Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2018 22:23:32 GMT -5
Good Vibe Tribe.
1:31 PM
September 13th
Backstage at La Arena Ciudad de México; Mexico City, MX
“Brennan is King Kong, Drakz is obviously Destoroyah and Kyzer..."
"He's Biollante, with the vines being like, his 'associates'."
Mesh, the overexcited blueberry fangirls as she watches the…epoch final moments of El Grito de Dolores.
“What does this mean?” Daniel Knight asks, rhetorically.
“What do you think it means?!” Alecia Matthews blurts out. “David Brennan has answered the call, and if Lila Sleater has any semblance of the business prowess she just got done expounding, he’s just done the booking for her!”
The last image the world sees are the three members of the New Epoch staring a hole through one another, all three men with their hands by their sides – milking the crowd reaction for everything it’s worth before the monitor fades to black. Various staff members run past her in a frenzy.
The work never ends in the WFWF as the backstage crew run around taking some nearby equipment, presumably to the production truck. One of the show directors is heard talking to the cameramen via headset, telling them to wrap it up and head to the back. This scene of chaos fascinates Mesh, somehow. Among the crowd she spots Daphne Velasquez, leaving the women’s room in a secluded area of the arena.
“Hey Daphne!”
The veteran stops.
“Thank you for the support tonight,” she says, all happy and whatnot. “I did it! I'm in the finals!”
“Yeah, whatever.” she scowls, looking not amused – the complete opposite of how she was acting during the show. Daphne goes to walk away but Mesh grabs her arm, stopping her.
“What's with the attitude? I really thought you'd come around.”
“You wished me luck!”
Daphne makes a sweeping gesture with her arm, pointing out that they are completely alone in the hallway. “Do you see any cameras around?”
“Well... no.”
“Then I suggest you take your hand off me you before I slam your head into the wall.”
Mesh releases Daphne while looking shocked.
“What did I ever do you?”
“You are setting women's wrestling back fifty years, you stupid puta!” she says, raising her voice.
“Stop acting like a silly little girl.”
Daphne charges off down the hallway.
“Female empowerment is about being strong enough to laugh at yourself.”
“We can’t all be Wonder Woman, some of us are more like Liz Lemon.”
Daphne stops again.
“With that mindset, you’ll never make it in this business.”
“I think I’ve done pretty well for myself.”
“Please – the only people you’ve beaten are a bunch of jodidamente nadas!”
“You didn’t beat Frank Lynn. I’m not impressed.”
“Yeah? Is it because you’re jealous?”
“Don’t even start with me…”
“Jealous because you can’t do half the things I can? Jealous because I’m still able to wrestle?”
The two women get in each other’s face.
“Keep running your mouth, Smurfette.”
“Or else what?”
The usually fiery Daphne stays quiet.
“Look. I respect you, Daphne.”
“I remember watching you as a kid, thinking you were the coolest! I know I’m not as tough as you and I probably never will be but all I want is to earn your respect. We’re the only two women wrestlers in the company, if anything – we should stick together!”
“¿Estás loca o qué? Touch me again and I'll put you in the dirt."
Daphne turns her back on Mesh, whose admiration falls on deaf ears. Mesh frowns as she failed to gain the acceptance of one of her heroes. Again.
As the veteran disappears around the corner down the long, empty hall, Mesh sighs but is suddenly startled by a loud F bomb. She walks over to the sound to see “The Violent Gentleman” Sean Casey punching the brick wall of the legendary arena.
“You shouldn’t do that, you know?”
Casey looks up at his accountability buddy with stern eyes. His dark brown hair knotted due to sweat with long thick strands covering his face.
“Might break a bone or two.”
Mesh’s attempt to liven up the mood fails. Casey groans.
“It’s okay! So, you lost again but you’ll bounce back! I know you will!”
The Violent Gentleman walks to his dressing room, huffing and puffing with every step with his blue haired accountability buddy tailing him.
“Just – just leave me alone!” he says, shutting the door in Mesh’s face but she catches it and follows him inside.
“Please, just relax.”
“Don’t f***ing tell me to relax!”
Casey has never raised his voice at her before, leaving Mesh stunned. He starts grabbing his things and shoving them into his bag.
“Ever since you were….anchored to me, nothing has gone right!”
“It sucks losing, trust me but you’re Sean freakin’ Casey! Next show, you’ll get-“
“You don’t know me at all!”
Mesh is quiet. He’s right, you know?
“I’m a grown man, I don’t need you babysitting me all the time,” he continues, raising his voice, “I can control my urge to drink. If anything, you’ve made me want to drink again!”
