Post by Tatiana on Feb 25, 2024 6:10:01 GMT -5
Prologue | The Promo
(On Camera)
God damn it…
What can I say?
What can I do?
What can I even expect?
What can I say?
What can I do?
What can I even expect?
To say that things have not been going my way for a while now would be a painful understatement. I went from the top of the world after dethroning Jill Park - to riding the cannonball loop at Action Park. I mean, Christ… The cannonball loop might just be the most accurate descriptor of how my career has gone over the past few months.
Enter at the top.
Slide Down.
Hit the loop.
Shoot out the other side with a massive head wound.
-Repeat-
Every battle, every fight. Every trial, every tribulation. They always seem to end the same way. I go in with high hopes and end up with nothing but empty dreams and poor excuses. No matter how hard I try to change the outcome, I find that pre-destination is an unstoppable force with no flaws in its game.
At least, that’s what it feels like.
-sigh-
It doesn’t matter if it’s Action Wrestling or the Denzel Porter Invitational.
My bar is always set high, and I always fail to reach it.
And so, I feel that I should apologize to anyone left out there who still believes in me. Since the end of Turmoil, I’ve done nothing but let you all down time and time again. I was defeated in the finals by a guy who had already made his mind up to quit at the first opportunity he had to do so. I failed to regain the title in Hell in a Cell and then failed to outright win what is my third opportunity to recapture the belt.
I’ll be sharing this Payback main event with Teo Blaze as opposed to challenging Gerard Angelo one-on-one.
At 41 years old, I understand that I have fewer years ahead of me than I do behind in this business. I’m getting to the point in my career where ‘close call’ and ‘good match’ count for less and less. And yet here I am, forced to content myself with the consolation prize…
What’s that Boygenius lyric?
Always an Angel, never a God?
Yeah… I’m always an angel, and never a god. I’m the ‘plucky underdog’ everyone loves to cheer for but just doesn’t have that next-level cred to stand at the top of the mountain. I’m talented enough to get into the dance, but not pretty enough to be homecoming queen. And I keep finding myself in these big matches because my fans are as loud and supportive as I am relentless.
Not because the suits want me here.
Who is at fault for all of this?
What is the cause of the effect?
That’s easy… The only person stopping Tatiana Jolee from getting back to the top is me. The only one capable of preventing me from standing at the top of the mountain as the ACTION WRESTLING WORLD CHAMPION - is Tatiana Jolee. Her frustrations, her shortcomings, and her failings all belong to me and ONLY me.
And the only one who can save TJ…. Is TJ.
I’m sick and tired of the ‘atta boys’ and the consolations. I’m past the point of ‘good try’ and heading face-first through that cannonball loop into ‘fuck y’all’ - I’m pissed off, I’m frustrated, and I’m sick of being an angel.
The wrestling business is a cruel mistress… She can make you feel like you’re the only one in the whole world that matters, and then dump you at the curb for the next muse inside of a three-hour show. She can lift you all the way up into the clouds only to clip your wings at 30,000 feet just to watch you fall.
*pshhht* “This is your captain speaking… We’ve lost three engines, our hydraulics, and half of a wing. Light ‘em if you got ‘em and brace for impact.”
Congratulations Tatiana: You’ve fallen from grace, hit the ground, got up, was knocked back down, got back up AGAIN, and then lost a THIRD time at the DPI. What are you going to do!?
“I’M GOING TO DISNEYLAND, MOTHAFUCKAS!”
- - -
Actually… Hold that thought.
- - -
I’m going to PAYBACK and I’m going to GET some motherfucking payback.
- - -
In the words of the immortal Alice Cooper - No more Mr. Nice Guy.
I’ve tip-toed around this blind code of ethics, danced the dance of the hero, and tried my utmost to shoot between the lines to maintain a level of decorum often disregarded in this business. I’ve heaped praise upon my opponents, put them over for all of the accolades they have, and even gone so far as to congratulate them once they’ve beaten me down. Well, I’m getting sick and tired of these long flowery speeches about courage and honor in the heat of battle.
I’m tired of being the only chivalrous one in the gallery of rogues.
And so instead of telling everyone about how talented Teo Blaze is, or how crafty Gerard Angelo is.
I’ll say this instead.
And so instead of telling everyone about how talented Teo Blaze is, or how crafty Gerard Angelo is.
I’ll say this instead.
Fuck you.
