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Post by Star Stormz on Nov 9, 2021 12:08:57 GMT -5
PWS: APEX Riot Tuesday, November 16 2021 Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
Singles Match Bella Madison vs. Tyson Sykes
Roleplay deadline is Sunday, November 14 at 11:59pm est. 1 rp each, 300 word minimum, 5000 word maximum
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Post by sykes on Nov 14, 2021 19:55:41 GMT -5
"Sometimes it takes hitting your lowest point to give you the motivation to get back to your highest." The scene opens slowly, static interrupting the picture frequently. We see a fleeting glimpse of a hand pull back from clearly obsolete camera, revealing Tyson Sykes face close to the lense. With a content smirk and a nod at the centering of the recording, Sykes takes a few steps back and takes a seat in an uncomfortable looking wooden chair. The squeaks of the unsteady old furniture echo through the otherwise quiet and eerily empty living room, the only other noise being the occasional car horn or large truck rumbling by the window directly behind Sykes. What's left of the days sun streams in through the window, giving what little illumination there is to the scene. Tyson sits slouched, his hands together, and an unfamiliar look plastered on his face - one that we haven't seen Sykes display in quite some time... a smile. "So yeah, you haven't necessarily been getting the best Tyson Sykes as of late. To say I've been distracted is the understatement of the century - but hey, you live and you learn. I went from being untouchable, and I don't mean that in an arrogant way. I had one of the cleanist win/loss records in the entirety of Apex. I defeated anybody and everybody they threw in my path, and I was making a name for myself. Hell, I defeated a PWS Legend, a hall of famer here and in multiple other companies, Chaz Holiday. I was on the cusp of having everything that I wanted... the shit went sideways.
I became unfocused. Distracted. I forgot the entire reason I was here in the first place - the entire reason that Sanders and I created the entity that is ANTITHESIS. I forgot... the mission. Ya see, I know I'm supposed to come out here and talk shit til my gums bleed and portray some alpha male who is unphased by anything in life - but here's the difference. I'm not on some macho shit - yeah I got a chip on my shoulder but that's because I've fucking earned it and because I'm damn good at what I do inside the ring. I'm not saying I'm the best to over compensate for any shortcomings - I say it because it's the truth. So you want to know another truth?
Mental health is a fucking bitch. I've been so busy trying to fight myself that I've been unable to fight anyone else. And yeah, it's something that isn't going away anytime soon, but you know what's bad news for the Apex locker room?
I've finally remembered how to use that to my advantage, instead of letting it cripple me." The smile fades from Sykes face. "I've finally remembered that the people here in the PWS... they're representations of the shit I fight every single day. Hell, I can't win the fight inside my own mind but you best BELIEVE that that's the only fight I'm willing to admit defeat to. And it's because of this little drop to rock bottom that I can sit here today and say without a shadow of a doubt - The Ripper is back.
I've spent a lot of time talking recently with my brothers in ANTITHESIS, remind myself, remind US that the reason we feel so beat down, the reason we feel so slighted and worthless is not because of our own doing... it's because of people like you.
It's because of people like Cleo Phillips who can lose match after match, title after title, opportunity after opportunity - just to be awarded with more. It's because of people like The Commonwealth who hop from company to company, proving how good they are at this sport but the SECOND they feel challenged they dip. It's because of people feeling like they're owed a place in this business that we've had to scratch and claw our way into... people who are born into it and given every single advantage possible to succeed...
It's because of people like Bella Madison... that we will never truly be appreciated for who we are." Sykes nose ruffles and he scowls at the camera. Another truck thunders by his window, blocking the light for just a moment as Sykes sits back - the light ominously flickering off his face. "Let's get one thing very clear. I'm not coming out here and saying Bella is shit. I'm not coming out here and saying that when you get into this ring, you're anything other than talented. But what I am saying is this - you have it easy. And I don't give a fuck what excuse you want to throw at me. I'm sure you've been through plenty of shit that makes you feel entitled, makes you feel like you can hold your head up and allow yourself to pretend each and every day that you belong in this business. Hell, I'm sure that even if the cards hadn't fell the way they did, you'd still potentially be involved in this industry because you're more then competent.
