Titaness vs Azurine Vebbins

16th August, 2018
18:40 PM
Denver, Colorado
Exact Location: University of Colorado Hospital
Status: Off-Camera

”Where the hell is he?!”

It had only been the third time Samantha had asked. But for The Titaness, it had felt like the millionth. She had driven her motorbike quickly out of the Magness Arena after the third Thursday Night Throwdown show had ended.

It had taken some pestering of the Mile High security, but thankfully, she managed to find someone who knew where Robert had been transported to after his accident.

”Well?!” Sam frantically asked, staring deep into the nurse’s eyes.

”L-Look, miss … we have policies and such. Surely you understand?”

”I do … “

The Titaness closed her eyes, nodding slowly to help try to reassure the receptionist she wasn’t just spouting words. She was being completely sincere. God knew by now she had a history with almost every state and even a few countries of being hospitalized.

”No, I’m not family. But I do know Mister Mack in my own rights. He is still someone I care about, so … please. I just .. five minutes? I don’t need long. Really.”

The nurse’s eyebrows furrowed as she kept making eye contact with Samantha. After a few minutes ticked away, a defeated sigh passed her lips.

”Okay. Ten, just to be a bit generous. But … fair warning. He hasn’t even really stirred since we operated on and treated him. There’s a high chance he may be in a coma, so … he won’t likely respond to you. Room 270.”

”Thank you. Truly, I appreciated.”

After even bowing her head in appreciation, Sam half-ran, half-walked to the nearest elevator and pressed the “2” button.

By the time she walked into Rob’s room, all of the tremors she’d managed to keep in control took over her body. Most of the Snakebite guise was removed, though some hints of face paint lingered. An oxygen mask was placed gently over his face. Numerous IVs were inserted into his forearms.

And, thankfully, Sam lifted her head and saw his heart monitor still functioning.

Her gaze then shifted to his window, where Joseph was waiting outside. Guarding her bike, so to speak, by remaining seated on it. He had agreed and understood this visit was much more significant for Samantha than himself, and opted to remain outside while she took some time to see her boss.

”Is this what you meant?” she asked in a hushed voice, looking down with a furious glare.

”When you said if it was the last time we’d see you as Snakebite … are you … is this really what you want?!”

Her fists clenched tightly, teeth digging into her lower lip.

”You fucking idiot .. why?! What was the point of creating Mile High if you were gonna put yourself in this kind of wreck?! Huh?! Just because you have assistants … Jesus, Rob!”

Tears threatened to fall out of her eyes as she stared down, shaking her head every time a negative ‘what if’ scenario entered her mind.

” … You are pulling out of this. Right? For all the shit we’ve done, all the arguments we’ve gotten into … “

The Titaness weakly continued moving her head from side to side.

”Even this … I’d never wish for you to go through.”

Sam could feel her nails ready to break through her skin and cause her palm to bleed as she kept her eyes down at Rob. Almost half-expecting him to wake up and come up with some corny ‘Gotcha!’ line.

But every second that went by and resulted in him remaining stationary made Sam start fearing the worst. There was even a brief point where she seriously considered texting Joseph and insisting to go back to their hotel room without her.

… But .. no.

She hadn’t gone back to New Orleans last week in order to give RJ, Widow, and Forge time to blow steam off. Especially after their own fiasco. And she guessed they would wanna be alone.

Tonight, she would return. She promised she would to show her belts off, anyway. And while this was a dire enough situation, she didn’t want to feel as if she were betraying her sisters-in-arms by not at least starting the journey to Louisiana tonight.

”I’ll be back later. Promise. But you better pull out of this … or if you don’t? I’ll finish what we never got to in HcW and deal with that masked bastard myself.”

Granted, she didn’t have any definite proof that was the exact same person. But that had been the first assumption that entered Samantha’s head when she saw the incident play out in her locker room.

”Hang in there …”

Seconds after she whispered her plea, a gentle knock resounded on the door frame.

”I know,” Sam called back. ”I was done anyway.”

Somewhat begrudgingly, she exited the hospital within a few more minutes of walking and motioned for Joseph to scoot back.

”You sure you’re gonna be fine to drive?”

”Fuck yes. Get your visor on and hang the hell on. I’m probably gonna speed for a good chunk of this road trip.”

Joseph merely sighed, but nodded, knowing now was the absolute worst time to even risk arguing with Sam. Soon, they were both ready, signaled by the engine revving and coming to life. The Titaness would keep to her word and steer sharply out of the driveway, going south towards New Orleans, where her new family of sorts resided.

