[Alexagogo]

Coming from a widely disrespected group and following a missed chance last week, the pressure will be on for the young green wrestling machine to perform this week as she walks into her second and possibly last chance at making the roster. On top of that, she’ll be pushed by another hungry up and comer in Jamie Brody, who showed promise his first few times out but then seemed to slip away.

The stage is set for two exciting new comers, each desperate to make their mark this time around, or risk being shown the door before they've ever really had a chance to show what they can do.

[Blazenwing]

10% Luck, 20% Skill
15% Concentrated Power of Will
5% Pleasure, 50% Pain…

“It’s about to get damn real, isn’t it?” 10 pm, and here I am outside the arena where mere days from now, I’ll be stepping into the ring for my first official match as a professional wrestler. I smirk, running my hand across the poster on the wall - PWA Wrestling Live, featuring all your favorite stars! There’s a couple of names featured, mostly people I’ve never heard of before, but people I’m sure I’ll get to know very well in the coming months.

As for me? Well, I can’t say much. I’m a nobody… not just in this business, but in life. College was a god damn waste of time and money - I still can’t believe I was fooled into thinking a BA in English would amount to anything. The only thing I have going for me is the fact that my sister is married to David Blazenwing… and even that, I’m quickly finding out, isn’t exactly something to be proud of.

I start walking back down the sidewalk, and you know, it’s been bothering me, because it sounds like the fact that David trained me is automatically making me a joke in the locker room, if the rumors are to be believed. My little travel gaffe last week didn’t help my image in the eyes of the management, either. Still, I’m determined to make this work. I didn’t bust my ass learning how to wrestle only to get shoved out the back door before competing in a single match! And I’m sure as hell not going to let the fact that David trained me keep me from becoming the biggest thing to ever hit the PWA.

I also think that - oh, damn it, my phone’s ringing. Who the hell is calling me at this hour? I reach into my left back jean pocket and pull out a little black flip-up Samsung. Fuck the iPhone, you won’t see me with one of those pansy ass poser phones. I glance at the caller ID and smirk. Finally, he’s getting back to me. The phone flips open and I press the answer button. “Go for Em.”

“Em! What’s crack-a-lackin’!?”

“Don’t say that. Pretty much ever.”

“Fair enough. So, did you find the arena yet?”

Oh yeah. Not taking any chances this week.

“Sure did. Any word yet on if you and Jen will be here this weekend for my debut?”

Silence for a moment. That means no.

“…the thing is, Em, we want to be, we really do! But Jen’s got that project she’s working on, and I’ve got a signing down in California, I just don’t think we’d have the time to make it this week.”

“So, I’m supposed to go out for my debut match and I’m not even going to have my trainer there? Thanks for the support.”

“Come on, Em. You know damn well if I thought you needed me, I’d be there in a heartbeat. The bottom line is, I taught you everything I know. I have faith that you’ll do great!”

“Right. Should I be worried that it only took you six months to teach me everything you know?”

Laughter on the other side of the line. “Hey, how many World Titles have I won? And only some of them were illegitimate. Not to mention you’re a fast learner… look, my point is, I don’t want you to have to rely on me to succeed in PWA. Katie did and look where that got her.”

Katie Starr, David’s last protégé. She lasted all of, I think it was two matches in PWA before getting injured? There’s no way in hell they’re getting rid of me that easily.

“Right, right. Well, it’s not being televised, my match, so I’ll have to call you two afterwards and let you know how it went down.”

“Sure thing, Em. You can call us Monday morning and tell us all about your first victory in PWA! I gotta go, Jen sends her love, and good luck this weekend!”

A click. The other end dies. I slowly close the phone and drop it back into my pocket.

Am I ready?

There’s only one way to find out.

************************************************************

Jamie Brody… the Boondock Saint.

Sounds to me like you’re a movie fan. Well, don’t think for one moment that our match is going to be some fairy tale ending. I’m burning to prove myself here in PWA and take that first step towards greatness, towards filling some destiny that even I can’t fully comprehend yet.

Just think… years from now, when they look back at my Hall of Fame career, you just might be mentioned as my first-ever match, and my first-ever victory. The first of many. The birth of a Phoenix.

Do you know how I got my nickname? The Emerald Phoenix… it’s not a normal nickname, is it? I was born on a cold May morning, one of the coldest on record. I came out of the womb early in the morning, the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck. I was, for all intents and purposes, dead.

Then, something inexplicable happened. An hour went by, and the temperature outside warmed a good twenty degrees, and without warning, my lifeless infant body sprang to life. I rose from death that morning like a Phoenix rises from the ashes, and ever since, I’ve been my parent’s little Emerald Phoenix.

Kind of an odd story to tell, I know. Right about now, you’re probably asking yourself what that has to do with you? It’s living proof that no matter what you throw at me, Jamie, I will not die. I won’t stay down. I will not accept defeat. You can kill me and I will keep rising from the ashes. How do you kill that which cannot die?

Quite simply put… you can’t.

And now, I leave you with a short prayer I can almost guarantee you are familiar with. I dedicate it to your fate when we step into the ring together at Rampage.

And Shepherds we shall be,
For thee, my Lord, for thee.
Power hath descended forth from Thy hand,
Our feet may swiftly carry out Thy commands.
So we shall flow a river forth to Thee,
And teeming with souls shall it ever be.

In Nomeni Patri Et Fili Spiritus Sancti.

Bang.

See you Sunday.

…and 100% Reason to Remember the Name