"Atonement"

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"Atonement" Feb 19, 2020 11:23:28 GMT -6

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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2020 11:23:28 GMT -6

“See what happens when you stick it out?”

February 10, 2020

Victoria Salinas finds herself in the best mood she’s been since her wedding day upon hearing that question from Julia Rivera the night after the biggest win she’s had in MWE.

Victoria: I do…

Julia: This wasn’t easy for you, I know that. But, at the end of the day, you got your revenge and you defeated Gavin Grimes. Obviously I don’t need to go into why that’s such a big deal. But, I do want to say that I’m noticing that you haven’t been so happy about anything wrestling related since Montreal…

Victoria: Montreal?

Julia: Yeah, when you won your fifth world championship from Adrian Waters. God, that guy was such an insufferable drag.

Victoria: Right.

Victoria has a laugh to herself.

Victoria: Of course. I had struggled for so long just to get a win like last night though. I had lost a sense of identity after I got divorced… both from my ex and from GCW… I was never into it in Hybrid… I had lost a fair bit of passion for what I do. Then things just fell apart for a while until I got it all back. I feel like I’ve finally turned a corner and that this is just the start of things.

Julia: It’s the start of you finally maturing into the wrestler and the woman you were meant to become. I just hope that the brass notices you a little bit more… but even if they don’t? You and I both know that you’re more than good enough to make them do so. You’re in a good place Vicky, keep at it.

Victoria: I will… even if it’s Australia I’m about to go to. You remember 2012, right?

Julia: Just something else to atone for…

Julia turns and leaves Victoria with that thought as the latter prepares for her first tour of Australia since that aforementioned 2012 year.

Victoria: Yeah… that was not a good experience for me… but at the same time… I brought that upon myself.

Published November 1, 2012

“So Not Gorgeous: Victoria Tells Mother to ‘Shove It’ as she Dismisses Upbringing”

Shortly before losing the PRW World Championship one week ago, the mother of Victoria Salinas went on record stating that she hoped Victoria lost the world title so that she could be humbled a little. This did not sit well when they met at LAX before the former 2 time world champion set off for New Zealand as part of PRW’s ANZ tour. In a recording at the link below, Victoria can be heard calling her mother a “worthless, useless cunt”, blaming her for her former childhood problems and declaring that she’d have become a star sooner than she actually did if she wasn’t raised by “a terrible excuse of a woman”.

Considering her incredible unpopularity in the locker room (which has only grown), this latest public relations nightmare certainly doesn’t make her look good. Even worse? She’d like to forget that her wrestling career prior to her coming out party in October 2011 even existed.

“It’s gotten to the point where she wants to pretend like she was never a social outcast” an anonymous source stated. “She’s refusing to sign old merchandise from her pre-vainglorious era, even telling fans she’s ashamed of that era because she was nothing but a loser. She has even told CHILDREN to their FACES that idolizing that part of her career makes THEM losers”

“Vicky’s ‘coming out’ was great because she showed exceptional stage presence and charisma like no other” an anonymous wrestler said. “Then… the persona became the person and… it wasn’t so wonderful anymore…”

“She laughed at the brutal PRW exit of Larry Doane a few months ago” another wrestler added. “A man’s getting wheeled out on a stretcher, livelihood just about gone, and she’s laughing at him. He was by no means an angel, but that’s still f****** up… I thought losing the world title to Luciana would help her… but instead it’s made her worse…”

Punishment is highly unlikely considering two factors: she’s the top draw of PRW, meaning that any punishment would upset her (and PRW management would like to avoid upsetting their franchise star) and affect the bottom line… and she just signed a massive contract extension making her the highest paid wrestler on the roster that lasts until 2017.”

“All these idiots whining about what I do and what I say need to get a life and get over themselves” Victoria herself stated. “They’re acting like I’m the sting ray that killed Steve Irwin or something. It’s embarrassing.”

And her apparent, constant diva behavior backstage isn’t?

November 2012

Victoria just scoffs at the article she just read.

Victoria: Great. Another slander piece.

Julia Rivera appears more concerned than usual.

Julia: Don’t you think you could maybe tone down the attitude JUST a little bit?

Victoria: Julia, you’re supposed to be on my side here.

Julia: I am on your side.

Victoria: So why are you taking a different tone with this?

Julia: Circumstances. Last time one of those “slander pieces” came out, I was just a friend. Since then, I’ve become your boss too so…

Victoria: Sure. Look, I don’t care about what “backstage” thinks of me, okay? As long as the fans love me, that’s ALL that matters… and they do. Number one in merch sales for 22 months in a row doesn’t lie…

AT A HOUSE SHOW LATER THAT NIGHT…

Victoria is prepared to wrestle a house show match and she does hear her opponent get booed, which is typical and is absolutely what she’s used to. She’s a bit amused by this before “Awake and Alive” by Skillet, her theme song of the time hits. She hears booing, but doesn’t think much of it.

Victoria: That’s for my opponent, not me.

She steps through the curtains with confidence and the boos don’t go away, they get even louder. This sends a chill down her spine in the worst way.

Victoria (thinking): Wait, they’re booing ME? Why?

She’s completely taken out of her element by the time she steps inside the ring. Trying to deal with this shocking situation, she leans against her corner and the bell rings. She’s in for an even worse surprise…

Crowd: VICKY’S A CUNT! A CUNT! A CUNT! VICKY’S A CUNT! A CUNT! A CUNT!

Victoria (thinking): What in the actual FUCK is going on right now?

Off the cuff, Victoria requests a microphone which annoys her opponent. She gets it and begins to speak

Victoria: Very funny guys… very funny…

Crowd: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Victoria: This is a fun prank and all but…

Crowd: YOU’RE A SELLOUT!!!!! YOU’RE A SELLOUT!!!!! YOU’RE A SELLOUT!!!!!

Victoria: ...you know that thing that they say about not believing what you read? I mean… it’s jealous, stupid people that make stuff up about me just so they can drag me down…

Crowd: CUNT CUNT CUNT CUNT CUNT CUNT CUNT!

Victoria: My opponent is but…

Crowd: SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!! SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!! SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!

Stunned by this absolute hatred, Victoria lets the microphone drop from her hands. Her opponent jumps her and tries to take advantage of the situation. An elbow to the gut and a DDT to defend herself is enough to stop the assault. She stands up and tries to wrestle but the crowd’s hatred continues.

Crowd: YOU SUCK DICK! YOU SUCK DICK! YOU SUCK DICK! YOU SUCK DICK!

This extreme vulgarity is too much for her and being unable to deal with the hostile crowd, she leaves the ring and immediately bolts up the ramp. She doesn’t even care that she gets counted out. She gets pelted with a bucket of popcorn right in the face which causes the crowd to erupt in cheers as she walks through the curtain, tears filling her eyes almost instantly as Julia quickly gets to her.

Victoria: What the fuck was that?

Julia: Oh Vicky, I’m so sorry. I… don’t know what to say. I’m just as stunned as you are. I don’t know what it is that got them so riled up like that…

A random janitor eavesdropping on the conversation cuts in.

Janitor: Probably wasn’t a good idea to make that joke about Steve Irwin’s death, yeah? Fucking cunt…

Victoria’s just left in even more shock as the janitor disappears.

Victoria: How can this audience believe such lies?

Julia: Remember that “attitude” thing we talked about?

Victoria: It’s not me… it’s them! It’s not my fault that they can’t appreciate me and everything I do for them.

In tears and in denial, Victoria bolts from the scene. While she was hoping this was just a one off, deep down she knows that during this tour… this hostile situation was going to be the norm.

Adelaide, Australia - February 13, 2020

Victoria took a bit of a detour on her trip from Tokyo. Rather than going to Adelaide directly, she stopped in Indonesia and took a private jet to Adelaide to avoid any hostile fan interaction. Being back in Australia after that hostile experience from more than seven years ago almost certainly feels awkward. She’s about to leave the plane, but she’s stopped by one of the security detail.

Security: It’s not time to get off the plane yet.

Victoria: Safety thing?

Security: No, safety’s good. But… someone from the local media does want to talk to you.

Victoria: Oh. Great…

As if being back in Australia wasn’t awkward enough already. Victoria reluctantly remains seated as the reporter gets on the plane.