But what I am saying is at the end of the day, you're always going to be Mama Phoenix's prodigal daughter. You're always going to be the step daughter of legendary Nick Madison. You're never going to be Bella... and you're always going to be a Phoenix or a Madison. No matter what you do, who you beat, who you lose to, whatever happens to you in this business - you're always going to have a safety net whether you want it or not. There's no stakes. There's no grinding. If you don't feel like showing up, you don't. If you do, you do. And you're afforded that luxury.
Fuck girl, this is what, the second Riot you've wrestled since fucking February? Maybe the third? Hell even though you find time in your busy schedule to miraculously make it to every other pay-per-view - you're not even always wrestling on those. And yet someway, somehow, Mama always finds a way to get her little girl screen time. There's not always time for Dionysus who is one of the most physically imposing figure in professional wrestling today. There's not always time for Alexander Lyons who is more naturally gifted then anyone I've ever seen. There's not always time for Jonathan Sanders who has lost less matches in an entire year then most do in a month. And there's certainly not always time for Tyson Sykes - who has done everything in his power to make this fucking company interesting in the past year - from bringing legends out of retirement to competing in other companies in honor of PWS. Nah, fuck that guy.
But as luck has it, no matter how packed the card gets, no matter how much talent flows into this company, no matter what feuds and matches have been built for months...
there's always a spot for lil Bella Madison.
And that's fine. It is what it is, and if I took the time to file my grievences against anybody with Madison, Phoenix, Lopez or Russow DNA flowing inside of them one way or another, I'd have to list 95% of this roster. So it's fine. I get that you will always have the door opened wide for you when you get bored of Twitter and decide to show up to work...
But what I will not allow is for you to close the door I've fought my ass off to open. I will not allow you to use your mommy and daddies shadow to block what little spotlight I'm ever given. I will not allow a surname to be the reason that I'm overlooked again. And frankly, this match this week is a blessing to me Bella. 'Cuz as I said up top, I've been feeling real down lately. Fuck, I've been feeling like a real pile of shit. But you know what makes me feel better? Knowing that Malachi is going to sit in the back as useless as ever and watch as his wife collects another lose. Knowing that Nick Madison is going to be icing his knees, pretending he's still anywhere near as good as he was in PWSR, as he watches his step daughter be anhilated. Knowing that Laura Phoenix, who sits on her high-horse in a suit is going to watch her pride and joy he absolutely desimated by a man she probably doesn't even want on her roster. I'm going to revel in the fact that the people who have allowed you an easy passage into this industry are going to sit back and watch someone who is better than them in their prime defeat their precious little offspring.
And will anything change? Will Malachi come knocking to fight for your honor? Will Nick Madison pop some more pain pills to make it through one more match to get some revenge for you? Will Laura Phoenix get off her ass and actually but her money where her enormous mouth is?
No. Absolutely not. Because it's just Tyson Sykes. I'm not part of their plan, and therefore no matter what I do, I'll never be seen by their eyes.
But Bella, believe me when I tell you this... I truly hope they're watching. Because after what I do to you at Riot?
If I don't get their attention then, I truly never will." The scowl slowly fades in a slight smile yet again as Sykes let's his final words linger before standing up, grabbing the camera, and shutting it off. End. Dear Kayla -
You'll probably never actually get this letter, considering I've written it about three dozen times and none have made it any further than from my notepad to the trashcan, but we're going to try anyways.
I've had a lot of time since you turned your back and abandoned me to think about our relationship, and I've come to a lot of conclusions. I've come to the conclusion that I was wrong. I was wrong to put professional wrestling over you. I was wrong to treat you as unimportant. And I was wrong to make you feel unsafe. I understand that being in a world so crazy, getting wrapped up in everything that is professional wrestling can be uncomfortable for somebody on the outside, and I certainly could have done a better job of understanding that at the time. I could have done a better job of being there for you. I can understand why that made you frustrated and uncomfortable.
But you know what I can't understand, Kayla? How you can take years of knowing someone, living with them, being there for them... and toss it in the fucking trash like an empty coffee cup. How you can say that you understand what I go through, how you understand that I have demons and that I living in fucking hell each and every day inside my own head... then you just fucking leave? You know that I've lived a life paralyzed by fear of not being enough - then being told I'm not enough by the one person in this life I thought gave a single shit about me? That's fucking low. And that's not on me.
