♪♪ Looks like it’s time for Outlast again

Time to go and make the Finals again

Our team is true, focused and ready to fuck you up

It’s like one great big party

Inviting every big name we know

Well, you would see the biggest threat would our team

And when the bell rings it will say

Looks like it’s time for you to wait

For Outlast to come again ♪♪

☆☆☆

The scene fades in from an exterior shot of the Philips Arena to inside a locker room, where we find Lucy Zbornak and Alex Petrillo seated around a table, two steaming cups of coffee in front of them.

“Oh, Lucy… Come on.”

Alex says, sighing.  Lucy rolls her eyes and brings her cup of coffee to her lips.

“You’re taking this far too seriously.”

Lucy’s eyes widen at Alex’s words and she nearly spits out her drink as she places the cup back onto the table in front of her.

“Am I really?”

Alex nods his head.

“I told you that Joe was no good for you.  He’s just a two timing, yellow bellied piece of–“

“Alex!”

Alex shakes his head and reclines in the chair, grabbing his bag from beside him and dragging a few crumpled up dollar bills from inside, holding them out to Lucy as Lucy stares at him incredulously.

“What’s this?”

“Here’s a few dollars, you need to go find yourself a rebound.”

He takes another look at the money in his hand and pulls it back, stealing a few of them away from the wad before trying to give them to Lucy again.

“Well, not too good a rebound.”

“I am not taking that.”

Alex keeps his hand out for a few more seconds before pulling the money back to him like a greedy squirrel and depositing the money back into his bag.

“God knows you won’t be able to find a date any other way.”

Lucy scoffs at the suggestion.

“You’re vile.”

“No, I’m your captain and I’m only trying to get your head into the game for tonight.  Forgive me for caring about you, Pussycat.”

Alex rises from the chair and moves across the kit–locker room, turning his attention into one of the lockers when suddenly the door flies open and Carlson Devereaux enters, looking frazzled.  Both Lucy and Alex look up, startled. 

“I do declare.. I’m devastated.  Just devastated.”

“What’s wrong now, Carlson?”

Lucy asks, giving Alex a glare as she awaits the answer while Carlson slinks down into the chair across from Lucy, putting a hand over his face and sighing.

“I just don’t know what I’m going to do!”

Lucy rolls her eyes.

“..Do about what?”

Another exasperated sigh escapes the lips of Carlson before he finally lowers his hand and looks between Alex and Lucy.

“My date for this evening just called and canceled, now I’ll have nothing to do when Outlast is over.”

Alex approaches the table again, taking a seat in the chair he previously occupied.

“A walking mattress like you shouldn’t have a problem finding someone to– Say, why don’t you take Lucy here with you after the show?  She needs to find someone who won’t kick her head off her shoulders because he’s a deranged psychopath.”

Lucy slams her hands down on the table.

“Alex!  I don’t need your help finding a date!”

“Could have fooled me.”

Before Lucy can open her mouth again, Carlson jumps up and hurries across the room, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“I think it’s a great idea, Lucy.  What better way for me to find a date than to have a girl like you along?”

Lucy’s eyebrows raise in question.

“…What do you mean, ‘A girl like me‘?”

Carlson continues making his cup of coffee as Lucy turns around to stare a hole through the back of his head.

“I didn’t mean nothing by it, Luce.  Just saying that ‘desperation’ is the kind of repellent I need to get all the hotties to swarm towards me!”

Carlson turns around, a big smile on his lips.

“Oh, come on.. It’ll be fun!  We go out there, win Outlast and then you and me will go paint the town!  I’m sure there will be someone out there who desires… That.”

He says, motioning wildly at Lucy.  Alex grins.

“See?  That’s exactly what I’m telling you!”

Lucy sits back, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I am NOT desperate.  As far as I’m concerned, I don’t need a man if they’re all going to be like him.”

A disapproving look washes over Alex’s face as Carson comes back to the table and sits, his lips pursed as he takes a sip of his coffee.

“You just happened to find the biggest, dumbest jerk there is out there.  They aren’t all like that.”

“You would know.”

Alex chimes in, garnering a look from Carlson.

