The Letter : Chap 2 (RP vs America AND for Scramble) (1991)

"Ayy Felicity,

Amelia here. Ya know, the fighter you once refused to acknowldge whilst you were galavanting around wit' Pandora? Ya, well dis Scottish ghalla is pissed. In case ya need to, go look the shit up! You were in da wrong wit' how you treated da rest of us. Ya treated Pandora like a Saint and she was the most fucked up of us all. Ya simply need ta realize that ya did us dirty. You will pay fer all da shit ya did to us. Scarlett was nice to ya because Scarlett wanted to focáil wit ya. Then again she is sexually attracted to anything that breathes so don't flatter ya self. The rest of us are not happy. Wait until Rain gets ahold of ya! You won't be around much longer. If you survive in the ring, we will make you realize that y'are crazy. Best wishes. Y'are gonna need it soon. As you continue on this path you need to realize who truly pulls the strings. You need to find out that she still dwells within you and we still dwell within Gwen. You need to come to the realization that you NEED us much like you feel APW needs you. Much like you feel you need Gwen. You see, as long as Gwen is around, WE will be here to watch your every move. To watch your every step. To keep you in line like the bitch you are!

Gu dùrachdach,
Amelia"


I looked at the letter in my hand. I couldn't take this one to Dr. Gwen. She would just call me crazy again and accuse me of writing it. My hands shook as I wadded the letter up. Why me? Why now? I was doing better and my past was coming back to haunt me. I sat down and cried. It had been so long since I just let it all out. I decided I needed to harness my emotions. I needed to find someone to take it all out on. I needed to do my job.

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I placed a Santa hat on my head to match my crushed velvet mini dress. I smirked as I looked into the camera.

"Happy holidays, APW. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Channukah, it doesn't matter. Tis the season to think about those who have had an impact in our lives. It is time to put differences aside. It is time to celebrate.

Allow me to celebrate with each and everyone of you. Alex Scott, Lexi Hill, whoever else may enter this scramble match. Ask John Blade and Jamo what you are in store for. Ask them what gifts I can give you.

The fact of the matter is that I am simply here to up my stock. I used to be all about others. I used to want to save everyone. Now, I just want to save my own sanity. These letters I am receiving are no coincidence. They are not in my head. I didn't write them. Someone is fucking with me.

I ask you, APW Faithful, who would do such a thing? Who would poke a sleeping bear? You see, I am getting better at restraining myself. I am finally able to harness HER power. I am able to keep her back. She is in the recesses of my mind. She is tucked away so far back that I don't think she can ever come back. I wouldn't, however, press your luck. I wouldn't allow yourself to get too comfortable with her gone. She may make an appearance when you least expect it."

I smirked as I began hanging stockings up on the fireplace. One has Dr. Gwen's name on it. One has my name on it. One reads "Phoenix." I giggled as I spoke again.

"I do this just in case. I mean, everyone deserves presents from Santa Claus, am I right? I am going to hand out presents to each and every person in the scramble but there is someone I am going to give more presents to. I am going to give some presents to America Jackson.

The first gift I want to give America is this."

I pulled out a ladder. I smirked as I set it up and climbed to the top. I had a seat once there.

"This is the top of the mountain. The apotheosis of APW if you will. Once upon a time you sat high up here. You were the very best that this company had to offer. You even defeated Phoenix on your way there. I am sure this week you will say something about how you have defeated me. As I have told the fans. I am not her anymore. You and I are squaring off for the first time. The nightmares remind me of how she was. I never want to be like that again."

I glared into the camera as I slowly climbed down from the ladder. I smirked as I pulled out gift number two.

"On the second day of Christmas, Felicity gave to America. A lion stuffed animal.

You see America, you spoke not so long ago about grit. How the truly great will take on any challenge. The problem with you America, is you only see the physical aspects of a challenge. You never dive deep into the psychology of this business. You think you will go into every match and win by having the strength, the physical wherewithal to accomplish anything you want inside that ring. What happens when someone outsmarts you? What happens when you don't realize you are beaten until it is too late. You can lift all the weights you want but until you mentally prepare, you are never at one hundred percent of your A game. You will always be a step behind until you train your mind."