Reporter: Hi, Victoria. Nice meeting you. I figured that since your last time here was… eventful to say the least… and all the years have passed… that we can talk?

Victoria: Sure… why not…

Published February 17, 2020

“Humbled and Apologetic: Victoria Salinas Returns to Australia”

Globally renowned wrestler Victoria Salinas is about to take her first tour of Australia in more than 7 years. She hopes that this time around goes so much better.

“Last time I was here, it was a nightmare” she admitted. “But it’s a nightmare I brought upon myself. I was really stupid back then and thought the whole world revolved around me and I’m totally sorry that I was such an awful person back then… and especially sorry that I ever made that terrible joke about Steve Irwin’s death.”

Popular with most global fans at the time, Victoria was massively hated in an act of total defiance by the ANZ audiences. The five time world champion was quick to accept responsibility for the hostile reactions.

“To be honest, I deserved it” she admitted. “The person that I was and my behavior at the time was unacceptable. I had no right to treat anyone the way I did. I had no right to laugh at people being wheeled out of the building on a stretcher as their career ended, I had no right to treat my mother the way I was treating her and I had no reason to act like my pre-vainglorious life never existed. It was completely stupid of me to be that way.”

Victoria attributes her recently developed humility to two key events in her life and career over the past year: signing with MWE and getting married for the second time.

“I’ve learned things in MWE that I would have never learned anywhere else that I’ve wrestled” Victoria said. “I came to realize that things weren’t going to be as easy as I was used to but I was able to adjust and adapt. This company has been the hardest journey I’ve embarked on in my entire career but I’ve come to appreciate that. It certainly makes wins like that over Gavin Grimes worth so much more. I have a greater appreciation for what I do than I’d ever had before. I’m very fortunate to be with a company that has helped me grow up and be a better person and with a husband that’s been so good to me and that keeps me grounded.”

She even admits being nervous about competing in front of an Australian crowd again, considering the last time around.

“In all honesty, I’m a reserved person with her own social anxieties” Victoria said. “My whole act seven years ago was just that… an act. It was an act to hide my insecurities about myself and the fans then saw right through it. My hope is that this time around, I will give these fans in Australia something positive to remember about me.”

Starting this Wednesday, the jury will definitely be out.

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"Atonement" Feb 21, 2020 14:44:27 GMT -6

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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2020 14:44:27 GMT -6

February 19, 2020

It’s in the morning of Millennium, obviously before the show is taking place and Victoria Salinas is in a joyful mood as she looks at the screen of a laptop.

Victoria: You have no idea how much I’ve been missing you!

It’s hard for her to contain her happiness considering she’s having a webcam chat with her husband Gavin, who she hasn’t seen since the Christmas holiday.

Victoria: You also have no idea how hard it was to deal with a jackass that shared the same name as you.

This mention of Gavin Grimes has both of them laughing.

Gavin: Hey, good on you for beating him, right? I could tell that you were having a hard time with things in Japan. Unfortunately, that’s the norm for you.

Victoria: True. I had been there a couple of times with IWC and UWA. They weren’t terrible tours, but they weren’t fun either. But at least I ended it on the best note possible: defeating that son of a bitch and finally getting over the hump.

Gavin: I always had faith that you would. You’ve always been too damn good to struggle and stay where you’ve been.

Victoria: Yeah, sometimes things take a little longer than you may want to, to figure themselves out but I’m glad I got that burden off of my back. Still… can your summer vacation get here already? Or at least spring break? It’s crazy that I’m travelling all over the place until about mid-June.

Victoria pauses and sighs.

Victoria: Four months to go…

Gavin: You’ll get through it, remember that. And remember that I’m always with you no matter what. It’s great to see you being as happy as you are. I know the last year or so has been a real tough test for you but I can see a stronger person emerging through it all.

Victoria: Thank you, that’s very encouraging to hear. Hopefully, I am able to get through Australia at least. So far, so good. It’s just weird coming back to a place that absolutely hated me. They had good reason and all… but still…

Gavin: I wouldn’t worry so much about that. You’re not hiding behind the mask anymore, so you should be good. You’re doing great and I’d focus on doing all that you can to keep up the momentum.

Victoria smiles and nods at this encouragement.

Gavin: Anyway, I’d love to talk some more but… work stuff to do… you know?

Victoria: Yeah, I get it.

Gavin: Love and miss you!

Victoria: Ditto to you!

After an exchange of goodbyes, Victoria can only sigh as her laptop screen goes black. Alone for the moment, she’s left to think of some more memories of Australia that aren’t necessarily positive ones.

Flashback: November 2012

Victoria: Of course I can! There’s nothing you can do about it!!!

Victoria is having a very heated argument with the owner of PRW over the way she’s been treated so far on the Australia/New Zealand tour.

PRW Owner: Vicky, I get that you’re upset about the way the fans here are treating you. But that’s just wrestling…

Victoria: WHAT? That’s “just wrestling?” I’m not doing this to be called a “cunt” and to be told that I “suck dick”, okay? I deserve better respect than that. If you can’t control those animals, then I’m fucking gone!

PRW Owner: Vicky, you can’t quit…

Victoria: YES I CAN! My contract is guaranteed, remember? You’re paying me more than a million and a half a year until 2017 to CARRY your company! I don’t have to work if I don’t want to. I’ll fucking walk out and you’ll never see me again if you don’t control those fucking animals.

The PRW owner merely sighs as this.

Victoria: DON’T SIGH AT ME!

PRW Owner: Calm down Vicky…

Victoria: Don’t you dare tell me to calm down!

PRW Owner: I should remind you that if you walk out, you can’t wrestle for anyone else per your contract until 2017.

Victoria: SO? I’m a star that transcends this business now! CBS LOVES ME! They’d cast me for a new sitcom on the spot, you realize that right? The next season of Survivor opens up and I’m on it! They issue a casting call for the Amazing Race and Kevin and I have instant spots! They want a guest star for the Big Bang Theory… I AM IT! I don’t need PRW! I don’t need wrestling! Honestly, I’m in it for the stardom and for the money! I don’t need to take this abuse. So, you have two choices… you either FIX THIS SHIT… or I’m GONE… and if the network finds out that I’m gone… you KNOW they’re going to cancel your ass!

PRW Owner: It doesn’t have to come to that, Vicky.

Victoria: Then DO SOMETHING! Turn up the venue mics to drown out the crowd. No… better idea… run our TV as tape delay…

PRW Owner: WHAT? Vicky… the network demands a live broadcast…

Victoria: Tape delay… they’ll understand that someone like me can’t be treated that way. Edit out those HORRIBLE fan reactions before you broadcast the show. If you can’t do that, then I’m out and I’m reporting you and your entire company to the network for harassment…

PRW Owner: ...come on…

Victoria: … SEXUAL harassment… you know… for all those bikini photos your company has made me do “against my will”...

PRW Owner: Fine… FINE! You got your fucking tape delay.

Victoria: Good!

Victoria turns and begins to leave.

PRW Owner: God, you’re worse than Larry…

Victoria immediately gets pissed and turns toward her boss, flipping him the finger.

Victoria: Fuck you! I’m telling the network you said that.

Victoria bolts from the office incredibly pissed off at her former boss.

Back to the current timeline…

Victoria has a sigh to herself as she finds herself in the hallway. She gets to the elevators and presses the “down” button as another patron stands by her. Once the elevator door opens and they both walk in, all she’s thinking about is getting to the lobby. The patron however, has other ideas.

Patron: Hey! You’re…

Victoria: ...nobody. I’m nobody.

Patron: I’ve been a wrestling fan for more than 20 years now, I’m pretty sure I know Victoria Salinas when I see her.

Victoria: Right.

Patron: So, back in Australia huh?

Victoria: Yeah…

Patron: Are you going to tell your bosses to put Millennium on tape delay?

The patron has a laugh to himself but Victoria doesn’t find this funny whatsoever.

Patron: Come on, Vicky! Don’t be such a cunt. That was the best ownage chant ever by the way.

Victoria: I know what you’re doing.

Patron: Yeah?

Victoria: You’re trying to bait me into snapping at you so you can go tell the press about it. That sort of thing may have worked seven years ago, but that’s not me anymore.