“Are you insinuating that I’m a–“

Carlson can’t finish his sentence before the door of the locker room opens again and Konrad Nylund comes walking in, carrying a large bag over his shoulder and the Cross-Hemisphere Championship around his waist.

“Hi, guys.  You ready for tonight?”

☆☆☆

Well, it’s that time of year again, huh?

Outlast is one of my favorite nights of the year, if I’m being honest – And while this year hasn’t exactly gone the way I’d imagined it – Then again, has it really gone all that well for anyone?  I mean, come on.  Regardless, though, I’m still looking forward to what Outlast is going to bring in a few nights time.

And this year, I find myself on yet another ragtag team, probably at the bottom of the betting odds – Compared to some of the other teams that have been put together.  But that’s okay.  Since I came to UGWC, I’ve been used to that.  And while I’d be the first to admit that on draft night, I was hoping to end up on Eden’s team where at least I’d know I can work with one of my teammates…. Or at the very least, on the team opposing Tempest and Joe ‘Not so cool anymore’ where I’d know I could finally get my hands on the guy who turned on me and fucked me over.

But hey, you play with the cards you’re dealt and while my team might not be considered the favorites to make it to the finals at Outlast – I think we’ve got a pretty good group of guys to go up against Angie and her equally as good group of guys.

Alex and I teamed up at the last synergy and I got a chance to get to know him a bit and honestly?  He makes a pretty damn good captain.  He’s calm, he’s focused on the goal and he’s trying to get everyone on the same page.  That’s all you can really ask for in a captain.  

He tried to help me meditate – Yeah, me.  I know what you’re thinking… and yeah, it didn’t go too well.  

I’ve got a busy mind, but he tried to calm it and though it didn’t work out, I appreciated the effort and the concern he had for my mental well-being.  I know a lot of it was because he’s gotta be wondering if I was a good choice for his team, considering everything that’s happened in my personal and professional life since Kobayashi Maru – and I can’t blame him.

I’d wanna know that the people I picked to be on my team to help me get to the finals of Outlast were all gonna be fighting together, not combating their own personal demons.  

Really though, anyone who wanted to pick me for their team this year would be taking a risk, wouldn’t they?  Well, besides little Miss Adelaide – but why would she pick me?  I don’t even think she likes me, personally.  That’s not the point though, it seems like I’m the one person who everyone’s looking at and wondering if I can keep myself in check – Instead of running off and ruining Joe’s night and they’re right to wonder. 

I’d love nothing more than to ruin Joe’s so-called ‘destiny‘ and make sure he doesn’t make the finals. 

But I also know I’ve got three other people counting on me to do my part.  People who’ve done nothing to me, people who want to make the finals just as much as I want to watch Joe fail.  

People like Konrad Raab, our current Cross-Hemisphere Champ.  Someone I’ve always respected, whether or not I’ve shown it.  Konrad works his ass off day in and day out to make himself a better competitor.  Kinda like I used to, back when I wasn’t so… jaded.   Looking at someone like Konrad, I wonder what happened to myself.  But I already know the answer to that.

Years of being treated like I wasn’t gonna be anything, years of mental torture, some very recent traumas and a lot of self doubt.  I’m sure I can add more shit into this to create the perfect Lucy cocktail but this isn’t about me right now. 

This is about Konrad and how much I’d like to help him get to the finals of Outlast.  

Yeah, I wanna get there myself, but that’s what makes Outlast fun.  We work together to get there and then we all get to turn around and fight each other to take that World Championship.  Konrad is a great competitor, deserving beyond a shadow of a doubt to be holding that Cross-Hemisphere strap, one that I held three times here in UGWC.  He’s a ray of sunshine among the storm clouds that run rampant around these parts.  He’s the Elsa to the UGWC’s frozen… But will he end Monday night as the World Champ?

I don’t know. 

But he’s a damn good person to have on my side, that’s what I do know.

As for the final piece to Team Dragon’s puzzle… Carlson.  I’ll admit, I don’t know much about him but what I do know is that he’s a good man.  