She bites her lips as they quiver.
“Some accountability buddy you turned out to be.”
“You have no idea what’s it like to battle addiction! What could you possibly say to me if I were to relapse? Huh?”
Nothing from Mesh. He scoffs.
“Maybe coming back was a mistake but getting paired with you – that, was the biggest one yet.”
Her eyes glisten as tears fall like raindrops, although she does her best to not show it. Casey doesn’t notice and if he did, he doesn’t say anything.
“I’m leaving and who knows if I’ll ever come back...”
“But Sean –“
“Don’t follow me!”
Sean kicks the door of his dressing room open and marches away, away from the WFWF and away from Mesh for the foreseeable future. Expletives from Casey echo from down the hall followed by a loud bang. Another loud bang is heard and then it’s quiet.
Once The Violent Gentleman is gone, Mesh lets her emotions run wild. Her back against the wall, she sobs as she glides down to the floor, quietly weeping into her arms.
Suddenly, there’s a knock on the still open locker room door.
Suddenly, there’s a knock on the still open locker room door.
“Y’awright lass?”
“Not really, no.”
“Wha’ happened?”
Mesh sniffs, almost hesitant to answer. Shuggy walks over and sits down beside her.
“You ever get the feeling that nobody here likes you?”
“Nah. I’m charmin’, but I dinnae think you need to worry on that count either. Imma fan for one.”
“Seems like you’re the only one,” she says, sorta chuckling, “Do you know who Daphne is?”
“She tha’ lass who runs round with Lynn? I know Joe didnae like her one bit.”
“Yeah, her. She pretty much threatened me a little while ago.”
“Why didn’t Joe like her?”
“I dunno, I got the impression he thought she was a bit o’ a nob, but Joe can be too, so you cannae read too much into tha’.”
“Well, she hates my guts for some reason,” she continues, “You saw her during the show, she gave me some praise! I actually thought she had warmed up to me.”
“When I first started watching wrestling with my nana, she was one of the first wrestlers I remember being a fan of. She was one of the wrestlers that inspired me, especially as a girl you know?”
Shuggy nods.
“I wanted to be just like her – I even dressed up as La Pantera Negra for Halloween one year and when I first met her, I pretty much cried -”
“You nearly cried when you met some lass named Daphne? F***in’ hell, I’ve barely even heard a her. Did ya nae look up to Scarlett Quinn or Penny Shannon or, well, ya know, someone good like tha’?”
“I love Scarlett Quinn and Penny, but I was a fan of Daphne waaaaaay before them. Man, she was such a badass! Still is.”
“Ah, cool, wha’ makes ya’ think she hate you?”
“I don’t know!” her voice breaking, “That’s what sucks! I’ve been nothing but super nice to her. When I wrestled Frank at Breakout, she yelled ‘I hope you die’ in Spanish.”
“Sounds like Joe was right.”
“On top of that, Sean blew up at me a bit ago and...it scared me.” Shuggy examines the disarranged locker room.
“He’s prolly jus’ pissed off at his loss, I’m sure he’ll come round.”
“He said he was leaving the company - Sean’s not one to joke around. I just feel like I failed him...and Ms. Sleater.”
“Isnae your fault if he takes his ball and goes home. Not your fault he cannae take a loss either. Come on, you’re on a roll lass, cheer the f*** up.”
“You sound like Kat right now,” Mesh chuckles, “She’s always giving me advice or telling me that I’m too nice to be a wrestler because I tend to let people run all over me.”
“She sounds right up my ally.”
The Scotsman couldn’t help but laugh.
“If you were too nice to be a wrestler you’d nae have a winnin’ record would you? But dinnae beat yoursel’ up about tha’ p**** havin’ a go about you, or Lila expecting yous to do her dirty work. It isnae your problem.”
He smiles.
“I am.”
Mesh laughs as well.
“You’re right,” wiping away the tears from her eyes, “It’s the Pixie against The Leprechaun! Daniel Knight must be so happy to call such an epic encounter!”
“I know you’re not Irish, but I think the running gag is kinda funny.”
“Aye, I s’pose it is. Least these hacks arenae callin’ me English, tha’s when we’ll have a problem.”
“Best no’ be billin’ me as the hometown star against yous either. I’m dead excited for this one but that’d kill it stone dead”
“Oh, shush,” she jokes, “The crowd loves you too!”
“They do ‘ere, they willnae in London. You’ve definitely got an unfair advantage at Wembley.”
“Did you hear the reaction you got? You had the best entrance of the entire show!”
