Reelin' With The Feellin', Don't Stop, Continue

[AshCandor]

I'm losing you

I know your heart is miles away

There's a whisper there where once there was a storm

And all that's left is that image that I'll find a way

And some memories have tattered as they've torn

‘Don’t Stop’ – The Rolling Stones

[OFF CAMERA]

Salem’s eyes looked up glistening, her face red and puffy. Tears had caused her mascara to run down her face. She looked at the blanket she was clutching in her lap: pink with black smudges from the mascara as well. Salem had spent the afternoon out on her covered porch, sitting cross-legged in a swing. The baby blanket she had made back in 2010 gripped tightly in her hands, doubling as a bit of tissue to wipe away her tears. This had been happening more and more lately, the yearning over a child she had barely known in this world seemingly disappearing mere days after being born. The full spectrum of emotions that Salem had been going through was considerable; technically she was a mother but had never known the full joy of motherhood over the last six years. She did not even have verified proof that Lily Minerva was alive save for a feeling in her gut and a mysterious phone call a while back from an unlisted number:

‘The girl is in good hands, do not look for her.’

Well, after hearing something like that what did they expect she would do? She traveled back to the commune in Virginia that she’d spent some time at when Lily was born. Salem, Artemis, and Morgan had tried tracking down the family that Salem had agreed to allow to adopt Lily. The commune was deserted, all the people vanished without a trace. It was like an entire portion of Salem’s past had been erased, and had her memories not returned from the amnesia suffered after being hit by a bus, she would’ve remained blissfully ignorant of it all. But the memories had indeed returned, and it put a lot of things in perspective. The concept of family and love was tremendously important to Salem, more important than wrestling even. It was only a few nights earlier that Salem was wrestling with an even more important choice:

Salem sat at her kitchen table, with business cards laid out before her. She kept fidgeting with them, a tad bit of obsessive compulsive behavior in her trying to make sure they were all straight. Then she scooped them up in a pile and began shuffling them like a deck of cards. Just then her wife Artemis came into the room as Salem began arranging the cards out again.

“Salem hon, I think it might be time to buy Lukas some new school shoes already. He’s been incredibly hard on them. What’s with these cards?”

Artemis moved in behind her, leaning over to hug her neck and kiss her cheek. Salem, swallowed a lump in her throat and turned to kiss her before replying.

“I mean, you can see for yourself. Business cards for legal representation, corporate contact for Hard Knox Wrestling and Frontier Grappling Arts. Let’s see… there are some for doctors and for private investigators too.”

Artemis moved next to her, and framed Salem’s face in her hands, looking into her eyes and studying her.

“What is my Witch considering? I do not like the sound of this.”

Salem blinked, flared a nostril and arched an eyebrow only slightly, giving a tiny nod.

“I think this is the end of The Witch inside a wrestling ring. I can’t stop thinking about Lily, Arty… I can’t stop thinking about my daughter. I have to find her, I have to devote all of my time and effort to getting her back into my arms. I have to make sure she’s okay and I want her to know me, to know my love.”

Artemis lowered her hands and patted Salem’s, giving her a hearty hug before looking at her again.

“This is… a bit extreme, yes? I understand your yearning, and if that is what your heart is set on to do, I know I’ll never convince you otherwise. You are as stubborn as you are beautiful. But you’re wrong about one thing.”

“What… what’s that?”

“Salem, she’s OUR daughter. And I’m just a bit jealous because as small as it was, you actually have gotten to meet her. You’ve looked into her eyes. I don’t even have a picture, so I’m imagining this version of this child. A mini version of you, I suppose. Beautiful greyish blue eyes, right?”

Salem smiled lightly and nodded, looking down.

“Yes, just like mine.”

Artemis played with a lock of Salem’s hair and rubbed her shoulder. She took Salem’s hand and moved it up on her chest, over her heart and laced fingers.

“But even if Lily is not here physically, she’s here in your heart. And I’ve witnessed firsthand the power and potential of your heart. You made the demon that is me care about things I never thought I would. So… Lily is also here…”

Artemis moved their hands to over her own chest.

“Both of our hearts beat strong for that daughter of yours, your own flesh and blood. Just as we both pour ourselves out caring for that little boy that we adopted. Lukas is amazing. And do you know what else?”

Salem looked up into her eyes.

“Lukas is going to be the best brother he can possibly be to Lily, when we bring her home. It is not a question of if, but when; maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow. We will be a full family, rest assured.”

Salem nodded and pursed her lips.

“And that’s why I have to do this, Arty… I have to devote my time to…”

Artemis placed a finger to her wife’s lips to hush her.

“YOU have to devote your time to living. You can’t stop doing everything that is important to you; you can’t stop living because you’re uncertain of the condition of her life. So you’re NOT going to make any phone calls to lawyers, or HKW or FGA. But what about these other cards for the doctors and investigators? Why do you need them?”

Salem wiped her face and moved the cards around on the table.

“Well, for whatever reason my medical records indicate no pregnancy whatsoever. That is obviously very fishy. Something’s off. And as far as the private investigators go, well… we may be many things, Arty but we aren’t super sleuths.”

Arty stuck her fist out and punched Salem’s arm, attempting to lighten the mood. She placed her hands together to form a gun, index fingers extended.

“Speak for yourself. I have a little secret… I’m Artemis Kaiser, P.I.! No case is too tough to crack!”

Salem started giggling and covered her mouth.

“OH my god, will you stop! Seriously though, I want to call one or two and see if they might know about new avenues to pursue.”

