Rise of the Phoenix Final Round

New York City
September 19th
Williams Royal Suites
After Throw Down

Throw Down was done and over with at the World’s Most Famous Arena. Most of the MHW superstars had gone back to their respective hotel for the night. However Crystal Zdunich decided to go somewhere else for this evening. Not many people realized this but in the earlier parts of her career Crystal had spent a great deal of time living in Manhattan with that of her former husband Todd Williams. With everything going on Crystal felt that it would be best to pay a visit to the biggest drug dealer on the East Coast. She was nervous as she found herself on T-Will street. This was an entire city block with nothing but buildings that Todd had owned ranging from his nightclub the Black Dragon, the corporate building Willcorp, and of course the Manhattan hotel chain of Williams Royal Suites. She walked through the doors of the luxurious hotel as she walked up to the counter. An elder black man sat at the counter. He slowly lifted his head as his eyes glared at Crystal in amazement.

“Hello Miss Hilton… Long time no see.”

The blue haired vixen smirked in return as she nodded her head.

“It has been a while Jimmy… It’s been far too long to be honest. Anyway I came here to see Todd. I know it’s a little late but I would appreciate it if you let me visit him…”

Jimmy shook his head in return before grinning.

“It is never a problem Miss Hilton especially when it concerns you. You know you are ALWAYS on the list of Mr. Williams special guests. Besides his children you are the only one who has access to see him whenever you wish. Just walk over to the elevator and I’ll buzz you up to the penthouse floor. Enjoy your visit and I hope everything is good…”

With that Crystal just gives him a slight wave in return before she walks towards the elevator. She steps inside and once the door closes it begins to ascend to the highest floor. It makes it’s way all the way up to the penthouse suite. It finally stops at its destination. Crystal breathed heavily as she walked outside the door. There was so much going through her head and yet so much that she needed to get off of her chest. As soon as she stepped out she was standing in his living room area and she could hear the loud sounds of an infant crying. A female voice called out to the infant.

“It’s okay Xavier… Everything is going to be fine… Mommy is here and…”

The female finally saw Crystal standing there as she held a baby boy in her hands. She took a long deep breath before looking at Crystal.

“Hey… I didn’t expect you to come tonight Crystal…I….”

Hope Williams was the wife of Todd Williams. Pretty much Todd’s current fling of the month but it didn’t bother Crystal. She knew that this was his fifth wife after many divorces. She had no idea how long this current marriage would last neither did she really care. Her business wasn’t with her but rather her former husband.

“I know it’s pretty late Hope and I would never want to intrude on anything especially your private life. I am here to see Todd… It’s an urgent matter so if you could get him I would be very appreciative…”

Hope didn’t even have a chance to respond however as her former husband walked into the room. He offered a grin as he looked over at Crystal.

“You don’t ever have to ask for permission to come visit this home. You are my child’s mother and I would like to think we have a pretty civil relationship. Hope if you don’t mind sweetie why don’t you take Xavier to the room so me and Crystal can have a chat with one another.”

Hope nods her head as she holds the baby. She slowly walks away giving Todd and Crystal their privacy. Todd keeps his eyes locked on her before he takes a long deep breath and follows up with another question.

“I didn’t expect to see you tonight. I knew you were in town for wrestling but I didn’t think you would pay me a visit… What’s going on Christina, it must be urgent for you to be here…”

Crystal shrugged her shoulders just offering a sigh before taking in a deep breath.

“I… I think something might be going on with our daughter. Her attitude lately hasn’t been the best and your sister Jennifer has resurfaced…”

Todd opens his eyes in amazement.

“What do you mean she’s resurfaced?! Last time I checked she was living a happy life in Japan, why would she appear now?!”

Crystal shakes her head before shrugging her shoulders.

“There’s something you must know about her though. Going back until we were teenagers Jenny has been there as my personal drug dealer…”

Todd raises his eyes along with his voice as he gets in her voice.

“YOU HAVE BEEN USING?! Crystal!!!! Why didn’t you tell me?! You know I believe that you shouldn’t get high off of your own shit!!! More importantly YOU shouldn’t be getting high at all. That stuff is addicting. I know I am this big dealer around the world and it might have been wrong for me to get you involved in so much shady stuff during our time of being married together.”