This isn’t a fucking circle jerk, and nobody is going into the Main Event of Payback hoping to earn 2nd place. This is a WAR between three factions - all vying for nothing short of the WORLD. If you’re not prepared to bring all arms to bear and throw in the last brigade to the battle no matter how near or far victory might seem… Then you never deserved to win the war in the first place.
I’ve had my share of heat with Angelo for the past couple of years. The man is a snake in the grass looking to take advantage of any shortcut necessary to win. He’s a guy who would push his mother down a flight of stairs if he thought it’d help him retain the AW World Title. And though I HATE Gerrard Angelo - I have to admit his strategy has brought him success.
Teo Blaze is a different cat… Maybe more like me, in my psychology. He’s a noble wrestler with enough talent to be at the top of any roster in any federation - he wants to do things the right way to satiate his code of ethics and doesn’t feel he needs shortcuts to win.
And while I agree with all of that…
I also can’t help but caution him.
See, the man we both aim to dethrone has sold his soul to the devil and won’t hesitate for a moment to put a knife in our back just to keep that belt of his.
Right or wrong, it’s worked pretty well for him thus far.
The only question you should be asking yourself is whether or not you’ll be willing to stoop down to Angelo’s level to win the war...
Will you be able to discard your morality and cast off the shackles of nobility to win the war of the roses?
Or are you fated to be second best?
Or are you fated to be second best?
I know my answer to that question.
Do you know yours?
- - - - - -
ACT I : Elope or Nope?
(OFF CAMERA)
One week later, and here I was… Stinging from a loss in the Denzel Porter Invitational, making me 0-2 in the tournament. Part of me always felt that I was walking into a bit of a trap… After all, there was no way they’d want to see an XWF star lose to an AW stalwart in an event hosted by the aforementioned federation. But, as a competitor - I felt it right to accept the challenge and try to rock the boat.
It’s not that I think the event was somehow rigged, or that I only lost the match due to politics. Junko beat me fair and square, even if we agreed to have a technical bout only to have her go back on that and fall upon her strong style as a crutch. I still lost in the middle of the ring… And that’s on me.
Sometimes I think I am too hesitant to betray my code of ethics… She knew the technical wrestling match wasn’t going her way and decided to turn it into a UFC fight - something that I’d never win. Instead of throwing a wrench into the match (or up against her head) I stayed the course trying to honor my side of the deal only to lose the match.
And that is likely why I’m challenging Angelo for the AW Championship and not defending it.
“Hey, Ruby.”
My mind continued to race around the conundrum of my career, even as I tried to deal with the mess I got myself into
“Ugh… Her voicemail message always tricks me.”
I shifted the phone up against my other ear as I sat bemused at the voicemail message… It starts with a ‘hello’ followed by a few seconds of pause giving you the notion that she had answered and not the machine. The lapse in time gave me a moment to reflect on the things going through my head. I hadn’t called her to make a business-related inquiry but rather to ask if she knew any good divorce lawyers.
Yeah… I know…. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it too..
-beep-
“Hey, it’s TJ.”
I mused aloud, speaking to her voicemail… Ruby was likely busy with Johnny and his career. I can’t say I blame her. She had become more and more focused on him and less focused on me in recent months… But I wasn’t mad about it. She worked her butt off for me, and I appreciate her as a friend as well as my agent.
It's only human nature to be more committed to her partner than the rest of your clients, after all.
I know he makes her happy… So, I would probably insist she spend more time with him if she was most focused on me, anyway.
“Where to begin…”
Buckle the fuck up…
“So last week I went to Vegas in an attempt to get away from things for a few days. I mean, life has been hard…. Things in Action haven’t been ideal for me, I still wasn’t speaking to Hope, and I had both Payback and the DPI coming up. So, I decided to try and cut loose a little before the stress stacked up.”
Talk about giving your fucking life story to an answering machine… Jesus, TJ. Cut to the chase.
I chuckled to myself, once again switching ears as I rolled my eyes.
God, I must sound like a slut…
“I’ll spare you the details… Needless to say, mission accomplished. Except there’s a catch.”
That was putting things mildly… Madison and I were at the casino having free drinks handed to us left and right by the staff. We were pretty wrecked by the time we left - and also, Maddie had party favors. I guess it was some form of XTC? Anyway, as somebody who doesn’t usually use pill-form drugs recreationally…. I wasn’t prepared for how they’d hit the both of us.
