Post by Alex Richards on Dec 19, 2021 16:47:53 GMT -5
We fade in to a firmilar scene. The pride or the disgrace of Chicago depending on your viewpoint, the Drunken Dragon. The bar is closed but four people are inside. Alex Richards, his girlfriend Rebecca Thatch his brother Shaun Zach Richards and the legendary leader of the Guardians Bonnie Blue. The group is gathered around a massive big screen tv. Like stupid big. Shaun Zach serves everyone a boot of Zim-Quila as is the style Bonnie passes around a joint that is literally out of this world and Alex breaks out a bowl of popcorn and offers it to his friends
Blue: No thanks.
Shaun, Alex, and Rebecca take a handful however. Just as quickly Shaun spits it out. Bonnie laughs.
Blue: I knew it.
SZR: What the hell is that?
Richards: Melted candy corn and waygu beef flavored popcorn. I thought it was a fitting tribute.
Thatch: Well I like it.
Richards: Me too.
SZR: You guys are strange.
Blue: You didn't already know that?
Richards: Before our feature presentation I thought I'd say a few words. Bonnie and I were talking and we came to the conclusion that Corey Bull wanted to see us go hard at each other. Far be it for us to let him down on the night of his retirement. So this is for him. Now even though Corey and I never saw eye to eye I do have to admit. The man took on literally everyone Action Wrestling had to offer and never showed an ounce of fear. Have to respect that. Now on with the show!
The lights dim.. the scene comes to life and..
Alex Richards lays back in the bed of his hotel room, a huge shit eating grin on his face. Fully clothed of course, get your mind of the gutter. Well get your mind at least a little of the gutter. He lights up a cigar and speaks.
Alex Richards: What the fuck Ric? Last week Sabastion Reid got a chance at the InterContinal championship during his first round match against Bonnie. Where's my title shot anyways? I want the chance to be the first man to hold the IC and tag team titles at the same thing? C'mon Ric.. you're denying me the chance to make history man! Well I guess I'm gonna have to get even by breaking your record for most world title reigns. I figure I should get at least 18, shatter your old record of 15. That'll learn ya, right?
Alex winks.
Alex Richards:I'm only joking. I want Bonnie to keep her title. Shit, after I win the grab the throne tournament and recapture the world title maybe we can work on a Guardians golden sweep you know.
Alex scratches his face, he's not really used to the new hair. But he grins again nevertheless.
Alex Richards: You know.. I'm starting to like this new beard too. Becky asked me to wait until she left for me to do this. She doesn't want to hear me speak against Bonnie. To be honest, I don't really want to do it either. Normally I come on television and tell the world where my opponent went wrong. Tell them my opponent's many weaknesses. Tell them why I don't like them. Why I don't respect them. How badly I am going to destroy them. What I hope they learn from the beating. And finally that I am going to, without a doubt be victorious. But this week I'm not going to do anything of that. Because this week I am competing in the semi finals of the Watch the Throne tournament against Bonnie Blue. And she is one legitimate bad ass bitch. I would consider her the leader of the Guardians. I would consider her my friend. I could come out here and say something like.. Bonnie needs to stick to time traveling and leave the wrestling to the professionals like me! But then I would be an idiot! So, no, I don't have anything bad to say about Bonnie.. but as usual I can say this. I am going to win the match this week and advance to the finals. I could say some bullshit about how I'm large then Bonnie. That I have had more wrestling experience then Bonnie. That I have fought more tough opponents in the ring then Bonnie. But those are all stock answers. I mean it's all true. I mean all of those things could help me get the win. But really, it's a cop out. That's not why I'm confident of victory. Confident of victory in spite of the massive talent my friend and teammate has. No, I'll tell you why I'm going to leave Overload the winner.
Alex takes a long drag off of his cigar before continuing.
Alex Richards: Bonnie is the person on the UCI roster you least want to get on their bad side. This is true. Shadowlove attacked my girlfriend, I gave him a good beating and shattered his dreams of taking the world championship from me. He got lucky he didn't cross Bonnie instead. I am much more forgiving then she is. Jayson Price insulted me by claiming I didn't deserve to be world champion. I brutally knocked his ass off of the active roster by battering him in a steel cage match. He was still lucky he didn't insult Bonnie instead of me. Because here's the thing about Bonnie, you piss her off, she will not only defeat you, she will make you suffer for what she did. Ask Stevie Corah what Bonnie can do when she's mad at you. Not only did Bonnie beat his ass at Black Mass in that street fight she did it in Corah's own type of contest. She beat him.. brutally at his own game. Not only that she did so much damage to Corah he had to attack a complete scrub before the match last week in order to advance in the Watch the Throne tournament. He took Bonnie's InterContinental title from her and she broke him as payback. That is why you don't fuck with Bonnie Blue. Need more proof? Look no further then Wentworthless himself, Wentworth Undegraff,Jr. You remember Wentworth, don't you? He was the first dominant champion in the UCI. He controlled the television title division from it's beginning. Shit, he even beat me in a match to become the first TV champion! People have started to forget about old Wendy though. He even lost the recent UCI yearly television champion of the year vote to Teddy Sol. What happened to Wentworth? He made Bonnie Blue furious. He made the ultimate mistake of threatening the Polar Phantasm's family. He tried to steal Crystal Bankston and Polar's son away from them with some absolute bullshit about them being terrible parents. Now you would think normally Polar Phantasm would be the one to fight Wendy. Or at least his wife Crystal who used to be a successful wrestler called Nightmare back in the day. But both of them let Bonnie take up the fight. Two parents who desperately wanted their son back allowed their teammate to fight instead of them.
Alex suddenly goes quiet.
Alex Richards: I paused for a second to let that sink in. Because an angry Bonnie is more dangerous then one or two angry parents. And what did Bonnie do to Wentworth? She not only got Jeffy back for the Bankstons, she encased Wentworth in carbonite ensuring he would never be able to try anything like that again. I repeat, she trapped him in carbonite. That's why Bonnie is the new leader of the Guardians after Polar's disappearance. Because there is no one who shows less mercy to undeserving fucks then Bonnie Blue. So.. I'm fucked, right?
Alex shrugs.