I walked over to a cage. The very cage I used to keep Pandora in. I ran my hand along the iron bars as I shuddered at the thoughts of things that had happened within the cell. Some fragments of dried blood on the bars reminded me of the physical pain I used to inflict when she and I were one. I softly spoke, my demeanor changed from earlier.

"The third gift I grant you, America, is freedom. You are named after a free country but are you truly free? I feel as if something is haunting you from your past, America. I don't know if Zaigon Carter left a shadow you can't step out of or if you purposely hold yourself back because you don't want to fail again. You were a failure as World Champion. You couldn't live up to the bar set before you. You couldn't be Jubei. You couldn't be Damon Warrens. You couldn't even be Jason Ryan. Ultimately, you failed once and you are scared that you are doomed to repeat that history."

I picked up a Damon Warrens action figure. I placed it in front of the camera as I spoke again.

"Your next gift is the Devil himself, Damon Warrens. You need to understand that he is the monkey on your back. He is the reason you will never be great. You live in constant fear that you won't be able to live up to, as you stated, the "Greatest World Champion ever." You may think you are a hell of a competitor, a hell of a champion, but you will always live in fear and doubt because of how you view Damon in such a major light. Sometimes you need to turn off a bright light, to shine even brighter. Even the stars know to come out at night so as not to be hidden by the sun. Closer does not always mean brighter. Champion does not always mean best. Crazy does not always mean evil. The sooner you learn this, the sooner the Devil will be in your rearview."

I pulled out a bottle of water as I placed it toward the camera.

"America you are drifting and need a current to bring you back home. The waves have you treading water. Come back to Earth, America. Come back to reality. Don't let your own self doubt hold you back. Don't allow the rivers of your mind to get you in a routine of winning. The thing about this business is we all lose from time to time. How do you react to a loss, America? We would soon truly find out. This match will be one that will take it all out of both of us. It will completely change us and alter our lives. I am going to come out stronger. What say you, America?"

I held out a painting of three women. I shook my head side to side.

"Do you know who this is in this painting, America? It is Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos better known as the three fates. This paining represents our fate of coming together for the holidays. We were bound to meet in a different capacity than the last time. This time we meet in a place of joy. A place where toys are made. I like using toys."

I stuck my tongue out and rolled my eyes.

"Not like that you pervert. I mean I like using anything at my disposal to do away with my opponents. When the fates cause us to meet up at Metal I will make sure you rue the day you ever stepped foot in APW. I am going to make you regret many of your life choices leading up to this moment. I am going to make you regret being alive."

I held up an Ace of Spades.

"They say an Ace trumps any other card in most games. A ace in the hole is what everyone strives to be. A wildcard if you will. I like to see myself as a wildcard. You never know what you are going to get but you know I am worth every minute of being on television, every moment in that ring. You never know when I am going to pop up but you know I am going to steal the show. Just when people like you, America, think they figure me out. I adapt. I change to make myself better. Unlike a chameleon, I don't blend in, I stand out. I make damn sure you know I am there. I don't do sneak attacks. I meet my opponent face to face. You may be one of, if not THE, longest reigning champions in history but even Rome fell when a wildcard came into play. All I am saying is, don't get comfortable America. Don't fall into a routine because in the blink of an eye, your career could end."

I pick up a steering wheel as I look back into the camera.

"We always try to find out what drives our opponents. We all want to know why our opponents do this little game. Why they are in this business. Most are here for the fame or the glory. I am here for my own sanity. I am here to stay in a safe mindset. Why are you here, America? What DRIVES you? What makes you want to step into the ring with that which you do not understand? Why would you want to torture yourself. You see, I may not be her anymore but even a broken clock is right twice a day. The choice is yours America, live or die? Have a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!"

I walked out of the frame as the words "Book of America" pop up on the screen. The letters seemingly begin to bleed down the screen as they are replaced with the words "The Truth will soon be known" and the scene ends.