Date May 1st 2020 / Time 12:25PM / Status Not Recording
Location The Lee/Wylde Residence – New York City, New York

(OOC: Continued from JC’s ‘Good Enough’ RP…)

“I think you just want to make sure we make the flight.”

I know I’m not the most organized of people, but for Joe to go ahead and take care of packing, he must be really worried about this flight… Or maybe he’s just got his mind on ‘No Holds Barred’… And he doesn’t want my ass to be the reason he’s late.  

Guess I’d better get my ass in gear if we’re gonna get out of here in time to–

I hear him step closer as I kneel down and figure out which pair of boots I wanna wear today. Shouldn’t be that difficult of a choice, yet here I am.  Of course it would be easier if I could find my pants… 

“Actually, the flight was delayed a little. I really wanted everything done so I could talk with you a minute.”

My eyebrows raise in surprise.

“Oh?”

I put down the pair of boots I’d finally grabbed up into my hands and rise back to my feet, turning around to look at his face. What could he possibly want to talk about? I know things haven’t been perfect lately, not since all that shit happened in December… but we’ve made it work… We’ve worked through all of it…

But looking at his face, I don’t think that’s what he wants to talk about…

Truth be told, I honestly don’t know what he’s got on his mind…

“I mean, I had hoped you would be wearing pants for this, but…”

I look down at my bare legs and then back up at him… both confused and amused. What does me wearing pants have to do with anything?  He should be used to this by now.

“I told you that I met with Eric the other day, right?”

I nod my head, and boy was I glad to hear about it too.  Since Ultimate Carnage, I’d been worried he and Eric wouldn’t be able to reconcile their differences.. 

“Yeah. Said you guys talked about a bunch of stuff.”

“Right. Anyway, he reminded me of something. He reminded me that I fight for the things I love, the things I care about, and I don’t necessarily need to be that monster I was to do those things. That my passion comes from who I am, not who I let myself be, you know?”

I move over and sit down on the couch.

It’s obvious he’s got a lot on his mind – and well, I don’t wanna be distracted.   I wanna know everything that’s going on in that mind of his.  I don’t want us to fall apart like we had… And since he’s telling me all this, I don’t think he wants that either. 

A lot has happened – But it’s nice to see that he finally sees what I have seen all along.

I tilt my head to the side, my lips upturned slightly into that playful smile that he despises like half the time.

“Joe, I could have told you that. I did tell you that.”

He nods.

“Yes.”

I can see the hesitation in his face, watching him take a deep breath. What’s he getting at? I catch his eye and we stare at each other for a few seconds before he turns and begins pacing again.

Because, of course.

Typical Joe.

“I’m broken. And don’t say anything because we both know it’s true. I’m not normal. I’ve got a lot of crazy in my head and it takes a lot to keep me going. Somehow, I met you and somehow, in spite of everything, you accepted me. You fought for me. You beat the shit out of me when I need it and hold me accountable when I need that to. The truth is, you should have left me back in December. No one would have blamed you. I was treating you far worse than CJ or Maggie and I was more dangerous too.”

My chest tightens as he finishes that last thought.

Sure, he’s dangerous. But that doesn’t change a damn thing about my wanting to help him, and be with him.  I’ve never been scared of him because I know that he’d never do anything to harm me.. No matter how out of touch he was.   This last year or so has proven that, without a shadow of a doubt.  

I slide forward on the seat, my voice low and soft.

“Joe….”

He just keeps going, and I keep watching him pace back and forth in front of me.

“But you stayed. You stayed and you helped me. You made me me again. And that’s a debt I’m never going to be able to repay. But…I want to try.”

He doesn’t ever have to try and repay me. I don’t even know why he’d say that because I’ve never once wanted anything in return for helping him… I love him. There’s just something peculiar going on here…

I don’t know what.

But before I can open my mouth to tell him that there’s no need to repay me for anything and that I know he’d do the same for me.. He turns around and stops pacing.

“Anyway, the past year has been rough for both of us. But even when I was at my worst, you stood by me. And honestly? I want you to be by my side for the rest of my life.”

At first, I’m confused.

Of course I’m gonna be by his side for as long as he wants me to be.  He’s my best friend.  He’s the one person who’s shown me the faith and the belief that I’ve been searching for for so God damned long.  He’s everything to me… I don’t ever wanna think about a time where he and I aren’t –

Wait… What’s he doing?