---

17th August, 2018
10:53 AM
New Orleans, Louisiana
Exact Location: Shieldmaiden Clubhouse
Status: On-Camera

”Well … here we are again. You and me … in another main event fight. You’re welcome, by the way. You know, Azurine? Once upon a time, there did used to be an ‘Adorkable Angel’ version of you. For real. No sarcasm. She was actually a beacon of hope, particularly for Elysium. And that light especially shined after the demise of The Infinity Warrior, better known as Kevin Moss. She didn’t judge. She didn’t try to be greedy, particularly with things or people not associated with her. She didn’t do any of that shit. Where is she? Where is that Azurine, hmmm?”

As the camera adjusts, it shows Alex “Bullet” Carbajal, Jackie “Bandit” Layton, “Psycho” Saoirse Maguire, Becca “Bruiser” Rogers and Aoife Maguire all standing beside or even behind The Titaness. The speaker in question is sitting down in a chair. A closer inspection of the scenery around the group reveals this is likely the living room, or something equivalent of a lounge-slash-hanging out area.

”There’s something to say about you staying quiet when I went under SHIDO-sensei’s wing, yet making such an outburst when I became a Shieldmaiden. Why is this worse? Hmm? And don’t say SHIDO wasn’t a ‘bad guy’. You know he was. Anyone who knows of Elysium knows he was easily one of the most infamous Heels in this industry. Some people spoke up against my action, primarily your ex or Jake Archer. Tried to accuse me of being weak and shit. But you? You kept quiet. But the very second I join a stable that happens to also be a motorcycle club?”

Sam snaps her fingers.

”Instant judgement. Ironic much?”

Sam pauses, allowing the words to sink in as she crosses one denim-covered leg over the other, arms going over her chest.

”Between you and me? You got more to worry about than anyone accompanying me to the ring. But I can safely say if anyone does … well … it’s because you were stupid and opened your mouth. Publicly. On Twitter. So now, you got beef with our newest members - and certainly not the good, edible kind. But before they introduce themselves, I wanna make one thing clear. And it involves your ‘royalty’ talk. That ain’t happening.”

Her head firmly shakes as she narrows her eyes.

”Not just because it’s stupid and incredibly greedy. But that’s a disgusting thing to even imply. I admit, I don’t know all of the history of my sisters-in-arms. But I do know this; they’ve been around for a whole decade. Even if not made official, the term ‘Shieldmaidenism’ was - on the most technical of terms - created the day they came into existence and made themselves known. So no, you can’t claim credit for that. That, Azurine, goes to RJ. Or, if you still want to count the bullshit incidents recently, then Bullet, as she’s now acting in charge of us all.”

Finally, Sam looks up to the newest members, flashing them a knowing smirk before looking back to the camera.

”This may be my promo, but feel free to properly introduce yourselves. There’s been talk going around, and I have little doubts you’ve seen them. Since you’re new to me, I wanna know for myself … are you indeed ‘second wave’ Shieldmaidens like so many on the roster think, as well as learn your names. The floor’s all yours now.”

Bullet nods to the one with the mohawk and she steps forward.

“Me name is Saoirse Maguire, but errbody hare calls me “Psycho.”An this’n hare…”

She nods to the larger, tattooed latina.

“This bae me fiancee, Becca Rogers. She isna trainee like meself. She’s a trainer. She works a the’ Hybrid Combat School in Asheville an’ she used tae wrestle ‘erself as well. As fer our connection tae Alex…”

She turns the other way and nods to the as-of-yet unnamed golden blonde tattooed woman.

“This bae me sister, Aoife, by the way. She’s nay a trainee or a trainer a’ th’ moment. She’s a manager. Alex bae trained by our brother, Shonn, so if ye bae sayin’ tha people who are jess trainees are nay worth yer time…”

Psycho shrugs, looking almost tickled by this idea.

“Ye’ve alrady lost tae one yerself, Lass!”

She steps back and Bullet nods, looking like she might laugh herself now.

“Azurine has a certain tendency, doesn’t she?”

Now, it’s Bullet’s turn to shrug.

“You see, they are not all trainees. Aoife’s our new manager, Bruiser’s a bodyguard to make sure nobody messes with Aoife and Psycho?

Looking down the line, Bullet nods to each of them in succession.

“She looks like she and Jack will make a nice new team. Don’t you think so, Titaness?”

Without missing a beat, Samantha almost immediately replies, ”Most definitely. Any of us could, if push ever came to shove, be a decent team, I think. I already showed my adaptability when I fought alongside RJ and Forge in the Six Person Tag Match, after all.”

Reaching over her shoulders, Sam gently lays both the Eternal Warfare and Throwdown Championships down atop a nearby table.