It’s funny… How’d I find my way onto a team full of nice guys, good people just wanting to work together and achieve something great?  I feel like the thorn among a bed of roses, you know?  But maybe we can make it work.  Maybe we can go out there and show my former #TeamJellyBeanToes teammate and her new team what we can really do with a fire lit under us. 

Because it’s there.

And if they’re not careful, they’re gonna get burnt.

☆☆☆

Lucy sighs while Alex and Carlson nod their heads.

“I definitely am.  Can’t wait to get out there and beat Angie’s team so bad that they never show their faces in the UGWC ever again!”

Carlson exclaims, high-fiving Alex.  Konrad steps further into the room and moves across, to sit on a stool that’s stood in the corner of the room, placing his bag on the table beside him.

“Why the sour look, Lucy?”

Konrad queries, as Lucy broods over her coffee, looking displeased.

“She’s upset because of Joe.”

Alex says matter-of-factly, taking a sip of his own coffee.  Konrad nods his head, giving the back of Lucy’s head a sympathetic look.

“Lucy, you deserve much better than him.”

Konrad finally says, getting up and placing a hand on Lucy’s shoulder.

“That’s what I’ve been telling her!”

“Me too!”

Alex and Carlson say, as Lucy’s head shoots up and the two of them back away (well as far as they possibly can while seated in their chairs).

“You two have been trying to get me to sleep with the first person desperate enough to sleep with me!  That’s not helping!”

She shouts, turning her attention to Konrad who’s since pulled his hand away out of fear of getting it bitten off by her sharp remarks.

“And you!  Where have you been?  We’re supposed to be getting ready for our match?!”

Instead of backing away, Konrad smiles and turns back towards the bag he left sitting on the far table.

“I’m glad you asked.  I know you’ve been dealing with so much lately, Lucy and I know we’re all a bit nervous for our match tonight…”

He reaches down into the bag and turns around.

“..So I got us all a little pick me up.”

“Ohhhh!”

Carlson practically squeals in excitement as he flies out of the chair, grabbing a couple of plates from… somewhere and brings them back to the table as Konrad brings his pick-me-up over to the table, setting it down between all of them.

“A cheesecake!”

Konrad barely get’s the lid off of it before Carlson is cutting it up into slices and divvying them out onto all four plates.  Konrad pulls the stool closer to the table, grabbing his plate and settling in with his slice of heaven.

“You’re thinking about cheesecake while we’re supposed to be getting ready for our match?”

Alex says, before shoving a bite of cheesecake into his mouth while giving Carlson and Konrad dirty looks.  Konrad simply shrugs while Carlson rolls his eyes.  Lucy just sits there, eyeing her slice as Carlson speaks.

“Well I was thinking about something else before Konrad walked in with that cheesecake.”

“Go figure.”

Konrad says, chuckling to himself.

“To be fair, you were encouraging me to think about the ‘other thing’ before Konrad came in here, Alex.”

Alex shakes his head.

“No, I was trying to get Lucy some so she could focus on our match!”

“Who said I needed to focus?!”

Lucy finally says, stabbing her fork down into her slice of cheesecake.

“All of us!”

Alex says, as Carlson and Konrad nod in agreement.  Lucy sinks down into her chair and sighs.

“We all know you’ve been down lately, and we can’t blame you but tonight is Outlast.  We need you if we’re going to make this work.  Can’t drive a car with one wheel missing.”

Carlson finishes as Konrad chimes in.

“I’ve driven a car with one wheel missing, it was back home in–“

“Oh dear God… No.”

Lucy says, putting her hands over her ears.

“If I have to hear one more story about something you did back home–“

“Don’t make this any worse with one of your stories, Rose-I mean Konrad.”

Konrad puts his head down and takes another bite of cheesecake.

“Fine, but I can guarantee it would have helped Lucy with her problem.”

Alex rolls his eyes this time.

“How would driving a car with one wheel missing help?”

Carlson shakes his head.

“Oh God, you’ve done it now.”

“Well… It’s funny that you ask.  Like I was saying, back home in Iceland, our prized cow Bettina died while we were plowing our–“

KNOCK KNOCK!!

Konrad is interrupted by a knock on the door of the locker room.  Lucy heaves a sigh of relief.

“Oh, thank God.”

“Who could that be?”

Alex asks as Carlson gets up and approaches the door, and when he opens it he takes a step back.

“Oh… It’s you…”

☆☆☆

Now Angie, let me just start by saying as one of your former teammates.. I know how good you are.  There’s a reason you’re a former World Champion, there’s a reason people are always talking about you.  Not only are you one of the nicest people I’ve met, but you’re a damn good fighter.  I was happy to have you on #TeamJellyBeanToes because I wouldn’t wanna face you in an event like this.

But here we are, on the opposite sides of this fight.

I know I said the same thing about Konrad just a few moments ago, but I’m gonna say the same thing about you – When I look at you, I see a younger, less tainted me.  You’re everything I wish I could still be, Angie and I pray to every God there is that you never lose that part of yourself like I lost mine.  But I guess that’s why I’m honestly scared to be facing off against a team you put together for Outlast because not only are you one of the most talented people in the UGWC, but you’re one of those people who can see in others what they might not see in themselves.

Just look at your team.

I mean, first off.. Kenzi – Like Angie, you’re great.  You’re known around here as someone who’s relentless, who will work her ass off for what she wants and I know Monday night won’t be any different.  You’re not back here just because Angie wants you to be.  Nah, you’re here because you wanna climb that mountain.  You wanna do what the rest of the Coolkids have done and I can’t blame you.

I don’t blame you one Goddamned bit.

If I were you, I’d want to do it to.

The scary part is that when you’re determined, I don’t know if a train could stop you.  We’re damn sure going to try though.  As much as I’d be cheering for you if I weren’t in this match, that’s how much I gotta fight against you and keep you from that goal.

I know what it’s like to be the last one to do something, I know what it’s like to feel like the lesser of a group because you’re the only one to not have accomplished the one thing they all hold in common.

It’s not fun.

It’s a giant pain in the ass and it makes you feel like you don’t belong.

But you do.

Just remember that. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that because I know you’re sure of yourself, as you should be.  But I can’t let you make it to the finals, I hope you understand.  I can’t let anyone on your team make it to the finals.

Centurion.  Another good guy.  Man, Angie sure knows how to pick ’em.   You were one of the people I was looking out for in the Wrestlestock Open, and you could have stolen that cup from me, without a doubt.  I like you.  I like your style and I wish we’d stop being on the opposite sides of these big matches because I don’t like beating people like you.

But I did, and I will.

Not because you’re not talented, I think we’ve already established that.  You’re obviously good enough to make it to the Wrestlestock cup finals and you’re obviously good enough to beat my friend Gabriel so, I’m not surprised that Angie picked you for her team.  You’re a real sleeper in this event and like I said, if you weren’t against me, I’d say your odds at making the finals here at Outlast would be pretty damn good.

But you know, I’m pretty good at making the finals of these things.

Granted, I’m not real good at winning the big prize at the end of it, but my time will come…

Eventually.

I don’t know if it’ll be Monday, but I’ll get my second World Championship, in time.

And that thought brings me to you, Phrixus.  You’re the wildcard of Team ‘All Kittens, No Flerkens’… Jesus, Angie… These names.

Anyway.

You’re the wildcard and you know it.  You’re the guy, always lurking in the shadows, the one that no one really thinks about until he busts out of the darkness and grabs himself wins like they’re nothing, while everyone else is wondering what in the hell hit them.  You’ve done it to me, and I’m a big enough woman to admit that I didn’t see you coming.

I didn’t take you seriously and that’s completely on me.

But I’m not overlooking you now, Phrixus.  I know you’ve got everything it takes to deny my team of their chance at the finals.  But we’re not gonna let you pull a fast one on us.  We’re not gonna let you lurk in that darkness, nah.  We’re gonna pull you into the light and we’re gonna make sure you’re the one, along with your teammates – Walking out of Outlast without a chance at the big shiny belt. 

It’s just the way it has to be.  

☆☆☆

“Who is it?”

Lucy says, as she rises from her chair to head towards the door while Alex and Konrad twist and contort their necks to see who Carlson opened the door to see.  Lucy rounded the chairs and she nearly fell over when she saw who was at the door, looking right at her.