“I don’t think a light show will be enough to top that. Just saying.”
“I dunno. I go ta the trouble ah inventin’ WFWF piñatas and everyone’s asking for Mesh versions.”
Shuggy does his best job of pretending he’s angry about that.
“I got the space freaks covered, but most of ‘em love you more ‘an they love me.”
“You’re just being nice.”
“I really ain’t, in the nicest way possible, I’m still gonna kick your c*** in whoever wins the popularity contest.”
The ‘wee’ man laughs, seemingly wanting to make sure Mesh knows there’s no animosity behind his colorful language.
“I wasn’t planning on making this easy for you, buddy,” acknowledging the joke, “I want to be the Vanguard Knight just as much as you want to be the Intergalactic Spaceman.”
“Aye, well we’ll find out whicha the two it’ll be in a couple a weeks I guess.”
She looks up at her future opponent.
“Thanks for cheering me up.”
“Nae bother. I donnae like seeing good people upset.”
Shuggy’s phone begins to ring.
“Sorry, gotta get this, see ya in London.”
She simply nods.
Her eyes bloodshot from the tears she shed, Mesh sits up and starts to tidy up the messy locker room before leaving. She walks down the still empty, quiet halls to the back-parking lot where Mama Bear is waiting by the car. There’s a small breeze with the smell of rain filling the air. Some WFWF crew members are still loading equipment into the large production truck.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Mesh hugs her mother, fighting the temptation to sob but she gets it under control.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she muffles, “Just a long day.”
“I saw Sean Casey leave a little while ago – he looked upset.”
The mere thought of Sean Casey upsets Mesh even more so she just stays quiet.
“Can we go home now? I’m exhausted.”
“Let’s go then…soon-to-be Vanguard Champion.”
“Mom, please – it’s Vanguard Knight.”
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
“Katharsis has got this! If she can capitalize, she will be forever etched in the history books!” “Fat” Matt shouts into his headset with seas of rowdy wrestling fans screaming behind him! A heavily panting Kat, swiping the red dreadlocks away from her sweat drenched face. Pushing up with her left hand, she leans against the ropes for support.
“She’s up! If she somehow manages to hit Bruce with the Scissors Kick, she will change the landscape of this company forever!” says Yoogie, the no nonsense play-by-play commentator.
Kat removes the elbow pad from her left arm, signaling to the fans that it’s over! Her downed opponent, Bruce Medher is on one knee. Kat’s eyes widen as she sees her moment of glory right in front of her. She grabs the black steel chair from earlier in the match and opens it up, leaving it in the center of the ring, right underneath her opponent’s face. She bounces off the ropes, her legs snapping like a pair of scissors until the back of her legs clip Medher behind the neck! He falls forward, hitting the steel face first, almost lifeless. Kat crawls over to him, flips him over and hooks the leg!
1!
2!
3!
DING! DING! DING!
Suddenly, a surge of energy permeates the crowd as in unison, they all go wild! Those in the front row are jumping up and down, closing to leaping over the barricades. Kat still lies lumped over her opponent. Ring announcer Jane Paquette stands up from her chair, looking more enthusiastic as usual.
“Here is your winner and the newwwwww AWF Television Champion….Katharsis!”
The referee grabs the prestigious belt from the timekeeper’s area and walks over to Kat. She slowly gets off her downed opponent, letting the referee raise her tattooed arm in the air in victory.
“She is the first woman to ever hold the AWF Television Championship – that’s pretty historic.”
She grabs the belt and holds it above her head, with the crowd reacting. They are all on their feet, applauding, even some fans are weeping with tears of joy. Kat then walks over to the corner and pose, holding the belt for all to see.
“Whoooo! Yeah!”
The overexcited blueberry watches on with such glee backstage, applauding and cheering. She almost falls face first but luckily for her, the crutches that are wedged beneath her arms help keep her balanced. Her hands covering her mouth with her eyes glued to the monitor backstage.
Her eyes are glistening with tears as Mesh watches her best friend, her tag team partner, her raspberry jam have her moment. Mesh notices that she’s the only one paying attention to what just occurred. Other wrestlers are minding their own business, going over the spots in their match or warming up while AWF officials focus on the camera angle that looks best for television as they attempt to run the pay-per-view smoothly. Through the monitor, Mesh sees Kat celebrating, running around high-fiving the fans and hugging a few of the crying fans.