“A catch… God, that’s putting it mildly. We both somehow ended up at one of those roadside chapels and we got married….”
Married… Like, yeah. Fucking hitched. HOW does somebody officiate a marriage in good faith when both parties are visibly intoxicated!? These sorts of things are only supposed to happen in a bad rom-com or stupid comedy… NOT REAL LIFE!
“Both of us were messed up… Like, so messed up that we didn’t remember the nuptials. We only found out about it the next day when we discovered the marriage certificate.”
I called around… It was like jumping through loops, but I was able to confirm that the certificate was a legal one.
This wasn’t some sort of gag gift we bought while rolling tits on XTC.
“Anyway… Both of us are in agreement that we need to get this thing annulled. And while she is from a prominent wrestling family and her dad has some of the best lawyers on retainer… I have none of that.”
It’s not that I think Madison would do something to screw me over. But her father might be a different story, and HIS lawyers were certainly going to try and get the BEST conclusion for their client’s daughter - I would hardly see the same representation.
“Oh, right… Her name is Madison Maddox. She’s Jack Glory’s daughter… Like Zoey Adler’s sister and all? Anyway… Her family has a reputation for being ruthless.”
I was starting to get into the weeds here…
I'm such a motormouth sometimes…
“In short, I need your help… So, if you could call me back ASAP? And please be discreet… This a private matter.”
With an exhale, I hung up the phone and sank back onto my sofa…
Now that Ruby was updated, I still had to do the hardest part.
Tell Hope that I was married and that things between her and I were on ice… I knew she’d be pissed and probably crushed. But it was her stupid inhibitions that got us here in the first place…
- - - - -
ACT II | Bitch
(ON CAMERA)
Will I wake up, some dream I made up
No, I guess it's reality
What will change us, or will we mess up
Our only chance to connect with a dream
-KA-BOOM!-
The fireworks explode off the top of the tron bringing the end to the strobes as a spotlight illuminates the figure of Tatiana Jolee standing there. Dressed in her blackout ring attire with matching boots and pads - her hair is pulled up in a bun and she has a black leather jacket with the Canadian flag on the back.
Will I wake up, some dream I made up
No, I guess it's reality
What will change us, or will we mess up
Our only chance to connect with a dream
Say a prayer for me
(Say a prayer for me)
Say a prayer for me
Say a prayer for me
(Say a prayer for me)
I'm buried by the sound
Of a world of human wreckage
In a world of human wreckage
In a world of human wreckage
Where I'm lost and I'm found, and I can't touch the ground
I'm plowed into the sound
To see wide open with a head that's broken
Hang a life on some tragedy
Plow me under the ground that covers
The message that is the seed
This WASN’T a televised event - it was a house show. But they were still filmed for Paramount Plus, and this would still be seen by millions on the streaming app.
“Hello, Greensboro.”
She mused with a little grin drawing a pop from the hometown fans.
“I’ve got a match in a moment against one of your homegrown stars… So, I’ll keep this brief.”
Brief and to the point… Mostly
Okay, maybe…
“They say Payback Is a bitch. And I tend to agree... except this year - instead of being a bitch. Payback is AGAINST a bitch by the name of Gerrard Angelo”
GERRARD - it was such a petty thing. But it annoys him when her accent stretches out those R’s in the middle to make it sound like GRR-ard.
And anything to annoy Angelo was a good thing in her book.
“We all know that the champion isn’t the kind of pride fighter he makes himself out to be. He’ll never be the feared technician or master of the cerebral arts that he wishes he could be… But that’s not Angelo’s speed. No, no… Gerrard Angelo isn’t a wrestling machine nor is he some master manipulator… He’s a little bitch.”
She gets another pop from the fans who eat up the edgy commentary from an otherwise respectful Canadian Hero.
“Everyone has been telling me that I HAVE to be the one to knock his ass off the top spot. That I’m DESTINED to reclaim the AW World Championship right here in Greensboro!”
Another BIG pop… TJ couldn’t help but grin.
“Maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not… What I can PROMISE you all, is that I am prepared to do whatever it takes to get the job done. No low is too low - and no shortcut too short. I’m stepping up to the devil himself - and I’m prepared to fight fire with fire. This isn’t JUST about the title… It’s about my WAR in AW… And I’ll be damned if I let some little punk ass BITCH keep from me, what I want more than anything else.”
The Action Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship.