Post by Kathleen Conway on Nov 3, 2013 22:14:30 GMT
Kathleen Conway sat on the bed in the master bedroom of her luxurious Las Vegas home, with her red coloured laptop, engaged in a Skype conversation with her younger sister, Tiffany Jones. Tiffany is sat in a hotel room halfway across the world. Kathy's youngest daughter, Domino is playing on the floor with her teddybears.
I suppose in that respect, I really should be thanking you Avery. In this business, every week and every opponent I ever seem to face in that ring, they all say the same thing as they hash out their twenty minute diatribes against me. They all question my motivations for being in this business, yet few ever really go out of their way to challenge those motivations in the manner you have McCullen. Either you're stupid or you're brave and since I haven't figured out which yet, I will just assume that you truly believe yourself to be the Daredevil they market you as, however you should be aware that one person's daring is often another person's foolish. I guess soon enough, we'll both know which history will ultimately choose to remember you as...
Until such time though, I really have no reason to believe you to be anything other than the poor man's less well endowed Lara Croft at worst and a less animated Dora The Explorer at best, and whilst one entertains my husband and the other entertains my daughters, neither particularly entertain me Avery, and I have a feeling that will not change even if you do somehow manage to pull this off. This could very well be the win of your career if you can do it Avery. I will not dispute that.
However, I will dispute whether you deserve it.
Kathy raises her eyebrows at her sister.
Kathy: Oh come on now Tee, you know that isn't fair. I haven't always had the best luck with men.
Tiffany: No, no, I guess you're right. At least I can say I never dated "Sexy Jason".
Tiffany laughs as she does the finger quotes, Kathy rolls her eyes and can't help but share her sister's laugh.
Tiffany: Between you and me though sis, I think I'm finally done with dating wrestlers. You obviously took the last good one.
Kathy: Phew. For a minute there I thought you were going to say you're done with dating men.
Tiffany: Not so long as there are men like Ben and Jerry out there who know how to console a girl with really lousy luck and convince me with their sweet whispers to try again.
Kathy: Oooh, sis, that's really not good for your waistline you know.
Tiffany: Luckily I don't really have to watch it now do I, it's not like I'm a wrestler who needs to keep her waist trim and sexy for a title she might win one day...
Kathy: Ssssh, don't let anyone else hear you say that, I'm not supposed to care about winning belts according to them.
Tiffany: Oh no, of course not. I forgot you just put your body on the line every week for no reward at all. Morons. I can only imagine how they'd feel if they knew just how ambitious you really are. If they knew about how far you really wanted to go in this business...
You know Amber I really can't blame you for the attitude you've amassed since you've been here in IWF. Whether I like it or not, and believe me I really don't, I have to admit that you are the most accomplished woman in this match, so unlike the others I really am not all that surprised or insulted when you choose in all your unrelenting smugness to look down on all of us, because to be honest I've come to expect it from you. Hell, its all I've come to expect from you. You pride yourself on being a real wrestler and you expect to be respected and lauded over for the choices you've made and I would respect you Amber, I really would...
If you didn't spend so much time telling me how much of a complete and utter failure I was, have been and will always be.
Suppose I were to do the one thing you've always been to proud to do. Suppose I were to give you the benefit of the doubt. Let's suppose for a moment that I were to completely lose my mind, fall to my knees and concede through bitter tears and gritted teeth that you were right. That you were right about me and everything I stand for. That I'm a terrible wrestler and that I really can't match up to someone like you in that ring. What good would that do either of us? Sure, it'd make you feel a bit better about yourself as you laugh at my idiocy, but soon enough, the people who respect you for your achievements now will wise up to your act honey.
The people who now give you all the credit in the world for ending Tara Fenix's career, for being the second ever Ruby Champion, all those people who think your worth a damn to this business right now on the strength of your greatest accolades, they'll realise that all you do, all you've ever done is run down anybody and everybody you've ever stood across the ring from, even when you've been praising them the week or the month before. And when that happens, when they all wake up and realise that you look at everybody around you as if they're some dog shit you've got the misfortune of scraping off the heel of your boot, well then, then they will turn.
Then it wont matter what you've achieved, they will give their respect to somebody who truly deserves it. Somebody who is truly worthy of it. They'll give it not to the loud mouthed former Ruby Champion with a superiority complex like you, they'll give it to the grafters, the dedicated workers. They'll give their respect to someone who was never born to do this but eventually made it anyway. Somebody who maybe took twice as long to get there but got there in the end through passion, dedication and hard work. There's a reason why the world loves an underdog and hates a bitch Amber, and we both know which you are and which you'd rather be.
That's fine Amber, it really is, you may never do this for the world's adulation, nobody ever said you had to, but we both know it would irritate the hell out of you to hear thousands in the arena turn on you, turn on the favourite, the sure bet and instead cheer somebody like me. Somebody who chose to be a wife and mother before she chose to be a wrestler. I want to be there for that moment Amber, whether it is this week or not, I want to be in the ring with you for that moment when thousands of people collectively reach the decision that it doesn't matter how good you are in that ring, they're still as sick of all your condescending bullshit as the rest of us.
I want to see the exact moment it dawns on your face that you really aren't as good as you believe.
I want to see you eat crow when an opponent beats you so definitively that you have no choice but to concede that you're not the greatest thing in this division. I will not sit here and say that I will humble you, not because I don't believe I can, but rather because I'm not so insecure in myself that I have to talk about how much better I am than everybody else to make the world believe it. I tell my stories in the ring and leave the fans to make up their own minds. I don't need to convince them anymore than I need to convince myself of how good I am. That's up to them to decide.
Just like you decided I'm a failure because I failed to capitalise on my first and only Ruby title shot to date.
I'm sorry we can't all live up to your impeccably high standards Amber, but I'll be the first to admit I've never done anything right on my first attempt, but I've always been lucky enough to get another chance, and those are the chances I've often gone out of my way to make count. You see you can try and slap a stylish well groomed mustache on Crystal, Avery and myself and call us all mediocre Michelles if you want, go ahead, knock yourself out please, it will be all the more embarrassing for you when one of us end up winning this thing and sending a very loud and clear message to the Champions of our division that it isn't Amber Richards they should worry about.
It's Avery McCullen.
It's Crystal Hilton.
It's Kathleen Conway.
For somebody who claims to live this business Amber, I thought you'd understand that there's so much more to a match than the end result, its all about the stories we tell, that's what makes a great match. I don't think you want to tell those stories Amber because all you see is the end result. Such narrow vision, I'd almost feel sorry for you if I wasn't so quite amused by the simplicity with which you view the world. You see everything as win or lose. Black or white, whilst I concern myself with the shades of grey. You look at me as a wife. A mother. Black. White. Somewhere lost in the grey that you've never acknowledged is a woman who is so much more than that.
Beyond the grey is a woman who has the ambition and the drive to succeed in a man's world. This business is a man's world, even if it pours sand in a few vaginas to hear that coming from me, it's true. This is a man's world, more importantly it is my man's world. I understand that. It's why I came here in the first place.
But it isn't why I'm still here five years later.
I wouldn't do any of this if I really didn't want to. I've wrestled with myself for a while and there are some days I sit here and think maybe it would be better for me to take a step back and take time away to have a third child, but then I sit here and listen to someone like you Amber, some self-righteous bitch run everybody down and it inspires me to continue chasing even my wildest and most far fetched dreams. I will be chasing a dream when I walk down that aisle on Monday night Amber. Do you want to know the dream I will be chasing? It is simple. Maybe even stupid.
I have a dream to kick you in the face. Hard.
I told you it was simple, didn't I? But then I find that the most effective things in life often are. I want to shut you up Amber, I want to embarrass you, almost to the point where it doesn't matter if I win, so long as I can go home at the end of the night knowing that I had something to do with you losing. But not just losing, oh no, losing whilst two of your superiors look on. That would be great. Just to hear you try to squirm out of it and make your excuses, not only to yourself and everybody who tunes in next week, but also to hunky Kentucky fried face and the rest of your Empire associates. It is funny isn't it, Amber? Everybody tends to concern themselves with how often I open my legs for Jake Conway and how he is the only reason I am here, yet they seem to give you a free pass on the fact that you're only knocking around with the Empire because your legs are always open to your char-grilled lover.
Don't worry though my sweet Amber, after Sacrifice you too will know what it feel like to be burned by a hot little fireball you weren't expecting.
Kathy: Yeah, well, that's just a pipe dream. For now at least.
Tiffany: Like Grandpa says, never give up on your dreams, Kay.
Kathy smiles.
Kathy: It's good advice. How is he?
Tiffany: Haven't seen him yet. Planning on going tomorrow. Figured I may as well since IWF sent me out here to get kidnapped again. Silver linings and all that.
Kathy: I'm glad you can look on the experience with such a sense of humour. I was going out of my mind over here.
Tiffany: Hey, if you can't laugh about it, what can you do? I had to come back to work eventually, I've had enough of sulking over Caleb. Life goes on. I can't let that or what Eternity did to me rule the rest of my life. I still don't know how I'm going to explain the scarring.
Kathy: The man's a war veteran, I'm sure he's seen worse, besides they really don't look that bad anymore. A bit more time and they should heal up nicely.
Tiffany: God, I hope so. You know its times like this I can really appreciate where we come from, the women in our family have always drawn strength from the toughest men in their lives. Mom. Grandma. You.
Kathy: Yeah, tough or foreign. Preferably both.
Tiffany: Ah so that's where I've been going wrong, trying to date wimpy Americans.
Tiffany and Kathy share a laugh.
Kathy: Maybe it is, sis, maybe it is. You need to find a good foreign man.
Tiffany: Well I am in Ireland and I do love the accent...
Speaking of hot little unexpected things. Crystal. Since I haven't really had an opportunity yet allow me to welcome you to the IWF. I want to believe that you've changed from the last time we met inside of a wrestling ring, but having seen some of the things you've been saying already since you breezed through the doors, I've figured its probably better all around if I really didn't hold my breath on that. Instead, I will regard you as I always have, with a healthy dose of skepticism.
It's not that I doubt your talent. I doubt your commitment.
I spent years watching you in NCW, hearing people tell me you were good, but ultimately that you owed your career to your associations, mainly with Zelda Knite. I don't know if that's entirely fair or accurate and to be quite honest, I don't really care and I'm sure you'll tell me how wrong I am if anything I say offends your fiery Latina sensibilities, they all do. The fact remains that you have a chance, a real chance to prove you can be something other than the shadow of someone who is widely regarded as the greatest female wrestler in the industry. It may be regarded as heresy, but I never really saw it myself. Zelda was overrated, overhyped and overexposed - but she was absolutely perfect for your career. She shared her spotlight with you and kept you relevant even when you didn't deserve to be.
Forgive me, but now I'm curious as to exactly what you will do without her.
I can't be the only one who felt more than a little slapped in the face by the fact that you've only just got here and already declared yourself the foundation of the Diamonds Division. I've heard of believing your own hype Crystal, but if you think I'm an idiot, that is your mistake to make and one I will make sure you pay for. You are not the foundation, you are not the Rose Goddess, you are not the Reflection of Perfection, all you are and all you have ever been is someone trying to prove they can be a mother and a wrestler and not really ever succeeding at either. I would sympathise with you, as I know better than anybody else exactly how much it hurts to get those criticisms thrown at me, but I cannot, because I cannot get passed the unbridled ego with which you carry yourself.
That really is where we differ Crystal.
As different as we are though babe, I am glad you're here, because every time I look at you, I'm reminded of just how lucky I am to have my husband and my family. You are a daily reminder to me of everything I could become if I ever let my ego consume me and for that I thank you. I may never be perfect, but at least I'll always be happy, and more than that I'll always know just how important that is as long as there are people like you in this world. I've been where you are Crystal, a single parent, bouncing back and forth between the men in my life. I hated it and on the day I exchanged vows with Jake, I exchanged another with my heart.
I vowed never to be alone again.
You may not be the reflection of perfection sweetie, but you are a mirror. Cracked, not yet broken. Reminding me of just how fragile my luck and fickle my fortune really is. You have been a sobering dose of reality for me for so long that I feel now its only fair that I return the favour.
Kathy: I really am glad they let you go, Tee.