Her eyes are glistening with tears as Mesh watches her best friend, her tag team partner, her raspberry jam have her moment. Mesh notices that she’s the only one paying attention to what just occurred. Other wrestlers are minding their own business, going over the spots in their match or warming up while AWF officials focus on the camera angle that looks best for television as they attempt to run the pay-per-view smoothly. Through the monitor, Mesh sees Kat celebrating, running around high-fiving the fans and hugging a few of the crying fans.
She walks up the entrance ramp, holding up her prized title in her arms to a thunderous ovation from the crowd.
“The entire locker room better watch out – there’s a new hurdle to overcome and her name is Katharsis!”
The newly crowned AWF Television Champion walks through the curtain to a small round of applause from staff members. To Kat, this was a big deal but to the rest of the company, it was business as usual. She walks past other wrestlers, officials, management and bolts right towards Mesh.
“I’m so happy for you!”
Kat doesn’t say anything, they just hug.
“I did it,” she says, almost muffled, “I f***ing did it!”
The amount of blood sweat and tears leading up to this moment has all paid off. The two inseparable friends stay in each other’s arms as the thunderous buzz from the crowd continues to fill the air backstage.
Suddenly, Kat’s voice breaks. A rare sound – Kat appears to be crying.
“F***! I hate crying, but I can’t help it.”
“There’s nothing wrong with crying, dude.”
She wipes the tears from her eyes, smearing her eyeliner in the process. Mesh looks at her and smiles as Kat admires the big hunk of gold that’s now hers. She smacks the centerplate of the belt, as to convince herself that it’s real and not one of those replica belts. Yup, it's the real deal.
From behind the curtain comes her opponent, Bruce Medher. The referee and a staff member are helping him walk with his arms around the two men. The two bitter rivals lock eyes until he stops in his tracks. Kat drops the belt and put her fists up, expecting another fight but Medher smirks.
“Good job out there.”
Kat is taken aback.
“You still going to talk s*** about me?”
“After what we just went through? Never again. You’re a tough chick.”
She scoffs at the complement, followed by a smirk.
“You’re still an ass.”
"You're still a b****."
They both crack a smile.
“Come on, Bruce. We better get you checked out.”
The animosity between Kat and Medher is thick in the air and the heat between them still exists, but for now she earned the respect of the veteran. It wouldn’t be the last time they wrestled each other, either.
“This is the part where Hate is your Mistress breaks up because you’re going to have an amazing run as a singles, I’d just be dragging you down,” Mesh jokes, “Don’t forget about me when you’re super famous!”
Kat isn’t amused by that.
“Don’t say that,” she says, sternly, “Nothing will ever come between us. Not this title, not this company – nothing.”
Mesh smiles.
“You’ll get your moment one day, I promise you.”
Mesh briefly looks away but when she turns around, Kat's head suddenly becomes a giant cellphone! Mesh stares in shock and horror as her best friend's once beautiful face is now a super bright screen with dozens of icons on the home screen with a picture of Mesh, her mom and Kat as the background image. As if that wasn't bizarre enough, Kat's head starts to vibrate - violently! As the horror leaves Mesh frozen in fear, the brightness of the screen suddenly goes up - and up until everything fades to white.
8:30 AM
September 15th
Mama Bear’s house; Los Angeles, CA
Buzz, buzz.
Buzz, buzz.
Buzz, buzz.
Mesh’s arm slowly rises from under her covers, reaching blindly to stop the sound of her vibrating phone. Some of her metal jewelry clings as her hands feel around her black nightstand.
Buzz, buzz.
Buzz, buzz.
Buzz, buzz.
Frustrated at her lack of a discovery, Mesh lifts her head off her fluffy panda pillow. Without moving her body, she reaches again with no luck.
Buzz, buzz.
Buzz, buzz.
Buzz, buzz.
She sighs and begrudgingly turns around, moving from her comfortable position to finally grab her phone.
3 missed calls from: Kattttttttt <3
She immediately calls her back. It rings only a couple of times before Kat answers.
“Good morning, sleepy head!”
“Hey,” Mesh stretches, extending her arms and legs while still under the covers, “Good morning.”
“So, I was just calling to tell you that I’ll come and get you in a bit okay?”
“That would definitely make me feel better,” she says, “It’s been a rough week.”
“I know, dude. Getting out of the house will be good for you.”
“Where are we going?
“I haven’t though that far ahead but maybe, we can go watch a bad movie and bury it? Listen to Mad Caddies? Chill at my place? It's been a while since you last came over.”
“Sooooooo, pretty much what we always do?”
“Yup.”
“I can’t wait to see you!”