Todd sighs as he calms down a bit.

“But I honestly never wanted you to get involved with the lifestyle. I always thought you were so much better than that and on top of that you are and will always be my first love. I would never want anything to happen to you. Also you are my child’s mother I couldn’t see you going down a path that’s not suited for you. I really am sorry I didn’t see any of the signs. I should have been more observant and…”

Crystal shakes her head cutting him off.

“Todd it’s fine… Honestly we can’t change the past and I wouldn’t want you to own the sins I have made. I had a messed up life and before we met I already had my share of baggage. It was messed up not being raised by either of my biological parents, and being a poor girl from inner city Detroit. If anything I am thankful that you took me out of that lifestyle. You helped me escaped it. If it wasn’t for you pushing me to find the best version of myself, I wouldn’t have looked for my biological parents. I probably wouldn’t have ever known about my father being this wrestling hot shot. I wouldn’t have been able to reconnect with him and become a wrestler. I know it was tough for you being the son of criminal lord Roman Williams. Being sent away by your father because he couldn’t stand the sight of you… Preeclampsia is a Bitch and I know your birth took away your mother… A world without having a mother is tough…”

Todd shakes his head as he chimes in.

“Yeah… And being reminded by my sister of how our father favored her is annoying. I had no say in choosing to come into this world. My mother knew the type of risk I was but she didn’t care. She would have rather endured it so I could have a chance at life. I know you and I have been through our shit but I always want the best for you Brittany, and even Brayden. You all are my world and I wouldn’t trade it for anything…”

Crystal nods her head.

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I know we had our twins at age of 13. It was frowned down upon by the world but I wouldn’t change it. You embraced me and I am thankful. Jenny has always had some extra energy towards me. I thought she was trying to help in getting me to use. I thought our connection would strengthen but I guess her real goal was to see me self-destruct so that it would have an influence on our connection worsening it never did. We might have gotten divorced for our own reasons but we still are there for our children and will work together to do so…”

Crystal nods her head as she looks back at Todd.

“I don’t know something is off and I think Jenny is trying to pull our daughter in with her. Jenny not only decides to resurface in America now but she tries to feed into my addiction by giving me an amount of drugs that she knows I would overdose on. I don’t know what the game is but I couldn’t throw my life away. I had to come clean to my family, and I knew I had to come clean to you as well. I am tired of hurting others and…”

Todd looks at Crystal as he speaks right into her eyes.

“Look I got your back. I know your wife and your girlfriend also have your back. You made the best decision by trying to free yourself from it. Just hearing that and seeing Jenny resurface makes me realize there’s only one reason for her making her reappearance after being hidden for the last few years. She wants the business. She is coming to get it back and is willing to try to focus on the one thing I care the most about in this world to get to me. That being you followed by our daughter… I won’t let it happen though Crystal because now I am ready. I know things are going to get nasty from here on out, but I’ll be ready for it…”

Crystal fires back an answer.

“And you don’t have to worry because I will have your back. I will be right by your side and…”

Todd shakes his head passionately.

“No… I don’t want you to get your hands dirty. This is my fight and I will deal with this on my terms. All I need from you is to keep on doing what you do best. Focus on your wrestling. Keep pushing towards being the very best and never look back. You have a great thing going and you are in the prime of your career. I know it gets hard to focus on what you should do, and sometimes you might be inconsistent on where you want to move your career. Some days it seems like you want the world to hate you but in the next breath you want to be embraced. Don’t let your past hurt cause you to rip apart at the seam. When you put your mind on something you are definitely the very best. Go out and claim what you were meant to do. Most of all go save our daughter. She seems to be a pawn in Jenny’s game and we can’t let her win…”

Todd takes a breath.

“However I also don’t want you to be a punching bag either. You will have to fight back at some point and when it comes to it just do what you have to do. Brittany will see the error of her ways and she will realize that Jenny is manipulating her. I know this might be tough to deal with but if there is anybody who can deal with all of this it’s you Crystal. Go show the world why you are the burning rose. While you are fanning the flames you might as well showcase why nothing can kill you or put you down. Showcase why you are ready to rise as a Phoenix as well… I know you can do it…”

Crystal nods her head as she walks over to Todd an embraces him into a passionate hug.