”This,” she says, nodding towards the newest title, ”Isn’t much different than my Mile High Championship. Or, as you so fondly keep calling it, the ‘throwaway’ title. But tell me something …”

Another pause as her smirk widens.

”If it’s such a ‘throwaway’ belt … why didn’t the California Brat win it? Or Ripley? Granted, the latter did much better in trying to win it, most definitely. Nonetheless, the answer is the same; because the owner - me, that is to say - refuses to simply ‘toss this away’. There’s only one difference between these two belts and, no, not just where they belong.”

She lightly pats the Eternal Warfare Championship.

”Since I didn’t have Joseph with me when I fought for this, no one saw how this was earned. So I’ll proudly elaborate. There is no set date for when one has to defend this title, unlike the Mile High version, where I know I defend it every week. Eternal Warfare happens with little notice or notification. In fact, when the most recent announcement aired, I was originally in Portland … visiting Tiami Erickson. They told me Holland was in San Diego. So I flew over, found his exact location with a bit of help from some other members of the Death Trip Wrestling roster, and gave him the fight of his life.

“And with Holland hailing from Elysium also … you of all people here, Azurine, should know he is a tough motherfucker. Man, was he ever.”

Sam lightly points beside her stitches.

”He’s the reason I got these, in fact. Smashed two porcelain coffee cups right there. But before that? He became the first person in a very long time to bust me open with just his fists. In short? There were almost no rules to earn this belt. It is very brutal, very violent. You’d be astounded how far some people will go, especially in death matches.”

She then points to herself, chuckling.

”Like me. As I told Ripley, I stabbed Holland to earn this. Twice, to be precise; once in his shoulder, once in his leg. That was one of the injuries that helped me secure the final three count, in fact. I beat veterans within Death Trip Wrestling to earn this title.”

The Titaness then sneers.

”If you still wanna deem this a belt that’s as useful as a disposable reel of film or anything that’s thrown away after one use, you’re a true idiot.”

“Malparido pelota…”

Bandit shrugs.

“I almost feel sorry for her. Talented wrestler but she can’t seem to find a break and now she’s kind of…”

She shakes her head as she trails off.

“I don’t know, it just seems weird that her sister gets grabbed and everybody’s supposed to at least feel a little empathy for it but she looks at Sorsh here, who spent four months getting her ass beat in captivity and because she joined up with us as family to make sure that never happens again… nothing?”

Bullet nods pointedly.

“¡Malparido pelota!”

“Aye, I guess we’ll jess ‘ave tae show ‘er. Sam dinna naid us tae win th’ championship an’ she’ll nay naid us to keep it!”

”And hell, if it’s such a toss-away championship to you, why would you want it? But the more vital point is exactly what Psycho said; I’m not letting you win it. At least Ripley wasn’t stupid and tried to discredit me. You? You’re still going on with that bullshit ‘Shieldmaiden Number Six’ crap.”

Sam leans forward, eyes further narrowing.

”And yet, you further try to say on Twitter you respect the Shieldmaidens?”

The Titaness rolls her eyes, snickering.

”I dunno who you think you’re trying to fool, but it ain’t me, Az. You’ve got as much respect for me and the others as Skrabz does. Meaning none at all. If he truly had any amount of decency, he’d give Bullet her due, period. He’d also shut up, rewatch that episode, and see not all of us moved or even spoke up. In fact, you’ll see I’m one of those Maidens who simply watched. Most of us literally did just that - observed. Maybe spoke and taunted him a few times. But actually get into the ring?”

Her head moved from side to side.

”Maybe a few times on the apron, sure. But inside the actual ring? Nope. Bullet was the only one there so, by definition and default, she did indeed fight Skrabz solo, ignoring all interpretations and technicalities you wanna try to use.”

Lifting her head, the camera zooms in slightly to reveal Samantha wearing a simple, black leather collar around her neck.

”You said a while back that this was your metaphorical halo, yes? Hope you got one just like this - because everyone who’s said it before is right. You’re more of a fallen angel than I ever will be. And given I pretty much started as one since my teen years? Damn. That’s pretty pathetic to see from you.”

The Titaness rummages around in her pocket, pulling her phone out after a bit.

”In fact, Seether sums you up very well, especially with your attitude as of late.”

Rather than pulling YouTube on her phone up, Samantha opts to just go to a set of lyrics. She turns her phone around, letting the lens catch what’s on her screen and staying quiet as the following words can now be seen.



”You’ve accused me of being soulless. Heartless. Because … what? I made a conscious choice to ally myself with a group here? One you’re obviously afraid of, with how you’re fretting about me being joined at ringside.”