Alex Richards: But there's a difference. In a grudge match there is no one better than Bonnie. But this.. this is not a grudge match. If you make Bonnie mad she doesn't lack killer instinct. But in the slightest. But here's the thing.. I didn't make Bonnie mad. So this.. this is just a match. Bonnie isn't the same wrestler without that fury, without that murderous side to her. You wrong Bonnie you will pay the price. But I haven't wronged Bonnie. This is not about a grudge. This is for the chance to be the first Throne tournament winner. Without that personal touch, without that urge to destroy, Bonnie isn't the same wrestler.
Alex Richards: My first match in the UCI, a first round world title tournament match. Bonnie Blue, myself, and Erin Fausse. Now if I told you Erin and Bonnie were the ones involved in the decision who do you think won? There's only one choice isn't there? Bonnie Blue is clearly the better wrestler, the more successful wrestler, the wrestler with the longer lasting run. But on that night Erin Fausse pinned Bonnie Blue. Cleanly. That match was for the chance to be world champion, be the first world champion in the UCI. And it didn't motivate Bonnie enough. It didn't motivate Bonnie to defeat someone who is basically a journeyman wrestler. The world title wasn't enough to bring out Bonnie Blue's best.
Alex grins.
Alex Richards: But it's enough for me. Last year's UCI Wrestler of the Year, our teammate Andre Holmes. I beat him.. twice. I pinned him twice. Once with a shot at the world title on the line. That's the difference between myself and Bonnie. You make Bonnie truly angry you are screwed. You might as well not even show up. But me? I'm always motivated to destroy anyone put in front of me. Doesn't matter if it's someone I respect, someone I hate, someone I like, if you're my opponent you are going to take the same beating each and every time! I was motivated to defeat world champions like Howard Black, Andre Holmes, and Jayson Price. I was just as motivated to defeat people like Karlie Nash, Blanche Corrigan and Dustin Beaver.
Alex puts out his cigar and looks almost remorseful as he tosses it aside.
Alex Richards: Bonnie, I respect you. I like you. But that doesn't change the truth unfortunately. In something that's just a match I'm far more motivated to win then you are. And you've already proven that just the world title doesn't motivate you enough. I mean the first ever world title tournament you lost to someone you out classed. Last week you fought Sebastian Reid, another person you outclass. Another person who isn't in the league of the great Bonnie Blue. And the match.. ended in a draw. You drew with a former Rising Stars champion. If you brought the fire you showed against Stevie Corah Reid would have been destroyed in five minutes flat. But for me.. a chance at the world title brings out my best. Last week guest general manager David Sanchez tried to screw me by changing my match with Karlie Nash at the last minute to no disqualification for my opponent only. Did you see me get upset? No because I knew it wouldn't change the result. Because hitting me with a weapon a few time isn't going to keep me from regaining the world title, MY world title. Last week I was awarded world champion of the year. I'll be damned if I don't get it back and defend my claim for 2017!
Alex Richards: Bonnie, when you're driven, when you're truly motivated you're almost undefeatable. But a match against a teammate, I don't think this is going to bring out the true bad ass side of Bonnie Blue. And here's the thing, I'm an ass kicker week in and week out. You know how many people have pinned me, straight up? One on one? Not a single person. David Sanchez pinned me, after I fought two matches beforehand. Andre Holmes pinned me in the Killing Floor after nearly an hour of hell. Kevin Bishop pinned me in similar fashion during the multi person scramble at Black Mass. Will Bonnie Blue be the first person to defeat me straight up one on one? No, she won't. Because I want my world title back, I want to win this tournament badly enough that for someone to pin me, for someone to defeat me, they have to damn near kill me. Sorry Bonnie, I know you won't do that. You didn't get up against Sebastian Reid, but you know me, you know that if I had to drag myself back to my feet on two broken legs I would have. Bonnie Blue, if you enter a match you never lose if the match is a war. But for me.. every single match, no matter how much I like my opponent, is a war. Bonnie, I love and respect you, but I will put you down this week. I won't even feel bad about it. That's what I do.
Alex Richards: You're not good Bonnie. You're great. But that means I have to be even better. And I will be. Because I live for that shit! Facing the only person to win two titles at the same time, twice! Facing my tag partner, maybe the best tag partner I have ever had. That means I have to take it to another level. And I will. I have before. I will again. Nobody thought I was going to beat undefeated Howard Black, I did it. No one thought I was going to defeat the world title not alone twice.. I did it! No one thought out of shape Alex Richards would take the fight to everyone in the Killing Floor the whole damn match. Guess what? I did it! Defeating the best lady who's ever entered a UCI ring? That's just what I do. Whoever I face in the finals.. that's gonna be a cakewalk compared to Bonnie. Winning this tournament, earning another shot at Kevin Bishop. I feel like I'm repeating myself but.. that's just what I do. Real men ask for title shots. Whiners and unworthy people beg for them. But warriors, warriors like Bonnie and myself, we earn them. I just want it that much more. And that's going to make all the difference in the end.
Bonnie offers a clap for her tag partner.
Blue: Not bad but just wait until you see what I had to say...
The screen fires up again and..
The Windy City was never quiet, not even in the small hours of the night. Voices in the shadows whispered of the return of the incumbent mayor. There was always activity, furtive and restless: black market commerce never stopped, never slowed. A thousand eyes in the darkness observed it all in unblinking, electronic non-judgment. Corruption, after all, was the price of survival in this new world. 1he wav3 had spared no one.
Out on the parking lot, several disreputable people were clustered within a ring of burning trash barrels, where the ragged homeless wagered on the outcome of a fight between two teenage cheerleaders. They squared off, fists raised in a sloppy guard. One bounced on the balls of her feet like a boxer, while the other planted herself in a defensive stance. A series of quick jabs from the first girl slipped past, but the second girl rebounded with a solid knee kick. She capitalized quickly, grabbing hold of her downed opponent's leg and cinching in an ankle lock. Bettors cheered the girls on, spurring them to greater heights of violence; nobody noticed the emerald-green 1976 Ford Ranchero as it pulled into the lot and circled around -- not until the brights flashed and the horn blared, and sent the spectators scurrying for safety. The car parked, the door opened, and out stepped Bonnie Blue.
Belatedly, the two would-be fighters became aware that they'd lost their audience. The dominant one looked up, stunned, and released her opponent, who promptly got up and tried to take off. She was repelled when a null-time barrier manifested in front of her at a subtle gesture from the Intercontinental Champion. Clenching her fist, Bonnie enclosed the pair in an invisible field and advanced on them; she stepped through the unseen barrier as if it were of no more substance than ether.
