Post by Deleted on May 5, 2019 18:10:19 GMT -5
8:45 PM
April 5th
Backstage at The Talking Stick Resort Arena; Phoenix, AZ
The sound of running water coming from the bathroom suddenly stops. The steam slowly dying down as sounds of dripping water echo amidst the tile shower walls.
Mesh steps out from the shower, with a towel wrapped around her. Her blue hair is stringy like wet spaghetti and her face is colorless, although faint black smudges are still on her face.
Ironically, Steamroller (My Baby Got Run Over By A) by The Adicts starts playing through her Bluetooth speaker just to add salt to the wound. Thanks, Spotify!
The firm carpet scratches the bottom of her feet as she makes her way over to the bench in the middle of her locker room. She’s not her usual bubbly and bright self.
Instead, she’s disappointed.
She's the loser now.
She sits back on the bench and sighs, almost exaggeratedly.
She closes her eyes, trying to drown out the voice she’s hearing in her head, but Monkey’s vocals keep reminding her that she got run over by a steamroller.
Wa wa woo.
The pressure of being the Vanguard Knight has finally gotten to her.
She's peaked.
After AriZona Sunshine, nobody is going to take her serious again.
The constant criticism that has followed her throughout her career echoes; Katharsis was always the star, not Mesh.
She starts to cry at the thoughts running amok in her head, her anxiety getting worse and worse.
Glistening tears falls from her eyes and down her chest as she sniffles.
Everyone has always told her that she was a joke.
Tonight proved - no, cemented that notion.
She sighs again, wiping the tears from her eyes and starts getting dressed, coming to terms with the conclusion she's made up in her mind:
After SuperBrawl, she's leaving the WFWF.
Win, lose or draw - she's gone.
Forever.
WTF
Wisdom
“Cute baby! Cute baby!” Mesh says in her best baby voice as she cradles little Laura in her arms. The infant just stares at The Vanguard Knight, perplexed, “Who's the cute baby?”
Laura just stares at the blue haired stranger.
“You are!” the champion squeals, “You're the cute baby!”
Laura turns her tiny head to look at her mother, who's busy in the kitchen making lunch. She's focused on cutting the vegetables for the chicken pot pie.
Mesh gets her own bowl of salad.
“What's the matter, baby? Hmmm?”
Her eyes stay focused on the cutting board, but a smile is visible.
Mesh continues to bob and weave the baby, but she looks bored.
The Vanguard Knight realizes it.
“I don't think she likes me.”
“Oh no! It’s not that, I think she's just tired.”
Mesh smiles at the reassurance.
“No, I think it's just our guest,” a voice from the back room emerges as the source of the voice makes his presence known, “Trust me, babe – Mesh here is a real headache.”
Always one to never let a joke bring her down, Mesh laughs along with Frank.
Sarah though, isn't laughing. She gives Frank a look, keeping him in check.
Mesh chuckles under her breath as Frank makes a face.
“Sorry about that.”
“Oh, it's okay. I know he was just joking.”
Frank makes the “see?” motion to his wife but she's set in her ways.
Just like Frank.
“So uhh, Mesh – that's not your real name, is it?”
“It’s Melanie but nobody really calls me that except for my mom.”
“I think I like Melanie a lot better. It’s a pretty name.”
Mesh smiles, still cradling Laura in her arms.
Frank puts his arm around his wife and gives her a little smooch behind her ear, causing her giggle.
“I'm going to take Mesh out to the barn, okay? Come on and get us when the foods ready.”
They kiss again as Mesh hands over the baby to her father as he walks her to the back room, presumably putting her inside the crib.
Frank returns shortly and beckons Mesh over to him as he leads her over to backdoor of his two-story ranch house in Framingham.
There's a slight breeze outside as Frank leads Mesh down the dirt path, leading to his barn.
Mesh looks behind her and sees the wooden gazebo besides the house with two lonely chairs set up.
On the deck by the house is a big jacuzzi.
And even better – a rope swing.