“Likewise, dude,” she says, “Once this song finishes, I’ll come get you, okay? I love the breakdown.”
Mesh can’t make out what Kat’s listening to on the other end but whatever it is, it’s loud, heavy and fast.
“Okay, I’ll be ready by then.”
“Okay, see you in a bit. Love you!”
“Love you too!”
Mesh sighs and reluctantly gets up albeit sluggishly. Her neon yellow top and baggy pajama bottoms are wrinkled, and her feet are bare as she limps to the bathroom down the hall to brush her teeth, still feeling the effects of her match against Chris Priceless. She sits down on the toilet to examine her legs, pulling down her pajama bottoms. Her usual peach colored skin is riddled with welts and purple bruises. She winces when she pokes the more tender ones.
Still groggy from waking up so early, she splashes water on her face and brushes her teeth.
Standing in front of the mirror in her room, the blueberry styles her hair. Her outfit of her day is made up of a black mechanic work shirt. Neon blue ripped skinny jeans and Chuck Taylor’s . She’s content with her appearance just as the doorbell rings. Mesh starts to apply her thick, black eyeliner as she hears voices coming from downstairs.
Standing in front of the mirror in her room, the blueberry styles her hair. Her outfit of her day is made up of a black mechanic work shirt. Neon blue ripped skinny jeans and Chuck Taylor’s . She’s content with her appearance just as the doorbell rings. Mesh starts to apply her thick, black eyeliner as she hears voices coming from downstairs.
“Katherine!”
“Mama Bear!”
“How are you doing today?”
“I’m doing good! What about you? How was Mexico?”
“It was nice visiting again and the show was really fun!”
“I’m glad! So, Mel got a big win huh?”
“Yeah, she did. I’m so happy for her!”
“Getting your first shot at gold is a pretty big deal.”
“You talking about me? Huh?” Mesh says in her best tough guy voice, which results in Kat and Mama Bear laughing.
Both Kat and Mesh have their hair in the same style – pigtails.
“I swear – I think you two were sisters in another life.”
More laughter.
“Hey now!”
“Hey now!”
“Did you sleep good?”
“Not really. I had this weird dream where you...turned into a phone.”
Kat and Mama Bear look at each other and kinda chuckle.
"I'm not even gonna ask. So, you ready to go?”
“Did you two want to eat first?”
“I was planning on getting some breakfast on the way to my place.”
“Okay, just know that it won’t be as good as my breakfast!”
“That’s definitely true.”
Kat and Mesh follow Mama Bear into the kitchen where she already has breakfast ready. Well, almost. Hot, oatmeal pancakes with sliced strawberries. The coconut butter that was dolloped atop the pancakes has melted. Two each. All that’s missing is a glass of almond milk. Of course, Kat has manners, so she takes off her big hat before sitting down.
“Actually mom, can I have four pancakes?”
“Four!?”
“Someone’s hungry.”
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
“So, a dude almost quit the company?”
“Pretty much, yeah. He was super stressed.”
“Wow is he okay now?”
“I don’t think he’s been talked down from that ledge just yet.”
After a day of heckling a bad movie in the theatre, the two best friends are chillaxing in the summer breeze. The sun has just started to set, leaving the sky creamsicle orange with the clouds fading into the distance. The silhouette of the trees make it look like a Bob Ross painting come to life.
Kat lives in the ghetto, but a nice one. It has a view. Kat’s apartment is right next to the beach where many people are seen heading home although an intense game of volleyball continues, despite the fading light. The walls are littered with graffiti. Loud sounds of Leftöver Crack coming from Kat’s speakers fill the air with noise as they, too dissipate into the sky. The two women sit on Kat’s outside patio, admiring the view as well as each other’s company. An average hangout session.
“Do you know that guy?” Mesh nods at an incoming homeless man. He’s lanky but muscular. Judging by the look of his arms, it looks like he lifts. Lifts what, who knows. He has a couple of tattoos and his fingernails are painted black. He looks middle aged.
“Yeah, that’s Ran.”
“Hey, hey Kat.” The homeless man says in a deep, raspy voice. Mesh notices that he is wearing an old Hate is your Mistress shirt, it’s the nicest piece of clothing he has on. His baggy pants are disheveled and dirty, and his combat boots have seen better days. His green mohawk is pretty nice though.
“What's up?” she greets him back. The man suddenly climbs over Kat’s patio and walks inside her apartment. Kat doesn’t react, but Mesh does.
Sounds of items cluttering around and the man returns with a handful of different food items: leftover lunch from yesterday, an apple and a bottle of water. Kat stops him, digs into her pocket and puts twenty dollars in Ran’s pocket.
