Post by Mark 'Ace' Kelly on Jun 28, 2021 21:17:09 GMT -5
Tuesday Night Sin
A Wall To Climb On
Champion VS Champion
A Wall To Climb On
Champion VS Champion
The scene opens up on a simple room. It's a well lit bar, with a rather buxom young lady behind the bar currently cleaning out some glasses, and a few tables and seats around the room filled by conversing people. Our focus though is on one table in the corner of the room, where the familiar ginger bearded face of Mark Kelly is sitting. On the opposite side of the table from him is a pixie little blonde, a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she nurses a cocktail, while Mark is swirling around a small tumbler half filled with an amber liquid. The two seem relaxed around each other, and the blonde can't help but grin as she looks around the bar again.
Millie Lawson: "So what is this place. Your local dive, or something? Found yaself a cozy little pub on the other side of the world to call home? Bet it's nowhere near as good as the Tarcy Tavern."
Mark Kelly: "Actually, Millie, this is just a pub my uber driver suggested when I was picked up the airport. I don't have a home in Denver. My place is back in New York. And you know too well, I'm not welcome in the Tarcy Tavern any more, after your 20th and that incident with Overbite boy."
Millie Lawson: "Hey, put some respect on that overbite boy. Those teeth were fantastic for chewing on my----"
Mark Kelly: "I swear to GOD, Millie Lawson if you finish that sentence I am sending you my therapists bill."
Even as he cuts her off though, he can't help but grin and shake his head. Millie's own face breaks out in a mile wide grin, and Mark meets her eyes. The two sharing a smirk before he downs his drink and turns to look at the bar and then back at Millie.
Mark Kelly: "Damn. Bar's getting busy. Going to take ages to catch blondie's attention for a drink."
Millie Lawson: "Leave it to me."
Millie downs her own cocktails, and then adjusts the cut of her simple red top to fluff up her cleavage, before getting to her feet and heading for the bar. Mark watches her go and grins, shaking his head even as he sits further back in his seat. He's known Millie Lawson since kindergarten, and he knows exactly what she is like. She's strong willed, happy to flirt, but also very loyal and willing to go to the mattresses to protect her friends. A few minutes later, she comes back and puts a glass in front of Mark, before slipping into her own seat. She has a big smug grin on her face and waves a napkin with some digits on it at him.
Millie Lawson: "Even got her number. Her name's Ashley, and she's expecting a text from me in two hours."
Mark looks at her for a moment, before slipping a hand into his pocket and bringing out a napkin of his own. Her eyes meet it, and then flicker back to his face and Mark smiles softly.
Mark Kelly: "It's the accent. It's like a superpower over here."
Millie pouts for a moment but then sighs and puts her napkin down, raising her cocktail and taking a sip instead. Mark can't help but grin as he raises his own glass for a sip, and sets his glass down, while looking over to see Millie staring at him, and raising an eyebrow.
Mark Kelly: "What?"
Millie Lawson: "Are you ever going to pull it out? I didn't fly all this way just to try and compete with you over some blonde tart bartender."
Mark Kelly: "Okay. First off. Her name is Mary. Please put some respect on her name."
Millie Lawson: "It was actually Ashley....."
Mark Kelly: "Whatever you say. Secondly, I can't pull it out in public. They have laws aga---"
Millie doesn't even let him finish his sentence, leaning over to punch him in the shoulder and making Mark wince and lean back quickly.
Mark Kelly: "Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!"
Millie Lawson: "Don't you dare think, for even a single moment, that just because ya some big time wrestler now that I won't kick your ass and make you cry like a little girl in the middle of a pub. Now show me."
Mark smiles softly, but then leans over on his seat, reaching down beside his chair to a duffel bag that he has sitting there. He unzips it, and a moment later lifts up the Revolution-1 International Championship. Lifting it up, he pauses to glance around the bar and then holds it out towards Millie. Millie grins and takes it from him, starting to lift it one handed but then pausing and grabbing it with two hands and whistling.
Millie Lawson: "Whoa. It's heavier then it looks! Makes sense why people can finish matches with a shot from one of these."
Mark Kelly: "Right? It doesn't look that dangerous, but the minute you lift one up, you get it right away!"
Millie smiles as she looks at it in her hands for a moment, and then slips it over her shoulder and smiles. Gaze flicking back to Mark as she smirks happily.
Millie Lawson: "You never won one of these in Oz, did you?"
Mark Kelly: "Nope. First title ever. Had to leave my home country so I could become a champion."
Mark takes his gaze off the belt, and instead swirls his glass with a sigh. Millie watches him for a moment, before tilting her head and surveying her best friend carefully.