"So," Bonnie began, eyeing the girls sternly, "y'all like fightin', huh?"
The taller of the two shook her head. "Not really, no."
"We... can't help it," added the other, uncomfortable at being caught. "It's just, like, a thing...?"
The Daughter of Time nodded slowly. Incidents like these were becoming more and more common, ever since 1he wav3, and the subsequent rise of the fight cartels.It happened in mainly upper middle class families, particularly when one or both parents had been severely affected by the madness of 1he wav3. Unaccsutomed to the harsh contitions in which the underclasses survived, yet not insulated enough from the population as a whole, in the way of the truly wealthy; they had been the most susceptible to the influences of that catastrophic event. There had even been a special on 20/20 just a few weeks ago concerning the rise of adolescent fight clubs. But this was the first time Bonnie had witnessed such a thing herself.
"Y'all can't be doin' that... not out in the streets like this. That's why there's regulations. Y'all wanna fight, you sign with a cartel," Bonnie admonished.
"We're not old enough, and our parents won't sign off on it. Anyway, it's not like we want to make a career out of it," said the taller girl, testily.
"Right, 'cause we have, like, so many options," grumbled the other one.
The two girls were getting agitated again, a clear sign of withdrawal that forced the young woman to take a second, closer look. She saw evidence of old bruises, the hint of a broken nose carefully realigned, and knuckles swollen from long use; all the classic signs of a fighter -- or these days, a new kind of junkie. Control was ingrained in a true fighter, a professional, even as their sanity began to slip a little with each match. Junkies would start shit with anyone, for any reason, just to get their fix. And Bonnie had trapped herself with two of them.
"It's ok," Bonnie reassured them. "We can get y'all some help -- "
"What makes you think we want help?" sneered the shorter girl.
"Yeah. We just don't want people like you telling us what to do! We won't be slaves to your elitist system! If we want to fight, we'll fight. You said yourself it's a rush! That the fight is for the sake of itself and nothing else, and that's pure and right! You're not gonna deprive me of that!"
Oh, sweet Shiva, I'm gonna regret this, thought Bonnie, as she pushed back the sleeves of her hoodie.
"All right, you want your fix?" she asked, hands curling into fists. "Y'all 'bout to get it if'n ya don't settle the fuck down."
Before she'd even finished speaking, the two girls exploded into action, throwing fists with surprising strength, but little accuracy. It was over in less time than it would take to describe it. One dropped with an elbow to the head, the other succumbed to a sleeper hold. Shaking her head, Bonnie glanced down at the pair, unconscious, but smiling beatific smiles. All Bonnie felt, however, was shame; shame at giving in, at supplying the drug -- despite the fact that her entire career was based on fulfilling that same need on a global scale.
Shame was quickly supplanted by uncertainty. This wasn't the best part of town, and her options were limited: call the cops, or call the parents. While Bonnie wasn't a huge fan of police, it was pretty obvious this was well out of parental control. So she swallowed her reservations and dialed up dispatch. A patrol car appeared moments later, gliding through the night's darkness like a cat. An officer got out and took Bonnie's statement before tending to the wayward girls. Once he had them loaded in the back of his car, he returned and handed the young woman a printout.
"Just initial right here," he said, pointing.
"You're not charging me with beating up two teenagers?"
The officer looked genuintely puzzled. "Why would I? This is technically UCI jurisdiction, and that makes you the law. There might be some questions down the line about use of force, but otherwise, you're in the clear. Keep this for your records, though, just in case."
"Oh. Ok. Thanks." Bonnie favored him with her radiant smile.
"No, thank you, Miss Blue... and the rest of the Guardians, for protecting this city from the threats even the police can't handle. Have a nice night!"
And with a tip of his hat, he got into his car and drove off again. Bonnie remained there, taking a long, slow walk around the outside of the building. The doors were chained and padlocked against intruders; a brand-new, state-of-the-art security system had been installed since the incident with the White Lotus Triads. Shivering in the chill wind, the young blonde fished in her pocket until she found a key and let herself in. The heavy door slammed shut and locked itself behind her, shutting out the fierce breeze, as she punched a code into the keypad to disarm the system.
Her footsteps echoed loudly in the empty darkness, guided by memory, until she stumbled over a steel chair. Switching on her phone's flashlight, she took a good look around. Parts of a dismantled ring were neatly stacked by the rear loading docks; chairs leaned in rows against one wall; segments of steel barrier, furled ring aprons and vinyl banners, posts and velvet ropes, all waited to be deployed. Nostalgia overwhelmed as she skimmed her fingers along a roll of heavy canvas, recalling those earliest days of the United Championship Infinite's painful and messy birth.
Bonnie smiled as she remembered helping to set up the ring, night after night, and hoping desperately each time that she'd gotten it right; that she hadn't forgotten to tighten a nut somewhere, and the whole thing wouldn't fall apart the second a match started. It didn't matter that she'd done it for months at the other place. UCI was something new, tenuous, and the young woman had been half convinced she would break it; privately certain that Spencer and his management team had been crazy to recruit her, yet infinitely grateful for the opportunity. If she was going to dirty her hands, let it be in the act of building, rather than destruction.
That first Overload had been nothing short of magic. The cheers of the crowd were no less intense, the lights no dimmer, for the size of the venue or the numbers in attendance. Promise of spectacle had been enough to draw a sizeable audience, especially when certain names had been leaked to the press: among them, Alex Richards. Bonnie wouldn't have imagined in those days that they would be part of the same stable, let alone Tag Team Champions... Certainly not that night. Hesitant and unsure, she'd barely mounted a defense against Richards, and had let Erin Fausse get the best of her in the end.
Bonnie's attention was brought back to the present with a sudden start. It wasn't something seen or heard, but felt... one thread, of billions upon billions of possibilities, woven into and out of an impossible tapestry; one thread, pulled taut and plucked with the resonance of a guitar string. Or was it more like the chime of a bell? The young woman cast about, looking for the source of the disturbance. Nothing presented itself to her view.
"Who's there?" she said aloud.
A shadow seemed to glide past her. Bonnie whirled and caught sight of a robed and hooded figure moving through the dark.
"Hey!" Bonnie cried, and the figure stopped, turning toward her slightly.