“Thanks, man.”
As he walks by, Ran stops, in awe of Mesh’s good looks. He turns to face her and then points at his shirt. More specifically, to Mesh.
“That’s you.”
Mesh’s hair was much longer back then and ugh – those suspenders but yes, it’s Mesh circa 2007.
“Yeah, it is.”
“You’re cute.”
Just like that. With no hesitation or anything. She can’t help but blush. Not one to take a compliment, Mesh hides her face, all while giggling.
“Okay thirsty boy - move along.”
The homeless man then climbs over the railing and sits down against the metal bars of the railing, eating the leftovers. The things you see when you’re not in the suburbs.
“Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay, just caught me off guard!”
There’s a green haired elephant in the room. Well, outside the room but still.
“What was that?”
“Just the open-door policy I have with him.”
“Which is…?”
“Whenever I’m home, he’s able to come in and grab whatever food he wants.”
Kat? Being trusting? Mesh noticed that too.
“That’s very...unlike you.”
“Ran’s a good guy. In return, he keeps an eye on my place while I’m at work or I’m out somewhere.”
“How come you’ve never told me about this?”
“I always feel weird bringing it up, you know? Feels like I’m bragging or something.”
Modest Kat, as always.
“What about Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy??”
“I make sure the cats are fed first, then I get some things for myself and the rest goes to Ran and everyone else.”
“Everyone else?”
“A few miles from here, a group of squats live in an abandoned apartment building. Once a month, Ran takes a bunch of food over to them and those that want it, live off that stuff for a month until I restock. Rinse and repeat.”
“He didn’t take much just now.”
Kat looks over at Ran, still enjoying the leftovers, eating them as slowly as possible as if to savor every, single bite.
“That? It’s for himself. He already took a batch over there earlier this month.”
“Wow! That’s really cool, dude.”
Kat shrugs, completely blasé. Mesh smiles. They turn to face one another, making eye contact.
“So.”
“So.”
“I know you hate wrestling,” she starts, “but it doesn’t hate you.”
“I don’t hate wrestling. I just lost my passion for it, that’s all.”
“I know but seriously, if you were to come to the WFWF-“
“Dude, please – spare me the sales pitch.”
“I miss traveling with you, I miss our hijinks!” she says.
“I know you do. Sometimes I think to myself, was it all worth it? Traveling the world with my best friend, even if it means I can’t ever go to Canada again?”
“All because of a plastic bottle too…”
“Hey – that f***ing guy shouldn’t have catcalled you, especially when you were wrestling. Disrespectful f***!”
“Not gonna lie, I still get a chuckle at the thought of you jumping over the barricade and getting into a fight with some random guy.”
“The second he tried grabbing your ass, I knew there was going to be a problem, and somebody had to put him in his place.”
“He was drunk, I didn’t pay any attention to him.”
“Don’t care. He was at a wrestling show, not a goddamn singles bar.”
Mesh does nothing but smile. Kat was – is very protective of her and she always appreciated her for that, among other reasons.
“Was it though? Was it worth going through all that?”
“F*** yeah, it was! I can always wait for the Canadian bands I like to play here.”
Both women laugh as the sounds of the crashing waves nearby cut through Kat’s music, which is still fast, loud and heavy. Suddenly, there’s a silence between the two.
“You ever think about what happened at Battleground XI?”
“Not really.”
Shocker.
“Well, I had a dream about it today.”
"Wait - the one where I turned into a phone?"
The blueberry shrugs, followed by a smile.
"Dude, what the f***!"
Mesh snorts.
"That was at the end, the majority of the dream was me watching the match you had with Bruce, remember? It's like I was revisiting that day. I had my crutches and everything!"
“That's pretty crazy. Bruce was an a**hole too but not as bad as everyone else there that runs that company.”
“Still hate his guts?”
Kat pouts and genuinely thinks about her answer.
“I wouldn’t be as….hostile towards him as I used to be if I saw him today but I'm willing to bet that the guy still has s***** views on women in wrestling.”
“Ahh, so you are capable of changing your opinions, and here I was, thinking you were set in your ways.”
She mocks Mesh and flips her off.
“I know what you’re trying to do…”
“Is it working??” she asks, trying to be cute.
Kat sighs, her facial expression doesn’t look like she’s joking around either.
“The AWF killed my passion for pro wrestling dead. I doubt it’ll ever come back, I just watch you and that’s it so no, it isn’t.”
“You deserve to be in the biggest company in the world though!”