Sam shakes her head again.

”Like I said, if they do … that’s their choice. But in case you haven’t noticed? I’ve been doing these defenses by myself, Azurine. So in the worst case scenario? Should any join me, they’ll just get to see how far from grace you’ve truly fallen via a front-row seat. But trust me - I fully intend on fighting you completely by myself. Hell, the fact Bandit didn’t intervene with Bullet’s fight should have hinted that much. We support one another, most definitely. But at the end of the night? If any interference happens, it’s to watch one another’s backs. Like how the Toll Gang tried to get involved that one evening.

“Cute, by the way, Skrabz. You were so scared of losing your title, you decided to bring your own homies here to Mile High. What’s wrong? I thought man like Skrabz wasn’t scared or some shit like that, eh? Does a man like Skrabz finally understand he is vulnerable? Not as invincible as he once thought? Well .. kudos on that much, I suppose. You’re finally being honest with yourself - and all of Mile High for that matter. But also just like Ripley, too little, too late done. Your Tweedledee and Tweedledum pals ain’t gonna help you out so easily against us.”

Tucking a few strands behind her ear, Sam’s words are directed back to Azurine.

”You wanted to fight me? Well, congrats. You got it. This’ll be the closest you’ll probably get to seeing me at, or even before, Good Time. So shut the hell up and accept it. This was exactly as Bullet predicted; a bone tossed to you. But honestly? This coming Thursday isn’t gonna be any different. You had your chances with all the other belts - and lost every single one of them. You continue to insult me and, very specifically, this title. You get what you give - which thus means you’re walking away empty-handed. Just like you have every other time. History will repeat with you tasting defeat, because I’m gonna make it play out as such.

“You are definitely the last person who I’d ever let touch my title. You wanted a fourth round? Here it is. Take it or leave it. But as far as I’m concerned? We truly are done in our ‘competition’ you’ve been trying to make happen after this fray.”

Sam pulls her right thumb across her throat.

”Put up or shut up time … it's drawing near. Considering how you’ve been doing as of late? You’re definitely not gonna put up. Least of all against me. The commentators are right - I am on a warpath. And if anyone’s stopping me, it will not be you. Solomon Cain was right about his own comment - you’ve used up all your chances at earning any of the gold. I warned you way back when we had our first fight you weren’t ready for the upper echelon-based matches. Hate to say it, but ...”

Her knowing expression strengthens.

”I told ya so. You’re not ready, even less so to take up the challenge of constantly defending the Throwdown Championship. Even now, you still aren’t. I’ll prove that soon enough.”

The camera zooms briefly out, capturing all of the Shieldmaidens before cutting out and coming to an abrupt end.

19th August, 2018
11:35 AM
New Orleans, Louisiana
Exact Location: Twisted Steel Garage
Status: Off-Camera

Although Sam had come with the best of intentions, the stay at the Shieldmaiden clubhouse thus far had been, in one single word, weird. A bit eerie, even. It was quieter than usual. Robi Jean was still, understandably - mind you, upset with being so suddenly fired from Mile High.

With the tense atmosphere, however, Sam had been … more cautious than usual, especially around Widow, Forge, or RJ.

It honestly pained her. It made sense why she was still livid. But never in her dreams would The Titaness have thought her President would react this strongly, either.

That’s right; even now, in Sam’s mind, she still envisioned RJ in charge of the Shieldmaidens as a whole. When it came to Mile High, however, that was a different story; one she was perfectly fine accepting, in fact.

Speaking of tales, however, her mind had been heavily thinking and recalling a very specific date. Call it paranoia, but with how not just the unforeseen firing had come, but so had the ‘house show’ - and thus the loss of the Tag Team titles - there had indeed been something she wondered about.

It was these thoughts that led Sam to enter the Twisted Steel Garage, where the very woman she’d wanted to speak with could be found. A small smirk crept across her face as she briefly watched Bullet at work, clearing her throat after a few moments, as well as ensuring her head wasn’t underneath a hood.

“Hola, hermana!”

A somewhat regretful expression mingled in as she confessed that, sadly, this wasn’t a visit being done simply for Sam’s own leisure nor to kill time.

”There has been something bothering me. A lot, and especially as of late.”

She’d wait for Bullet to get to a stopping point before moving onto the true topic at hand.

”So .. remember our last talk with Salazar? Particularly when he hinted there being an outside source actively working against us? With all the recent bullshit lately … is it only me? Or does that feel like less of a theory and much more of a very real, likely possibility?”

Bullet nods, brushing her hands on her coveralls.