Tiffany: You and me both sis, but like I said compared to Eternity, they were a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs. Still I think it helped that I humoured them for as long as I could.
Kathy: Ah the old stalling tactic, Daddy taught us well. He said it would come in handy against the boys.
Both sisters share a laugh.
Tiffany: Boys and psychos. I tell you Kay, I've never been quite as grateful that we are the daughters of a cop as I am right now. I never thought Daddy's lessons would pay off.
Kathy: We Jones' have always been underestimated, but we're survivors.
Tiffany: Just promise me one thing, Kay.
Kathy: Anything.
Tiffany: Next time somebody wants to have me bound and gagged for their own nefarious purposes, at least make sure he's hot. I'm talking George Clooney levels of hot at least...
Kathy smiles.
Kathy: Deal.
Kathy: Are you sure you're okay?
Tiffany: Honestly, Kay I'm fine.
Kathy: I knew it was too soon for you to go back to work. If I had known that psycho had family that would pull something like that, I'd never have agreed to let you go interview her...
Tiffany: You know I'm starting to learn that being a psycho is a prerequisite for this business. Still after everything I've just been through with Eternity, McCullen was rather nice...
Kathy: I don't think I'm a psycho...
Kathy giggles.
Tiffany: Maybe not in the traditional sense, sis, but we both know you can be rather feisty when you need to be.
Tiffany giggles.
Kathy: Jake seems to enjoy it.
Tiffany: Of course he does. You two are animals when it comes to that sort of thing. I'm sorry I missed Soli's birthday, I'll bring her back something nice from here, I promise when I come back in a few days. On the plus side though, I also missed Jake's, and we both know how you two like to celebrate. I'm sure you two enjoyed yourselves...
Kathy smiles.
Kathy: We did, but that doesn't mean we didn't miss you, going trick or treating with the kids just wasn't the same without you this year.
Tiffany frowns.
Tiffany: Awww, I missed you guys too, but honestly Kay, nothing's been the same for me since last year. Caleb deciding to just get up and leave and go back to Cali just because he couldn't handle what I was going through with Eternity still really pisses me off. I really thought we had something special...guess not.
Kathy: For what its worth, I thought you guys did too...
Tiffany shrugs.
Tiffany: Oh well, what can you do? Men - they're hardly worth - oh wait, who am I telling? You wouldn't understand...
So here we are ladies, four of the top talent in the entire Diamonds Division and it is our duty to put on one hell of a showcase this Monday night at Sacrifice, and whilst I'm excited about being challenged by each of you in your own, let's say unique ways, whether that challenge comes from the established staples of the Division like Amber Richards, established names of the industry like Crystal Hilton or fresh faced ambitious rookies just looking to make their mark in this business like Avery McCullen.
Each of you represent a challenge to me on a professional level. I respect each of you on a professional level but on a personal level, well that's a whole other story now, isn't it, girls? I have my reasons to dislike each of you personally and I'm not so jaded that I don't realise that the feeling is mutual. None of you give a damn about me, and that's fine, I don't need any of you to like me. That's not how this works, I understand that. This isn't a friendship club, this is professional wrestling...
Isn't it Avery?
For all your talk of wanting to be my friend McCullen, you know your hollow words would have held more water with me if you hadn't tried to get my attention by tying up and gagging my baby sister Tiffany. Give me one good reason you're not as full of crap as I now think you are? Before you try to pull that shit again, I suggest you do your research more thoroughly. If you had you would know that I just spent three months battling a psycho and saving my sister from the hell Eternity put us both through - and I'll do it all again if I have to.
I am known by everyone as the most loyal and devout woman in that Diamonds locker-room.
Few people have ever found out just how fiercely defensive I can be to protect what is mine.
I really don't want you to find out Avery. I really don't want to hate you. I have some Irish blood that runs through my veins too McCullen, so I know you have some appreciation of just how hot-headed we can be. I can respect your desire to put your name on the map and get all the Facebook and Twitter feeds to talk about you and what you've been doing, unfortunately for you however, your stardom will not come at the expense of my family or I. If you want to make an impact I suggest you do it in the more traditional way and just try to win this showcase match, it may be more traditional and a tad boring compared to the kidnapped interviewer bit, but I promise you you really will have better luck with that approach.
