Author’s note: CD portion was written with Kyra/Barb, with us writing it together but changing it to our character’s respective perspectives.

The black 1989 Pontiac Grand Am rolls slowly into the now virtually empty parking lot. The sound of pebbles grinding between the tires and the pavement make an audible crunching sound as they pass underneath. The sun hangs high in the sky, the air a warm 82°. Inside of the car are Ken Davison and Kyra Johnson. In the backseat, and quite vocal, is Kyra’s daughter Adina, who is wearing an orange bathing suit with a Little Mermaid towel wrapped around her neck.

“Mommy, you said we were goin’ swimming.”

“We will, baby girl,” Ken interjects. “We just wanted to talk to you about something. Well, more like show you.”

The Grand Am rolls up right to the front door. It was a far cry from when they used to have to park in the back and come in the rear.

“Where ARE we?!” Adina asks curiously and with a bit of her mothers impatient attitude.

Kyra can’t help but chuckle.

“You know how you’ve been asking about where Mommy and Ken used to work?”

“Uh huh.” Adina replied absentmindedly as she stared out the window into the empty parking lot, and the (now) vacant building sitting at the end of it like a fossil of what Baltimore wrestling used to be.

“Well, this is where me and your mom met. I know it’s not much to look at now, but one day, we’ll show you. It was the best time in my life.”

Ken lets out a sigh as he turns to Kyra.

“Never thought we’d ever have another match against each other.”

Kyra shrugged as she glanced in his direction, an ornery smile on her lips. “I know, but it’ll be fun.”

“Fun? No. Hitting Johnny in the balls is fun. Hitting each other, not so much.”

“You hit each other?“

“Not anymore. Your mom and I met in the ring. We were opponents.”

Kyra shook her head. “Now we work together to–”

“Beat up the bad guys?”

“Careful with that, don’t want to get hit with gimmick infringement.” Kyra said with a chuckle, but when she looked back at her daughter, the confused look on her face gave her pause. “I mean, yeah, let’s go with that, sweetie.”

Kyra gave Ken a quick look before she opened the door to the car and slipped out. “Hey, wanna go look? Maybe they left the door unlocked.”

Before Kyra could finish the sentence, Adina was standing on the parking lot beside her mother. “Yeah! Come on guys!”

With that, the little girl took off, running towards the Carnage Arena with enthusiasm that Kyra hadn’t expected. By the time Kyra made it around to the front of the car, Ken was standing beside her and the two began walking behind Adina, towards the old arena.

“I don’t like it.” Ken said quietly, shaking his head as he walked.

Kyra nodded her head.

“I know you don’t. But hey, the way I see it.. It’s gonna go one of two ways.. Either one of us gets eliminated earlier than the other then whoever’s left ain’t got anything to worry about. Or, we work together and it comes down to you and me.. And then we… work it out.”

“I feel like this is a set up. Besides, we both know I can beat you.”

Kyra chuckled. “And we both know that I came out on top the last time we went head to head. You do remember that, don’t you? Or did I clock you on the head a little too hard?”

She playfully pushes him before he grabs her and wraps his arm around her shoulders, planting a soft kiss on her cheek.

“Nope. I don’t remember it at all. Besides, I’d say I won in the long run.”

Ken lets Kyra go.

“So, are we breaking in to this place or not?”

Kyra shrugged her shoulders.

“Normally I’d be all for it, but I don’t think teaching that little hellion how to break and enter is such a good idea. She’s too much like me as it is.”

After a few moments, Ken and Kyra catch up to Adina, who’s standing in front of the doors, watching them, her foot tapping on the pavement as she waits. “Is it open?!”

“I’m surprised you didn’t try it yourself.” Kyra replies to her daughter as she herself reaches out and tries the door handle, only to find it locked. Ken starts digging around in his pocket. He pulls his hand out and raises a key in the air.

“Who says we have to break in?” Ken wiggles the key in front of Kyra and Adina, both of them going wide eyed, Kyra in surprise and Adina in excitement. “Shall we?”

Ken opens the door and bows deeply, allowing the ladies in. The building is actually rather well kept and probably cleaner than it was before. Ken flips the lights and everything comes into view. Set up in the center of the warehouse space is a wrestling ring, surrounded by metal railings and a sea of about 500 or so chairs.

“Well, what do you think?”

“Firstly… how?” Kyra begins, looking around the empty building in awe. Suddenly though, she glances down at her daughter and shakes her head. “You were talking to her… Weren’t you?”