“There’s my girl.”

“Joe…”

Lucy says, quietly, holding her hand to her chest as Joe Zbornak steps into the room, running his hand over his head as he looks around the room at the rest of Lucy’s team.

“W-What are you doing here?”

“He’s here to throw you off your game, Lucy..”

“Throw him out.  Throw him out now!”

Alex and Carlson say, pointing Joe towards the door.

“You’re.. You’re not a very nice man!”

Konrad adds in, furrowing his brow to exemplify his point.  Joe shakes his head, holding his hands in the air.

“Now, now… Ladies… I’m just here to wish my lady here good luck tonight.”

“Yeah, and Carlson isn’t a bed hopping–“

“HEY!”

Carlson gives Alex a mean glare and Alex simply shrugs.

“What do you want me to say?  You make it so easy.”

Lucy groans and steps back, away from Joe.

“I can’t do this.  I just..I just can’t do this.”

She finally says, pushing past Joe and leaving the locker room.  Joe turns around, and moves to follow her but when he reaches the doorway, he stops and turns back – Eyeing up the rest of Lucy’s teammates still sitting in the room, watching his every move.

“What was that all about?  You’d think I did something bad to her.”

Carlson, Konrad and Alex all sigh and shake their heads.

“You hurt our friend.”

Konrad says, crossing his arms over his own chest.

“He did, and that’s exactly why he’s here.  He wants her to fail here tonight, because she can’t get her mind off of him.”

Alex finally says after a few moments of contemplation.

“Yeah, well she’s over you.  She’s got a date tonight.”

Carlson adds in, smirking triumphantly as Joe’s eyebrows raise in surprise.

“She does?”

“Yeah she does, we’re going to meet him later.  He’s tall, taller than you, tiny.  He’s handsome, way better looking than that horseface you’ve got going on… and he’s–“

Joe puts his hand up to cut Carlson off.

“If she’s so over me, then why’s she out there…And not in here telling me all this to my face?”

Carlson’s mouth disappears as he purses his lips together, but Alex turns around, unfazed.

“Because she doesn’t have to.  Now get your ass out of here before we have to go tell Tempest and his band of Creeps that he’s down an idiot because good old JC couldn’t keep it in his pants.”

Joe stands tall, puffing his chest out for a moment before Carlson, Alex and Konrad all stand up, inching closer to him.  After a few moments, he slinks backwards towards the door, shaking his head.

“You have far too much faith in Little Lucy Zbornak.  She’s going to let you all down… Count on it.”

With a wink and a devilish grin, he turns and leaves the room.  Konrad stomps towards the door.

“This reminds me of that time back in Ice–“

“NO!”

“We need to go find Lucy!”

Alex and Carlson move past Konrad and they all move down the hall, trying to find their missing teammate – and they finally do.  She’s sitting in a dark corner of an unused hallway, huddled over – Her head against her knees, crying.

“Lucy!”

Konrad says, rushing over to her as Alex and Carlson come in behind him, all three of them kneeling down in front of her.

“Just.. Just leave me alone.  I’ll be ready for the match… Just give me a few minutes.”

“He’s trying to get into your head.. Don’t let him!”

Carlson says, reaching out and patting Lucy’s arm.

“He’s… He’s a REALLY MEAN MAN!”

Konrad says, placing another hand on Lucy’s arm.  Lucy shakes her head.

“You really are the king of insults, Konrad…”

Alex says, taking a seat beside Lucy and waving the other two off.

“Listen here, Pussycat.  I know exactly what you’re going through… I’ve been there before.”

Lucy finally looks up and over at Alex.

“You do?”

“Picture it.  Sicily… I mean, San Francisco – 1945, no.. It was 1991.  I was a young man, working–“

Lucy puts her hand up, stopping him.

“I appreciate this, I really do.  But I know Joe wants me to lose my focus here tonight.  He wants you guys to lose trust in me that I can keep it together and get us to the finals…”

She wipes a few tears from her cheeks.

“But I won’t.  He’ll get his.  Might not be tonight, but he’ll get his when it doesn’t jeopardize our chances of winning here tonight.”

“That a girl.”