My eyes widen, and my heart nearly leaps out of my chest as I watch him lower himself down onto one knee in front of me, pulling a small box out of his pocket.   Oh my God… 

I wish I were wearing pants too…

My hands go up in front of my mouth as tears well up in my eyes.

I can’t believe this.. Is this real?

“Lucy Wylde, will you marry me?”

Holy fucking shit…

Did he just… Did that really just happen? 

Oh my gentle Jesus… He’s staring at me… Those eyes… He just asked me to marry him…

Tears roll down my face as I sit here, staring at him – my brain running a thousand miles a minute, trying to wrap my mind around these last few minutes.  He wants to marry me…. Joe… He wants to marry m–

“Luce? It’d be nice if you’d say something…”

I look up into his eyes and blush.

“Oh, Joe…”

I say, choking on every word. 

It might sound silly, but it’s almost hard to believe that he wants this.. Me.  And staring at him right now… It feels like I can see the very essence of his soul – and the love… How much he must love me.  God… I love him too.  More than anything.  More than I love myself most days.  

Finally, I nod my head and extend my left hand to him, letting him slide that beautiful ring onto my finger.

“..Of course I will.”

He barely gets the ring on my finger before I reach forward, wrapping my arms around his neck and pushing him backwards until we both hit the floor. I kiss him as he wraps his arms around my back and pulls me in tight.  

“God, I love you.”

I say against his lips.

I can’t believe it.

“You complete me, Luce.”

I feel the tears flowing again as I nod my head and kiss him again. 

Ditto.

 

Date May 11th 2020 / Time Unknown / Status Not Recording
Location Chaos 91 at The Carnage Arena – Baltimore, Maryland

(OOC: Continued from ‘Expecting Company’ on Chaos 91…)

“Lucy… help me fulfill my destiny… allow me to inherit this legacy as Jenova… your legacy.”

I shake my head, my cheeks burning and my heart nearly beating out of my chest. I hate that name. I hate even being made to think about… Jenova again. Whoever this is… I just, I don’t know why or how they… Well, she somehow got my engagement ring from CJ.

This can’t be fucking real.  From the highest of highs, to the lowest of lows… Story of my life, I suppose. 

I set my jaw and glare into the monitor.

“There’s nothing to inherit from that name… That’s not who I am anymore.”

“…and to that I am truly disappointed. You have forgotten so much about what made you who you are now. If this is the way that it’s going to be, then I fear you’ve left me no choice. You and I, one on one, at Chaos 92.”

A shiver runs down my spine as I stare at the monitor and that.. Mask that she’s wearing. I don’t want to fight this person, whoever she is. I don’t want to dredge up the past… I’ve moved on, I’ve let that part of my life go.

I’m not that vindictive, spiteful person anymore..

“If you win, you will never see or hear from me ever again. It’s that simple.”

Her voice pulls me from my thoughts and I think about what she’s offering. A match.. Yet another match that I’m sure will end with yet another person trying to end me in one way or another… but if I win… She’ll disappear?

It can’t be that simple.

It never fucking is.

I sigh.

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch. But should I happen to win, all I want is for you to train me… teach me everything that I need to protect the legacy that… I… hold dear. I need you to teach me how to perform ‘the Calamity’… you’re the only one who can…”

“Don’t listen to this shit, Luce. She can’t be serious.”

Kyra says beside me, scoffing at the monitor.

“Oh, but I am.”

Serious about me teaching her ‘the Calamity’? My finisher?

Either I’m losing my touch, or this shit makes absolutely no sense.

“So that’s what all this is about? Kyra’s right. You’re insane.”

That cold expression just stares right through the screen, sending another chill down my spine.

“Are you so afraid of your own legacy that you can honestly look me in the eye and tell me that there is anyone else out there more… suited… to train the new Jenova other than the original Jenova, herself? Or did you not want to show these people who you really are?”

I pull in a breath and glance over at Kyra, whose gaze is still trained on the monitor before sighing myself and turning my own eyes back towards whomever this is.

Who in the hell does this woman think she is to question who I really am? And why would I want to train anyone else to be Jenova? Nothing good can come from that.

“The original Jenova has been gone for a long, long time… But if I have to beat you to put her right back where she belongs… So be it.”

I feel Kyra’s eyes on me, silently questioning me for agreeing to this ridiculous match. And I can’t say I don’t agree with her… But I’m damn tired of people bullying me.. I’m damn sick of being threatened.