“So, your house is pretty freakin’ huge.”
Frank chuckles.
“It didn't come cheap but it's worth it. You'll have something like it soon enough... if you want."
“Nahhh, I don't want a big house like this. My mom does though.”
“Well, that's certainly a goal for you." Frank pauses for a moment, caught up in some deep personal thought. "I'd like to think my mother would have liked this place.”
Mesh just smiles as they approach the barn.
Frank opens the doors…
Lo and behold, it's not a barn.
Well, it is a barn, but it’s been converted into a state-of-the-art wrestling gym and training facility.
Various machines, all in mint condition. Weights all alongside the back wall, from five pounds all the way to 100 pounds. Various mats surround the wrestling ring dead center in the middle of the barn.
“Did you make all of this?”
"If by 'make' you mean 'paid for it', then yeah, I made all of this."
Frank nods, letting the work speak for itself. Mesh just looks around in awe like a kid in a candy store.
“This is where I train,” he says, holding his arms out, "Not many WFWF wrestlers have been here, only Billy Broom and now you. Welcome to the club."
“I get to train with The Lethal Weapon?”
"Yep. You have a big match at SuperBrawl and let's be honest, things didn't go so well for you in Phoenix. I'm more than happy to help you get back on track and up your game so you can put Anna Ahriman in her place."
“Thanks, Frank. I really appreciate it.”
Frank goes to walk away but he stops and faces her.
“First off, I want to say that-, “ he struggles to find the appropriate word, “I lost control in our match and the slap was over the line.”
Mesh scoffs, standing with her arms crossed, “It's okay. I get it. It's like you always say, inside the ring, we're rivals. Outside the ring, we’re friends.”
Frank gives Mesh a genuine smile before replying. Her charms have worked on him.
“That's why I like you. You get it.”
Mesh just smiles again.
“So, we’re good?”
“Of course."
Frank sighs in relief, as if he’d been wanting to get off his chest since Arizona.
But he still looks puzzled.
“You okay?”
“How much do you know about the Ahriman family?”
“Not much. I'm supposed to hang out with PenPen later this week, said she could help me out regarding dirt on Anna.”
“Yeah, Shannon knows Anna better than anyone, so she'll give you good advice.”
“You've beaten Anna though. Twice!”
“Doesn't mean I know much about her, just that she came in to the WFWF riding her daddy's name for all it was worth. Her family though, everyone's heard of them.”
Mesh sits on the mat inside the wrestling ring while Frank leans against the ropes.
"In case you haven't figured it out yet, there's something about the Ahrimans. None of them is quite right in the head."
Mesh chuckles, but she stays quiet.
“You know who her dad is, right?”
She nods.
Of course, she knows that.
“On my very first night in the WFWF, I ran into Samael.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Frank says, crossing his arms, “He told me, “’if you don’t let this place f*ck with your head you could go far’.”
Mesh's eyes grow wide in awe as if she was hearing advice of the Flying Spaghetti Monster himself.
"He should have passed that nugget to his own daughter because as of now, she's majorly f***ed up. Full blown psycho bitch with a lady boner for you."
Mesh smirks and nods her head in agreement.
“What do you think she'll do in our match?”
Frank scoffs, “I have no idea and that's what makes Anna dangerous. She asked for the ultimate playground match, that means she's been planning this for…who the hell knows?”
"It's actually the Ultraviolent Playground match."
"Ahh, my bad. It's been a while since the last one."
Despite her correction, his words somehow resonate with her.
“You're right.”
"Take what happened at Arizona as a lesson: when you're in over your head, don't lose focus. Be ready for anything."
His words ring true.
“You're right. When Sleater asked me originally if I wanted to participate in the show, I said no because – come on,” Mesh makes an exaggerated face, “Did anyone seriously think I stood a chance against you three?”
“Nobody expected you to beat Shannon. I don't think anyone expected you to beat Daphne.”
Touché.
