2020.03.27: PWN - LONE - LONE 33
Intro
The Root of All Evil by Dream Theater hits the arena as the lights dim, save for the lone spotlight on the curtain. As the music picks up Alison Crowne emerges wearing the same ring attire from Lethal Leap Year with the addition of her usual black fingerless MMA gloves. Her right arm appears to be heavily wrapped from above the elbow to near her wrist and her ribs also appear to be heavily taped up. It was clear immediately to anyone watching that Alison Crowne, even one month removed from the No Holds Barred match that saw her record breaking LONE Championship reign end at 456 days to Terri Thompson that she was still banged up from the incredible carnage that ensued that night. The knee brace was on her right leg; perhaps for legitimate reasons this time instead of a legalized foreign object and she walked with a noticeable limp as the Maine Commonwealth Championship rested over her shoulder. She noticeably came alone, there was no Gordon Barrows in sight and if the expert attorney was in the building he was keeping his presence well hidden.
Baxter: Please welcome at this time, she is former Ladies of New England Champion, holding the record at 456 days and current Maine Commonwealth Champion, she is the Highlight of the Night... Alison Crowne!
Alison Crowne is quick to snatch the microphone from Baxter as she makes her way into the ring. Despite the pain she was in she walked with a sense of purpose, like she was a woman on a mission and had to get something off her chest. Alison goes to raise the microphone up to speak but hesitates before she opens her mouth and lowers it, trying to sort through her thoughts. There was a certain frantic energy in her gaze; that a part of her felt bare and exposed without the Ladies of New England Championship around her waist that she was so used and accustomed to. She felt... incomplete. Her eyes drifted over to the Maine Commonwealth Championship on her shoulder; her prized late acquisition that she intended to use as a negotiation piece in part of a greater power play and yet... it was clear she didn't value it; not like the LONE Championship. It wasn't the same, it was still hers but it wasn't the one prize that removed all doubt and proved that she was the undisputed best in all of New England and perhaps the World. It didn't have the same value or power to her without the belt she lost to pair with it; like a nuclear bomb without the uranium. A key without a lock.
Finally the former Ladies of New England Champion raised her microphone again. There were no smiles, no grandiose bravado buoyed by a sense of invincibility; just raw and unfiltered emotion as she felt it.
Alison Crowne: 28 days; 28 long and excruciating days. 28 days since Lethal Leap Year, 28 days since I last held my Ladies of New England Championship in my grasp.
Alison stares at her empty hand as she held onto the microphone.
Alison Crowne: 28 days since I made a journey to hell and never came back. I knew what I was getting into, I knew the pain that was going to be shared in this ring and the river of blood that I hoped would lead us all back home. February 29th was supposed to be the end, of everything. The end of this long standing blood feud between me and my former best friend Terri Thompson, the end of her career, the end of her being in my life! I just needed to finish the job as that great butterfly flapped its giant wings one final time to write the final chapter in this long and bloody book that was started by Terri's selfish betrayal...
...and I failed.
Alison falls silent for a minute as there was more than a twinge of bitterness in her words as she admitted her failure. As someone who excelled at succeeding and letting everyone know it, it was definitely a hard pill for her to swallow.
Alison Crowne: While I don't regret putting myself through that hell, losing a great deal of blood, suffering from multiple bruised ribs that I still haven't recovered from, having my abdomen riddled with puncture marks from all the twisted and mangled barbed wire and having a dozen or so thumbtacks buried into my spine; I'd do it all over again. I'd do it all over again; but I regret that my body couldn't take anymore, that despite my spirit being more than willing to suffer just a little bit more than it already had, the fact that I couldn't find any energy remaining to kick out... it hurts. It hurts me deep down inside far more than any of these wounds and scars I wear on my body or the blood I lost and spilled. I went to my limits and well beyond and it wasn't good enough.
It makes me wonder... where did I go wrong?
Alison lets that question linger in the air as she swallows and tries to regain her composure. She begins to pace around the ring before stopping at the ropes and leaning over the top.
Alison Crowne: I did everything that was asked of me. I applied myself in school, I never earned below a 3.0 GPA, I put in the work and trained my ass off, I made it to the Florida State Muay Thai Championships twice as a teenager, making it to the finals the first year and winning the second. I tried a semester of college before deciding that I needed to pursue my dreams with everything I had. I fought three times in MMA and going undefeated before doing this full-time. I worked wrestling events at a loss to start because I knew if I bet on myself I'd ultimately end up ahead in the end making more money than I know what to do with; that if I sacrificed my comfort early on I'd be able to relax and live comfortably once I retired. I was a good friend, told my friends to follow their dreams no matter what and stood by them no matter what. I was there for Lexi Pryce when she was involved in a horrible car accident that at first appeared to end her career when we were teaming up in the Southeast. I even played by the rules in LONE when the deck was stacked against me and in favor of others getting the opportunities I was being denied before I had to strike out alone and make my own luck and my own opportunities materialize. I made a lifelong dream come true when I held that Ladies of New England Championship up high after Terri put herself before us and Royal Plunder. I defended the LONE Championship against anyone and everyone, advanced notice, short notice, no notice, I defended in foreign environments that I was completely unprepared for and I still managed to set the record anyway at 456 days.