Patron: Right. That’s why you marry someone and divorce them a month later and then within weeks, you’re seeing another guy. Once a cunt, always a cunt.

Victoria says nothing as the elevator reaches the first floor.

Patron: Facts are, Vicky… it’s not that you were too good for Axl… it’s that Axl was too good for you. Think about that… cunt…

The patron bolts from the elevator all while Victoria is maintaining her composure in the best way that she can.

Victoria: God bless you too, sir.

The patron is out of her sight by the time she walks out of the elevator.

Victoria: Go figure that not everyone in Australia would forgive me.

Keeping her head held as high as possible, Victoria walks inside the lounge, not knowing that she has another surprise in store for her and all it takes is a simple walk to the coffee machine for this surprise to occur. She’s standing behind a man who is taking a bit of a while to make his coffee. Victoria, having been understandably annoyed by the wrestling fan that tried his best to snap at him, is less tolerant of this.

Victoria: You know that you’re not the only one getting coffee, right?

Man: Vicky?

Victoria: Let me guess… you hate me too?

The man turns around, revealing himself as Kevin, her ex-boyfriend from many years ago. Victoria’s eyes widen with shock at the sight of him.

Kevin: I never did…

Victoria: But… I thought you did…

Kevin: Breaking up with you doesn’t mean that I hate you.

The mention of their breakup causes her to flash back to the very moment that this happens.

November 2012

Victoria: This has been a HORRIBLE tour…

Victoria is saying this after the second episode of PRW television that has taken place in Australia. She’s venting to Kevin in their hotel room having had enough of the fans.

Victoria: I don’t know what the hell I did to the fans here that would make them hate me so much. I know I have subsets of fans in Northern Texas and the entire state of Montana that hate my guts…

Kevin: Calgary… you know… with you being an Oilers fan and all…

Victoria: Right… but not even Calgary compares to this… HATE…

Kevin: Could it be the fact that when you dismissed your critics, you said “well, they’re acting like I’m the sting ray that killed Steve Irwin or something”...

Victoria: Oh come on…

Kevin: Acting like a c…

Victoria: Don’t you dare say that word…

Kevin: I was going to say “complete diva” not that one word that runs with “bunt”... but my point stands. Acting like a diva and dismissing your haters by making an insensitive comment about an Australian television icon when… oh I don’t know… you’re about to go to Australia… yeah, I think these people have a reason to hate you.

Victoria: What? You’re taking their side or something?

Kevin: I’m NOT…

Victoria: It sounds to me like you’re excusing their behavior while you’re belittling me…

Kevin: I’m NOT belittling you but still… you’ve been acting like this complete bitch…

Victoria: YOU DID NOT JUST CALL ME A BITCH!

Kevin: I said you’re ACTING LIKE a bitch… not that you are one… can you let me finish?

Victoria: No, because I’m not about to let you belittle me any further.

Kevin: You just don’t want to hear the truth, do you?

Victoria: Truth? The only truth is that I’m wrestling in front of a bunch of ANIMALS and right now who don’t appreciate me and everything that I do for them.

Kevin: Truth is? They see you for how fake you are…

Victoria: Excuse me?

Kevin: You’re not the Vicky I started dating a year and a half ago… hell, you’re not even the Vicky I remember from the diner. God, you were such a sweet girl back then. What happened?

Victoria: I grew up…

Kevin: Sure, you were more confident and you had changed by the time we started dating but… what I saw as confidence was honestly ego…

Victoria: Kevin…

Kevin: I liked the old Vicky better… you know… the sweetheart that wouldn’t hurt anyone. Now you’re just some stuck up, egotistical diva just because you broke out of your shell and happen to be one of the biggest wrestling stars in the world. You’ve taken the word “vainglorious” and you’ve let it become your identity.

Victoria: The “old Vicky” was nothing but a LOSER.

Kevin: I can’t do this anymore. I’m done.

Victoria: ….oh no… you don’t get to break up with me… you don’t have that right!

Kevin: I just did! Bye!

Kevin, without saying another word, turns and begins to leave the room.

Victoria: Kevin, you can’t… you can’t let me deal with this torture all by myself… KEVIN…

She’s completely ignored as Kevin slams the door, leaving her behind. It’s not even a minute before the heartbreak of being dumped causes Victoria’s eyes to fill with tears as the Australia tour only gets worse for her.

Back to the present timeline…

Victoria: You don’t have to apologize for breaking up with me…

Victoria and Kevin sit together in the hotel lounge.

Victoria: I deserved it and I’m so sorry that when we were together, I turned into such a monster. I understand that I hurt your feelings. It was never my intention, but I know I did… and I’m sorry.

Kevin: It was hard for me to do that because I loved you so much. I had a ring…

Victoria: What? Kevin…

Kevin: I was going to propose to you at the end of the tour. But, I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.

Kevin takes a glance at Victoria’s left hand, spotting her wedding ring.

Kevin: I see you ended up just fine on that front though. Your husband is a very lucky man.

Victoria: No… I’m the lucky one. Gavin may have loved me going as far back as high school but had we been in contact at that time, I’m almost sure he would have wanted nothing to do with me either. I’m so sorry that I ruined that for you.

Kevin: You did… but don’t be sorry for it. I turned out just fine myself. I’m here on business but back home? I got a family waiting for me. I’ve got the wife I’ve always wanted, I’ve got a 3 year old son… and a daughter on the way. I live a good life. I’m fortunate that I’ve met such a wonderful woman. But don’t think for a second that I didn’t appreciate what we had… because I did.

Victoria: I appreciate that… but more importantly, I appreciate the fact that you don’t hate me. I loved what we had and I ruined it.

Kevin: You and I ended up with the people we were meant to be with, no hard feelings. One thing I can say though… is that I’m happy to see that you’ve grown up since then. I can tell that you have a greater appreciation for things than you once did. You’re reminding me a lot of the girl I met back at the diner when you started working there.

Victoria has a smiling chuckle to herself at this.

Kevin: I remember when all you’d ever want to talk about is the wrestling career you wanted and how you were doing everything you could to save up for that. Now? I see that same determination in you to grow and be a champion again and how you’re doing everything you can to get there. Listen, I have to go but…

The two stand up.

Kevin: ...it was great seeing you again.

Victoria: Yeah, same.

The two exchange a hug before Kevin turns and begins to leave.

Victoria: Hey wait…

Kevin briefly turns back to her.

Victoria: This doesn’t have to be a “forever” goodbye, does it? Before we started dating, I loved the friendship that we had.

Kevin: Don’t you mean the friendship that we HAVE?

Victoria: Right…

Kevin: I got tickets to tonight’s show by the way. Hope to see you there!

Kevin turns and leaves while Victoria has a feeling of warmth inside happy that she just atoned for something she had thrown away due to her own immaturity and ego seven years ago. Sitting back down, optimism begins to fill her.

Victoria: Maybe this tour won’t be so bad after all…

To be continued...

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"Atonement" Mar 2, 2020 21:07:46 GMT -6

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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2020 21:07:46 GMT -6

Following the last Millennium…

Victoria Salinas is back in her hotel room an hour or so after that night’s episode of Millennium had come and gone. She remembers the cheers and the warm reception that she got that night for the first time anywhere in either Australia or New Zealand. Tears fill her eyes as she briefly reflects on the change in reaction from before to now.

Victoria: God, I’m just glad I got the first show over with…

It’s obvious that some old memories from the last time she toured the country are still clinging onto her somewhat as she continues to talk to herself a little more.

Victoria: I’m glad that they don’t hate me this time. But still, even though they treated me really harshly the last time around, even though they hated me… I did deserve the hostility. I’m just glad that I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I’m just going to keep pushing on. I feel like I am finally starting to gain the traction that I want in this company. I’m going to keep that momentum going somehow…

The cheers that she heard earlier in the night do in fact, warm her heart quite a bit.

Victoria: As my 32nd birthday nears… all I can do is think of the positive…

This is the final thought that Victoria carries with her on this particular night. But deep down inside, she knows she’s still got a long way to go before she can come to terms with her past in this region of the world.