“Yeah, and knowing Salazar it could go either way. He likes to talk, to make you think he knows more than he does but he is also a terrible poker player when he is holding a good hand and he did come off like he had an ace in the hole or something.”

”I haven’t forgotten I have my own bad company or shit, but …”

A visible grimace spreads over Sam’s face as she temporarily thinks back to her assailants, only to quickly brush that flashback away.

”This is more immediately important. And at least for now, they seem to be either smart or dumb enough to fail in finding me. No point in rushing the twins on their work, either. If they need more time, so be it. I’d rather hear a one-thousand percent answer from them than ninety-percent sure they know where those fuckers are. Right now … there are other people obviously working against us.”

Her arms rest on her hips as Sam leans against one of the empty walls.

”I guess when all is said and done though … do we even know where to begin with leads? Even if it’s only just a small guess, or … are we completely stuck in that regard?”

Crossing her arms, Bullet ponders this question for a second. What did they really know here?

“I suppose it would depend on which angle we were going to tackle the question from. Are we thinking this is an outside force that reached out to Mile High to get at us?”

She pauses, raising one hand and then the other as if they’re the two sides of a set of scales with the question being weighed, answers hanging in the balance.

“Or do we think this was more of someone in Mile High looking around for an excuse and finding a convenient trigger to use?”

Sam only needs a minute, two at the absolute most, to give her own thoughts about the issue.

”It feels more likely to be an outside source. If option B got proven to be true, the guilty person in question would only succeed in setting themselves up for a shit ton of legal problems. And if they were in cahoots with Rob, Katrina, or even Angel? That’d be worse for them, not better.”

The Titaness pauses to dwell on her own words before slowly nodding.

”Even when me and Rob had our own feud before he gave Snakebite up, I think - hope for damn sure - the cops were just that incompetent and not being paid off. I’ve never dismissed the second option, but I also couldn't prove it. However, now that .. well, he is technically still in charge of Mile High despite being incapacitated, yes. So with him being in a position of power, I don’t see him being that reckless to risk losing what he worked so hard to gain.”

A small sigh passes Samantha’s lips.

”Don’t misunderstand me; I’ll never side with his recent choices he made. But at the same time … I wanna think I know him well enough to be right in guessing he’s not actually as shady as he could be. Definitely not particularly when compared to, say, Marchand.”

Bullet nods quickly.

“What did actually happen between you and Rob?”

A sly smirk appears as Sam’s head slowly moves from side to side. She chuckles before managing to find her voice.

”Where do I begin? Goddamn. So much - that’s the simplest answer. But … well .. this probably would have come out eventually. Particularly if Skrabz really does know every single thing and decides to tell the whole world, so … I’d rather give that information out on my terms, not his.”

Her fingers gently tap against her jeans a few times before The Titaness begins relaying her history with Rob.

”So apparently, when I joined HcW back in February, I was the only woman on the roster at the time. I don’t know if it was that observation that grabbed his attention or what exactly. All I know is very, very quickly after emerging in HcW, I grabbed Snakebite’s attention. And … truthfully? It wasn’t in a good way. In fact, it was …”

Her teeth latch briefly onto her lower lip as Sam ponders how to word it before continuing.

”I suppose I’ll just say it like it was. No sense bullshitting the issue. He umm … he talked about me. Stalked me. Brought up wanting to abduct and rape me. And a handful of times, actually went through with some of those acts. You thought Tyke was creepy with RJ? No.”

Her head quickly shakes.

”What we had was much, much, much worse. At least Tyke only talked the talk. He most definitely didn’t do anything when all was said and done. But Snakebite? After a bit, he damn well nearly turned me into my own version of a monster. I can’t overly say I was proud of those moments. But push literally came to shove, and before that, no one had that much gall. Not even in the underground, where there were next to no rules.”

Another exhale, though anyone nearby could hear this one’s more shaky than any other breaths Sam’s elicited thus far.

”After a bit, I agreed to take an offer he gave me. Basically be his ally or remain his enemy. So we became a tag team for a bit in HcW and, for a bit, he was … tamer. But then he made some bullshit agreement with Lance Mikes to betray me and after we broke up as a team - and very weak, intimate couple - he went back to his more predatory ways. Back to hunting me, following me … and it kept going until I finally stormed out of HcW’s doors. Well … that’s what I was gonna do; before the GM had us both unjustly arrested. Literally for nothing - or if there was a legitimate reason, neither of us were informed what that even was. Shit, I don’t think we had our rights read to us. Pretty sure we didn’t.”

Finally, Sam stops, allowing everything to sink in and Bullet to soak all the information up.

“If he is a predator like that, why do you not think it could have been him?”