Millie Lawson: "Why was that? No-one thought you were champion material?"
Mark Kelly: "Hard to say. I got told a couple of times I would be made champ here or there, but then I'd be ready to walk out for my match, and the booker had changed their mind. Almost as if someone had called them and told them not to give me a title."
Millie Lawson: "Someone? As in a Sean-shaped someone?"
Mark pauses at the name drop, his eyes flicking up to meet Millie's own, but then going back to his glass. He doesn't respond, instead choosing to raise his glass and downing it in a single gulp, face wincing after he swallows and slams the glass back on the table. Pushing to his feet, he looks at Millie and jerks his head.
Mark Kelly: "Come on. Something I have to do, and you can help me."
Millie pushes herself to her feet, slipping the title off her shoulder and handing it to Mark as he extends his hand, and she smiles again.
Millie Lawson: "I don't care how buzzed you are, I'm not holding it for you."
Mark Kelly: "Funnily enough, I actually do need you to hold something for me. As straight as possible...."
Mark smirks and heads towards a doorway, Millie watching him puzzled for a moment but then follows him out and the scene fades out for a moment. It comes back in a few moments later, and we see Mark is standing in front of a simple brick wall. The sun is now shining on him, and it's clear that they have just moved to the back of the bar, and Mark has his title over his shoulder. He pauses for a moment before looking towards the camera, which is clearly just a phone being held up by Millie.
Mark Kelly: "G'Day Revolution-1. This is Mark Kelly, YOUR International Champion, coming live from Denver, and ready for yet another tough match this week. And it almost seems like every week, when I step out here, I have to repeat that I'm looking at an even tougher challenge then before. I've gone from Sierra Silver, to Anya Coyle, to last Sin's Main Event, and now this week....this week I am going toe-to-toe with the World Champion! This match is a huge chance for me. A huge moment. I get to go toe-to-toe with the World Champion, and test just how good I am, and how ready I truly am."
"When I was in Australia, I used to bring my best every week, and yet it always felt like I was ramming into a brick wall. I was getting nowhere. No matter what I did, or how I did it, I couldn't seem to escape the spot I was in. So I finally did the smart thing. I found a way out. I found my way over here, like a pilgrim from the southern hemisphere. And within a few weeks, my pilgrimage hit gold, and I got to call myself Champion. I got to take that next step up, and it's starting to feel like there's no more brick walls for me to run into. Just opportunities and chances to prove myself. And yet, no matter how far I go, or what I do...I'm still expecting that brick wall around every corner."
"Chelsea LeClair, I've done my research. I know how good you are. And I also know, that just like me, you've got that massive chip on your shoulder. That little birdie in the back of your head whistling and crooning that you still haven't proven shit. That title on your shoulder hasn't proven anything. I absolutely understand those kinds of thoughts. But I need you to know one thing. Before anything else is said, before any lines are crossed, punches are thrown, or bells are rung. I need you to know one very important thing."
"I respect you, Chelsea."
"I respect you, because I've gone through the books, gone over the histories, and I know how hard and how far you've pushed yourself. How time and time again you have been shut down, or called out, and yet here you stand. SIN WORLD CHAMPION! And yet....it's not enough for you. Is it? It still feels like you have more to prove. More to do. And I respect the bloody hell out of that. Because you and I can agree on one thing. The title doesn't make the champion. The Champion makes the title. A true champion doesn't sit back on their laurels, and look at that gold over their shoulder, and think their journey is done. No, they keep pushing and pushing for bigger challenges, bigger moments, bigger chances."
"This week, you are my next big challenge. My next big shot. Next big chance. This week you're that next brick wall for me. And I am coming at it full force. Charging, screaming, racing right at it. I'm done looking over my shoulder to avoid those brick walls. No, now I'm looking out for them. Now I'm running right at them."
Mark pauses for a moment, glancing at the title on his shoulder, and then rolling it adjust it's weight, before looking back at the camera.
"When I won this title, I swore I would prove I deserved it. Prove it belonged right where it was going. An International Superstar holding the International Title. And I've got a tough defense coming up, and I'll get to that on another time. Because right now, my focus is right where it needs to be. Against you, LeClair. I'm not coming into this match with any preconceptions of you, beyond how tough a fighter you are, and how hard a challenge this will be. No questions in my mind on your motives or your plans. All I'm thinking about right now, is that this is my next big challenge. My next step-up. A chance to show I'm good enough to go toe-to-toe with the World Champion."
"Win, lose or draw this week, I'm going to make sure I walk out with my head held high, with this title over my shoulder still being held proudly, and with the only brick walls left in my life, being ones that I can climb up on. See you at Sin, Champ."