made of amber-colored wood and a green granite top. Exquisite paintings hung from the rich, red walls. Even the door hinges were engraved with swirls and elegant designs. Music played in the background, even though the only person around to hear it is the attendant at the desk.  The music is soft, the colors gentle to the eye and the large dining room is set up and ready for dinner tonight.

Silence never lasts forever.  The silence of this hotel lobby ends abruptly when Marie Annabelle Jones comes bursting into the lobby furiously, with a concerned, nervous look on her face.  Immediately the redheaded Boston native makes her way over towards the elevators.  As soon as she gets to the elevator doors Marie presses the button calling for the elevator and the door opens.  Marie enters the elevator and then Marie presses the button for the elevator to go up.  The door closes and the elevator begins to rise.  The face of Jones is stoic and serious the entire way up.  She doesn’t make a sound as she ponders what may come next.

Marie has reason to be nervous.  Her husband, Arthur Pond, was out with her son, Sean Connor Jones, when he was attacked without warning.  Her husband being in trouble is bad enough but her son being in danger as well is enough to make any mother upset beyond belief.  And she still does not know who the assailant was or if he got away or if the authorities have him in custody.  Arthur would not give away any details.  He just said Marie had to hear it for herself; face-to-face.

As soon as the elevator reaches the second floor it comes to a slow stop.  The doors open and Marie Jones exits the elevator.  The Phoenix turns and begins to head down the hall.  Marie soon comes to a hotel room door, presumably her own.  Marie then takes her keycard and inserts it into the door slot and then once she hears it unlock she pushes the door open.

“Arthur?  Sean?” Marie shouts as she enters the room, letting the door shut behind her.  She finds Arthur sitting in a chair by the window.  A light is on as he reads a newspaper.

“Arthur?” Marie asks as she approaches his chair. “Where’s Sean?”

“Sssshhhh….” He says silently urging her to be silent “…he’s in his room, asleep.”

“Is he ok?”

“He’s fine.”

“What about you?”

Arthur places his newspaper down and stands up out of the chair.  He turns around to face Marie.  Immediately she gasps at his right eye, which is blackened, most likely from the attack earlier.

“I’m fine, Marie.”

“Like hell you are.” Marie snaps back at him, motioning to the black eye. “That thing looks terrible.”

“It looks bad but trust me, I’ve had worse.”

“So what happened?”

“Not really an interesting story.” Arthur says bluntly. “It was rather straightforward.  Sean and I were taking a stroll through Hyde Park.  Few people were around the time.  Come to think of it, I don’t remember anyone being around at the time.  That’s why his attack came as a surprise to me.  He tackled me to the ground and starting throwing rights.”

“My God,” Marie holds her hand over her mouth “did he escape?”

“I managed to kick him off of me but that wasn’t going to stop him; at least, it wouldn’t have stopped him.  He looked ready to pounce again but some other guests at the park spotted the disturbance. I think he was worried he’d get caught so he ran off.”

“He didn’t hurt Sean, did he?”

“No, he never touched him.”

“I’m just glad both of you are ok.” Marie kisses Arthur on the lips. “You had me worried when you called and told me.”

“We’re ok, Marie.  Both of us are.”

“Nearly ok.” She touches his right eye. “Does it still sting?”

“A little” He admits with a chuckle. “But I’ll live.”

“I am glad you are ok, though.” Marie repeats. “But why would he attack you?  Hell, why would anyone attack you?  Was he trying to rob you or something?”

There’s a long pause as Arthur stare into Marie’s eyes.  Finally he sighs and shakes his head.

“It isn’t as simple as that, Marie.”

“Then make sense of it to me, Arthur.  Why would some maniac just attack you in the park?”

“Sit down.” Arthur commands, pointing to the king sized bed.  Marie nods her head and sits down on the edge of the bed.  Arthur walks over and places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“This isn’t going to be easy for you to hear, but you deserve to know.”

“Know what?”

“You deserve to know who attacked me, Marie.  And when you hear his name, I think you’ll know the answer as to why he attacked me.”

“Who attacked you?” Marie asks, growing more and more frustrated with Arthur’s delaying.

“It was Damian.  Damian Toole.”

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On Camera

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I’ve never been one for the NBA, NHL, or even Major League Baseball; sorry, but pro-basketball and hockey have never been my things, and definitely not baseball.  I am slightly into college basketball thanks to my sister Jessica’s obsession over the Duke Blue Devils basketball program and I am a big fan of my hometown New England Patriots NFL program.

There is one thing I can say for the NBA, the NHL, and MLB that the NCAA and the NFL could, perhaps learn a thing or two from.  In the NCAA and in the NFL, on any given day any team on their game can beat anyone, or any team with a lot of luck can beat anyone.  Just look at University of Maryland Baltimore County and their victory over Virginia.  A team that barely made the NCAA Tournament beat the best team in the nation.  Do you think they could’ve done that again?  Do you think they could’ve beat Virginia four times, the way you have to do in the NBA playoffs?

In a way, the NBA and NHL and MLBA playoffs truly showcase who is the best because you have to win a series.  It’s not just a one and done.  The last one standing at the end of the series can truly claim to be the best of them all, without question.