"Your feet tread the wrong path, Bonnie Blue," said the figure, in a voice distorted enough it was impossible to tell gender.
"...What?"
"My question. This place. What is it?" asked the figure, pacing back and forth as it seemed to look around.
"It's... the UCI WAReHOUSE. In Chicago." When there was no response, she went on, "Y'know, Illinois? United States... Earth?"
"No. This ...reality. It isn't right. It doesn't belong. You don't belong."
"Who are you?" Bonnie demanded sharply. Temporal energy coalesced around her in a hazy aura.
The figure hesitated, considering before it answered, "Someone who won't be harmed by your parlor tricks. I am not here to hurt you. I merely seek answers."
"What kinda answers?"
"How was this reality created?"
"Fuck if I know," Bonnie told the robed figure. "Dark Timekeeper claimed he did it, but then again, so did those asshole aliens. Which of them is lying, I couldn't say."
"Aliens?"
"Yeah. Hashtag Beach Krew. Jackasses, or something. Well, I guess really only their boss was from Jackassitopia or wherever. Someplace I never heard of. Apparently, they engineered an event we call 1he wav3, an' it spawned a secondary reality -- "
"Tertiary," corrected the figure.
"Sure, if ya want. An' they were tryin' to take over the world, or somethin' -- I ain't real clear on the ultimate goal -- then they just up an' disappeared, back to the other timeline. They was gearin' up to make it happen again, but we defeated 'em an' sent 'em packin'. Ain't had the balls to show up since. Rest of us stayed, 'cause... well, it's home now."
"Can you describe these aliens?"
"I dunno, they looked like people. Tesla reckons it was probably some kinda wearable hologram tech. He speculated they were probably reptilians, but then again, he's been watchin' a shit-ton of Ancient Aliens lately. Oh, and they worshipped some kind of shark god. I think it was wearing a Jared Holmes meatsuit the way the Dark Timekeeper used to pretend he was Johnny Reb."
There was a dry chuckle from beneath the hood.
"Perceptive, Daughter of Time," said a voice, much more familiar, as the hood was cast back to reveal the face of the man formerly known as the Inveterate Confederate, a wry smile on his lips.
"Knew it the whole time," she told him, grinning.
Bonnie fished a bowl from her hoodie pocket, stuffed it full of green, and handed it to Reb, who sparked it eagerly.
"You really like this reality?" he asked, after a few moments. "I can feel the suffering all over."
"There's joy, too," Bonnie told him. "Life is sufferin', it's the moments of good ya bring that count. That's what I do -- what we do."
"Your Guardians?" he sounded skeptical.
"Well, I mean, there were some missteps at first, but we've learned to minimize collateral damage. Mostly."
"How do you justify Andre Holmes' actions?"
Bonnie looked away with a sigh. "I can't, always. Sometimes ya just cope with it. He's ...rough, sure. But he means well."
I think, she added silently. Bonnie hit the pipe and passed it back to Reb. Johnny took a long draw and held it, looking contemplative. At last, he exhaled a stream of smoke with a nod.
"All right. But I can't promise the other Architects won't try something. They sure as hell ain't gonna like it much, an' they're probably gonna try an' blame it on me," Johnny said. Then he shrugged. "Fuck 'em. They can learn to live with it. Anyway, Bonnie, you keep on fightin' the good fight. Oh, an' I know it don't even begin to make up for missin' all your birthdays, but I left ya a present on the parkin' lot."
"Aw, you didn't have to -- " Bonnie began, then cut off abruptly when she realized he was no longer there.
She rushed outside and found, to her surprise, that her 1976 Ford Ranchero was gone. In its place was a shiny new 2017 model, painted an identical emerald green. The tan leather interior was a significant upgrade, as was the sound system -- although it had, for some reason, retained the eight-track player. Eager to find out what other new features the car might have, Bonnie climbed in and pressed the ignition button. The vehicle was immediately engulfed in a shifting, prismatic aura.
"Oooh... new transtemporal interface. Nice. I wonder what this button does..."
==============================================
Bonnie Blue stood before a black backdrop, the letters "UCI" prominent in the center. She had one belt slung over either shoulder, and she wore an expression of easy, relaxed confidence.
"Alex Richards -- my friend, my teammate, my tag partner an' co-champion -- what in the hell else I gotta say? You an' me ain't never had no beef, so there won't be no hard feelin's goin' into this match. Won't be like any of a dozen other matches you or I've had. We ain't tryin' to kill each other -- we just lookin' for a shot at a little more gold.
"I reckon some folks'd say we was bein' greedy, you an' me havin' these here tag belts, but still lookin' for more. An' me tryin' to... trade up, so to speak. But we both know that ain't what it's about. Whatever some other people might try to imply -- or outright state -- we ain't defined by the gold around our waists. It ain't the belts that make us who we are; it's us who make these belts mean somethin'. Besides, when someone gives you an opportunity, it's rude not to take it. You an' me, though, Alex... an' Andre, too... we're a rare breed. We can see the bigger picture.
"An' that's what this is about. See, it don't matter if I win, or if you win. One of us is advancin', an' that's the important thing. Part of me almost wants it to be you. Feels like shootin' for that World Title ain't necessarily a step up. I mean, look who Bishop hand-selected for his next challenger. It ain't that Dion Necurat ain't a good dude, or a kinda awesome wrestler, it's just... a lot of us been waitin' a lot longer. They reckon not havin' a world title shot after less than two months is gettin' overlooked. Man, I dunno where you wrestle at that you get a bite at the biggest apple before the rookie's been worn off of ya, but I don't think I'd wanna. If I wanted to put in minimal effort, I'd go to Target an' buy a plastic replica.
"What was I talkin' about? I dunno. Look, the important thing is, either way, I wish you the best of luck, Alex. Not that ya need it. We're gonna go out there an' put on the most epic main event the good folks of Charlotte, North Caroline have ever had the fortune of seein' -- an' then one of us is gettin' one step closer to that World Title match at Infinity. See ya in the ring!"
Alex approaches Bonnie and the partners hug.
Richards: This just proofs one thing... why nobody beat ever beat us for those tag titles.
Blue: You got that right. You know why Alex and I decided to showcase our UCI shoot instead of either creating new shoot or at least showing footage from our WCF feud. Because when you're retired you have the freedom to go out how you want to. This is what we chose to remember. Corey Bull.. at your last dance you have the chance to do the same thing. You have the chance to defeat three top stars and retire exactly the way you want to.