November 18, 2012

Victoria finds herself alone in a Sydney coffee shop… in the corner… as far away as possible from everyone else. She’s doing her best to hide from the fans that have been so hostile to her in this country. At this moment, she’s two nights away from taking her first crack at winning her third world championship and with the stipulation at stake, not to mention the cruelty she’s had to endure from the fans, she can’t afford to let ANYTHING cause her to slip up.

Victoria (thinking): At least there’s only one more live show to go… unfortunately it’s International Incident… and there’s no chance in hell that a Pay-Per-View is going to be on tape delay. As long as I just… hide… and lay low… I should be okay.

She’s caught off guard by the fact that her phone is ringing and when she takes a look at who is calling her, all she can do is roll her eyes and groan with annoyance when she recognizes her mother’s number. Of course… the fact that she had her mother on her contacts list as “Annoying Nagging Bitch” doesn’t make this any better. Feeling angry as usual toward her mother as was typically the case during this time period, she answers the phone.

Victoria: What?

Victoria’s mother: Vicky. Hi. I just wanted to check on you.

Victoria: I’m 24.. God…

Victoria’s mother: Does this give me any less right to care about you?

Victoria: I just want to be left alone, okay? What part of that don’t you understand?

Victoria’s mother: I’ve been reading about these mean and nasty things the people over in Australia have been saying to you. Are you sure you’re okay?

Victoria: I’m FINE!

Victoria’s mother: You don’t sound fine.

Victoria lets out quite the audible sigh.

Victoria: I WAS fine until you called! It’s like you didn’t get anything that I told you back at LAX before I flew over here to begin with. Gosh mother, are you that fucking retarded?

She’s caught off guard by the sudden sound of silence on the other end.

Victoria: What?

Victoria’s mother: I don’t know what gives you the right to talk to me like that…

Victoria: I don’t know mom… maybe it’s the fact that you ruined my childhood before I was even CONCEIVED due to the fact that when you were sixteen, you were nothing more than a fucking SLUT! Why can’t you just let go of the fact that I’m not that sweet, innocent… and down right FUCKING STUPID little Montana girl that was always walked all over? Why do you love such a LOSER so much? Oh I forget… it’s because YOU’RE A FUCKING LOSER IN YOUR OWN RIGHT!!!!!

This sudden screaming causes the patrons inside the Sydney coffee shop to suddenly take notice of her although she doesn’t realize this yet.

Victoria: YOU’RE THE REASON WHY I EVER HAD A MISERABLE CHILDHOOD, YOU HORRIBLE FUCKING COCKSUCKER! YOU DON’T SERVE A PURPOSE ON THIS PLANET ANYMORE! You gave birth to me, you raised me, I don’t NEED YOU ANYMORE. SO WHY DON’T YOU DO ME ONE FUCKING FAVOR AND JUST FUCKING DIE ALREADY!?!?!?! LEAVE ME ALONE! DON’T YOU EVER CALL ME AGAIN! YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER!!!!!

Victoria hangs up the phone and even takes the step of throwing it across the room to completely break it against the wall just to ensure that her mother never calls her again. She looks forward and sees the patrons blankly stare at her… most of them of course… being wrestling fans. Awkwardly, Victoria stands up and tries her best to leave the coffee shop quietly but the moment she even takes a step, she gets a cup of coffee thrown at her that she barely ducks. The crowd really boos her and they continue to try to pelt her with coffees and frappes and anything edible that they have in their hands, much of the crowd screaming “CUNT” at her with even one fan screaming over and over “WE HATE YOU! WE HATE YOU!” By the time she’s able to get out of the shop, she’s soaked in coffee and that’s not even the worst part. One of the baristas from the shop comes out to dump an entire gallon of milk on her just to further complete her humiliation. Stunned in disbelief she walks to her rental car and of course, right when she opens the door, an entire cup of iced coffee hits her in the back of the head and falls to the ground spilling right next to her. Entering the car, she bursts into tears having been driven to the brink of her own sanity in Australia. Being as immature as she was at this point, she only sees herself as the victim.

Victoria: What did I do to deserve that? They’d never understand! They’d never know what it’s like to grow up with the worst mom EVER!

As far as her mother is concerned?

She wouldn’t talk to her again for three whole years… and even then? It took a vicious assault by one of her worst enemies during her GCW days for that to happen.

March 1, 2020

Finding herself in Perth on her 32nd birthday, like before, Victoria finds herself in the corner of a coffee shop with the only difference of course, being that she’s not in Sydney. She’s looking like she’s waiting for someone, almost as if this has been planned for some time. Her eyes light up when her mother walks into the shop as she expected her to. The biggest positive of that assault that her mother went through back in late 2015 is the fact that their relationship has been repaired ever since.

Victoria’s mother: Happy birthday!

Victoria: Thanks, mom!

The two sit down together.

Victoria’s mother: It’s ironic that we’re doing this here…

Victoria: I know… the last time I was in Australia, I basically told you to fuck off and never talk to me again.

Guilt invades her heart at this point.

Victoria: I never said I was sorry… and I think it’s the right thing if I do that now…

Victoria’s mother: I appreciate it… but that was more than seven years ago. I’ve long forgiven you for it.

Victoria: I know you have… but I’ve never been able to forgive myself for it. It wasn’t just that phone call… it was the way I had been treating you in general. Once I got “wrestling famous”, I just wanted to forget that you existed because… I guess for years… I had this inner anger toward you for the way I grew up. Subconsciously, I was blaming everything on you and the better I got in this business, the more I saw you as an anchor and the more I resented you and felt like you were the worst mother ever. It was never true. You made mistakes… and for a long time I wished it didn’t take me wanting to die so explicitly for you to understand the pain I was going through growing up… but… you never gave up on me.

Victoria’s mother: I never could, Vicky. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.

Victoria: I’m deeply sorry for the way I was treating you earlier in my career. You didn’t deserve any of it at all and I chose fame over family and that’s something I’ve had to live with for years. You raised me the best way that you could with what you had and during that time, I was ungrateful for it. But… I’m definitely appreciating it more these days.

Victoria’s mother: I’m sorry too…

This surprise causes Victoria to widen her eyes.

Victoria’s mother: I’m sorry that I was never able to give you the childhood that you wanted… or one that I wanted for you. I made mistakes. My own stupidity during my own youth affected you in the worst way. You weren’t completely wrong when you began to lash out at me over it… even if you did it at 22-23 and not 15-16. I can’t fault you for treating me the way you did.

Victoria: But you didn’t deserve it. You moved mountains for me when I was growing up and I thanked you by being such a monster to you. Even though I’ve done what I’ve done in wrestling, even though I’ve married the love of my life, I can never imagine my life without you. It’s the strength you showed me growing up that is able to give me the strength to face the challenges I do today…

Victoria’s mother: Really?

Victoria nods.

Victoria: Everything with my wrestling career has been hard for the last couple of years. For fuck’s sake the last time I’ve had a title shot of any kind was EIW when I won the Sovereign title in that ridiculous promotion… and that was nearly two years ago.

Victoria’s mother: You’re getting through it just fine, Victoria.

Her mother gives her a reassuring smile.

Victoria: I know. I’ve already endured the hardest part of this journey. But, I still have to make amends for the way I treated you… the way I treated other people back in the day… I’m ashamed that my 23-24 year old self was ever… you know… a thing…

Victoria’s mother: Don’t be… we all make mistakes… especially being so young. I raised an incredibly strong daughter and it means the world to me as a mother to see you grow up so much over the last few months.

This brings a smile to Victoria’s face as she stands up with her mother standing along with her before they embrace each other for a few seconds.

Victoria: I love you, mom!

Victoria’s mother: I love you too… and happy birthday!

Victoria: Thanks… you’re the best… even if your relationship with Mr. Holliday is still incredibly disturbing and gross…

Victoria’s mother: I know you’ll get used to that… *laughs*... besides… in bed? You have no idea how unbel…

Victoria: MOM!!!!! EW! Stop! I don’t want to know… *laughs*

Victoria’s mother: Hey, don’t you think after all these years, I deserve to have the love of my life too?

Victoria: Yeah but… the guy that trained me to be a wrestler? Who I see as a father figure?

Victoria’s mother: It’s fitting isn’t it. Wouldn’t you want to be a maid of honor for that wedding?