“Oh, Lucy.. We didn’t doubt you for a second!”

Konrad says, back to smiling again.  Lucy can’t hold back a chuckle.

“And maybe I will take you up on your offer, Carlson… Maybe I do need to get out and let loose a little.”

Carlson lights up.

“YES!  But you’ll need to borrow something from my closet.. Oh no, that won’t work… We’ll see if Eden can help you out, okay?  Because what you’ve got on just..won’t…work.”

Lucy rolls her eyes and Alex pats Lucy’s arm and moves to get up.

“Maybe that’s why he kicked your head in for the field goal…”

“ALEX!”

Konrad says, his face red as a beet.

“Guys, let’s just go get ready… Okay?”

Lucy says, getting back up.  Konrad, Carlson and Alex nod in agreement as they head back towards the locker room.

“And maybe finish that cheesecake?”

☆☆☆

As for the rest of you?

I know what a lot of you are thinking, Good Ol’ Lucy is gonna be far too engrossed in what JC did to her to make any real impact at Outlast.  And I won’t lie to you, what he did sucked.  The weeks after sucked even worse than that, and now?  On Monday, I’ve gotta tell myself that I gotta let him dig his own grave, I gotta let him fail all by himself so that he finally realizes that Lucy isn’t the reason for his failures. 

He is. 

But that’s a tough thing to do when all I’d really like to do is put my boot through his skull and send the pieces flying right into Tempest’s lap.  I’d love to do exactly what he wants me to do, cost him his shot.  But I’d be playing right into his hand.  I’d be confirming everything he’s said about me, now wouldn’t I?  

So, no.  Nope.  I’m gonna come into Outlast and I’m gonna fight.  I’m gonna do what I know I can do better than a lot of you and I’m gonna get to the finals.  I’m gonna get to the finals and I might fail, but at least I’ll prove you people wrong because I’m focused on Outlast.  I’m focused on you Seb, you and that world title.  

I might have failed at getting one step closer to that Grand-Slam.  But that doesn’t mean I can’t become a two time world champion in the meantime. 

So there’s the goal.  

And I wouldn’t blame ya’ll for doubting me.  I’m a very passionate person and when someone wrongs me, I have a very, very hard time letting it go.  That’s kinda been my thing over the last couple of years.  But we all know that everything changes… And so do I.  

I’m coming for you, Seb.  

#TeamJellyBeanToes be damned… I want your belt. 

I want my place at the top of the UGWC back.  I know who I’ve gotta get through to get there and if you know anything about me, I hope you know that I ain’t got no problem going through anyone and everyone to get there. 

But I’m not naive either. 

I know I’ve never won in the finals.  I know I might do all this talking and come Monday, I might just fail once again – But it’s coming.  My redemption, it’s coming and I’ll be back at the top again sooner or later.

So look out.

I hope you’re ready. 

I hope you’re all ready.

☆☆☆

Date: September 22nd, 2020  /  Time: 11:39AM  /  Status:  NOT RECORDING

Location: The Johnson Residence – New York City, New York

 

“Christ…”

I groan, opening my eyes only to be immediately blinded by the sun – It’s only purpose being to make the headache that’s threatening to turn my eyeballs into grenades – Or at least that’s how it feels.  I sit up and turn my back to the window, finally finding relief as I look around the rest of the room, still reasonably dark, even at…

Eleven forty… 

What the hell did I do last night?

I reach out and grab my phone, even though I know I’m gonna regret it… And I see a few messages from Eden.

And now it’s all starting to come back to me.

Even more so when I see the pictures of a mangled cardboard cutout of Joe, with kitchen utensils scattered all around it… and a message along with them that reads ‘Gabriel isn’t happy’.

“No shit…”

I mutter to myself, bringing up the keyboard and typing a response.

-We gotta stop drinking…-

☆☆☆

♪♪ Looks like it’s time for Outlast again

Time to go and make the Finals again

Our team is true, focused and ready to fuck you up

It’s like one great big party

Inviting every big name we know

Well, you would see the biggest threat would our team

And when the bell rings it will say

Looks like it’s time for you to wait

For Outlast to come again ♪♪