You didn't understand shit.
You know who understands? Sanders. Lyons. Dionysus. The people that you vilify and blame for me 'changing'. You want to know the hard truth Kay? I never changed - you just never wanted to see me for who I truly was. Sanders is right... I've never been good enough for this world and I clearly was never good enough for you.
You always used to say you wanted to see Tyson succeed, and not The Ripper. You said that you were afraid of what would happen if I let that side of me take over. You said you never wanted that hell to take over my mind.
Well guess fucking what. It's too late for that. I'm too far gone, and Tyson ain't ever coming back Kayla.
And that's not on me.
That's on you.
In loving memory of Tyson Sykes - The Ripper
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Post by Bella Madison on Nov 14, 2021 23:57:07 GMT -5
~*~*~A contrast or opposition between two things.~*~*~
May 7th, 2021 The Home of Laura & Nick Madison
“Mom, I...I need to talk to you.”
In the kitchen, where most of their bull sessions take place, Bella stood behind the counter of the large island. In her hands, a cup of what one would assume is coffee. The steam is still rising from it, showing that it’s pretty fresh.
From the other side of the island stands her mother, Laura Phoenix and she stopped dead in her tracks, whatever she was doing when she heard the seriousness in her daughter’s voice, “Do I need to get Nick in here?”
“No...just you. For now.” Bella looks to her side with the empty chair, “Sit, please.”
“Ok,” Laura grabs her cup and slides it over, taking a seat next to her daughter, “You’re starting to scare me.”
“Why?” She looks around and notices that her mom has that look on her face like she’s about to be told something huge, “Ok, first things first. You can calm down, I’m not pregnant.”
Laura lets go of the breath that she didn’t even know she was holding onto, “Ok....are you sure?”
“YES!” Bella laughs, sitting back and looking right at her, “Yeesh, I didn’t think you’d be scared of the thought of being a grandmother.”
Laura leans against the counter and gives her daughter a cold stare, “It’s not that I am, just...not sure if I was ready yet but who is honestly. Jack and Alanah’s huge bombshell a couple months ago still lives fresh with all of us.”
“Including Mal.” Bella mumbles into the cup taking a big gulp, “But trust me, after everything I went through a few days ago....I’m not ready. In fact...it’s sort’ve opened my eyes to a lot of things. After the way I acted to Ambika and to you when Dawn got hurt, after this whole thing with Angel, I think I need to step away from PWS for a bit.”
Laura’s eyes get wide for a moment, “What do you mean? You’re not quitting, are you?”
Bella shakes her head, while taking another sip “No. HELL No. In fact, I will still kinda be around but honestly I need to put my focus somewhere else.”
“Like, Sin City?”
“Exactly like Sin City. I love PWS with everything I am, I fully believe that this place is my legacy but right now I need to step away and leave room for all these incoming people that the company has gotten to really shine. I need to build on myself and become something beyond my supposed legacy,” Bella looks at her mom and back to where Nick supposedly is at, “But after what just happened, I can’t. I can’t become what I had to become. I didn’t like it and what it took for me to snap back, I don’t need to put you guys through that again.”
Laura reaches out and grabs her daughter’s hand, “Bella...”
Bella shakes her head, “I’m not going to do that to you, dad or Mal. It’s time I spread my wings and it’s time I become the antithesis of what I have been. I need to be better than this.”
Laura smirks at her daughter, “I understand that. Did it myself a few times.”
Bella leans on her head and gives a smirk that matches her mother, squinting at her, “It’s gonna probably piss some people off.”
“Let them be. Your heart is in the right place and it’s your career, no one else's.” Laura says with a shrug. Laura slides off the chair and over to a higher up cabinet and reaching in.
Bella laughs for a moment, almost in deep thought of it all, “True. Can’t wait to see what people say when I return.”
Laura turns and holds a small older bottle filled with a brown liquid. She steps over and pours a little bit into her cup. “Well...here is to changing the narrative.” she says before pouring a bit into Bella’s cup. Laura grabs her cup and raises it.