“All I'm saying is – you've been a fan of the WFWF since you were just a kid so you know what it means to be a part of SuperBrawl. It's your first one,” he stops, “I don't want it to be your last.”
Mesh just smiles, a clever way to mask her true feelings.
“Is Frank Lynn worried about me?”
With no humor in his voice, Frank simply replies, “Yes, I am.”
Mesh is taken aback.
“Don't worry about your fellow Thunderbird!”
Frank makes a face, as if Mesh had mentioned the name of an ex-girlfriend.
“What did you just say?”
“I've been thinking – what if we formed a tag team?”
“There’s no more tag teams in the WFWF anymore, you know that.”
“I know but what if, you know?” she says, really enunciating her point with exaggerated hand gestures, “What if you and I formed The Thunderbirds V2?”
Frank groans, immediately regretting ever having his fellow wrestler over at his house.
"That's a name I'd like to forget,” Frank replies, burying his face in disbelief, “I'll never live down Thunderc*nts. F**king Drakz and his smartass mouth."
“I think embracing it is the best way to rub it in Drakz’s face.”
“Knowing Drakz, he’d just come up with another name for our team.”
“Screw Drakz. He's a bully anyway.”
Frank just shakes his head.
“Well, what do you say, fellow Thunderbird?”
Frank scoffs but deep down, he's impressed by Mesh's persistence.
He goes to open his mouth until…
“Food’s ready!”
Sarah pokes her head through the barn, startling both her husband and Mesh.
“We’ll train a bit after dinner, okay?”
Mesh nods as they make their way towards the half open door of the barn.
Homemade vegetable salad and homemade chicken pot pie await them.
***
“You ever smoke weed?”
“Nope.”
Penny Shannon smiles at Mesh's naiveté
“You're so cute.”
The two women are sitting on the old couch in the center of the living room. Mary and Penny’s apartment is organized but not spotless. There are some wrappers of food scattered across the table with half-filled mugs with coffee or tea joining the two in the living room.
Also, on the table is a grinder with what looks to be parsley.
Except it’s not.
It's the hootie mack.
Penny lunges for the green, immediately rolling it into a joint like a pro.
She grabs the tie dye lighter on the table and ignites the tip, huffing on it until the smoke fills her lungs.
Exhale and she feels it.
Mesh, on the other hand just watches her idol go to Iran.
Another puff by the former WFWF World Heavyweight Champion before she holds the joint out at Mesh.
“Would you like to smoke with me?”
Mesh just stares at the ignited tip of Penny’s joint, watching as a thin strand of smoke disappear into the ceiling and getting lost in the air. The strong scent of the herb causes Mesh's nostrils to flail.
“I don't know. I mean – yeah it'll be fun to say that my first time smoking was with Penny Shannon but –“
Mesh seems uneasy.
“My mom will be disappointed and if Kat ever found out I smoked weed, she'd kill me.”
“That's cool,” Penny reassures her, “You don't have to. I just thought I'd ask since I know you get real bad anxiety. Mary Jane helps with that.”
Suddenly, the Vanguard Knight turns to look at Penny, her eyes glowing.
“You watched my last vlog?”
Penny takes a big hit from the joint, unable to speak as a big ball of smoke prevents her from doing so.
She just nods instead.
“That means a lot to me, thanks.”
Mesh continues to eye the joint until her curiosity gets the best of her. She bites her lip.
“You know what? Sure, I'll take a hit,” she says as Penny hands her the doobie, “YOLO, right?”
Her hands quiver slightly as she stares at it.
“Okay, just put it in your mouth and inhale. Slowly. This is chronic so it's pretty strong.”
Mesh does what she's told, placing her lips onto the dry end of the joint and inhales.
Slowly.
Penny watches on like a proud mother.
As soon as Penny says strong, Mesh feels it.
Her anxiety dissipates.
She's suddenly much calmer.
Her limbs feel looser with each hit.
It feels nice.
“Are you sure you've never smoked pot before? Everyone has to cough at least once.”
Mesh, trying to inhale the smoke answers in an almost raspy voice, “Nope.”
She hands the joint back to Penny who simply smiles, “You're such a weirdo.”
Penny then gets up and puts on some music.
Strangely enough, it's Kat and Mesh’s song that starts playing: State of Mind by Mad Caddies.
“Whoa, it's our song!”
“Our?”
“Yeah, this is Kat and me’s song!”
Me’s? Really?
Mesh is baked already.
“Oh yeah! The chick with the red hair!”
Penny hands Mesh the joint.
“Yeah, I love her,” Mesh inhales, “She's, like my bestest friend ever!”
“How long have you known her?”
“A really, really, really, really, really, really, really long time.”
So, seven years.
“Yeah, man. I've known Anna for a good minute too.”
Mesh looks over at Penny.
"That's why I invited you over, so I could maybe give you some advice."
Her bloodshot eyes glazed over, “Is she like, your best friend too?”
The Vanguard Knight hands the joint over to Penny, who isn't high yet.
“More like frenemies,” quick puff, “We fight constantly
but we’d have each other's backs. I mean – we’re essentially honorary McGurk Family members.”
“Wait – so you'd help Anna out when I'm ridding the WFWF of her curse?”
Penny smiles.
“If she gets herself into too messy of a situation, I'll be there to bail her out,”
Mesh makes a face, her eyes semi-shut as she leans back on the couch.
“So, I can hold it over her head for as long as possible.”
Penny smirks, joint in her mouth as Mesh sighs in relief.
“What’s one fact about Anna that no one else knows?”
“She’s Catholic. Like, hardcore.”
Mesh almost chokes on the smoke before she starts to toke again, “Kinda weird, isn’t it? Her dad is a Satanist and she’s…not.”
“Well, she’s only Catholic because of Malakai. She loved him. Probably even more than her dad.”
Mesh just stares, her eyes nearly shut but she’s just super high.
“To tell you the truth – if I was a betting girl,” quick inhale by Penny, “I'd bet on you to win at SuperBrawl.”
Now, Mesh coughs. The combination of THC flavored smoke and her idol putting her over was like a stiff shot to the gut.
Penny pats Mesh’s back.
“What?!” the champion barely manages to blurt out, her voice dropping a few octaves, “What?!”
“I became a Mesh fan after Event Horizon. Well –“
Huff.
“I was always a fan, but it was after our match that I knew you had what it takes.”
Penny feels the smoke deep in her lungs – it feels nice.
She starts to feel the high coming on.
Mesh has been unusually quiet, Penny looks over and sees Mesh, leaning back on the couch. Her eyes glazed over, fixed on something on the ceiling.
“I’m…I’m floating! Penny, I’m floating!”
She’s not really floating, it’s just the chronic.
Penny bursts out laughing, forcing her to cough as a puff of smoke shoots out of her mouth.
Mesh’s arms dangle as if they were being pulled by a puppeteer, slowly wobbling back and forth.
High as a giraffe, Penny looks to her right and smiles, “Oh hey, Celeste!”
The weed pixie (yes, they do exist) stands with her back against the corner with her arms crossed, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
She looks mad.
“Who the f**k is this?”
Tenacity
SYE Records; Dallas, TX
May 3rd
4:10 PM
“The meet-and-greet with WFWF Superstar Mesh will begin shortly! Thank you for your patience.” an employee breathes into the intercom to calm the rowdy and boisterous crowd outside the doors. They have been chanting “We want Mesh!” for half an hour now. The usually blasting sounds of music from the speakers are quiet today as the staff scramble to prep for the signing.
They knew it was going to be packed but not like this.
They expected 300. Instead, they got 5,000.
5,000 rabid and colorful members of The Good Vibe Tribe of all ages, race and gender – all united for their love for Mesh.
A long table covered with a shiny white tablecloth with different colored paint markers with a few bottles of water by her feet is all the record store gives the champion in preparation as her shiny Vanguard Championship sits proudly next to her.
Some weed might calm her down, but she can’t afford to get paranoid again.
She can't afford to see ninjas again right now
Ever since Arizona, Mesh hasn’t been her usual self. While she can’t stop smiling on the outside, she’s a wreck on the inside.
Thoughts of just quitting the WFWF continue to take control of her brain. They’re like a piece of gum on the bottom of her shoes. No matter how much she tries pulling off, bits and pieces always remain.
And the pieces that remain fester.
She can feel her heartbeat in her chest and she’s easily more prone to just stare off into the distance.
She gulps down some water, hoping that it’ll calm her down.
It doesn’t but there’s nothing much she can do now.
Because the two doors for the record door swing open and a giant mob of colorful people run towards her like zombies after brains.
She smiles.
“Please refer to your number so you don’t lose your place in line,” the employee says on the intercom, “Thank you!”
The crowd seems so close yet so far to the champion as she makes eye contact with many of the fans in line.
There’s a sparkle in their eyes as they eagerly await to get the opportunity to meet their hero.
For a moment, Mesh is transported back to when she was just a fan.
The same exact store where she met her hero.
That's why she chose to have a meet-and-greet at a record store for All Access.
Poetic, if that's even the right word.
In almost a zombie like trance, Mesh hugs, high-fives, takes pictures, signs away with all her adoring fans.
One by one.
She’s smiling because she truly does enjoy seeing the smiles that she brings to them but deep down inside, she feels like she’s lying to her fans.
The thoughts of quitting – announcing her departure from the WFWF after her match against The Witch; win, lose or draw still run rampant in her mind.
Every time a fan tells her that Mesh is their favorite wrestler, she smiles, and it makes her feel good, but the decision has already been made.
What happened at Arizona will never happen again.
“Look! There she is!” a thick New York accent says. Mesh looks up and makes a face.
She's heard it before.
It's familiar…
“Oh my God! You're the Uber driver from New York!”
The older man removes his hat as he approaches Mesh. It's been a year since Mesh was last in the Big Apple, yet the presence of the man soothes her.
Brings back memories.
“Yup, that's me!”
“You came all the way from New York for SuperBrawl?”
“Sure did, but only because I promised the someone I want you to meet that I would.”
He gently guides a young girl who was hiding behind him.
“This,” he starts, putting his hands on the girl’s shoulders, “Is Jadzia.”
Mesh wants to scream but she can't.
Because she's in a public place and we all know what happened last time she freaked out in public.
It's the little girl that Mesh signed for.
Her first ever autograph for someone.
“Awww, I still love her name!”
It’s Polish.
The little girl is dressed head to toe in her best Mesh outfit; blue wig, black tanktop with a blue tutu. Kandis adorn her wrists and her Chuck Taylors are covered by fur slip-ons.
“Hi, Jadzia! It’s so cool to finally meet you!”
She just stares at Mesh in awe, unable to process her experience. Mesh understands exactly what’s happening right about now.
“You’ll have to excuse her; she’s been waiting months for this.”
“No, no it’s okay! I know exactly how she feels right now!”
We just said that.
Suddenly, the little girl bursts into tears and lunges at Mesh, squeezing her with as much strength as a nine-year-old possesses. The Vanguard Knight comforts her as best as she can.
“Her mother died in September,” the older man says, with a somber tone in his voice, “You were the only thing that…made her smile through all of that.”
The weight of what the man said hits Mesh like an anvil falling from a twenty-story building.
"The store felt it too as the noise suddenly dies down.
Suddenly, she can feel her heartbeat start to slow down.
The sense of dread that has been looming over her head since Arizona suddenly dissipates.
"I hate to bring the mood down but you have no idea how she this little girl adores you."
"Can I ask what happened to her mother?"
"Liver failure," the man says, almost cold, "It runs in the family."
Mesh holds the little girl tighter in her arms, closing her eyes, fighting back the urge to cry along with her.
"Now, I don't mean to preach on or whatever but people love you," his voice getting slightly louder, "My granddaughter right there, she loves you."