“Thank you… Thank you for the support and I love you. Thank you for being my children’s father… Despite what we been through I couldn’t seeing anybody else being in that position…”

Todd nods his head.

“No problem, anything for my first love. Now go out there and do what you need to do. Send your wife my regards and please let her know that she is the luckiest woman in the world because she has you…”

With that the two look at one another. Crystal knew that things would get violent from here on out but she would do anything to keep her eyes on the prize. It was time to focus and conquer the wrestling world.



















On Camera


The scene comes into focus and as it does we are treated to the shot of Crystal Zdunich at her hotel room. She gazes out into the distance making sure to take in the Atlanta skyline. The camera fades in our face and it is at that moment that she takes a deep breath and begins to speak.

“Damn… It certainly has been a wild ride in this tournament hasn’t it?! To be honest I just want to say that it personally feels good to be standing where I am in this tournament. I know that according to the polls on the MHW website the fans really believe that I will indeed take this entire tournament. I really appreciate that sort of backing. It means that the fans love what I do in this ring and they acknowledge my wrestling ability. To even get this far I had to get through Psycho who is nothing but an absolute beast. We are talking about the first ever Hardcore Champion, a former Throw Down Champion and even a Hall of Famer. That’s a hell of a resume but somehow I made it past her. My second match in this tournament I had to get through a woman who could tap me the fuck out without having any second thoughts.”

Crystal shakes her head taking in a long deep breath.

“Submission based wrestling is basically my kryptonite. I know I might have a submission move or two in my arsenal but my entire game is made off of high flying and lucha libre speedy based moves that if I was caught that would be the end of me. Anastasia wasn’t able to clip my wings and because I was able to keep our match at a fast pace I was able to pull out a dub. It was tough going through her but the fact is I am here in the finals and right now I have the toughest challenge in front of me. I know have to face Katrina Knox in order to cement my legacy in this company. Katrina is a fucking beast. There’s no doubt about that. She is an absolute monster and she has shown to have the ability to destroy anything in her sight. Hell I can’t help but really believe in that hype as well. I keep hearing time and time again that Katrina is the most dominant champion in this company point blank…”

Crystal continues to look deeper into the camera as she speaks some more.

“I honestly thought about this and it’s funny considering she has held her title as long as Leah has. Every other championship has switched hands and been moving about across different owners, but not Leah and Katrina. However if you look at things further I will on the record and agree with the claim that Katrina is THE most dominant champion in this company. It’s simply based on the fact that Katrina is basically defending her championship on every single show. On top of that I know she has to worry about the 24/7 rule, which means at any given time as long as there’s a referee she has to be on her toes expecting a match. Yet even with that curveball thrown at her it hasn’t had any impact on her. Katrina is still the champion and remains to be a mainstay constant in MHW…”

Crystal claps her hands together as she smirks.

“I can’t help but respect that Katrina. You truly are the cream of the crop. You are one of the best and you prove it every single week. However as amazing as you the fact is you are going to be in for the match of a lifetime because on Throw Down I am going to bring it. When I signed my name to be part of this roster I did so with the intention to be the very best. I came here to be at the top of the food chain and I will be damned if I don’t live up on my promises and capitalize on the moment to do so that’s right in front of me. I know with this Rise of the Phoenix a person basically controls their fate in their own hands. They could challenge after any title and call their shot. If you aren’t here to go after the top of the food chain so you can be the best then what is the point?! That’s why I know it’s a necessity to get past you. I know there’s an added bonus attached to this match. The Hardcore Championship is on the line. The title that represents the most fighting champion in all of the company, a title that epitomizes that of being a workhorse and it has shown to be you.

I will say that I have accomplished a lot in my career and hardcore has never been my cup of tea. It’s not my strong suit but on this night it will be my strength because a win over you would ensure that people can respect me as being one of the best wrestlers to step into this company. I know people want to compare who might be the best champion in this company. Is it you or War Queen?! However I look at the both of you and with this tournament I can give the fans a clear cut answer. I can insert myself as the third option and let everybody knows it’s me because if I BEAT you and then go on to beat Leah the answer is clear cut as day. It will be a fact and I live to be the center of attention no matter the risks involved…”

Crystal shakes her head sighing in return.