With a smirk, Bella raises her cup, “Here, here.”
And the two take their sips.
~*~*~Someone that you used to know~*~*~
6 months have passed.
I wasn’t really gone. But I have grown.
I HAD to step away from PWS because I felt like I was letting people down.
God, I could just hear Mal in my head, “You have never let anyone down.”
And then there is Levi, “Don’t let me catch you saying that again”
But for me, it wasn’t about them...it’s about mom. I am first and foremost her mother’s daughter. The name Phoenix was practically synonymous with the PWS of old. In all incarnations of the history that this company holds. There was nothing like my mom.
So when I went to her, I told her what I was looking for, under my own terms. I needed to get out of that pressure, even if it was just for a moment.
I get criticized time and time again for what I did.
I left my home to become a better person. I have trained under my dad and Levi and now....
I’m working to make myself so much more.
Wolfslair Gym New York
She wasn’t sure at first how people would react to this. Her brother-in-law Lach, was down in Orlando along with Sierra at the gym there. She sat back and watched as Miles grew in the ring through this gym and Morgan down in Orlando. So why the hell was she so hesitant to do this?
Things in Sin City were picking up far beyond her wildest imagination. That was the idea though, putting her focus there to really truly grow. And apparently from that she has gotten attention from others.
She knew what her dad was doing though through everything, he was trying to truly prepare her. For what? She had no clue but here she was, inside the wolf’s den.
Here she was just Bella. Just like in SCW.
The weight of her legacy didn’t matter here, but they all knew exactly who she was. She laid eyes on Finn Whelan, he was preparing himself for his match against Levi. They nodded towards one another before she continued through, right now, she was just getting the lay of the land.
Even though she grew up in this world, she would always stand in amazement of it. Every place was the same, but different.
It made her giddy for the future.
And it was all at her fingertips.
~*~*~Be The Change You Want to See~*~*~
We see Bella Madison casually strolling down the streets of Nashville. The streets are alive with music from all around her. A nice change of pace from the usual hustle and bustle of NYC traffic.
“SO, you guys were supposed to be the change that came to PWS. Antithesis. Sykes, Sanders and Dionysus...and what exactly happened??? The one that made the biggest impact was Sanders, whole while he holds the Collateral Damage champion, it’s all rather ....blase.” Bella shrugs a bit, “In truth, the whole thing has just been an utter failure, especially from your standpoint, Ty.”
She holds up her hands in defense, “Look, I know where Sykes is going to go, because this is his M.O. He did the same damn thing to Chaz when he came around. Riding on the coattails of what was instead of what is. That is why I took time away from PWS.”
“I hear a lot of “Oh she is so like her mother”, and you would be right. I have constantly looked up to her and admired her. Hell, my own twitter handle is Bella Phoenix. I have wanted to be like her for the longest time.” she takes a deep breath in and leans against a post, “But I found myself instead doing everything I can to get out from that shadow. The United Title? The one I won? I did that ON MY OWN. Everything that I have accomplished over in SCW, I did that without her help. Malachi by my side the whole way but what is absolutely amazing about that? I would fall down and pick myself right back up again.”
“What have you done Tyson? Jonathan holds the lone title. You guys tried to cheat your way into the tag team championships and ended up falling directly on your faces. It seems to me that every time you try to come up in the big leagues, you just come up a little short.” with a smirk she brings her thumb and index finger just a little bit apart before sighing, “So, what can you do about that? Hm? Beat the daughter of the Hall of Famers, the woman that stepped away, didn’t need her family to make a recognizable impact. You want to make a name for yourself, Tyson? This is your shot. Right here. It’s time you figure out just who in the hell you are. And I hate to break this to you, but I’m not going to back down from you, for ONE DAMN MINUTE. I am Bella Madison. I’m the woman that took herself and became so much more. And in this match, you are facing ME, not Laura, not Nick. ME.”
She points to herself, her smile bright and her tongue sticking out slightly through her teeth. Looking around a little bit more on the streets of the city, before she walks down the street a bit, “I’m back to claim my legacy. I’m not going to let demons run me off. And it’s time I do this on my terms.” Bella turns back and points, “And that my friends, is how you truly change the game.”
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