The more the man talks, the more Mesh wants to cry.
"I may not be the best grandfather in the world but you make my granddaughter happy. And I appreciate that."
It's quiet throughout the store.
"Don't lose your fight, kid."
That.
That right was enough for Mesh to start bawling.
Not only because of what the man said but because it made her think of her best friend, Kat.
Don't lose your fight, kid.
"That's what Rita always told me."
She hears Kat's voice in her head. Her voice of reason.
Now, despite what people may think, Mesh isn't dumb. She knows how much influence she has over her fans and how popular she is.
But she had no idea how much of an impact she's made on the lives of her fans.
Jenny, Dee and now, Jadzia.
The man was right.
"Don't ever lose your fight for them," the man turns around, pointing at all the fans waiting in line, "The fans."
"Because no matter what happens, they will still love you!"
The crowd erupts after the man's promo, the screeching is deafening but Mesh doesn't care.
She lets the tears flow and smiles.
"Thank you. So much."
The man gives Mesh a smile back, quickly wiping tears from his eyes as well.
"And thank you for being the most amazing fan ever!", Mesh turns her attention to Jadzia, wiping the tears from her eyes, "Thank you, Meshie."
With her head screwed on straight and her mind clear, her hunger and passion for wrestling comes back.
Then she changed her mind: she was staying in the WFWF.
She wasn't going to leave.
Not that easily.
Focus
Hey guys, it’s Mesh!
It’s here: SuperBrawl!
You know, just a few weeks ago – I didn’t really care about being on the card for a show like SuperBrawl.
After what happened at Arizona, I really wanted to quit.
I had planned to announce my departure from the WFWF after my match.
Win, lose or draw - I didn't care anymore.
But I just came back from doing All Access and you guys are the reason why I will never quit.
I wrestle, not just for me but for you – The Good Vibe Tribe.
You are what get me through the worst.
So thank you.
I love you guys infinitely.
Even though the WFWF has its share of problems.
Like I always hear about some of the people working there that tend to make getting ready for shows such a drag, like the people that have been there for years but never step up to the plate when it's go-time or at least, help out backstage.
Poor Bartholomay. That guy was so scarred from being in Talent Relations, he just up and quit.
No one has heard from him since.
Sleater's right hand, Shawn too. He's always having personal things come up but he always steps up when needed.
No matter what.
That's super cool in my book.
Even the guy we call Limbo backstage, he's done a lot for us WFWF wrestlers yet not even a thank you or anything.
Yeah, I know he has a weird schedule but still - it isn't fair to him to tackle catering, flight schedules, graphic design AND the itinerary.
He must've been stressed or something when making the match-up screens for SuperBrawl because he too billed my match against The Witch as a Ultimate Playground Match.
I wonder if he knows Frank?
Anyway, my first day here, nobody said a word to me except for Limbo, Shawn and Bartholomay.
It's still that way to this day.
I don't care though.
I know who the real ones are; the ones that actually care and that's all that matters.
Yeah, occasionally one of them will be like, "Hey! Good job!" but it's empty and vapid. That's their go-to response.
Vapid. That's a big word for me.
I dunno.
I realize now that guys like Drakz and Draven and Kyzer will never like someone like me.
And I've come to terms with that.
I'm done trying to be friends with everyone.
As far as I'm concerned, the only people I consider friends in the WFWF are Frank, Penny, Kay Kay, and DK.
Even you, Shugs.
Kat and Frank were right this whole time: Don't trust anybody.
I hate to say this but I actually sympathize with Ms. Sleater.
It's hard running the circus when the animals don't listen.
Or don't want to participate.
I'm the flying trapeze because I fly over everyone on the roster; sure, there's a few scares here and there but I always manage to grab on and swing back.
Despite all of that, I still love this place.
When I was thinking about quitting, I would get so sad because this is what I've been wanting to do since I was a little kid.
And for me to just up and quit because I lost three times in one night would've broken my heart.
As it would you guys as well.