Of course, you'd have had the best luck if you and your idiot cousins hadn't just given me a reason to deny you the spotlight.
Tiffany: Honestly, Kay I'm fine.
Kathy: I knew it was too soon for you to go back to work. If I had known that psycho had family that would pull something like that, I'd never have agreed to let you go interview her...
Tiffany: You know I'm starting to learn that being a psycho is a prerequisite for this business. Still after everything I've just been through with Eternity, McCullen was rather nice...
Kathy: I don't think I'm a psycho...
Kathy giggles.
Tiffany: Maybe not in the traditional sense, sis, but we both know you can be rather feisty when you need to be.
Tiffany giggles.
Kathy: Jake seems to enjoy it.
Tiffany: Of course he does. You two are animals when it comes to that sort of thing. I'm sorry I missed Soli's birthday, I'll bring her back something nice from here, I promise when I come back in a few days. On the plus side though, I also missed Jake's, and we both know how you two like to celebrate. I'm sure you two enjoyed yourselves...
Kathy smiles.
Kathy: We did, but that doesn't mean we didn't miss you, going trick or treating with the kids just wasn't the same without you this year.
Tiffany frowns.
Tiffany: Awww, I missed you guys too, but honestly Kay, nothing's been the same for me since last year. Caleb deciding to just get up and leave and go back to Cali just because he couldn't handle what I was going through with Eternity still really pisses me off. I really thought we had something special...guess not.
Kathy: For what its worth, I thought you guys did too...
Tiffany shrugs.
Tiffany: Oh well, what can you do? Men - they're hardly worth - oh wait, who am I telling? You wouldn't understand...
So here we are ladies, four of the top talent in the entire Diamonds Division and it is our duty to put on one hell of a showcase this Monday night at Sacrifice, and whilst I'm excited about being challenged by each of you in your own, let's say unique ways, whether that challenge comes from the established staples of the Division like Amber Richards, established names of the industry like Crystal Hilton or fresh faced ambitious rookies just looking to make their mark in this business like Avery McCullen.
Each of you represent a challenge to me on a professional level. I respect each of you on a professional level but on a personal level, well that's a whole other story now, isn't it, girls? I have my reasons to dislike each of you personally and I'm not so jaded that I don't realise that the feeling is mutual. None of you give a damn about me, and that's fine, I don't need any of you to like me. That's not how this works, I understand that. This isn't a friendship club, this is professional wrestling...
Isn't it Avery?
For all your talk of wanting to be my friend McCullen, you know your hollow words would have held more water with me if you hadn't tried to get my attention by tying up and gagging my baby sister Tiffany. Give me one good reason you're not as full of crap as I now think you are? Before you try to pull that shit again, I suggest you do your research more thoroughly. If you had you would know that I just spent three months battling a psycho and saving my sister from the hell Eternity put us both through - and I'll do it all again if I have to.
I am known by everyone as the most loyal and devout woman in that Diamonds locker-room.
Few people have ever found out just how fiercely defensive I can be to protect what is mine.
I really don't want you to find out Avery. I really don't want to hate you. I have some Irish blood that runs through my veins too McCullen, so I know you have some appreciation of just how hot-headed we can be. I can respect your desire to put your name on the map and get all the Facebook and Twitter feeds to talk about you and what you've been doing, unfortunately for you however, your stardom will not come at the expense of my family or I. If you want to make an impact I suggest you do it in the more traditional way and just try to win this showcase match, it may be more traditional and a tad boring compared to the kidnapped interviewer bit, but I promise you you really will have better luck with that approach.
Of course, you'd have had the best luck if you and your idiot cousins hadn't just given me a reason to deny you the spotlight.
I suppose in that respect, I really should be thanking you Avery. In this business, every week and every opponent I ever seem to face in that ring, they all say the same thing as they hash out their twenty minute diatribes against me. They all question my motivations for being in this business, yet few ever really go out of their way to challenge those motivations in the manner you have McCullen. Either you're stupid or you're brave and since I haven't figured out which yet, I will just assume that you truly believe yourself to be the Daredevil they market you as, however you should be aware that one person's daring is often another person's foolish. I guess soon enough, we'll both know which history will ultimately choose to remember you as...