”A few things. The talk I had with him before he faced Solomon Cain was one. Even Joseph noticed it. He was not the same Snakebite even he saw me deal with on a nearly daily basis. Two, and this didn’t even click until after he got in his own accident, but his promos. It sounded like he literally planned to have himself taken out of the equation. Possibly with an annoying, familiar figure also from HcW.”

Her eyebrows furrow.

”I couldn’t prove if that masked bastard was the same we had to deal with or not; but I definitely don’t think it was a coincidence. They were one of the few people who even tried to mess with Rob, especially as Snakebite. Either way, his mannerisms have changed. But moreover, if he was indeed guilty? I don’t easily envision him allowing someone to hospitalize him.”

Her eyes softened.

”Possibly worse than simply doing that. I stopped by the hospital he’s staying at before coming down here. He … really doesn’t look good. In fact, for all we know, that may not have been set up by him. That also may be another outside source - just one possibly more aimed at Rob himself. But … no. With all I’ve been seeing and hearing from him? It isn’t as likely.”

She quickly raises her right index finger up.

”I’m not gonna be dumb enough to say it’s an outright impossible thought; but between the Snakebite I knew during HcW versus his most recent appearances? Using the one to ten scale, he’s got a two or three in being a likely culprit. I’ll also admit maybe I’m being stupidly hopeful. But until we can get more definite proof, that is how it seems to me.”

Bullet nods, taking this information in.

“So… you were Rob’s Harley?”

Finally, Sam manages to snicker, removing some of the more down and depressing looks from her face and eyes.

”His Harley, huh?” she muses, tilting her head curiously.

”I suppose that’s one way to word it, yeah. Definitely not what we labeled it, but that is true enough. With my love for sledgehammers, it certainly would be more than fair enough to call me ‘his Harley’ of all things. I’m actually pretty sure that’s why he came out during my own one-on-one against Skrabz; because the ‘talk’ I had with Katrina that evening? It was apologizing and confessing about our one night fling. I truly had no idea he had an actual wife. The only woman before me he was ever around beforehand was … Angel. Yes, the same one who’s now Mile High’s General Manager. But after a while, she dated Lance Mikes. Apparently still is, according to Tyke.”

Her head shakes.

”Before Rob, I’d honestly be gazing much more suspiciously at her or Katrina. Like it was revealed on the site, Katrina had to approve Angel’s re-hiring. And then we have seen and heard her have some rather shady talks, even on camera. This decision was not done on a whim. That I can say for sure.”

Sam frowns again, now rubbing her forehead gently.

”If it were up to me, I’d just blow all of this completely off and pretend there’s literally nothing wrong. But I’m not that stupidly hopeful .. nor stupid, period. Something clearly is wrong, and it’s been showing. All with a bright, flashing neon sign. Maybe two, even. And I wanna know as much as anyone else who demands for such answers.”

Bullet stares at Sam, her mouth hanging slightly open.

“You know, before she got hurt, I almost would have pegged Candi Bratton being in on something to try and get her back up to the top…"

She shakes her head, seemingly almost at a loss here.

“But then she got taken out the same way Rob did and now I am like, ok, so it probably was not her and having seen what happened to Rob…"

She pauses, nodding quickly to Sam.

“And now hearing all of this… what I have heard be called…”

Pausing again, she looks at the car in front of her and just shakes her head.

“Fuckery…”

She turns to face Sam, looking her dead in the eyes.

“This sounds more and more like it has to be Katrina, Angel or somebody close to one of them. Whoever truly benefits from what happened with Rob and Candi… and from what happened with us."

”Hold on. Hold up, hold up, hold up …”

A few more rapid taps against her jeans and Sam pulls her phone out, swiping and unlocking it. She then pulls up the match from March 12th, when she went against this so-called Masked Man in HcW. The match was a Falls Count Anywhere one, and she remembered perfectly coming out as the victor.

But there was something just as important that she wasn’t immediately recalling. Another name and face.

So she skipped towards near the end, where it shows both her and Snakebite attempting to pull the mask off.

”Hmm …”

She pauses, moving beside Bullet and allowing her to see another woman as best as possible.

”Her name is Melissa Daniels and, as the commentators hinted, we had a match against her and Lance the week after. Yeah meaning we had a tag match when we were still Team Chimera. But here’s the kicker - and it’ll require more research on my behalf. But I am almost positive that around this time, Angel had turned her back on Snakebite and began dating Lance. I have been thinking, more recently especially, that maybe the masked man isn’t a man at all, but a woman. And if any of this connects with anything - be it from March or last week - then maybe we finally have another link or two to check out.”