I'm sorry for wanting to quit on you when times got rough.
I'm stronger than that but I guess Arizona truly is a cursed place for me.
But we're not in Arizona anymore, we're in Dallas!
At the AT&T Stadium; The House that Jerry Built.
The only Jerrys I know are the mouse, Seinfeld, Only, Cantrell and O'Connell.
Dude, Sliders was such a great show!
Oh! And I forgot Jerry Springer.
But apparently, it's a Football thing so...I dunno.
I don't like Football.
But yeah, we're here in Dallas in the world famous Omni - where many wrestlers from the past also stayed so kinda marking out right now!
And the next thing I have to vanquish a witch from Dallas - and her name is Anna Ahriman.
I made a serious mistake thinking she had my best intentions when she came up to me after my match with PenPen.
I should've known but I was too naive and dumb to see through her.
Looks like Daphne was right about her all along.
The one positive thing I will say about The Witch is that she made Kat so mad that she came back to wrestling!
Okay, it was only for one match but still - the WFWF got to see just how badass Kat is.
And of course, Kat beat her, just like how I'm going to beat her at SuperBrawl.
I grew up watching Ultraviolent Playground matches so I know what to expect; barbwire, blood, thumbtack ball-pits, I get it.
You really think adding Cameron Stone to the match is going to affect me?
Reina almost beat him up and she was twice my size! I can take him too.
But fear not! I have a surprise for you too, Anna.
One that will make your dad or even Malakai blush.
I know about you and Malakai and you became a Catholic just for him.
I know how Malakai was all about doing the word of God for the betterment of man.
So you've always wanted the attention, but just no one ever gave it to you? Got it.
You're literally the living breathing manifestation of Notice me, senpai! Notice me!
Makes sense, considering you like anime and such.
I totally just found my thumbnail for this video.
Come SuperBrawl X, I'll give you some attention but it'll be at the cost of your career.
Well, "career".
You're a never was and never will be.
You're leeching off your dad's name because that's the only way you would've ever made it in this business.
Call me any name you want; blue haired pixie, Smurfette, Blue, Ramona Flowers, whatever - you have no idea how hard I've worked to get here today.
You have no idea what it's like sleeping in a broken down van with three other wrestlers because you can't afford a hotel room.
You have no idea what it's like to wrestle for no money.
Imagine getting paid with hot dogs and Powerade.
I did.
Many, many times.
Imagine being a vegan getting paid for wrestling with a hot dog she can't even eat!
Imagine being stuck in Canada because your best friend got into a fight and got herself banned from the country and she had all the money.
You don't know what it's like to starve.
You don't know what it's like to "pay your dues", as they say in the business because you didn't have to.
You're Ahriman, that name holds some weight.
I had to scratch and claw my way to get here - and I'm just getting started.
I have to beat you, Anna.
I'm still going to be here after SuperBrawl whether or not I'm still the Vanguard Knight afterwards.
You're not.
If you win, okay - you proved a point but then you'll be gone and then the title - my title will be vacated.
Not me.
Win, lose or draw, I'm still going to show up and wrestle because that's what I do.
I get knocked down but I'll always dust myself off and get back up, ready to go again.
Even if I lose three times in one show again, I'll hang my head up high and still make my way down that ring to fight again.
You'll just run back to daddy, hoping that maybe, a big win under your belt will make him notice you.
That you are worthy to carry on the Ahriman name.
But you're not.
You're not worthy enough to hold this belt.
I earned this belt.
Everything I've ever gotten in this business, I earned.
Not you.
Everything was just...given to you because you're an Ahriman.
The closet thing you ever got to a belt was the one that your dad used to beat you with.
That's such a Drakz line.
I know you're friends with Penny and Scarlett but guess what? You'll never be on their level.
Because Anna, you’re no Samael. You’re no Penny. You’re no Scarlett. And you sure as hell ain’t no Malakai!
It made you squirm when I said it to your face and I know it's making you squirm again.
Truth hurts, don't it?
At SuperBrawl, I want you to do your worst.