Where did I go wrong?
Alison pushes herself off the ropes and she continues to go on with her monologue.
Alison Crowne: During those 456 days I hit the regional and national media circuit, I carried that championship with me to every major appearance and whether LONE and Bux deserved it or not I raised the profile of this company and drew a bigger audience as everyone wanted to know just who exactly The Highlight of the Night Alison Crowne was. I bled for LONE, I sacrificed my body and my health for those four letters. I poured all of myself, my blood, my sweat, and my tears into this very ring...
Alison sighed as she stared with her gaze fixed to the back.
Alison Crowne: Never once did Bux try to renegotiate my contract in good faith. Never once did I get a simple 'thank you'; all I got was revulsion and hate! I defended that belt more in 6 months than Terri Thompson could between 2 reigns spanning 8 months! I rarely ever took a night off! Whether you love me or you hate me, nobody can deny that I was a fighting champion. I didn't hide behind Jack E. Bux, Frank Washington, and Steven O'Reilly to pad the months and the days and the hours of my reign as champion; I earned every single minute of it! How could you love a back stabbing fuck up like Terri Thompson that betrays and hurts her friends and hate someone like me that scratched and clawed and fought for everything?!
Her eyes widen with bold and unrelenting intensity as she grips the microphone tighter in her grasp.
Alison Crowne: I was happy to be the hero, YOUR HERO! I wanted to show that you could apply yourself and do everything the right way and make any dream come true! I wanted to show that hard work and relentless determination and dedication mattered! I wanted to be that positive force in the wrestling world that was living proof that all things are possible! That if some girl from Florida could find her way out and grab life by the throat and rise above her circumstances and emerge from a large shadow to shine on her own merits standing on her own two feet that you could too! I didn't use a famous last name; I refused to! I didn't use my ties to any city to inflate my standing, I earned it through my own work and actions! But you people didn't want that, you didn't want to see that! You wanted to see someone take shortcuts, you wanted to see someone tout their regional ties and have a machine built around them so you can worship at their feet!
Alison pauses and stares at the LONE logo on the skirt of the microphone and she takes a moment to slide it off, throw it on the mat and stomp on it. Now holding an unbranded microphone Alison continues to shoot from the hip.
Alison Crowne: You'd rather see Moe Howard's bastard daughter with blue hair and her 4 years of experience cut to the front of the line. In front of people Lexi Pryce, Violent Violet, Cinnamon, Hannah Kix, and even though I broke her fucking neck, Ami Reeves. You know, at least Ami Reeves and I go a ways back; I know she didn't decide to play wrestler some day when Mr. Silver Spoon out of DC decided to give the wrestling business a second shot. It took me 9 years to get my first shot at a major, box office headlining title, NINE YEARS. Nine years from the day I first started training to my opportunity against The Glorious One who despite any personal differences we may have ever had was a damn good champion! Nine years, NINE! And not even two years in it was just handed to you Terri, it was given to you! From the top with Jack E. Bux to having your childhood idol and good friend Frank Washington looking out for you as the special guest referee... and I'm the villain?! I'm the villain for pointing out the bullshit for what it is?! Something about that isn't right!
You had your hero predetermined for you and because of the name 'Fallcoast' you couldn't see past anything else; all you wanted to do was root for one of your own regardless if she actually earned her spot or not. You didn't want to see people earn their spots, you didn't want to see people do things the right way. No, you wanted a villain, you wanted someone to hate... so I gave you what you wanted. I took that seed of darkness, that seed of hate and I let it grow and flourish. The seed of hate your hero planted inside of me, the seed that was watered with my own blood as she drove her knife right into my back...
Alison pauses as she stares at her hand, almost as if she were entranced by it, almost as if she were staring as if they were soaked in blood.
Alison Crowne: It's what all of you people wanted and it's what you wanted Terri. It's what you wanted Terri because if you ever did care about me or valued our friendship you would've came to me instead of going behind and stabbing me in the back. I did some vile things... I ended careers and ruined lives... things I'm going to have to carry with me for the rest of my life. Things that hurt me deep inside as I committed unthinkable acts and atrocities... when I broke Wendy's neck I felt a part of me die inside. When I broke yours I felt another part of me die. Then another when I broke Ami's. But each time it became easier... the pain dulled... I felt less and less misery over what I was doing until I started to enjoy it. Do you want to know why I did the things I did, Terri? With Wendy I wanted to hurt you yes, but it was also because you opened my eyes to what was necessary. When you stabbed me in the back and betrayed me you showed me how weak I truly was, how open and vulnerable I was to those I held close. You showed me that the system failed, Terri, you showed me that the system failed and that I had to purge out all of my weaknesses to live a life that I felt was worth living. And I had that within my grasp... the contract and the money that I've always deserved, that I worked and busted my ass for the last 12 years of my life to earn....