Until such time though, I really have no reason to believe you to be anything other than the poor man's less well endowed Lara Croft at worst and a less animated Dora The Explorer at best, and whilst one entertains my husband and the other entertains my daughters, neither particularly entertain me Avery, and I have a feeling that will not change even if you do somehow manage to pull this off. This could very well be the win of your career if you can do it Avery. I will not dispute that.
However, I will dispute whether you deserve it.
Kathy raises her eyebrows at her sister.
Kathy: Oh come on now Tee, you know that isn't fair. I haven't always had the best luck with men.
Tiffany: No, no, I guess you're right. At least I can say I never dated "Sexy Jason".
Tiffany laughs as she does the finger quotes, Kathy rolls her eyes and can't help but share her sister's laugh.
Tiffany: Between you and me though sis, I think I'm finally done with dating wrestlers. You obviously took the last good one.
Kathy: Phew. For a minute there I thought you were going to say you're done with dating men.
Tiffany: Not so long as there are men like Ben and Jerry out there who know how to console a girl with really lousy luck and convince me with their sweet whispers to try again.
Kathy: Oooh, sis, that's really not good for your waistline you know.
Tiffany: Luckily I don't really have to watch it now do I, it's not like I'm a wrestler who needs to keep her waist trim and sexy for a title she might win one day...
Kathy: Ssssh, don't let anyone else hear you say that, I'm not supposed to care about winning belts according to them.
Tiffany: Oh no, of course not. I forgot you just put your body on the line every week for no reward at all. Morons. I can only imagine how they'd feel if they knew just how ambitious you really are. If they knew about how far you really wanted to go in this business...
You know Amber I really can't blame you for the attitude you've amassed since you've been here in IWF. Whether I like it or not, and believe me I really don't, I have to admit that you are the most accomplished woman in this match, so unlike the others I really am not all that surprised or insulted when you choose in all your unrelenting smugness to look down on all of us, because to be honest I've come to expect it from you. Hell, its all I've come to expect from you. You pride yourself on being a real wrestler and you expect to be respected and lauded over for the choices you've made and I would respect you Amber, I really would...
If you didn't spend so much time telling me how much of a complete and utter failure I was, have been and will always be.
Suppose I were to do the one thing you've always been to proud to do. Suppose I were to give you the benefit of the doubt. Let's suppose for a moment that I were to completely lose my mind, fall to my knees and concede through bitter tears and gritted teeth that you were right. That you were right about me and everything I stand for. That I'm a terrible wrestler and that I really can't match up to someone like you in that ring. What good would that do either of us? Sure, it'd make you feel a bit better about yourself as you laugh at my idiocy, but soon enough, the people who respect you for your achievements now will wise up to your act honey.
The people who now give you all the credit in the world for ending Tara Fenix's career, for being the second ever Ruby Champion, all those people who think your worth a damn to this business right now on the strength of your greatest accolades, they'll realise that all you do, all you've ever done is run down anybody and everybody you've ever stood across the ring from, even when you've been praising them the week or the month before. And when that happens, when they all wake up and realise that you look at everybody around you as if they're some dog shit you've got the misfortune of scraping off the heel of your boot, well then, then they will turn.
Then it wont matter what you've achieved, they will give their respect to somebody who truly deserves it. Somebody who is truly worthy of it. They'll give it not to the loud mouthed former Ruby Champion with a superiority complex like you, they'll give it to the grafters, the dedicated workers. They'll give their respect to someone who was never born to do this but eventually made it anyway. Somebody who maybe took twice as long to get there but got there in the end through passion, dedication and hard work. There's a reason why the world loves an underdog and hates a bitch Amber, and we both know which you are and which you'd rather be.
That's fine Amber, it really is, you may never do this for the world's adulation, nobody ever said you had to, but we both know it would irritate the hell out of you to hear thousands in the arena turn on you, turn on the favourite, the sure bet and instead cheer somebody like me. Somebody who chose to be a wife and mother before she chose to be a wrestler. I want to be there for that moment Amber, whether it is this week or not, I want to be in the ring with you for that moment when thousands of people collectively reach the decision that it doesn't matter how good you are in that ring, they're still as sick of all your condescending bullshit as the rest of us.