No matter what, I'll still keep fighting until the curse - your curse has been vanquished from the WFWF.
Even if you try to stab me too - like father, like daughter, I'll still get up from that.
The WFWF survived your father's curse but now it's up to me to finish the job.
After I light the fire and burn the witch, there's another moniker that you can add in with the dozens of nicknames that I have already: Mesh, the Witchfinder.
Because I found a witch at Event Horizon and come SuperBrawl X, it's going to be a baaaaad day at Salem.
She goes to talk, but then smirks.
You know what? I wanted to wait for our match to show you my surprise but...I can't! Two seconds!
Mesh quickly goes off-screen, going for....something.
A crown of thorns!
She holds it up to the camera so the viewers can really look at it up close.
I'm never one to get deep or anything and I especially don't like speaking ill of the dead but...it's SuperBrawl and I'm ready.
I felt like a crown of thorns was a fitting way to get rid of you once and for all...by disrespecting your memory of your beloved idol Shawn Malakai!
Anna; you and Malakai are nothing but heretical crocks of.... you know.
You deserve to see your idol claimed as a false hero.
Just like mine, Daphne Velasquez was to me.
You hang on every word of Malakai and that's your weakness.
I beat Daphne and proved to her that I'm better.
Just like I'm going to beat you.
She comically fans herself, alluding to the heavy subject material.
Geez, this vlog went kinda dark but it's okay because it's directed at you, Anna and you think this crown of thorns is bad? Wait until you get to Hell and see Malakai tending the gate.
Are you seething right about now?
A pause.
Good.
I'll see you at SuperBrawl.
***
As Mesh stops recording, she stretches, groaning until she feels the pop from her back, extending her arms as high as she can into the air.
Suddenly, there’s quick knocks at her door.
She gets off the firm hotel bed but when she opens the door, there’s no one there.
Mesh is confused.
She steps out from her room and looks down the red and gold halls. It’s eerily quiet, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. She starts getting The Shining vibes.
Either she heard things, or The Flash knocked on her door as a rib.
She takes another step forward and almost trips as her bare feet kicks a package, laid right in the middle of the black and red carpet.
It has no address, or anything written on it. It’s not even sealed with tape; the flaps are simply tucked into one another. It’s pristine.
"The hell?"
Mesh hunches over and picks it up.
She shakes it gently; it’s super light as sounds of thick paper smack the box from the inside.
Mesh opens the package and her heart stops, causing her to drop the box on the floor, revealing the contents inside.
Glossy, black-and-white pictures of Mama Bear doing chores around the house, her on the phone while she watches Big Bang Theory. Pictures of Mama Bear talking with the neighbor, pictures of her getting the mail. A picture of Mama Bear dressed in her scrubs for work, heading to the car in the morning.
What’s more disturbing is the last picture was shot from close-range.
As if whoever took those pictures was hiding right in the bush next to the house.
The anxiety is back again. in full force.
She can hear the rapid beating of her heart in her ears.
Her hands start to shake.
She’s frozen, not sure what to do.
Her mind immediately goes to the bad thoughts.
Really bad thoughts.
Her eyes bulge as she darts towards her phone, which is by the TV charging.
In a panic, she struggles to unlock her phone, vibrating as she inputs the wrong pattern.
“Come on! Come on!”
Once unlocked, she calls her mom. Her breathes quiver in fear as her mom doesn’t answer the phone right away like she always does.
The call goes to voicemail and Mesh starts to panic.
“Mom come on! Please answer!”
Again, the call goes to voicemail.
Mesh fights the urge to curse as she frantically calls her mother again.
Fortunately, she answers on the second ring.
“Baby, what’s wrong?”
Mesh’s frantic breathing and hyperventilating gave it away.
There’s silence on Mesh’s end. Her lips quiver in fear as she struggles to speak.
“Melanie, what is wrong?”
“Mom, I…uhh…,” her voice cracks, hesitating, "I think there's someone outside the house, watching you!"