Victoria: Let’s NOT count those chickens yet…

Victoria sits back down at the table and her mother follows suit. They continue to have their joyful conversation, which turned out to be the best part of Victoria’s 32nd birthday. Victoria, meanwhile, is feeling the weight of old guilt melt off her shoulders again having once again atoned for a part of her past in her wrestling career that she had regretted for such a long time…

Victoria (voice over): I’m so glad I’m not that monster anymore. I’m really enjoying the fact that I am facing up to my old mistakes from earlier in my career to make me a stronger and better wrestler and even better… a stronger and smarter woman. I’ve finally come full circle with my mother… something that I’ve always wanted to do for years. Now it’s time to do the same with my career… when I become a champion again someday… when I do it for the pure love of this business… not for the fame and fortune of old.

I’m proud of how much I’ve grown… and I’m looking forward to even more growth ahead the more I atone for my wrestling sins of the past…

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"Atonement" Mar 9, 2020 21:55:31 GMT -6

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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2020 21:55:31 GMT -6

March 6, 2020

Sydney, Australia. This isn’t necessarily a strong memory for Victoria Salinas but as she looks at the opera house from a distance, she’s still trying to gather her thoughts as her good mood from Japan after her win against Gavin Grimes has all but disappeared at this point. Still, she’s trying to maintain her positivity as much as she can being on the phone with her husband and all. Gavin (her husband, not the wrestler) is of course, doing the best that he can to keep her cheered up.

Gavin: Taking on the big bads again, huh?

Gavin is referring to earlier times in Victoria’s career where she’s either taken on the big bads of a wrestling company, aligned with other people, or combined both into one whole package.

Victoria: Yeah. This whole “APE” thing is just… utterly stupid. If I hadn’t beaten Grimes back in Japan then I’d be so much more annoyed what happened on Wednesday than I am right now. I don’t get it though… seems like I’m always annoyed or pissed off at something. I know there will always be the idiots in professional wrestling like those guys, but it’s not as easy as it once was to just let them roll off my back.

Gavin: Just keep your head up, alright?

Victoria: I can’t stand being away from you for so long…

Gavin: The feeling is mutual… of course…

Victoria laments this long distance from the love of her life with a sigh.

Victoria: I know… things will get better. Wrestling happens in waves, that’s no secret. I don’t need to be told that. I’m just iffy about trying to make any more friends in wrestling anymore. Sure, I can get along with Bobbi Jackson or Melissa Reeves… fight the good fight… all that. It’s just… I’ve been burned the last couple of times. Executive Order in GCW was…

Gavin: A burden… I know. It wasn’t something you wanted to do.

Victoria: ...then in UWA with Silas World and Ashes of Eden and how I was the only one that really bothered to stand up to them. Not the greatest of times…

Gavin: But you got through them, didn’t you?

Victoria: Yeah… I guess we’ll see what happens this time around.

Gavin: Listen, you’ll be good. I on the other hand? I’ve got to get going. I better start planning for spring break. Love you!

Victoria: Love you too!

The long distance aspect of their marriage causes her to sigh again but who she’s about to meet in a few seconds is about to make this long distance look like nothing.

Voice: Wow… you really DID upgrade in the husband department, didn’t you?

Victoria rolls her eyes and almost wants to vomit at the sight of Luciana Verdoza, her former mentor who she last saw in December while she was trying to get Victoria while she was experiencing her very worst. Anger immediately fills her… while she’s quickly having a flashback…

November 20, 2012

Ring Announcer: AND STILL PRW WORLD CHAMPION… LUCIANA VERDOZA…

A four way match of brutal proportions took place in Sydney where the only way to win was via electrocution of one of your opponents. Victoria and Luciana were two of four worthy competitors on this night and Victoria is left with a completely empty feeling seeing Luciana walk away, smirking through her blood soaked face and seeing her raise the world title in the air as she backs up the ramp. Victoria wasn’t electrocuted on this night, thankfully. But seeing her mentor and one of her career long worst enemies end the televised portion of the Australia/New Zealand tour that PRW went on gives her yet another bad Australian memory she can’t forget at the moment. Security immediately comes out to get Victoria knowing the hostile reactions she’s going to have…

Luciana: HELLO! Earth to Vicky…

Victoria snaps out of her flashback with anger in her eyes.

Back to the present moment…

Victoria: It’s like you forget what I told you the last time we crossed paths… that I was going to make sure I’d beat your ass.

Luciana: God Vicky, you never cease to surprise me. But hey, you want to kick my ass? Go ahead! Give it your best shot. Come on! Take out all your anger on me.

Victoria: You bet your ass I’ll kick yours…

Luciana: Except… I do have a condition…

Victoria looks surprised as a young, dirty blonde woman younger than both of them walks into the picture with a burlap sack in her hands.

Luciana: You fight both of us!

Victoria: Figures… hiding behind someone else… coward…

Woman: That’s WORLD CHAMPION to you, Victoria.

Victoria: Who the hell is this?

Luciana: OH RIGHT… I’m SO sorry… how rude of me to not introduce you to my protege. Vicky… meet Dakota. Dakota… the ungrateful bitch I’ve told you a BUNCH of stories about…

Victoria narrows her eyes, clearly not amused by this.

Luciana: You know… like that one time where Tina Valentine made her such a MASSIVE joke in IWC to the point where she was being compared to parrots by other people and… hey, look at this… wasn’t I the one that restored your credibility?

Victoria: FUCK OFF!

Dakota: Yeah… ungrateful…

Victoria: What the FUCK do you want? Seriously!

Luciana: SERIOUSLY… I want to show you something… Dakota?

Dakota hands Luciana the burlap sack and Victoria’s old mentor is extremely happy to open a bag and reveal a championship!

Luciana: We’re BOTH five time world champions now! 5BW World Champion… BITCH! FINALLY… my fifth world championship…

Victoria scoffs at this.

Victoria: Yeah… it only took you about seven years, you injury-prone, megalomaniacal, two-faced, insecure piece of SHIT!

Dakota: Now that’s not nice!

Victoria: What? You came all this way just to rub THAT in my face? You’re more pathetic than I thought!

Luciana: Of COURSE I wanted to do THAT… but Vicky, you have to look in the mirror. You haven’t been a champion in almost two years. Your last title was in this place called… what again? EIW?

Dakota: What the FUCK is EIW?

Luciana: Beats me. You won their… something championship of SOME kind and the place closed shop right after that… and you haven’t even had a TITLE SHOT ever since. All you’ve done since the end of your 5th world title reign is regress… you married… well…

Luciana and Dakota bust out laughing.

Dakota: AND IT LASTED A WHOLE MONTH!

The two continue to laugh out loud… really hard.

Luciana: AND you became one of the most hated people in the locker room… oh oh oh… and there was HYBRID Wrestling where you did NOTHING… and then there was that time you got beaten by… BETHANY DRIVER…

Dakota: WHO?

Luciana: Yeah… who the FUCK is Bethany Driver and how the FUCK did you lose to someone like THAT? Sorry honey… you’re irrelevant…

Dakota: But you don’t have to be anymore…

Luciana: Because… well… if you want to learn how to be a real champion again, all you have to do is come to 5BW and join me…

Dakota: ...and XS… we’d be one big happy sorority!

Victoria: XS?

Luciana: ONLY the two girls that are soon going to be the greatest tag team in the WORLD… originating from… RIGHT HERE IN AUSTRALIA! Give it up Vicky… quit trying to “atone” for the best part of your career. You ran Larry Doane out of professional wrestling, you pissed people off, you curtailed the potential of others and you were the top bitch… well… when I wasn’t anyway… so what if people got hurt by your actions? So what if you made your mother cry? It’s time to be honest with yourself and face the fact that if it wasn’t for me taking you under my wing, you’d never have amounted to anything. You wouldn’t even be married to your current husband right now. You’d be a skateboarder’s wife with a future of being a stay at home breeding factory for future Tony Hawk wannabes. I made you once and I can sure as hell make you again!

Dakota: We can be like SISTERS, Vicky… being raised by the same mother… kind of…

Victoria: Little girl, the only thing we have in common is the same mentor and personally, I’d like to keep it that way so why don’t you fuck off and let the grown ups do the talking, alright? Why don’t you take several fucking seats, kay?