That’s what makes this Best of Five Series between you and I so special, Katelyn.  We are evenly matched, I think you’ll agree with that.  We have both held world championships in other companies and either one of us could easily become SCW World Champion if given the opportunity.  And on any given night, I could beat you or you could beat me, depending on which of us is on top of our game that particular night, and maybe even depending upon who has a little more luck than the other.

And we’ve tangled before, haven’t we Katelyn?  It was Invictus 2, May 4^th of 2015, and you and I were a part of a four way dance for the IWC World Championship.  So many wild cards and x-factors were thrown into that match; among them being the other two opponents, Taylor Chase and Serenity.  Who knows who would’ve won between the two of us in a one on one scenario, Kate?  That night Serenity managed to get the win after you did the heavy lifting.

There was also special referee Brittany Lohan.  Special referees are, perhaps, the biggest wild cards of them all because you never know what they’ll do.  You never know if they have an agenda.  Perhaps I would’ve won had I not been such a bitch to Brittany.  I was misguided back then; young and immature.  But I’ve grown since then.  I’ve learned from the mistakes I made and I am a better competitor and a better person for it.

There was one other time we did battle, this time in Global Championship Wrestling, but once again shenanigans, corrupt twisting of the rules, and a strange masked ninja lady who turned out to once again be Serenity kept the fans from seeing just who really was the best on that particular night.  I mean, yeah, I may have officially been declared winner, but I refuse to count that.  Not the way I won it, not by a cheap disqualification victory.

Yes, Katelyn, we do have a checkered past with one another.  A history marred in controversy.  We never have truly determined the better athlete, despite the many times we’ve battled toe to toe in the center of the ring.

Ah but that’s the beauty of our Best of Five Series.  There will be at least three, maybe as many as five matches between the two of us, Kate.  Will there be some shenanigans, wild cards, x-factors that could affect one of the matches?  Perhaps.  But all of them?  Unlikely.  No one can claim shenanigans, outside interference, or anything else in a Best of Five Series.

A Best of Five Series will truly eliminate any and all doubts and questions regarding the outcome of the battle.  A Best of Five Series will truly eliminate any and all doubts and questions regarding who the better athlete really is.  And maybe, finally, once and for all, we can see which of us is the better athlete.  Once and for all we can see who is better, Katelyn Buehler or Marie Jones.  That’s what I want and that’s what our fans want.  That’s what the SCW fans want to see.  They want to see Katelyn Buehler do battle with The Crown Jewel of Professional Wrestling in a classic, in an epic Best of Five Series that no one will soon forget.  And yes, we will tear the house down.  We will steal the show each night we compete.

Unfortunately, it won’t end well for you, Kate.

I’m not going to be arrogant and claim I’m going to win this via clean sweep.  It is highly unlikely that anyone can beat a former world champion like yourself in a clean sweep three straight matches.  So I’m under no illusion of pulling off that feat.  But a Best of Five Series is a marathon, not a sprint, and I’m prepared to go the distance.  If I have to wrestle all five matches against you then I am prepared to do that.  And whether it takes three matches, four matches, or all five matches, I will win the Best of Five Series.

I’m going to win because, quite simply, I want it more and I need it more than you.

This series is a turning point for both of us, Katelyn.  I don’t think anyone will deny that.  You need this as a signature win to prove you can win when it counts.  But I’ve been where you are right now.  I was in a situation where I needed a big win to prove I belonged.

But I got those wins, Kate.  I beat former world champions here in SCW and I don’t care what anyone else may say about me or my abilities, I have already proven that I am a future world champion.  One shot is all I need.  Just one opportunity and it doesn’t matter who the champion is, I can and I will get the job done.

This is a turning point for me in the sense that I know how close I am to proving to SCW management that I deserve an opportunity.  I just need to keep winning, I need to keep beating top athletes like yourself, I need to keep getting these signature wins, and eventually I’ll get my shot.

But I can’t afford to let up.  I cannot afford to take my foot off of the gas pedal.  I need to keep going straight forward as fast as I can down this highway to success here in Supreme Championship Wrestling.  Right now that highway has you in my way, as an obstacle I have to overcome.  And I know that one setback, one loss, will delay me from getting what I want.  Or worse, it could potentially keep me from getting it altogether.

I signed to SCW because I wanted to be a World Champion again and I believed SCW was the place to do it, because I knew I’d get treated fairly and because here in SCW is where you find the toughest competition in all of professional wrestling.  When you are the SCW World Champion you can truly say you are the best.

That’s what I want, Katelyn, and I know that if I can just get through you, if I can just beat you three times out of five, then I can advance my career and move on forward towards that ultimate goal.  Because I am close, I am so damn close that I can taste it.  I can feel it.  And I am not ready to take a step back for anyone, not even for someone I respect like you.

I’m going to beat you, Katelyn, because I have to beat you.  I have to beat you more than anything you can ever imagine.  This is just match one, Katelyn.  This isn’t just a one and done.  I may beat you on Breakdown but I understand that doesn’t mean anything until the rest of the series plays itself out.  You could beat me on Breakdown and yet, still, I will just as confidently and proudly declare that I will win in the end, because this isn’t one strike and you’re out.  This isn’t single elimination.  This is Best of Five.  Only the strong will endure through the entire series and survive.

This is going to be a taste of what you can expect throughout the series.  Good luck…

…you’ll need it.