If I’ve gotta beat this bitches ass to get her… and my past to go the fuck away… I guess I know what I’ve gotta do, whether or not I wanna do it.

‘Jenova’ nods her head in approval.

“It’s settled then. Jenova versus Jenov- haha… Lucy Wylde in two weeks time… Chaos 92… a most precious of moments I can assure you. I’ve waited so long for this, Lucy… and I will not disappoint you. There is no going back now. Let the reunion… begin.”

With her final word, the monitor clicks off and the lights in the locker room return to the normal levels. I turn my head to see Kyra staring at me, a deep frown upon her lips.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

She asks, but I just turn and shake my head as I head towards the door.

“I don’t know, Kyra but this is the only way.”

She scoffs as I grab the doorknob and pull the door open.

“You can’t really believe that shit. It’s just like Mia, you’re gonna go out there and get your ass k–”

I whip around and glare daggers at her, interrupting her.

“And get my ass kicked? Yeah, I know… Done enough of that lately Kyra. Trust me. I’m fucking TIRED of being the victim. If this bitch wants to face me, thinking she’s gonna get what she wants – She’s got another thing coming. I might not be what I used to be… but I’m not going to let some fucking ghost from my past ruin every God damned thing I’ve worked for…”

Kyra’s eyes widen.

“That’s not what I mea–”

“I know damn well what you meant. But contrary to popular belief, the only person responsible for MY legacy is ME… Not you, not Joe… Not whoever that bitch under that mask is and certainly not CJ fucking Wylde… Whatever in the hell he’s got to do with this.”

“CJ? Christ…”

I sigh, shaking my head again.

“..She had the engagement ring CJ gave to me. She is somehow connected to him… And he’s got something to do with all this bullshit. I just don’t know why.. But I intend on finding out.”

Before she can say anything more, I turn and leave the room – Making my way back towards Joe’s office. I’m sure he just saw what happened too and I’m sure he’s going to have the same questions as Kyra…

I just don’t know if I feel like having this discussion again.

Why in the hell is he poking his nose where it doesn’t belong? Why now? And why has he sent someone else to “Secure my Legacy”?

Since fucking when did he give one flying fuck about me and MY legacy?

We’ve been divorced for years now, we haven’t spoken in longer than that… Hell he couldn’t even show up for the divorce hearing. Couldn’t even look me in the eye when our marriage was over… And he still can’t fucking face me.

I stop outside Joe’s office and lean against the wall.  

Why?

Is it because I still have his name? For fucks sake… I built my fucking legacy on that name… I–

“Luce?”

I turn around to see Joe standing in the door of his office, staring at me. I sigh and run my hand through my hair, grabbing his arm and pulling him into me. I want to be held. I just need to be held right now.  

“Are you okay?”

I nod my head into his shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m fine…”

He tightens his grip and the tension I feel in my body begins to lessen.  I’m fine.  This is fine… I can deal with this.  I’ve dealt with everything else, and I can deal with this shit too… 

I just don’t know if I want to anymore.

“Whoever that is… You know I–”

“It’s okay. I know you would, but apparently this is only something that the real Jenova can tackle…”

As much as I don’t wanna think about that part of my life, the fact remains that I came to the OWF all those years ago under that mask – as Jenova… Hell bent on revenge against CJ. I did some shitty things, all under the assumption that my husband at the time had cheated on me, broken my heart… and I just wanted to hurt him as badly as he’d hurt me.

The story ends much differently than it started but it doesn’t matter.

Apparently the story continues now, whether I want it to or not.  It’s my responsibility.  I created Jenova, after all.  

“You know who you are and what your legacy means to you. Some bitches with weapons don’t do a damn thing to that legacy.”

He replies, kissing the side of my head.

I wish I felt that way, but… I don’t know.

“I guess, but it does make me think.. What am I doing to my legacy… Being here, fighting when we both know I shouldn’t be? Maybe I really am fucking up the very thing I’ve been working so hard to build.”

I feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment, and instead of looking up at him, I look down and away – laying my head on his shoulder again.

“We both know that I’m on borrowed time…”

He sighs and kisses my head again.

“All I can say is that you’ll know when you’re ready. No one can make that choice for you. I want you to be healthy and I want you to be around for a long time – but I can’t tell you when is the right time. Just be sure that this is the right thing for you… And don’t worry about what anyone else says. Your legacy is just fine. If injuries equaled a tarnished legacy then we’d all be fucked.”