Dakota: HEY! We’re trying to help you!

Luciana: You do NOT get to talk to her like that!

Dakota: Yeah! What the fuck is your problem?

Luciana just chuckles at this.

Luciana: Once again… showing that you learned so much from me… there’s that vain bitch I always knew and loved… even if she’s misapplied at the moment but still… I made you what you were… I made you VAINGLORIOUS… that influence is still within you… I know it. There’s a little piece of you that feels insecure… that wants to revert back to old tricks… you know what I’m talking about. Give in, Vicky! Be that bitch that would get booed out of Australia all while being called a CUNT… oh right… you still are one, aren’t you?

Victoria: You didn’t do shit except corrupt me, that’s what you fucking did and you’re doing the same thing to your GLORIFIED PUPPET over there who does NOTHING but follow you around because she’s young and stupid and doesn’t know any better!

Dakota: ...who are you calling a PUPPET?

Victoria: I’m not ignorant to what goes on in your company, Dakota. I’ve seen you do NOTHING but follow Luciana around… with no mind of your own, doing your bidding, kissing her ass, happy to be just a CLONE of her and helping her screw other deserving wrestlers out of a world championship WITHOUT doing a damn thing for yourself or for your career! THAT’S what you want?

Dakota is suddenly left silent.

Luciana: ENOUGH! Are you going to join us, or not?

Victoria: FOR THE LAST TIME, NO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Luciana and Dakota are both taken aback by this sudden rage coming out of the former’s former protege.

Victoria: And YOU Dakota… shouldn’t even be part of this GARBAGE! She betrayed me Dakota… and she’ll do the same to YOU eventually. The only reason why she hasn’t even THOUGHT about betraying you is because you’ve done virtually nothing… NOTHING for yourself or your career and you’re happy being this fucking ABHORRENT PRIMA DONNA’S DOG! You want a Scooby Snack, bitch?

Dakota again says nothing, reacting as if Victoria’s words are stinging.

Victoria: I will NEVER, EVER work with YOU again Luciana… because if I DID ever work with you again… you know what I’d be? I’d be THAT *points at Dakota* over there… nothing but an obedient, good-for-nothing, groveling DOG who CLEARLY doesn’t think for herself and just PARROTS YOU and kisses your ass! You always have to have control… but you will NEVER have control over ME again… because I’m not THAT ONE *points at Dakota*

So why don’t you leave me the fuck alone? You don’t get to be part of my life Luciana… EVER! Go back to your company and let me do my business and you can do whatever it is you do to fuck up professional wrestling worse than you already have with your shit. I would rather shoot myself in my mouth than ever align with you again because being dead, Luciana, is a FAR more desirable thing for me than ever working with you again.

Luciana: Fine! Keep wallowing in that mediocrity, you ungrateful bitch. Let’s go Dakota… enough of this shit.

Luciana begins to turn and leave, but Dakota doesn’t respond. It’s almost as if Victoria’s harsh words toward her actually got to her a little bit.

Luciana: Dakota… come on… let go! We have more important matters here.

Dakota turns and begins to walk away.

Victoria: Dakota?

Dakota pauses, but doesn’t turn toward Victoria.

Victoria: You better grow a second pair of eyes in the back of your head, hon.

Dakota: Fuck yourself!

Dakota follows Luciana as both of them end up disappearing into the distance.

Victoria: No wonder I’m skeptical about making friends in this business… she really did a number on me when she betrayed me… but… it’s really unfair to the likes of Bobbi and Melissa if I keep on acting like this toward allies because of her…

Victoria sighs upon this realization.

Victoria: At least I maintained my atonement. I could never, in good conscience, be around her again… not after the way she was a toxic influence on me… not after her influence combined with my insecurities were the driving force behind me turning into the monster I used to be… and a monster I’ve sworn to never be again…

Victoria reflects positively on the victory she just gained by sticking to her guns and sticking to what her heart believes in. She can finally express a confident smirk and hold her head up high… at least… for the moment…

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"Atonement" Mar 16, 2020 22:28:00 GMT -6

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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2020 22:28:00 GMT -6

March 23, 2010

Victoria Salinas would like to forget this day. It wasn’t necessarily a horrible day for her, but little did the then 22-year-old realize that this day would alter the trajectory of her career… for better or worse depending on who you ask. There’s a locker room meeting going on… a festive one at that. The entire roster is there… from Victoria… to her mentor in Luciana Verdoza, to her more frequent enemies in Jason Schneider and Larry Doane… all of them sit and watch the owner of PRW continue on with his speech.

PRW Owner: This last year… it’s been a lot better than one would imagine… some of the biggest stars in wrestling right now are here… Verdoza, Lynwood, Schneider, Thomas… the core for quite some time to come. And yet… we also look to the future…

Victoria, pre-vainglorious, PRW Hardcore Champion, still that skittish and shy Montana girl, feels a bit nervous once this is mentioned.

PRW Owner: I know damn well… that three people I am about to call out… are the torch bearers for the future! Five years from now, they’ll be the biggest stars in wrestling. Ten years from now, they’ll be legends. The first is Daniel Chase… cocky, hell of a swagger, a great natural ability, star written all over him…

Victoria hears Larry Doane scoff at this…

PRW Owner: The second is Victoria Salinas…

Victoria’s eyes perk up in surprise…

PRW Owner: Prodigal in ring talent, a great heart for the business, someone who is a social breakout away from being the best women’s wrestler in the world…

Words that would ultimately become prophetic…

PRW Owner: And lastly, Larry Doane… borderline godly on the microphone. Raw talent. I’m already salivating about the kind of money he’s going to make us once that raw talent pans out. And I expect these three to be competing against each other for world championships in the near future for many years to come…

Victoria really didn’t pay much attention to the anniversary celebration after this. She’s frozen in surprise once the celebration ends and the wrestlers begin to file out. A young woman walks by Victoria with a look of disapproval on her face.

Candice: Honestly, Victoria? I think you’re pretty overrated. You’re going to end up being the least successful of the three. Personally? My money’s on Larry.

Victoria: Wow… thanks…

Victoria rolls her eyes as Candice Carter, the second in command of PRW, walks by her. Larry walks up to her next with a confident smirk on his face.

Larry: It’s a competition now bitch! And I’m going to dominate you worse than all of your whore mother’s boyfriends dominated her back in the day HAHAHAHAHA!

Larry laughs at her as he leaves. Victoria is the last one in the room. Her Hardcore title lies on her lap and in an odd moment, she suddenly feels disgusted by it. Shoving it off her lap, she sighs.

Victoria: I won’t let him win…

Victoria just soaks it all in...wondering how she’ll win this sudden “competition” before her. Little would she know that from this point forward, her wrestling career wasn’t about “living the dream” anymore… as 2010 went on, it slowly started to become all about the glory… and her backstage ‘rivalry’ with Larry grew to the point where it became less about the honor of the business and the dream she had and more about who would win the world title race.

Victoria, despite recent progress, has yet to fully recapture those early days of her career where it was about living that dream…

March 15, 2020

Finding herself in Melbourne, Australia, Victoria reflects on what had happened just about 10 years ago. She’s alone in a very sequestered area of town… and not for virus-related, social isolation reasons either..

Victoria: The pressure of inner competition… it brings the worst out of people… and a decade ago it brought the worst out of me. It brought out this nasty side of me… this petty, childish, stupid side of me… and losing that competition in the early going just made it worse. I shouldn’t have won that… the idiot, late in 2010, was feuding with THE biggest star in the company at the time… he even beat him multiple times… how did I even “win”? Well… the fact that he blew it certainly helps but I am absolutely not proud of how I won… by that nasty, petty side of me taking over…

Victoria lets out a sigh.

Victoria: I don’t want to be that person again… but it seems like it’s the only way I’ll ever be a commanding presence. It seems like it’s the only way the higher ups are ever going to notice me. I don’t want to be… her… again… but I am so tired of being overlooked…

Voice: They never said atonement was easy…

Victoria is caught off guard by the presence of a young woman, 25 years of age standing near her. On social media, they had arranged this meeting that’s about to happen. The younger woman looks like she’s living a dream moment being in Victoria’s presence but she’s able to compose herself as she sits next to her.