“No, I don’t,” Kat says, “Pretty sure I’m blackballed from wrestling anyway. This is about you now. You deserve this more than anybody.”
“I know, I know but….it should be about me and you! The AWF was big, but it’s not the WFWF.”
“I had my run on top – it’s your turn now,” Kat says, despite breaking Mesh’s heart, “You’re one of the biggest names in the WFWF, you deserve the spotlight!”
“You’ve worked too hard for this.”
There’s a silence between the two.
“Truth is – I never forgave myself for ditching you the way I did. It wasn’t fair to you.”
“I was selfish, I only thought about myself that day.”
The sound of the music seems to dim. The crashing of the waves seems to die down as well.
“I didn’t talk to anyone – you included for months. You didn’t deserve that.”
Kat hunches over in her chair, looking up at Mesh.
“Any other person would have disassociated themselves from me, yet you stayed.”
Mesh gets close to Kat and puts her arm around her. Kat rests her head on Mesh’s shoulders.
“Because I love you. We’ve been through so much together that for me to just throw it away over….bad business decisions would be dumb. You mean so much more to me than that.”
“You are the bestest friend any girl could ask for, really.”
“Bestest isn’t a word, hun.”
“I know but it’s the first word that came to mind.”
Kat smiles.
“If you really think about it, you’re the reason I even got the title shot in the first place…”
Mesh thinks back to that time period, where she was recovering from shattering her ankle where she was out of action for six weeks.
“I never thought of it like that…”
“Yeah, dude – you being hurt was what gave me that opportunity in the first place.”
“I would have never gotten that chance otherwise. The morons at the AWF would have put us in another throwaway tag match.”
“You would have gotten there on your own eventually.”
“Probably not.”
“I owe my success in wrestling to you.”
“Stop. That’s not true either.”
“Dude, it is.”
“Is not.”
“Is too.”
“Is not.”
“Is too.”
They make faces at each other as Kat clears her throat.
“This tournament was the biggest spotlight but now - it’s the biggest match of your career and all you have to win.”
“You say that it like such an easy task.”
“How good is your opponent?”
“Very good. He’s friends with a former world champion. He's even been compared to me a lot, saying that he's "Mesh with a -"”
Mesh doesn't need to finish the sentence, Kat knows immediately the word.
"Not gonna lie - that's pretty funny!"
“You can do this, dude. Take that title and grab the company by the balls!”
The very mature Mesh giggles.
“You’re such a weirdo.”
Suddenly, State of Mind by Mad Caddies plays from Kat’s speakers. Red hair and blue hair immediately look at each other with over dramatic looks of shock and awe.
“Our song!”
“Our song!”
They both stand up from their chairs and start dancing with each other to the song that cemented their friendship. Kat and Mesh mouth the words at each other as Ran bobs his heads to the beat of the drums. The sounds of waves crashing is just more noise that truly make this moment, memorable.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
2:34 PM
September 25th
Mesh’s bedroom; Los Angeles, CA
Searching for her things amidst the mess in her room, Mesh starts putting her wrestling gear as well as other items in the purple bag with all the doodles on it. She double, no – triple checks to make sure she has everything for the nine-day flight. She obviously procrastinated since the last flight to London from California is today.
September 25th
Mesh’s bedroom; Los Angeles, CA
Searching for her things amidst the mess in her room, Mesh starts putting her wrestling gear as well as other items in the purple bag with all the doodles on it. She double, no – triple checks to make sure she has everything for the nine-day flight. She obviously procrastinated since the last flight to London from California is today.
“Better make a vlog now while I still have time.”
She then walks over to her creaky bed for another vlog, with the tripod in its usual spot.
Mesh guys, it’s hi!
Sooooo….I got really lucky in Mexico.
Wait.
No, I mean like – I barely managed to beat Chris Priceless again.
I don’t know how, but I did.
My legs are still sore from that match, but it was worth it! I won in front of my mom.
But this is it.
Wait, I just said this is it.
I hate that phrase, it’s so overused.
I’m in the finals for the Vanguard Championship.
It’s me against Shugs.
Other than Frank Lynn, this is one of those times where I’m wrestling somebody that actually likes me in this company.
He’s one of the few, since most people here; two specifically don’t.
About that…
I kinda got into a…thing with Daphne and umm…
Let’s just say that she still hates my guts, for some reason.
One minute, she’s singing my praises which is all I want from her and the next, she’s threatening me.
I don’t get it.
And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Sean Casey quit the company.
I know I can be a bit annoying sometimes, but I was genuinely trying to help him.