Richards: The way you deserve.
Blue: Your last match you have the chance to defeat Dandy Divito, Corey Black and another legend. Go out on top and you'll always be remembered for it.
Blue: No thanks.
Shaun, Alex, and Rebecca take a handful however. Just as quickly Shaun spits it out. Bonnie laughs.
Blue: I knew it.
SZR: What the hell is that?
Richards: Melted candy corn and waygu beef flavored popcorn. I thought it was a fitting tribute.
Thatch: Well I like it.
Richards: Me too.
SZR: You guys are strange.
Blue: You didn't already know that?
Richards: Before our feature presentation I thought I'd say a few words. Bonnie and I were talking and we came to the conclusion that Corey Bull wanted to see us go hard at each other. Far be it for us to let him down on the night of his retirement. So this is for him. Now even though Corey and I never saw eye to eye I do have to admit. The man took on literally everyone Action Wrestling had to offer and never showed an ounce of fear. Have to respect that. Now on with the show!
The lights dim.. the scene comes to life and..
Alex Richards lays back in the bed of his hotel room, a huge shit eating grin on his face. Fully clothed of course, get your mind of the gutter. Well get your mind at least a little of the gutter. He lights up a cigar and speaks.
Alex Richards: What the fuck Ric? Last week Sabastion Reid got a chance at the InterContinal championship during his first round match against Bonnie. Where's my title shot anyways? I want the chance to be the first man to hold the IC and tag team titles at the same thing? C'mon Ric.. you're denying me the chance to make history man! Well I guess I'm gonna have to get even by breaking your record for most world title reigns. I figure I should get at least 18, shatter your old record of 15. That'll learn ya, right?
Alex winks.
Alex Richards:I'm only joking. I want Bonnie to keep her title. Shit, after I win the grab the throne tournament and recapture the world title maybe we can work on a Guardians golden sweep you know.
Alex scratches his face, he's not really used to the new hair. But he grins again nevertheless.
Alex Richards: You know.. I'm starting to like this new beard too. Becky asked me to wait until she left for me to do this. She doesn't want to hear me speak against Bonnie. To be honest, I don't really want to do it either. Normally I come on television and tell the world where my opponent went wrong. Tell them my opponent's many weaknesses. Tell them why I don't like them. Why I don't respect them. How badly I am going to destroy them. What I hope they learn from the beating. And finally that I am going to, without a doubt be victorious. But this week I'm not going to do anything of that. Because this week I am competing in the semi finals of the Watch the Throne tournament against Bonnie Blue. And she is one legitimate bad ass bitch. I would consider her the leader of the Guardians. I would consider her my friend. I could come out here and say something like.. Bonnie needs to stick to time traveling and leave the wrestling to the professionals like me! But then I would be an idiot! So, no, I don't have anything bad to say about Bonnie.. but as usual I can say this. I am going to win the match this week and advance to the finals. I could say some bullshit about how I'm large then Bonnie. That I have had more wrestling experience then Bonnie. That I have fought more tough opponents in the ring then Bonnie. But those are all stock answers. I mean it's all true. I mean all of those things could help me get the win. But really, it's a cop out. That's not why I'm confident of victory. Confident of victory in spite of the massive talent my friend and teammate has. No, I'll tell you why I'm going to leave Overload the winner.
Alex takes a long drag off of his cigar before continuing.
Alex Richards: Bonnie is the person on the UCI roster you least want to get on their bad side. This is true. Shadowlove attacked my girlfriend, I gave him a good beating and shattered his dreams of taking the world championship from me. He got lucky he didn't cross Bonnie instead. I am much more forgiving then she is. Jayson Price insulted me by claiming I didn't deserve to be world champion. I brutally knocked his ass off of the active roster by battering him in a steel cage match. He was still lucky he didn't insult Bonnie instead of me. Because here's the thing about Bonnie, you piss her off, she will not only defeat you, she will make you suffer for what she did. Ask Stevie Corah what Bonnie can do when she's mad at you. Not only did Bonnie beat his ass at Black Mass in that street fight she did it in Corah's own type of contest. She beat him.. brutally at his own game. Not only that she did so much damage to Corah he had to attack a complete scrub before the match last week in order to advance in the Watch the Throne tournament. He took Bonnie's InterContinental title from her and she broke him as payback. That is why you don't fuck with Bonnie Blue. Need more proof? Look no further then Wentworthless himself, Wentworth Undegraff,Jr. You remember Wentworth, don't you? He was the first dominant champion in the UCI. He controlled the television title division from it's beginning. Shit, he even beat me in a match to become the first TV champion! People have started to forget about old Wendy though. He even lost the recent UCI yearly television champion of the year vote to Teddy Sol. What happened to Wentworth? He made Bonnie Blue furious. He made the ultimate mistake of threatening the Polar Phantasm's family. He tried to steal Crystal Bankston and Polar's son away from them with some absolute bullshit about them being terrible parents. Now you would think normally Polar Phantasm would be the one to fight Wendy. Or at least his wife Crystal who used to be a successful wrestler called Nightmare back in the day. But both of them let Bonnie take up the fight. Two parents who desperately wanted their son back allowed their teammate to fight instead of them.
Alex suddenly goes quiet.
Alex Richards: I paused for a second to let that sink in. Because an angry Bonnie is more dangerous then one or two angry parents. And what did Bonnie do to Wentworth? She not only got Jeffy back for the Bankstons, she encased Wentworth in carbonite ensuring he would never be able to try anything like that again. I repeat, she trapped him in carbonite. That's why Bonnie is the new leader of the Guardians after Polar's disappearance. Because there is no one who shows less mercy to undeserving fucks then Bonnie Blue. So.. I'm fucked, right?
Alex shrugs.
Alex Richards: But there's a difference. In a grudge match there is no one better than Bonnie. But this.. this is not a grudge match. If you make Bonnie mad she doesn't lack killer instinct. But in the slightest. But here's the thing.. I didn't make Bonnie mad. So this.. this is just a match. Bonnie isn't the same wrestler without that fury, without that murderous side to her. You wrong Bonnie you will pay the price. But I haven't wronged Bonnie. This is not about a grudge. This is for the chance to be the first Throne tournament winner. Without that personal touch, without that urge to destroy, Bonnie isn't the same wrestler.