Victoria: So you’re the young lady that’s been sending me all those Buffy-related inspirational tweets…

Woman: Anything to help one of my favorite wrestlers that I ever got to witness when I was growing up. A decade ago? You were an inspiration to me…

Victoria: Even when I was… you know…

Victoria sighs.

Victoria: I’m sorry… um… Minka, right?

Minka nods.

Victoria: I don’t understand how something so obnoxious and cruel… like I was backstage during that time… be “inspirational”.

Minka: You treat what you were 5 to 10 years ago as if she’s some kind of monster. There were parts of what you were that weren’t pleasant, I’ll admit that. But the Victoria Salinas that was the it girl of PRW all those years ago? What I liked about her is that she didn’t take shit from anyone. She didn’t care what she had to do in order to command respect from everyone, she damn well did it. What I liked about her is that there was ALWAYS someone trying to drag her down, but she always pulled through. Add onto the fact that you have that background… going from virtually nothing… to breaking out of your shell and becoming a star… it’s an amazing story… well, once you get past all the typical, early 20-something stuff. Can you name one wrestler in this business that found such smashing success so young and handled it with maturity and humility?

Victoria: Not a soul. It always gets to their head. There are virtually no exceptions to the rule. It’s an interesting take by the way… on what I was… and it makes sense. I pulled off quite the geek to chic transformation… I went from social outcast to prom queen… analogically speaking… I won’t take back what I accomplished or how much I had grown as a person… but sheesh… if only I was older than I actually was during that time. It was stupid of me to go along with that dumb “competition” with Larry Doane…

Minka: Hey, we all have our insecurity causing demons, do we not?

Victoria: He was ahead of me in the early going… made me feel grossly inadequate compared to him… I ran up the score when it became obvious that he was never going to surpass me… and even after he was ran out of wrestling, I still behaved so poorly for another three years. Then again? I know I’ll always have those demons trying to whisper in my ear… feeding me bullshit that’s not even true. At one point, I felt like I wasn’t good enough for MWE and that I was better off retired. And these demons… they’re trying to push me off the edge… trying to tell me I’m not worthy of being a champion… trying to tell me that MWE doesn’t care about me… that they just see me as just another face on the roster… that I’m never going to be a champion there… that I’ll always be a forgotten, second-tier wrestler at best…

Minka: It’s not true, Victoria and you know that…

Victoria: I do… but when all these people get title shots walking right in that door… while I can’t even buy a number one contender’s match for fuck’s sake… when there’s an Intercontinental Championship tournament that I’m NOT in… when Neil Durden… in his FIRST MATCH… gets a title shot that… screw it… not sugar coating it… he NEVER deserved… when Melody Lennox just walks in and gets handed an MWE title shot that… GOD, she NEVER deserved either… like being a world champion in a trash, Baltimore based “wrestling company” means fucking SHIT… it does two things Minka… it fucking pisses me off and it makes me feel… like they don’t value me at all! God, it’s like wrestling in IWC or psycho stalker obsessed Tiffany Manning-era GCW Shotgun all over again…

Minka: I understand exactly how you feel. It’s rough. I’ve been there… but I got through it and speaking from a fan perspective? I wouldn’t have been able to do it myself if you didn’t set the example for me when I was a naive, 17 year old trying to break into wrestling against my family’s wishes. My sister was the WORST… being involved in wrestling herself as a GM yet saying I don’t belong in wrestling…

Victoria: Some sister, huh?

Minka: Candice was always a hardass… still is…

Victoria: Candice?

This causes Victoria to raise her eyebrows.

Victoria: ...Carter? The PRW GM? The same woman that never believed in me and thought I’d never be a star?

Minka: That’s the one.

Victoria: OH… you’re that “annoying little sister” that Candice bitched about SO much during the PRW days. WOW… small world, huh?

Minka: I recently found out that Candice and I aren’t “sister sisters” if you catch my drift… but that’s a LONG story… hey, get this though… Candice was up Larry Doane’s ass, talking about how he was going to be this massive star and you’d be far beneath him. You sure as hell proved HER wrong!

Victoria: That’s for sure. You think that’s it though? That the powers that be don’t believe in me in the same vain that Candice didn’t?

Minka: If for whatever reason that IS the case… which I doubt, but still… then you can prove them wrong… and you will. It’s not about the destination… it’s all about the journey. You know what to do. You know exactly how to make your voice heard. The only difference between then and now is that you’re older and smarter… too smart to ever make the same mistake again. For all of those demons whispering in your ear, you know that’s true.

Victoria: Right… it definitely is.

Victoria lets out a sigh.

Victoria: ...and I shouldn’t be afraid anymore… of the worst of me taking center stage again like it had done before…

Minka: You've regained a lot of your confidence these last few months. Why not go all in, you know? Listen... I'm wrestling tonight... if you want to check that out. I feel like you'll see much of yourself in me... and you'll see how much of an inspiration you've always been to me coming up as a fan...

Victoria: Sure... I'd love that...

Victoria at this point is beginning to come to grips with things now. She knows she has to be more assertive which is never out of the question anymore. In order for her to be able to atone for the past… she has to face it head on instead of running away from it. She has to face those fears caused by said past and she has to be confident enough in herself to command the attention she feels she deserves to have while at the same time being confident enough to do so without giving in to those aforementioned “demons” trying to whisper in her ear and corrupt her all over again.

This of course… is only the beginning of this latest stop in the journey…

To Be Continued…

Last Edit: Mar 16, 2020 22:45:55 GMT -6 by Deleted

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"Atonement" Mar 24, 2020 23:26:14 GMT -6

Quote

Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2020 23:26:14 GMT -6

March 15, 2020

Though Victoria Salinas wouldn’t know it yet, her detour to Melbourne and her meeting with Minka Carter would be the last stop on the Down Under tour for her. Victoria and Minka find themselves hanging out with each other after the latter had wrestled that night in a hard fought, intense, inconclusive tag team match where the anger was certainly flying. Victoria grows concerned for the wrestler that had come up as a fan of hers as she initiates the conversation that’s about to take place.

Victoria: Are you okay?

Minka: Yeah… I’m fine.

Victoria: I was hoping you’d win…

Minka: Same… but still… that outcome out there? I’ll take it over a loss.

Victoria: You don’t seem bothered about what happened out there…

Minka delivers a confident smirk showing that the no contest tag match she was part of has no visible effect on her.

Minka: It’s all about the struggle for me. I’ve done some things in my own past that I regret… these things… caused by my own insecurities that manifested during my own upbringing…

Victoria: That sounds far too familiar…

Minka: Right?

Minka has a bit of a chuckle to herself.

Victoria: You had let it all loose out there… though your anger that you showed… it did frighten me some. It’s almost as if you were about to be what you were before… you know… in your recent past that you’ve had to live with…

Minka: Yeah, I did have a similar anger and fire that had gotten me in trouble before… but I’m not ashamed of it and you want to know why? Because that emotion… and the way I express that emotion… it’s part of who I am and I’d be a fool to deny that. You though… you treat that shy Montana girl with the humble attitude and that vain, snobby, supercilious, conceited “queen bee” as if they’re two seperate people. They’re not different people, Vicky. They’re the same person. The “queen bee” is just as much as part of you as the “shy girl” is. I admired both sides of you… I loved the “shy girl” coming up as a fan because she was such an incredible inspiration to me… teaching me that you can achieve anything against all odds… but I loved the “queen bee” too because she took no shit from anyone and stood up for herself against all the haters that wanted to drag her down. I didn’t like the way that she treated other people… but…

Victoria: Young and stupid… that’s not really who I am. My diva behavior was just… you know… a coping mechanism to fight my own insecurities.

Minka: You’ve always had the “queen bee’s” best traits in you… if you didn’t? The “shy girl” wouldn’t have hit the ground running the way she did when she first broke into PRW more than 10 years ago. At some point, you have to stop giving a crap about what other people think… because I sure don’t give a crap about what my idiot enemies think of me. And why should you?

Victoria doesn’t respond right away as this is something she has to think about.