“I will be the first to admit that often my need for attention could be like my own cancer. It would personally kill me because it confuses the living hell out of everybody. One day I wish to tell the world how great I am and I don’t give a damn on what they think of me. The next day I want to feel appreciated and I live for their cheers and their support. Inconsistency is my crutch and I have always struggled with that. Hell even Eavan Maloney would tell you that it has been my downfall. One day I will treat my wife like absolute shit. I will go on social media and do stupid shit that should definitely the end of me… However…”

Crystal pauses as she begins to speak some more.

“However… As much as I might have done some stupid shit. The fact is it doesn’t have an impact on what I do in the ring. That is the one area where I am very CONSISTENT! Sure I know that I might not be the most popular person in the locker room, and even I want to portray this good image it will take time for people to embrace it. People might see me as the evil Bitch, or even the junkie… At least I know that’s what Una Quinn said on behalf when she was running down my family when you fought Brittany. Telling the world how my mother was an addict, how I am an addict so that’s in Brittany’s future as well. I will go on the record and say that I do have my share of problems and I am working them out. Yet whatever problems I might have it still doesn’t change that I TAKE CARE OF MY SHIT IN THE RING! I handle mine and I keep persevering. I have no choice but to fight.

I know that even you can respect that Katrina. I know you respect what I do and regardless of what type of dirty laundry might come up within this match whatever you might say about me. You told my daughter that she basically would have to earn her spot. She just can’t expect things to be handed to her and that she needed to prove herself. It went even as far as Una Quinn telling the world that you are a champion that doesn’t need PROTECTION!”

Crystal rolls her eyes as she shakes her head.

“That comment however is full of shit though because how can you be a champion who DOESN’T need protection when you basically have somebody doing most of the talk in your promos. That seems to me like you are being protected by something. On top of that in your match against Talia Una basically told the world that you would beat Talia and you would make the complete sweep by beating ZDUNICH… So in order words you all sold Anastasia short. You knew in your heart that I WOULD BE IN THIS SPOT! Those are your words not mine. So no matter what you say it doesn’t change the fact that you respect me and you can’t take any of that back now. Katrina at Throw Down I will beat you. Your road to get to this spot has been a challenging one.

However the fact is your path to get here has been filled by facing women that I have already beaten. You beat my daughter, and lord knows I whopped that ass plenty of times raising her so that was nothing new to me. You beat Talia but I also beat her a few months back. You beat women I already went through. Now you have to showcase that you have what it takes to beat me and I don’t think you have what it takes.

I don’t have any protection. I don’t have anybody else speaking on behalf of me. Yes I might make stupid decisions but it’s decisions that I make on my own. When I do make the bad choices I try my best to learn from the mistakes although sometimes I keep making those same bad choices and that’s on me. Hell when I came to this company I had this hype and I believed my own bullshit. I thought my past would have an influence here but I was in for a huge wakeup call when I was embarrassed by Samantha Demars. It was insulting to me and yes I tried to sugarcoat that by dying my hair. Claiming it was a stunt double and writing it out of existence in my head that it never happened like the ever flowing changes of retconned timeline of the Halloween Franchise…

But I can’t run away from those things. I need to own it and since that day I have brought it. I have been at the top of my game and even if I lose the world knows that Crystal Zdunich has shown up. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what color I dye my hair, it doesn’t matter what my name might be. None of that matters as it was said in Romeo and Juliet “a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” It doesn’t matter because I still am that great wrestler and nothing changes about that. At Thrown Down you will be in the ring with the Burning Rose. You will be facing a woman who is ready to set this entire wrestling world on fire.

And I will win this tournament. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Atlanta, in California, or wherever we compete, but the entire world will see for themselves that Mile High Wrestling is CRYSTAL COUNTRY. Nothing will stop this rose from blossoming and on Sunday this Phoenix will rise. I wish you the best of luck Katrina but I doubt you will be able to extinguish these flames. All good things must come to an end and that definitely includes your reign as Hardcore Champion. Best of luck you certainly will need it…”

With that Crystal continues to smile as we fade out on this image.