Alex Richards: My first match in the UCI, a first round world title tournament match. Bonnie Blue, myself, and Erin Fausse. Now if I told you Erin and Bonnie were the ones involved in the decision who do you think won? There's only one choice isn't there? Bonnie Blue is clearly the better wrestler, the more successful wrestler, the wrestler with the longer lasting run. But on that night Erin Fausse pinned Bonnie Blue. Cleanly. That match was for the chance to be world champion, be the first world champion in the UCI. And it didn't motivate Bonnie enough. It didn't motivate Bonnie to defeat someone who is basically a journeyman wrestler. The world title wasn't enough to bring out Bonnie Blue's best.
Alex grins.
Alex Richards: But it's enough for me. Last year's UCI Wrestler of the Year, our teammate Andre Holmes. I beat him.. twice. I pinned him twice. Once with a shot at the world title on the line. That's the difference between myself and Bonnie. You make Bonnie truly angry you are screwed. You might as well not even show up. But me? I'm always motivated to destroy anyone put in front of me. Doesn't matter if it's someone I respect, someone I hate, someone I like, if you're my opponent you are going to take the same beating each and every time! I was motivated to defeat world champions like Howard Black, Andre Holmes, and Jayson Price. I was just as motivated to defeat people like Karlie Nash, Blanche Corrigan and Dustin Beaver.
Alex puts out his cigar and looks almost remorseful as he tosses it aside.
Alex Richards: Bonnie, I respect you. I like you. But that doesn't change the truth unfortunately. In something that's just a match I'm far more motivated to win then you are. And you've already proven that just the world title doesn't motivate you enough. I mean the first ever world title tournament you lost to someone you out classed. Last week you fought Sebastian Reid, another person you outclass. Another person who isn't in the league of the great Bonnie Blue. And the match.. ended in a draw. You drew with a former Rising Stars champion. If you brought the fire you showed against Stevie Corah Reid would have been destroyed in five minutes flat. But for me.. a chance at the world title brings out my best. Last week guest general manager David Sanchez tried to screw me by changing my match with Karlie Nash at the last minute to no disqualification for my opponent only. Did you see me get upset? No because I knew it wouldn't change the result. Because hitting me with a weapon a few time isn't going to keep me from regaining the world title, MY world title. Last week I was awarded world champion of the year. I'll be damned if I don't get it back and defend my claim for 2017!
Alex Richards: Bonnie, when you're driven, when you're truly motivated you're almost undefeatable. But a match against a teammate, I don't think this is going to bring out the true bad ass side of Bonnie Blue. And here's the thing, I'm an ass kicker week in and week out. You know how many people have pinned me, straight up? One on one? Not a single person. David Sanchez pinned me, after I fought two matches beforehand. Andre Holmes pinned me in the Killing Floor after nearly an hour of hell. Kevin Bishop pinned me in similar fashion during the multi person scramble at Black Mass. Will Bonnie Blue be the first person to defeat me straight up one on one? No, she won't. Because I want my world title back, I want to win this tournament badly enough that for someone to pin me, for someone to defeat me, they have to damn near kill me. Sorry Bonnie, I know you won't do that. You didn't get up against Sebastian Reid, but you know me, you know that if I had to drag myself back to my feet on two broken legs I would have. Bonnie Blue, if you enter a match you never lose if the match is a war. But for me.. every single match, no matter how much I like my opponent, is a war. Bonnie, I love and respect you, but I will put you down this week. I won't even feel bad about it. That's what I do.
Alex Richards: You're not good Bonnie. You're great. But that means I have to be even better. And I will be. Because I live for that shit! Facing the only person to win two titles at the same time, twice! Facing my tag partner, maybe the best tag partner I have ever had. That means I have to take it to another level. And I will. I have before. I will again. Nobody thought I was going to beat undefeated Howard Black, I did it. No one thought I was going to defeat the world title not alone twice.. I did it! No one thought out of shape Alex Richards would take the fight to everyone in the Killing Floor the whole damn match. Guess what? I did it! Defeating the best lady who's ever entered a UCI ring? That's just what I do. Whoever I face in the finals.. that's gonna be a cakewalk compared to Bonnie. Winning this tournament, earning another shot at Kevin Bishop. I feel like I'm repeating myself but.. that's just what I do. Real men ask for title shots. Whiners and unworthy people beg for them. But warriors, warriors like Bonnie and myself, we earn them. I just want it that much more. And that's going to make all the difference in the end.
Bonnie offers a clap for her tag partner.
Blue: Not bad but just wait until you see what I had to say...
The screen fires up again and..
The Windy City was never quiet, not even in the small hours of the night. Voices in the shadows whispered of the return of the incumbent mayor. There was always activity, furtive and restless: black market commerce never stopped, never slowed. A thousand eyes in the darkness observed it all in unblinking, electronic non-judgment. Corruption, after all, was the price of survival in this new world. 1he wav3 had spared no one.
Out on the parking lot, several disreputable people were clustered within a ring of burning trash barrels, where the ragged homeless wagered on the outcome of a fight between two teenage cheerleaders. They squared off, fists raised in a sloppy guard. One bounced on the balls of her feet like a boxer, while the other planted herself in a defensive stance. A series of quick jabs from the first girl slipped past, but the second girl rebounded with a solid knee kick. She capitalized quickly, grabbing hold of her downed opponent's leg and cinching in an ankle lock. Bettors cheered the girls on, spurring them to greater heights of violence; nobody noticed the emerald-green 1976 Ford Ranchero as it pulled into the lot and circled around -- not until the brights flashed and the horn blared, and sent the spectators scurrying for safety. The car parked, the door opened, and out stepped Bonnie Blue.
Belatedly, the two would-be fighters became aware that they'd lost their audience. The dominant one looked up, stunned, and released her opponent, who promptly got up and tried to take off. She was repelled when a null-time barrier manifested in front of her at a subtle gesture from the Intercontinental Champion. Clenching her fist, Bonnie enclosed the pair in an invisible field and advanced on them; she stepped through the unseen barrier as if it were of no more substance than ether.
"So," Bonnie began, eyeing the girls sternly, "y'all like fightin', huh?"
The taller of the two shook her head. "Not really, no."