Minka: 2015 is over. A certain someone isn’t in your life anymore after you rightfully cut her off. You’re not dealing with a certain crowd that treated you like a nobody at first anymore. You let other people mute you because…

Victoria: ...I let them get to me. It got to me and… I was a laughingstock in certain companies before I hit my stride there. You’re right… it’s over. Maybe I do need to put myself out there again… just like I did before… just like what you’ve been doing in the last year or so. I’m glad that I see someone like you and I’m reminded of why I do what I love. I saw a lot of me in you tonight and I’m happy that I’ve inspired you in some way!

Minka: Thanks, Vicky. I don’t think I need to tell you what you need to do going forward now…

Victoria: No… no you don’t… thank you…

Victoria and Minka exchange a hug before saying their goodbyes and over the next few days, Victoria would think about this conversation… remembering the best parts of the “queen bee” persona that she had been so afraid of turning back into again. Of course… this is an instance where remembering what brought her to the dance can help her in the future…

October 19, 2010

Victoria, who had just gotten herself a makeover to give birth to “vainglorious” while putting the “shy girl” era of her career behind her, has an angry look on her face still heated from what just took place. She watches as a couple of referees escort Luciana Verdoza, her former mentor who just became one of her worst enemies, through the hallway. Luciana has a bit of a busted lip and a bloody nose and things get interesting when the two lock eyes.

Victoria: I’m not going to take your shit anymore… there’s more where that came from! There wasn’t a chance that I was going to let what you did to me last week slide…

An awkward pause ensues before Luciana just laughs.

Luciana: Oh Vicky…

Luciana laughs some more.

Luciana: You’ve finally grown a spine! Finally… what I saw in you from day one… it came out! This is exactly what I wanted from you. Keep this up and you’ll be THE it girl of this company… after my turn has ended anyway. You want that spot from me, honey? You’ve got to KILL ME for it…

Victoria: Yeah, I doubt anyone would miss you if you died!

Luciana: WOW! Where has THIS Vicky been?

Luciana continues to have an amused chuckle as she continues to be escorted down the hallway.

Victoria: Hidden for her whole life… apparently…

Voice: I like what I see hot stuff…

Victoria’s anger gets worse at the sound of Larry Doane’s voice as the latest chapter of their world championship race is about to begin.

Larry: My god…

Victoria: What?

Victoria’s eyes narrow with anger.

Larry: You’re so hot… you’re not ME of course… but you know… second place never looked so good!

Victoria: In your dreams! The day that I hook up with someone so pussy that his ex-wife cheated on him is the day I fucking kill myself… you know… something your mother should’ve done when she found out she was pregnant with you.

Larry: ...GOD DAMN… what has gotten into you, woman?

Victoria, in a fit of rage, grabs Larry by the collar and pins him hard against the wall.

Victoria: Let me tell you something, you piece of shit! The Vicky you remember… the one that you used to sexually harass and walk all over without a consequence in the world… the one that you thought you were going to defeat so easily again and again… the one that you thought didn’t have what it takes to be on “your level”? She’s gone! You want to race to the world title? You want this competition to see who gets there first? FINE! But the fact of the matter is, I don’t NEED to be in “competition” with you because newsflash… you’re not competition to me… you’re not at my level and you never will be… every time we meet, I will OWN YOU, you got that? The fans are going to see through your shit and they’re going to realize why Larry Doane is the most overrated wrestler in PRW right now. So if you want to keep on with this crap… I’m going to make you regret it. Do I make myself clear?

Larry: ...your mouth is so sexy when it moves…

Victoria responds to this ridiculous comment by decking him right in the mouth. She didn’t knock out any teeth but when she lets him go and lets him fall to the floor, she notices that there is some blood coming out of his mouth which is more than good enough for her at this point.

Victoria: Why don’t you take SEVERAL fucking seats, alright? Piece of shit…

Victoria turns and walks away from Larry who is left stunned by what just happened. Larry, for the first time, has a look of worry in his eyes in regard to Victoria. That’s because in spite of his stupidity, immaturity and his blinding obsession with her, he’s realizing that this “competition” isn’t as easy as he thought it would be.

“I began to stand out back then and become the star that I would eventually become because I wouldn’t stay quiet. I would no longer allow anyone to walk all over me. I would no longer allow anyone to define me or what I am about. I played things far too nicely after 2015. I allowed other people’s opinions to defy me. I remember so vividly when I went on camera and talked up Tina Valentine during a promo of hers… when I spoke my mind and made the claim that nobody had gone through more hell than she had and nobody else could compare…

Okay first off… what the fuck was I thinking when I did that?

And secondly? I remember vividly that promo of Tina’s being released on a Sunday night. By Monday morning, one of her biggest haters went on Twitter and buried me by saying that she’d made it because a ‘nobody’ like me had mentioned her by name.

...that stung…

And I slowly retreated back into my shell after that. For the most part, that’s all I had done for the last five years.

I realize now… that people like that… those that feel that they absolutely HAVE to attempt to bury me… that it’s THEM that are the problem… not me. THEY’RE the ones that needed to compensate… not me. I had the power in that situation all along but I never used it because I was too afraid… I was too afraid to ruffle any feathers… I was too afraid of the repercussions… I was too afraid of making the same mistakes I had made before during my PRW career…

But the days of me hiding... are over…”

March 19, 2020

Victoria is in Chicago now, in a much more positive mood after she had submitted Luna earlier in the night.

Victoria: I was certainly aggressive tonight… I took no prisoners. I wasn’t going to let Luna beat me… and making her submit felt pretty damn good! I feel like I really got my point across…

Victoria wears a determined, emboldened expression on her face as she looks in the mirror.

Victoria: And I’m absolutely positive that MWE will never overlook me again… I’m positive that with what I’m about to bring to the table going forward that they can’t look past me again… that when it comes to opportunity… I’m not going to be passed over and cast aside for the latest “hot new thing” that they sign from somewhere else.

What they witnessed tonight?

It’s the way things are going to be from now on…

Victoria walks away from the mirror and sits down on her bed, leaving herself with plenty more to think about as her successful night rolls on…

TO BE CONCLUDED...

Shoutbox

Hypothetical: Kill them all! Jun 13, 2020 17:49:48 GMT -6

Raymond Reznik: With kindness? Jun 18, 2020 22:23:07 GMT -6

gvb: with fire Jun 19, 2020 13:09:42 GMT -6

Seth Iser: STAB EVERYTHING Oct 12, 2020 11:18:17 GMT -6

Hypothetical: EAT THE CHIP!!! Mar 18, 2021 13:20:28 GMT -6

Seth Iser: IT BURNS Mar 18, 2021 17:09:06 GMT -6

torture: Always been lurking! Huge fan of this fed! Keep up the great work, everybody. Jun 8, 2021 15:44:27 GMT -6

Seth Iser: THE CHIP STILL BURNS Nov 29, 2021 13:52:08 GMT -6

Julian Savell: THE CHIP IS BURNING ME STILL!!! Jul 7, 2022 1:45:40 GMT -6

Seth Iser: BAN THE LAVA CHIP! BAN IT! Feb 14, 2023 12:46:36 GMT -6

Seth Iser: IT'S BEEN OVER TWO YEARS AND IT'S STILL BURNING! WHAT THE HELL!? Mar 26, 2023 10:16:26 GMT -6

cloudy: ☁️ Jun 6, 2023 10:50:10 GMT -6

Lowri Moss: 🌧️ Jun 17, 2023 13:10:16 GMT -6

Seth Iser: HELP! THE LAVA CHIP IS STILL BURNING EVERYTHING! Sept 1, 2023 16:42:27 GMT -6

gvb: THE DALEK IS COMING TO RESCUE YOU! Sept 4, 2023 8:13:05 GMT -6

Lowri Moss: If the Dalek is our hope we are all doomed! Oct 30, 2023 16:29:24 GMT -6

Seth Iser: The burning finally ended. The lava chip nightmares have begun though. Dec 6, 2023 2:10:43 GMT -6

diakos: Is this place still alive? Jan 25, 2024 11:24:52 GMT -6

gvb: I would say so. I'm having a hard time getting back on track but I'm almost there lol Jan 25, 2024 12:10:12 GMT -6

wolfy: how do you apply to be part of the efed? Jan 27, 2024 21:03:37 GMT -6