Ugh. Sam was definitely gonna need to scurry off after this and get some Ibuprofen; she could already feel a migraine starting up.

”Either way, it’s odd that Melissa would help this masked person out. Not randomly, especially. It always weirded me out, really. But if Melissa and Angel have any sort of connection, it could make sense. It’d also strengthen why Lance was truly helping, aside from the unspoken, unofficial alliance he had with this coward.”

Bullet nods, looking at Sam with fresh concern in her eyes.

“¿Estas bien?“

Keeping the phone held in one hand, Sam rests her right atop Bullet’s shoulder, smirking again.

”Mi cabeza definitivamente duele un poco por todo esto hablando. ¿Aparte de eso? Estoy lo suficientemente bien.”

Shifting back to English, she adds.

”Worst case scenario? Annoyed to even consider any of our bosses may actually be that corrupt. But … I’m not gonna jump the gun. I’ll keep every single coincidence that I’ve been noticing in mind, but ---”

Before she can finish, her phone dings, causing Samantha to tilt her head.

”Fucking hell. She really has nothing better to do than talk on Twitter. I’d think Trump would be a perfect example of why relying on social media so much can be really dumb and equally dangerous.”

Her eyes roll as, for now, she ignores Azurine’s tweets.

”Anyway, innocent until proven guilty as they say. That’s especially gonna hold true now while we have to look into people and clues in all forms and fashions.”

Bullet nods.

"Ok, we should just keep our eyes open for the moment. And you should probably go take care of that before it gets bad. You have match to win in a few days and we would not wish bad things to happen because we ignored something today."

Not needing anymore encouragement, Sam nods. Before leaving, however, she gives Bullet a hug. Only after that does she pivot and head back to the clubhouse. First thing was first; she needed to find some Ibuprofen to down in order to get a grip on her headache which was definitely getting steadily worse and worse with each lingering second.

---

21st August, 2018
13:16 PM
New Orleans, Louisiana
Exact Location: Shieldmaiden Clubhouse
Status: On-Camera

”Where am I, you ask?! Hah! What an ironic ass question. In case you forgot, I do have a life outside of Mile High. Not just wrestling, but social and even intimate. Where I am and what I do is none of your business. But I promise you, Azurine, the very last thing you will ever need to worry about as far as I go is never getting my homework done. I may not have been the perfect student back in school, but I got my shit done. Always.”

As the camera finishes adjusting, Sam is leaning back in a couch. Her arms are crossed over her chest as she shakes her head in annoyance.

”I don’t hound or pester you to get your shit done, so don’t even start trying that shit with me. No. Just .. no.”

A knowing smirk spreads over her lips as Samantha lowly chuckles.

”You can hate me for saying this all you want, but Elina Cartel was right. You are an attention whore. If the spotlight isn’t on you, you get antsy. That’s exactly what you proved. But for you, the spotlight isn’t limited simply to the one inside the ring. No, you have to be the best in a motherfucking trade war I give no shits about and about always doing amazing in sales. You really have become quite the narcissistic bitch, haven’t you?”

Sam quickly raises her right index finger as she begins listing more ‘proof’ for this makeshift case.

”First, you try to go on about wanting royalties for coining a term you most definitely did not come up with. Then, when Angel was simply speaking her mind and giving her two cents about her favorite highlight of last week’s show, you immediately decide to retort and say you ‘disrespectfully disagree’. You then went on to insist the best part of the show had to be you and Tyke’s fight. And if none of that was annoying enough? You did this almost right after I thanked Angel for her praise and words in admiring the newest members of the Shieldmaidens. So I’m pretty fucking sure that you intentionally tweeted just to try to prove your point which, for the record, you’re about as successful in doing as Trump is in insisting a witch hunt is still going on.”

Her eyes roll as Sam scoffs.

”First off, count yourself lucky Angel has good self-control of her reactions and emotions. Because anyone could take that offensively with the wrong mindset. But more importantly - two - you are not the only goddamn person Mile High revolves around. Like I said during our very first fight, you only know of this amazing place because of one person. Me. Same with how you’ve earned a good chunk of your places in Main Event frays. You know, like the one we're about to have once again.”

As Sam pauses to organize her thoughts, we can see two new changes from the past promo. No collar is around her neck this time. But the most vital difference is she no longer has stitches in her forehead. An even larger and more visible scar, most definitely. But the stitches are gone now.

”So … I’m cowardly for breaking up over air waves, as you said it, with Techne but you’re perfectly able to do a promo and not show your face? Excuse me while I hit my “Bullshit” button, Azzie. But enough of the small shit. There are more important topics at hand that clearly need to be discussed. Yes, we’re both broken records, it seems. But especially with you? It’s painfully obvious it’s needed, more so for certain things, certain … reminders.”