I know he didn’t mean the things he said to me, he was just upset. We all say stupid things when we’re upset.
I failed at being his accountability buddy and that’s what hurts the most. With Sean gone from the company, who knows if I’ll ever see him again. I’ve tried calling him, texting him, everything and yet – nothing.
I just hope he’s okay.
He made a mess in the locker room and was cussing at anyone who crossed his path, yet nobody in the company came to see what happened or anything.
Except for one person.
Shugs.
That’s why Shuggy is a good dude.
But at London Calling, it’s not about our friendship, it’s not about knights, it’s not about intergalactic spacemen...
It’s about the WFWF Vanguard Championship.
Now, the lifelong wrestling fan in me wants to be the WFWF World Heavyweight Champion because that’s the belt.
That’s the belt with all the history.
The belt that all of the biggest names in WFWF history once held or in Drakz’ case, three times?
I want my name on that list someday, someday.
For now, I plan on winning the Vanguard Championship and making it even bigger than the WFWF World Heavyweight Champion.
Bigger than the WFWF International Championship.
She’s quiet, awkwardly staring into the camera.
Okay, so I realize that’s never going to happen – a girl can dream!
Throughout my career, it seems like every opportunity I got that involved a championship belt – I dropped the ball.
Long time fans of mine will know what I mean.
At AWF Invasion – the show in Japan where Kat and I became stars, I was the one that couldn’t grab the belts and as a result, I was thrown off the ladder by Roxy and Moxy and through a table, fifteen feet below which allowed them to climb the ladder and grab the belts.
At AWF Maximum Carnage, I was in a triple threat match against Ashley Elizabeth and Saraya Jade for the AWF Women’s Championship in my very first shot. Guess who ate the pin, as they say?
She points at herself.
At AWF 2040 – I was in another ladder match against Ashley for the AWF Women’s Championship. I remember being up on the ladder, reaching for the belt until her father, a former wrestler himself shoved the ladder out from under me and I fell off, again - fifteen feet and took a very nasty bump, breaking my ankle.
On a episode of AWF Livewire, I was in a match against Martibel Payano to see who would go on to face then-champion Maria Kardooni for the belt and guess what happened? I lost again.
To make matters worse, that was when management told me that they were letting me go, citing the timeless classic line, “we have nothing for you.”
I thought my story was done right then and there but luckily for me, the WFWF contacted me just a few months later.
That’s not to say that my streak ended there.
At Breakout, I wrestled one of the best wrestlers in the world – “The Lethal Weapon” Frank Lynn. That was my chance to show everyone that this girl can hang with the best of them. To show all the doubters and naysayers that I belong in the biggest company in the world.
Pretty sure I would’ve gotten a shot at the WFWF International Championship had I won.
But I didn’t.
That loss still bothers me.
I was this close.
At London Calling, I get another shot at being a champion – the first ever Vanguard Champion and I’m facing somebody that wants it just as bad as I do.
Mostly because he wants to be the Intergalactic Spaceman Champion, but I think the Vanguard Knight sounds way cooler.
Knights and dragons are much better than spacemen and aliens, just saying.
The thing is, whoever wins – whether it be me or Shugs, I know that we’ll still be friends and to me, that’s all that matters.
He’s going to bring it and so am I.
The main event at London Calling has David Brennan, Drakz and Kyzer in it. As a fan, this is huge!
Shugs, what do you say we steal the show???
I think he’d say, “Aye.”
Mesh winks.
Hopefully, the next time members of the Good Vibe Tribe see me, I’ll be the first ever WFWF Vanguard Champion.
If not, then at least everyone will know that I did the best I could, and I lost to an amazing wrestler and an even better person.
Losing to somebody like Frank Lynn is nothing to be ashamed of and I think the same could be said about Shugs.
That’s what Kat says, anyway.
Well, I have to get ready, so Mama Bear can drop me off at the airport. I’m running a bit late, but I wanted to make a vlog for all of you!
I love you all infinitely.
Byeeeeeeee!
The bed creaks as she sits up and walks over to her bags. Her mother waits patiently downstairs, browsing on the internet via her phone. Probably looking for deals on things to buy.
The bed creaks as she sits up and walks over to her bags. Her mother waits patiently downstairs, browsing on the internet via her phone. Probably looking for deals on things to buy.
“You ready to go?”
“Yup!”
They head outside, Mesh going first as her mother locks the door behind them. Suddenly, there’s a buzz in Mesh’s pocket.
It’s a text from Jenny Broom, the unofficial president of the Good Vibe Tribe.