"We... can't help it," added the other, uncomfortable at being caught. "It's just, like, a thing...?"
The Daughter of Time nodded slowly. Incidents like these were becoming more and more common, ever since 1he wav3, and the subsequent rise of the fight cartels.It happened in mainly upper middle class families, particularly when one or both parents had been severely affected by the madness of 1he wav3. Unaccsutomed to the harsh contitions in which the underclasses survived, yet not insulated enough from the population as a whole, in the way of the truly wealthy; they had been the most susceptible to the influences of that catastrophic event. There had even been a special on 20/20 just a few weeks ago concerning the rise of adolescent fight clubs. But this was the first time Bonnie had witnessed such a thing herself.
"Y'all can't be doin' that... not out in the streets like this. That's why there's regulations. Y'all wanna fight, you sign with a cartel," Bonnie admonished.
"We're not old enough, and our parents won't sign off on it. Anyway, it's not like we want to make a career out of it," said the taller girl, testily.
"Right, 'cause we have, like, so many options," grumbled the other one.
The two girls were getting agitated again, a clear sign of withdrawal that forced the young woman to take a second, closer look. She saw evidence of old bruises, the hint of a broken nose carefully realigned, and knuckles swollen from long use; all the classic signs of a fighter -- or these days, a new kind of junkie. Control was ingrained in a true fighter, a professional, even as their sanity began to slip a little with each match. Junkies would start shit with anyone, for any reason, just to get their fix. And Bonnie had trapped herself with two of them.
"It's ok," Bonnie reassured them. "We can get y'all some help -- "
"What makes you think we want help?" sneered the shorter girl.
"Yeah. We just don't want people like you telling us what to do! We won't be slaves to your elitist system! If we want to fight, we'll fight. You said yourself it's a rush! That the fight is for the sake of itself and nothing else, and that's pure and right! You're not gonna deprive me of that!"
Oh, sweet Shiva, I'm gonna regret this, thought Bonnie, as she pushed back the sleeves of her hoodie.
"All right, you want your fix?" she asked, hands curling into fists. "Y'all 'bout to get it if'n ya don't settle the fuck down."
Before she'd even finished speaking, the two girls exploded into action, throwing fists with surprising strength, but little accuracy. It was over in less time than it would take to describe it. One dropped with an elbow to the head, the other succumbed to a sleeper hold. Shaking her head, Bonnie glanced down at the pair, unconscious, but smiling beatific smiles. All Bonnie felt, however, was shame; shame at giving in, at supplying the drug -- despite the fact that her entire career was based on fulfilling that same need on a global scale.
Shame was quickly supplanted by uncertainty. This wasn't the best part of town, and her options were limited: call the cops, or call the parents. While Bonnie wasn't a huge fan of police, it was pretty obvious this was well out of parental control. So she swallowed her reservations and dialed up dispatch. A patrol car appeared moments later, gliding through the night's darkness like a cat. An officer got out and took Bonnie's statement before tending to the wayward girls. Once he had them loaded in the back of his car, he returned and handed the young woman a printout.
"Just initial right here," he said, pointing.
"You're not charging me with beating up two teenagers?"
The officer looked genuintely puzzled. "Why would I? This is technically UCI jurisdiction, and that makes you the law. There might be some questions down the line about use of force, but otherwise, you're in the clear. Keep this for your records, though, just in case."
"Oh. Ok. Thanks." Bonnie favored him with her radiant smile.
"No, thank you, Miss Blue... and the rest of the Guardians, for protecting this city from the threats even the police can't handle. Have a nice night!"
And with a tip of his hat, he got into his car and drove off again. Bonnie remained there, taking a long, slow walk around the outside of the building. The doors were chained and padlocked against intruders; a brand-new, state-of-the-art security system had been installed since the incident with the White Lotus Triads. Shivering in the chill wind, the young blonde fished in her pocket until she found a key and let herself in. The heavy door slammed shut and locked itself behind her, shutting out the fierce breeze, as she punched a code into the keypad to disarm the system.
Her footsteps echoed loudly in the empty darkness, guided by memory, until she stumbled over a steel chair. Switching on her phone's flashlight, she took a good look around. Parts of a dismantled ring were neatly stacked by the rear loading docks; chairs leaned in rows against one wall; segments of steel barrier, furled ring aprons and vinyl banners, posts and velvet ropes, all waited to be deployed. Nostalgia overwhelmed as she skimmed her fingers along a roll of heavy canvas, recalling those earliest days of the United Championship Infinite's painful and messy birth.
Bonnie smiled as she remembered helping to set up the ring, night after night, and hoping desperately each time that she'd gotten it right; that she hadn't forgotten to tighten a nut somewhere, and the whole thing wouldn't fall apart the second a match started. It didn't matter that she'd done it for months at the other place. UCI was something new, tenuous, and the young woman had been half convinced she would break it; privately certain that Spencer and his management team had been crazy to recruit her, yet infinitely grateful for the opportunity. If she was going to dirty her hands, let it be in the act of building, rather than destruction.
That first Overload had been nothing short of magic. The cheers of the crowd were no less intense, the lights no dimmer, for the size of the venue or the numbers in attendance. Promise of spectacle had been enough to draw a sizeable audience, especially when certain names had been leaked to the press: among them, Alex Richards. Bonnie wouldn't have imagined in those days that they would be part of the same stable, let alone Tag Team Champions... Certainly not that night. Hesitant and unsure, she'd barely mounted a defense against Richards, and had let Erin Fausse get the best of her in the end.
Bonnie's attention was brought back to the present with a sudden start. It wasn't something seen or heard, but felt... one thread, of billions upon billions of possibilities, woven into and out of an impossible tapestry; one thread, pulled taut and plucked with the resonance of a guitar string. Or was it more like the chime of a bell? The young woman cast about, looking for the source of the disturbance. Nothing presented itself to her view.
"Who's there?" she said aloud.
A shadow seemed to glide past her. Bonnie whirled and caught sight of a robed and hooded figure moving through the dark.
"Hey!" Bonnie cried, and the figure stopped, turning toward her slightly.
"Your feet tread the wrong path, Bonnie Blue," said the figure, in a voice distorted enough it was impossible to tell gender.
"...What?"
"My question. This place. What is it?" asked the figure, pacing back and forth as it seemed to look around.
"It's... the UCI WAReHOUSE. In Chicago." When there was no response, she went on, "Y'know, Illinois? United States... Earth?"
"No. This ...reality. It isn't right. It doesn't belong. You don't belong."
"Who are you?" Bonnie demanded sharply. Temporal energy coalesced around her in a hazy aura.
The figure hesitated, considering before it answered, "Someone who won't be harmed by your parlor tricks. I am not here to hurt you. I merely seek answers."
"What kinda answers?"
"How was this reality created?"
"Fuck if I know," Bonnie told the robed figure. "Dark Timekeeper claimed he did it, but then again, so did those asshole aliens. Which of them is lying, I couldn't say."
"Aliens?"
"Yeah. Hashtag Beach Krew. Jackasses, or something. Well, I guess really only their boss was from Jackassitopia or wherever. Someplace I never heard of. Apparently, they engineered an event we call 1he wav3, an' it spawned a secondary reality -- "
"Tertiary," corrected the figure.
"Sure, if ya want. An' they were tryin' to take over the world, or somethin' -- I ain't real clear on the ultimate goal -- then they just up an' disappeared, back to the other timeline. They was gearin' up to make it happen again, but we defeated 'em an' sent 'em packin'. Ain't had the balls to show up since. Rest of us stayed, 'cause... well, it's home now."
"Can you describe these aliens?"
"I dunno, they looked like people. Tesla reckons it was probably some kinda wearable hologram tech. He speculated they were probably reptilians, but then again, he's been watchin' a shit-ton of Ancient Aliens lately. Oh, and they worshipped some kind of shark god. I think it was wearing a Jared Holmes meatsuit the way the Dark Timekeeper used to pretend he was Johnny Reb."
There was a dry chuckle from beneath the hood.
"Perceptive, Daughter of Time," said a voice, much more familiar, as the hood was cast back to reveal the face of the man formerly known as the Inveterate Confederate, a wry smile on his lips.
"Knew it the whole time," she told him, grinning.
Bonnie fished a bowl from her hoodie pocket, stuffed it full of green, and handed it to Reb, who sparked it eagerly.
"You really like this reality?" he asked, after a few moments. "I can feel the suffering all over."
"There's joy, too," Bonnie told him. "Life is sufferin', it's the moments of good ya bring that count. That's what I do -- what we do."
"Your Guardians?" he sounded skeptical.
"Well, I mean, there were some missteps at first, but we've learned to minimize collateral damage. Mostly."
"How do you justify Andre Holmes' actions?"
Bonnie looked away with a sigh. "I can't, always. Sometimes ya just cope with it. He's ...rough, sure. But he means well."
I think, she added silently. Bonnie hit the pipe and passed it back to Reb. Johnny took a long draw and held it, looking contemplative. At last, he exhaled a stream of smoke with a nod.
"All right. But I can't promise the other Architects won't try something. They sure as hell ain't gonna like it much, an' they're probably gonna try an' blame it on me," Johnny said. Then he shrugged. "Fuck 'em. They can learn to live with it. Anyway, Bonnie, you keep on fightin' the good fight. Oh, an' I know it don't even begin to make up for missin' all your birthdays, but I left ya a present on the parkin' lot."
"Aw, you didn't have to -- " Bonnie began, then cut off abruptly when she realized he was no longer there.
She rushed outside and found, to her surprise, that her 1976 Ford Ranchero was gone. In its place was a shiny new 2017 model, painted an identical emerald green. The tan leather interior was a significant upgrade, as was the sound system -- although it had, for some reason, retained the eight-track player. Eager to find out what other new features the car might have, Bonnie climbed in and pressed the ignition button. The vehicle was immediately engulfed in a shifting, prismatic aura.
"Oooh... new transtemporal interface. Nice. I wonder what this button does..."
==============================================
Bonnie Blue stood before a black backdrop, the letters "UCI" prominent in the center. She had one belt slung over either shoulder, and she wore an expression of easy, relaxed confidence.
"Alex Richards -- my friend, my teammate, my tag partner an' co-champion -- what in the hell else I gotta say? You an' me ain't never had no beef, so there won't be no hard feelin's goin' into this match. Won't be like any of a dozen other matches you or I've had. We ain't tryin' to kill each other -- we just lookin' for a shot at a little more gold.
"I reckon some folks'd say we was bein' greedy, you an' me havin' these here tag belts, but still lookin' for more. An' me tryin' to... trade up, so to speak. But we both know that ain't what it's about. Whatever some other people might try to imply -- or outright state -- we ain't defined by the gold around our waists. It ain't the belts that make us who we are; it's us who make these belts mean somethin'. Besides, when someone gives you an opportunity, it's rude not to take it. You an' me, though, Alex... an' Andre, too... we're a rare breed. We can see the bigger picture.
"An' that's what this is about. See, it don't matter if I win, or if you win. One of us is advancin', an' that's the important thing. Part of me almost wants it to be you. Feels like shootin' for that World Title ain't necessarily a step up. I mean, look who Bishop hand-selected for his next challenger. It ain't that Dion Necurat ain't a good dude, or a kinda awesome wrestler, it's just... a lot of us been waitin' a lot longer. They reckon not havin' a world title shot after less than two months is gettin' overlooked. Man, I dunno where you wrestle at that you get a bite at the biggest apple before the rookie's been worn off of ya, but I don't think I'd wanna. If I wanted to put in minimal effort, I'd go to Target an' buy a plastic replica.
"What was I talkin' about? I dunno. Look, the important thing is, either way, I wish you the best of luck, Alex. Not that ya need it. We're gonna go out there an' put on the most epic main event the good folks of Charlotte, North Caroline have ever had the fortune of seein' -- an' then one of us is gettin' one step closer to that World Title match at Infinity. See ya in the ring!"
Alex approaches Bonnie and the partners hug.
Richards: This just proofs one thing... why nobody beat ever beat us for those tag titles.
Blue: You got that right. You know why Alex and I decided to showcase our UCI shoot instead of either creating new shoot or at least showing footage from our WCF feud. Because when you're retired you have the freedom to go out how you want to. This is what we chose to remember. Corey Bull.. at your last dance you have the chance to do the same thing. You have the chance to defeat three top stars and retire exactly the way you want to.
Richards: The way you deserve.
Blue: Your last match you have the chance to defeat Dandy Divito, Corey Black and another legend. Go out on top and you'll always be remembered for it.