Sam finally proceeds to toss some printed out pages onto a nearby table.

”You’re a shitty liar. You’re still the same person, you say? Reread this. Because these entries show otherwise. You actually had respect back then. The Azurine I’ve been seeing over the past few weeks? Heh. She definitely does not possess respect; nor seem to know what it means.”

Sam leans forward, beginning to turn the pages and show each entry off. The camera lingers on each piece for about thirty seconds before going to a new one, allowing the users to read how ‘The Adorkable Angel’ used to be while fighting in Elysium.

”See?! Back then, you used my name. Even after I went under SHIDO’s wing. And fuck off with saying it wasn’t ‘your place’ to make judgement. It wasn’t even when I became a Shieldmaiden. That’s not the right justification to even try to use! Just a bullshit excuse. You’re still keeping up with this lame ‘Shieldmaiden Number Six’ crap, still think my title’s a throwaway one. And now? You have the nerve to think you can earn it, toss it away, and go for the Phoenix Championship? Are you fucking insane?”

The Titaness shakes her head, snickering softly.

”There’s no goddamn exchange like there is in the fucking stock market, you dumb cunt! You gotta earn another chance! But as far as I’m concerned?! You truly, fully have wasted all of them. Come Good Time, I’m about to have fought for every title Mile High has to offer thus far. The difference between us? Simple. I can succeed where you have failed. It may have taken a while, but …”

Sam pats her shoulder, where the Throwdown Title is resting.

”I can capitalize when the opportunities arrive. I can make them count. Everyone doubted me. Thought that just because I lost the Phoenix and Mile High Championships, I was unworthy or some shit. No. That’s not how it works. You gotta earn not just these belts, but the chances to truly go after them. And I can very, very safely say without any doubts that regardless of whether Joseph beats Bullet or not, you will fail in beating either of them.”

As Samantha finishes allowing the viewers to read the entire ‘journal’ of sorts, her arms go back over her chest.

”You clearly need to be re-taught what respect is. And given your uppity attitude, it’s fair to guess your mistress isn’t doing a good enough job at disciplining you. So come Thursday, that is exactly what I’m going to do. I’ll beat your sorry ass. I’ll show you that even if you view this Championship as something to discard, I don’t! And I refuse to lose it, particularly to a shitty winner and loser like yourself!”

Her head continues moving from side to side.

”But I am not stopping there. Nu-uh. I’m sure you’ve heard by now that when Good Time arrives, I’ll team up with Bandit to reclaim what was rightfully the property of the Shieldmaidens to begin with; the Tag Team titles. Trust me when I say there is nothing that Mosh or Ripley can do to keep those belts. When we win, I will become an overall Triple Champion, double within Mile High. If anyone had any doubts of my determination even after all of this time? After so many episodes? I’ll annihilate each and every lingering ounce of that come Good Time. I’ll prove I did not simply hand Bullet the Phoenix Title, nor that I did so to secure my spot as a Maiden. RJ gave me my cut because she acknowledged and recognized my talent, my strength! And you!”

Sam’s eyes further narrow.

”You will be out of my wrestling life and career. For good. Jansen ain’t the only one looking to clean house here. I very, very clearly warned everyone I’m gonna start doing that myself. Anyone who walks out after fighting me? Just means they’re not weak enough, that they can survive to fight another week. Otherwise?”

Samantha shrugs.

”There isn’t gonna be much more to talk about, is there? You’ll just be laid atop a shelf, much like how Bratton was. Both of them, in fact; Lara by me, Candi by Jansen. So … you wanna think I’m lying or bluffing? Try me.”

The Titaness cracks her knuckles, causing multiple popping sounds to resound through the otherwise mostly empty clubhouse.

”But I sincerely hope for whatever sanity and dignity you may barely be clinging onto that you’re not that fallen nor foolish to think I’m one to resort to such tactics. I never have, and I never will. It’s never been my style - something you should know best among the other members and fighters of Mile High.”

Sam jerks her thumb across her throat.

”Thursday will be my Heaven .. and your living, literal Hell. I’ll see you soon, Fallen Angel Azurine.”

As the promo comes to an end, the first few seconds of Skillet’s “Undefeated” begins playing from Samantha’s phone as she starts listening to music she has downloaded. The last thing seen is The Titaness placing earbuds against her ears before starting to close her eyes, relaxing in the couch.

Finally, static replaces the scenery and wipes away the existence of Sam as darkness takes fully over.