I nod my head, but in my head I’m just thinking that it’s not the injuries. It’s that brightly lit bullseye that’s on my neck. It’s how easy it is to put me out of commission now. Is that what I want to retire as?

’The Glass Cannon’ Lucy Wylde?

No one is going to remember my Network title run in OWF. They’re not gonna remember how dominant I was in UGWC as the Cross-Hemisphere Champion… Or how big it was when I finally won the World Title. No one’s going to remember how difficult facing Lucy Wylde in the ring was… They’re only going to remember how easy it was to put her down during her tenure in Carnage.

They’re only going to remember how weak I was at the end.

And the simple thought of that makes me want to cry. Not after all the battles I’ve fought. Not after all the things I’ve been through…

Instead of crying like I want to, I just nod my head again and release my grip on Joe, sliding past him and moving into the office, feeling his eyes on me the entire way.

Whatever CJ wants with me… Whatever this faux ‘Jenova’ wants with me… I can’t go down like this… I gotta prove that I’m not what everyone believes that I am.

And that’s exactly what I’m gonna do.

 

Well, CJ… And yeah, I know you’ve got something to do with this. I know that some way, somehow you’ve got more than just a little to do with the little visitor that showed up to see me at Isolation, and again at Chaos 91.

The only thing I wanna know though, is why?

After all this time.. After all these fucking years… Why?

Do you somehow believe that the Legacy of Lucy Wylde will detract from your legacy? If so, you flatter yourself. We might share a last name… But if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times – You and I are two very, very different people and our legacies tell two immensely different stories.

That’s the way we’ve always been. You know this.

I just don’t get it CJ.

I don’t get why you’d send someone in my old mask… holding the engagement ring you gave me all those years ago. To get my attention? Yeah, I get that part.. And I guess, mission accomplished. But to what end? What do you want?

I used to be able to figure you out, but then again – I guess I’m out of practice because sending someone else to do your dirty work didn’t used to be your style.

But I guess Changes Come, don’t they, hun?

Just like this brand new version of the woman who came to OWF to take out sweet revenge on you for what you did to me… There’s something vaguely familiar about her, I’ll give you that. I just can’t quite put my finger on it…

Guess I’ll have a chance to figure it out come Chaos 92, right?

You know… this whole ‘reunion’ thing.

Which to be honest, I have no intention of letting it continue after Monday night.

I don’t want any damn thing to do with Jenova, or what that mask stands for. One would imagine you’d know that better than anyone, Charles. Then again, since when have you given a fuck about what I want? You couldn’t even face me when the divorce was finalized. Sent your fucking representative…

And here you are again, sending a representative… but this one’s adorned with relics from MY past, talking about my legacy and how I’ve shit on it.

Whoever you are under that mask… You want to learn the ‘Calamity’? You wanna learn how to do a double rotation moonsault to put people down for the one, two, three?

Do it your damn self.

Do what I did… Practice. Hours and hours… Days upon days… Weeks after weeks.  I didn’t have a damn person to show me what I wanted to learn.  I created myself, I made myself everything that I am today… Jenova included.  But here’s the difference… Jenova is mine.  She’s not me.  But she was something I created to deal with the AGONY that a certain man put me through.  I’m not proud of it.  I’m not proud of who I was back then, and while Jenova is a piece of my past – And regardless of what you, or anyone else says about it… She’s NOT me. 

So how dare you come in here, throwing my fucking past in my face, telling me you care about MY legacy more than I do.

Honey, NO ONE cares about my legacy more than I do.

You think I’m weak? You think that makes me unfit to be the instrument of my own destiny?

Fuck you, and fuck anyone who thinks like you.

Whoever you are, let me tell you this… I’ve been through some shit. I’ve dealt with some bad things in these last few years – Some of which could have ended my career and my fucking life.. And I’m still fucking here.  I created Jenova, and I tore her down too.  I ripped that charade apart – and I embraced who I REALLY am.

Mimicking me won’t change a damn thing, sweetie.  You aren’t looking out for my legacy – you’re protecting the fragile Ego of the man I loved a long time ago.  You’re nothing but a puppet because I don’t need anyone to protect my legacy.

I’m the deciding factor on the status of MY legacy.

Not you.

NOT CJ motherfucking Wylde.

ME.

A single wrestling move won’t make you into anything near what I was. So put the God damned mask back where you found it and fuck right off.

Don’t worry, come Monday, I’ll make sure you do just that.