I want to see the exact moment it dawns on your face that you really aren't as good as you believe.
I want to see you eat crow when an opponent beats you so definitively that you have no choice but to concede that you're not the greatest thing in this division. I will not sit here and say that I will humble you, not because I don't believe I can, but rather because I'm not so insecure in myself that I have to talk about how much better I am than everybody else to make the world believe it. I tell my stories in the ring and leave the fans to make up their own minds. I don't need to convince them anymore than I need to convince myself of how good I am. That's up to them to decide.
Just like you decided I'm a failure because I failed to capitalise on my first and only Ruby title shot to date.
I'm sorry we can't all live up to your impeccably high standards Amber, but I'll be the first to admit I've never done anything right on my first attempt, but I've always been lucky enough to get another chance, and those are the chances I've often gone out of my way to make count. You see you can try and slap a stylish well groomed mustache on Crystal, Avery and myself and call us all mediocre Michelles if you want, go ahead, knock yourself out please, it will be all the more embarrassing for you when one of us end up winning this thing and sending a very loud and clear message to the Champions of our division that it isn't Amber Richards they should worry about.
It's Avery McCullen.
It's Crystal Hilton.
It's Kathleen Conway.
For somebody who claims to live this business Amber, I thought you'd understand that there's so much more to a match than the end result, its all about the stories we tell, that's what makes a great match. I don't think you want to tell those stories Amber because all you see is the end result. Such narrow vision, I'd almost feel sorry for you if I wasn't so quite amused by the simplicity with which you view the world. You see everything as win or lose. Black or white, whilst I concern myself with the shades of grey. You look at me as a wife. A mother. Black. White. Somewhere lost in the grey that you've never acknowledged is a woman who is so much more than that.
Beyond the grey is a woman who has the ambition and the drive to succeed in a man's world. This business is a man's world, even if it pours sand in a few vaginas to hear that coming from me, it's true. This is a man's world, more importantly it is my man's world. I understand that. It's why I came here in the first place.
But it isn't why I'm still here five years later.
I wouldn't do any of this if I really didn't want to. I've wrestled with myself for a while and there are some days I sit here and think maybe it would be better for me to take a step back and take time away to have a third child, but then I sit here and listen to someone like you Amber, some self-righteous bitch run everybody down and it inspires me to continue chasing even my wildest and most far fetched dreams. I will be chasing a dream when I walk down that aisle on Monday night Amber. Do you want to know the dream I will be chasing? It is simple. Maybe even stupid.
I have a dream to kick you in the face. Hard.
I told you it was simple, didn't I? But then I find that the most effective things in life often are. I want to shut you up Amber, I want to embarrass you, almost to the point where it doesn't matter if I win, so long as I can go home at the end of the night knowing that I had something to do with you losing. But not just losing, oh no, losing whilst two of your superiors look on. That would be great. Just to hear you try to squirm out of it and make your excuses, not only to yourself and everybody who tunes in next week, but also to hunky Kentucky fried face and the rest of your Empire associates. It is funny isn't it, Amber? Everybody tends to concern themselves with how often I open my legs for Jake Conway and how he is the only reason I am here, yet they seem to give you a free pass on the fact that you're only knocking around with the Empire because your legs are always open to your char-grilled lover.
Don't worry though my sweet Amber, after Sacrifice you too will know what it feel like to be burned by a hot little fireball you weren't expecting.
Kathy: Yeah, well, that's just a pipe dream. For now at least.
Tiffany: Like Grandpa says, never give up on your dreams, Kay.
Kathy smiles.
Kathy: It's good advice. How is he?
Tiffany: Haven't seen him yet. Planning on going tomorrow. Figured I may as well since IWF sent me out here to get kidnapped again. Silver linings and all that.
Kathy: I'm glad you can look on the experience with such a sense of humour. I was going out of my mind over here.
Tiffany: Hey, if you can't laugh about it, what can you do? I had to come back to work eventually, I've had enough of sulking over Caleb. Life goes on. I can't let that or what Eternity did to me rule the rest of my life. I still don't know how I'm going to explain the scarring.