Adina meanwhile was taking the entire thing in, her brown eyes lit up like flashbulbs. “Wow…”

“I was talking to both of you. And, as for “how?” I just dipped into my rainy day fund. This building means too much for me to just let it go. One thing, we’re not getting married here under any circumstances. You know how wrestling weddings go.”

Kyra rolls her eyes. “I’m glad you said that because God no.”

“I’ve got some plans for this place. I couldn’t let something happen to it. I know it’s stupid and sentimental, but this place is like a part of US.” Ken looks down at Adina. “That includes you, munchkin.”

Adina smiled up at Ken before taking off towards the entrance ramp. Kyra turned to Ken and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a small squeeze. “Thank you.” She said quietly before turning and following Adina’s lead.

“Just wait,” Ken thinks to himself. “It gets better.”

Ken runs over to the soundboard, watching as Kyra and Adina disappear behind the curtain. A minute or so passes with Ken eagerly awaiting to see where the two disappeared to. A few moments later, Adina marches out with her mother behind her. Adina jumps for a second as Ken’s voice reverberates through the arena.

“And now, on her way to the ring, accompanied by “The Jawdropper” Kyra Johnson, she weighs in tonight at 33 pounds, give or take two or three Twinkies, AAAAAADDDINNNNNAAAA!!!!!”

The smile on that little girls face couldn’t have gotten any bigger as she stood center stage atop the entrance ramp, her mother beside her, clapping her hands. Adina took a look at Kyra, almost uncertain as to what she should do, when Kyra motioned down the ramp and towards the ring. Adina giggled and reached out, grabbing Kyra by the hand and the two made their way down to the ring, pretending there were fans in the seats and having fun the entire way. Kyra helped her up the steps and held the ropes for her daughter as Adina climbed into the ring for the first time.

“Mommy, that’s what you get to do at work?!” Adina exclaimed as she looked down at the empty stands.

“Well that’s part of it.” Kyra replied, stepping up to the ropes and leaning on them, staring out at Ken with a grateful smile. “Pretty fun, huh?”

Ken turns off the soundboard and makes his way down to the ring. He jumps over the railing and slides into the ring in one fluid motion. He kips up as Adina looks on in amazement.

“It’s even better with a crowd.” Ken whispers not so quietly to Adina.

Kyra can tell Adina’s having a hard time comprehending everything she’s seeing and hearing right now, but she can also tell that her daughter is utterly enthralled by the entire thing. “So… what do you think, baby girl?” She asks, moving across the ring and kneeling beside Adina.

Adina points at Ken. “I wanna learn how to do that.” She says, her eyes widening.

Kyra laughs. “You should see what else he can do.”

Ken pauses and looks over to Kyra for a moment. “Hey, babe. Would it be cool if I just stepped outside for a minute?”

Adina carefully climbs up the turnbuckle and starts bouncing on the bottom rope, testing it. Both Ken and Kyra forget what they were talking about as they watch.

“Yeah, sure..” Kyra says as she watches Adina intently. “We’ll be here.”

“Thanks, mama. I appreciate it.”

Ken walks over and gives Kyra a quick kiss before slinging over the top rope and landing on his feet, obviously showing off for Adina. She giggles as Ken smiles at her and starts walking towards the back. On his way towards the door, he takes a moment to grab a camera and a tripod for filming. He gets to the back and uses his foot to open the door to the back lot. He deftly slides through the opening before the door closes behind him. Ken takes a moment to assess his lighting, deciding to set up the camera facing away from the building, getting the advantage of the midday sun being blocked out by the building.

“I’m sitting here in the shadow of the place that I call home. I am sitting outside of the Carnage Arena. I’m not going to sit here like most people and say my former home because no matter where I go, what company I work for, I will always bleed carnage Orange. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not sitting here like some lovesick puppy that’s still pining for his ex-girlfriend. I’m sitting here because I cannot think of a more important place in my professional career. I chose to stand here in the back parking lot of the carnage around Because this is where the “Godly” Ken Davison that you know today was born. These days, I don’t normally throw the “Godly” in there, but I feel like I need to remind a bunch of you who the hell I am.”