...and you ruined it!
Alison's eyes are wide with fury as her knuckles would be turning white if they weren't hidden underneath her gloves from gripping the microphone so tight.
Alison Crowne: A deal is a deal Bux; you and I, we're going to sit down together with no lawyers to hammer out a new deal... but I got one final ace up my sleeve.. to make things right! Above all else, as the former LONE Champion I am guaranteed a championship rematch and I plan to invoke that tonight, right here, right now! So I can throw both belts on your desk and demand the deal I deserve! The Tag Team Classic is canceled! I didn't carry the torch for 456 days just to be tossed right back into the background, no, no, no! Terri, I gave you your open shot to end this last month, I told you to strike me down then and there because if you didn't I was going to keep coming after you until one of our careers were ended and you left me standing! So Terri, how about you get your ass down here to this ring, put the title on the line so I can erase you from my life once and for all...
As Alison stares at the entrance way, waiting for Terri to come out, the lights in the arena go dark.
The lights from peoples' phone cameras light up, like little stars in the night sky as everyone tries to figure out what's going on.
The lights come on to show Stitches standing in front of Alison, smiling warmly at her.
The crowd ROARS at this!
Alison Crowne: What the hell are you doing here?
Stitches slowly tilts her head to her left.
Alison scoffs in disgust, and turns around. As she does so, the camera turns with her to spot that Sister Catherine is standing in front of her. She's wearing her nun habit, but missing her glasses. She immediately spits the blood red mist into Alison's face, maw dripping red as she smiles widely with her eyes just as wide. Alison stumbles backwards, dropping the mic and holding her face and walking right into a Russian Leg Sweep from Stitches. The microphone catches feedback from hitting the canvas.
Alison turns over onto her stomach. Sister Catherine scoops up the microphone while Stitches stares down in admiration of her work.
Sister Catherine: You're going to pay for all of your sin!
Sister Catherine scolds Alison while pointing at her and Stitches sits down on Alison's back, locking her in a camel clutch while Sister Catherine bounces off the ropes, running at Alison and hitting her in the face with a basement dropkick. Stitches lets go on contact and stands up while Alison rolls around on the canvas.
Sister Catherine stands in the center of the ring, facing the hard camera. She smiles wide. Her pearly white teeth with fangs protruding, lips and chin all covered in crimson. It drips from her chin onto her nun habit. When she starts to speak, it sprays some more in a small, fine mist.
Sister Catherine: We grow tired of this. We grow tired of having to hear about this petty squabble over material gain.
As Sister Catherine speaks, Stitches starts to drag a laid out Alison over to the upper right corner of the ring. Stitches sits down, holding Alison to her and petting her hair in comfort despite what just happened to her.
Sister Catherine: She has paraded herself around, flaunting her accomplishments and giving everything to herself rather than to God. She's done speaking now, however. We're here to remind you, that whoever wins the Tag Team Classic tonight will be knocking on God's door. He has instructed us to answer, to defend what is his, and we will with all of our might. Whoever God has put in his plan to win tonight, know that we are waiting. We are waiting and we will make you lay down for the Lord. We will make you tap out to GOD!
Sister Catherine turns around to see Stitches petting Alison, holding her like she's one of her dollies.
Sister Catherine steps forward, but Stitches turns her right shoulder to Sister Catherine. Stitches pouts, shielding Alison from her and looking at her as if to say NO! NO she's MY dolly! And you can't play with her!
Sister Catherine is angered at first.
Sister Catherine: What have I told you about material possessions?!
Sister Catherine visibly calms down, and says rather coolly into the microphone.
Sister Catherine: Stand her up and bring her to me.
Sister Catherine steps backwards towards the center of the ring as Stitches does what is instructed. Stitches holds her as if she's dancing with her towards Sister Catherine. Dancing with the devil in the pale arena light.
Stitches leaves Alison to stand dazed and confused in the center of the ring.
Sister Catherine nods to Stitches and the two run towards the opposite ropes, bouncing off of them and hitting Alison with their devastating Spear(Sister Catherine) and Clothesline(Stitches) combination move called Damnation.
Once they send Alison to the canvas, the two stand up and stare down at her before the lights turn off, then turn back on to show just Alison in the ring, laid out.
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