Kathy: The man's a war veteran, I'm sure he's seen worse, besides they really don't look that bad anymore. A bit more time and they should heal up nicely.
Tiffany: God, I hope so. You know its times like this I can really appreciate where we come from, the women in our family have always drawn strength from the toughest men in their lives. Mom. Grandma. You.
Kathy: Yeah, tough or foreign. Preferably both.
Tiffany: Ah so that's where I've been going wrong, trying to date wimpy Americans.
Tiffany and Kathy share a laugh.
Kathy: Maybe it is, sis, maybe it is. You need to find a good foreign man.
Tiffany: Well I am in Ireland and I do love the accent...
Speaking of hot little unexpected things. Crystal. Since I haven't really had an opportunity yet allow me to welcome you to the IWF. I want to believe that you've changed from the last time we met inside of a wrestling ring, but having seen some of the things you've been saying already since you breezed through the doors, I've figured its probably better all around if I really didn't hold my breath on that. Instead, I will regard you as I always have, with a healthy dose of skepticism.
It's not that I doubt your talent. I doubt your commitment.
I spent years watching you in NCW, hearing people tell me you were good, but ultimately that you owed your career to your associations, mainly with Zelda Knite. I don't know if that's entirely fair or accurate and to be quite honest, I don't really care and I'm sure you'll tell me how wrong I am if anything I say offends your fiery Latina sensibilities, they all do. The fact remains that you have a chance, a real chance to prove you can be something other than the shadow of someone who is widely regarded as the greatest female wrestler in the industry. It may be regarded as heresy, but I never really saw it myself. Zelda was overrated, overhyped and overexposed - but she was absolutely perfect for your career. She shared her spotlight with you and kept you relevant even when you didn't deserve to be.
Forgive me, but now I'm curious as to exactly what you will do without her.
I can't be the only one who felt more than a little slapped in the face by the fact that you've only just got here and already declared yourself the foundation of the Diamonds Division. I've heard of believing your own hype Crystal, but if you think I'm an idiot, that is your mistake to make and one I will make sure you pay for. You are not the foundation, you are not the Rose Goddess, you are not the Reflection of Perfection, all you are and all you have ever been is someone trying to prove they can be a mother and a wrestler and not really ever succeeding at either. I would sympathise with you, as I know better than anybody else exactly how much it hurts to get those criticisms thrown at me, but I cannot, because I cannot get passed the unbridled ego with which you carry yourself.
That really is where we differ Crystal.
As different as we are though babe, I am glad you're here, because every time I look at you, I'm reminded of just how lucky I am to have my husband and my family. You are a daily reminder to me of everything I could become if I ever let my ego consume me and for that I thank you. I may never be perfect, but at least I'll always be happy, and more than that I'll always know just how important that is as long as there are people like you in this world. I've been where you are Crystal, a single parent, bouncing back and forth between the men in my life. I hated it and on the day I exchanged vows with Jake, I exchanged another with my heart.
I vowed never to be alone again.
You may not be the reflection of perfection sweetie, but you are a mirror. Cracked, not yet broken. Reminding me of just how fragile my luck and fickle my fortune really is. You have been a sobering dose of reality for me for so long that I feel now its only fair that I return the favour.
Kathy: I really am glad they let you go, Tee.
Tiffany: You and me both sis, but like I said compared to Eternity, they were a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs. Still I think it helped that I humoured them for as long as I could.
Kathy: Ah the old stalling tactic, Daddy taught us well. He said it would come in handy against the boys.
Both sisters share a laugh.
Tiffany: Boys and psychos. I tell you Kay, I've never been quite as grateful that we are the daughters of a cop as I am right now. I never thought Daddy's lessons would pay off.
Kathy: We Jones' have always been underestimated, but we're survivors.
Tiffany: Just promise me one thing, Kay.
Kathy: Anything.
Tiffany: Next time somebody wants to have me bound and gagged for their own nefarious purposes, at least make sure he's hot. I'm talking George Clooney levels of hot at least...
Kathy smiles.
Kathy: Deal.
Well howdy there pardner.