“To say I’m a little pissed off at my booking this week is a bit of an understatement. Kyra Johnson and I came here for one reason and one reason alone and that was to win the UGWC Cooperative Championship. I did not come to this company in search of individual glory. I did not come to this company to be booked against the woman I love. Granted, Kyra and I are no strangers to beating the ever living piss out of each other. In fact, that is the tie that binds us.  What is going to happen during this match is that Kyra and I are not going to touch each other unless she and I are the last two standing. We have fought each other before and we are Kendemned professionals, we will fight each other again if need be.”

“I know the way this works as I’m supposed to go and say something about each of my opponents. The problem I have is I don’t feel like I can do that. I’m supposed to sit here and build-up this match and make it sound like it’s going to be some epic for the ages. I am supposed to sit here and be a good employee and make it sound like each of my opponents are world beaters, but the fact of the matter is that it’s not going to be like that. I’m looking down this list of my appointments and the first thing that catches my eye is Dark Destroyer. Seriously, that whole schtick is so worn out and tired. In my career, I’ve seen Dark Demons, Dark Masters, Dark Dragons and every other “I’m evil” type of bullshit that you can come up with. Seriously, you sound like some kind of Yu-Gi-Oh! card. When I see your work, both in and outside of the ring, you remind me of a dog randomly chasing cars… parked cars.”

“Speaking of cliche, we’ve also got “random woman wrestler named Roxy Cotton #437.” The thing is, unlike the other 436 peroxide blonde frankenhooters, you’ve actually made a pretty damned good run of it. Your resume speaks for itself. And, to quote the great movie Heathers, fuck me gently with a chainsaw, you’re one of the two people in this company whom I’d love to make about ten, fifteen pounds lighter by taking those Co-op titles off you and your munchkin partner. Despite all of that, there is nothing about you that scares me. The fact that you need a bodyguard, despite how good you are in the ring, shows me that you are nothing more than a scared, insecure little girl. One thing I have always appreciated about of Kyra is that she has always taken an ass beating and whether or not she won or lost, she took her licks and stood on her own two feet. You can’t even do that. You are a disappointment and you are not worthy of any kind of opportunity, let alone worthy of holding the championship you already have. You need to recognize that you are walking into this match with a target on your back and I fully intend to show you exactly what your future holds.”

“Farewell Tour Guy, such a clever and witty guy. Who goes to each and every city just to say goodbye. You are like Dark Destroyer, but far less talented. The little bit of information I’ve found on you says you’re on a ‘Farewell Tour that doesn’t end.’ Or, at least, it doesn’t end until you retire. If your words had any meaning to them, if you had any shred of credibility, I’d help you get to that point. Still, I am content to just chuck your ass over the top rope and be done with you.”

“The wild card, for me, is Montague Cervantes. Forgive me if I butchered your name, I’m still getting everyone and their place around here sorted out. You, sir, are an absolute enigma. I suppose I should have asked Lucy for some intel, but the last time I asked for some help she decided that Kyra and I would be better served walking our own path and figuring things out on our own. She was right. Because you’ve piqued my interest, I feel I should let you know that when you’re evil and almost human like you are, that I will show you the due respect. Don’t mistake this for kindness and don’t mistake this for compassion. Just know, I will be paying special attention to you.”

“The last piece to this puzzle is Joseph War. I know that Joseph thinks he walks for Carnage Wrestling and I know he’s trying to carry the banner, but compared to Kyra Johnson and I, he is nothing more than an outlier. He is a man that says he represents something that he has no business representing. He was nowhere to be found when we had wrestler after wrestler leave the fucking company. He wasn’t there when I carried the company on my back as World Champion. He wasn’t there when Kyra Johnson carried the company on her back as the Ultraviolent Champion, going on a 6 month undefeated streak. Where the fuck was he? I know he’s gonna show me and my lady the respect that we fucking deserve, but he is not going to get the same respect from me. Kyra and I were the heart and soul of that company and if he thinks that he is gonna try to take our rub, if he thinks that he is going to ride our coattails, he is sadly motherfucking mistaken. Joseph, I want you to know that I have been talking respect and disrespect about every person in this match. I respect where you come from and I respect what you are trying to represent, but you need to sit your ass back down, go back to the fucking kid’s table and let the adult handle this. When all is said and done, it will be either myself or Kyra Johnson that is standing victorious in that ring. I don’t care who you are, what you are, where you fucking come from. Everywhere we have gone, we have been the fucking standard bearers and Kendamnit, nothing is going to change here in UGWC.”

Ken kicks the camera over, causing the screen to go to static.