Artemis nodded and pointed at her.

“I’m serious though, no stopping wrestling! You’re too darn good at it, and it would hurt my soul…and yours if you did. If you follow through with this you’ll end up hating yourself without that outlet, that avenue to release frustration. Become bitter and pissed off all the time.”

Salem looked down at the cards again and wiped her brow, before looking back over.

“So basically, I’d just become you, huh?”

Artemis began to open her mouth to protest, but Salem tackled her into the floor and planted kisses on her; a mini-crisis seemingly averted in the Cartier household.

-

Let me sing a song for you

A song that's worth the dreaming

Don't waste my time

This is it

This is really happening… happening…

‘This Is It’ – Ryan Adams

[ON CAMERA]

Well, it finally happened. After all this time, we finally cross paths. The Witch gained audience with the three-time and current FGA World Champion, Zero McHannon. What was it you said; something about not wasting your time or making it worth your while for even showing up? I can see how that attitude has worked for you, gotten you just about everything your heart ever desired inside of a wrestling ring. You place yourself on a pedestal with your words, and what’s more your actions back that up more often than not. That sort of activity either earns you respect or the disdain of others, depending on how they feel about you and how you go about your business.

So you can say I’m not on your level. And all I have to say to that is, I agree with you to a point. Materially speaking, yes… three times you have hoisted the richest prize in all of Frontier Grappling Arts. Chandler Scott, Cyncity, and Johnny Cannon all have something in common: When you faced off with them you took their belt and made it your own. An apparently everything is that much better around this company when you hold that strap. Pretty much heard it from your own mouth how the ratings supposedly go through the roof, food tastes better, people even smile more when you’re the top dog allegedly. If any of that has a shred of truth to it, let’s hope that the third time is the charm then, huh? If you’re improving things that much around FGA, hopefully you can hold onto that belt longer than a couple months, unlike your other reigns. Show ‘em that Zero is the Hero that we all need, or whatever. But that’s a bit low coming from me. The competition in FGA is fierce and things happen. Sometimes it’s just not your day. Belts change hands, and that one has gone into your hands three times.

In all fairness, yes… I have no World Championships to my name. I’ve only had two Mid-Atlantic Legacy title shots here, with a running theme that I just have to get hit in the face with the belt to decide the outcome of the match. One of which I lost, the other I won by disqualification. I mean, just recently I had my first World Title opportunity anywhere over in Hard Knox Wrestling; a multi-person Elimination Chamber match in which I lasted longer than anyone else in that match. And yet I came up short. That burns, it really fires me up. I don’t know what else to do except to just keep at it. I can’t keep going down this path; can’t give them enough fodder to where they could be justified in printing up t-shirts that say ‘Salem Cartier: Came Up Short When It Mattered Most’. There’s nothing else I want to do with my life. Wrestling is it. I never went to college; I’m probably not all that skilled at any other trade. Lord knows I can’t cook to save my life, Artemis could attest to that. I’m pretty good at knitting and sewing, but I don’t need to be doing that full-time until I’m about seventy-five years old, you know? Maybe I could pull off being a small-time comedian. But then you think I’m corny enough already, right? Until I found wrestling, I didn’t have a lot of focus or motivation. I was a couch potato, a cereal eater, a cartoon watcher, the ultimate slacker.

But I digress. Zero doesn’t care about my story or why I’m here. Probably doesn’t even see me as a threat either. It’s just another day at the office for the high and mighty Zero McHannon. Go ahead and assume I’ll be the pushover. When I elbow you in the face and put your nose over by your ear, you can say you fell down the steps or something. That’s fine. I know deep down you’re probably dying for a challenge. A pushover match, a ten-second squash never really proves anything except that one side was vastly more prepared and talented than the other. Me? I’ve prepared. Maybe it bothers some people how I’m not out here tooting my own horn about how talented I think I am. Part of that is humility; for however much I’ve earned in my career I know I can do better, and there’s always someone else who has achieved more. I’ve had peaks and valleys and you’ll never hear me out here saying I’m the best. I haven’t earned that right, and even if I had it serves no real purpose. Puff your chest out and say your piece and sure it might make magazine covers, boost web traffic and message board posts, light twitter afire. The Witch is The Witch, but I’m still Salem Cartier when I take off the boots and head home. I have concerns, cravings, and fears. I’m human. I might be unique but I’m by no means perfect.

But the mighty foe this week on Vertigo is worth “Far More Than Zero” I’m sure. Some sort of infallible wrestling encyclopedia of hold and counter hold and the one who dishes out all the pain. Somehow equal parts the top of the pyramid and the very foundation of the company that we walk on. Me? I own some encyclopedias. I know some holds and counter holds, want to compare notes, Zero? I can endure a whole heck of a lot of pain and I can even dish a little bit out in my own right. I was never a cheerleader or traveled to Egypt so I don’t know a lot about pyramids; likewise I never worked construction so I don’t know much about foundations either. I look at you and know that you are indeed a crafty veteran, a champion many times over with a storied past and a prosperous future ahead, and you’re enjoying every bit of dominating in the present. But at what cost, Zero? How many friends have you lost along the way? Cindy Parker, Brandon Banks… I could go on and on. Something always happens and you eventually go bad like a corrupted file. I think when you fought against BB this last time it seems like something broke inside you. You were always stern but now you’re just downright nasty. Everyone is beneath you now, and if anyone doesn’t know that we can just wait around and you’ll be sure and restate that point over and over.

Am I not worth being in the ring with World Champion material? I don’t know. Maybe go ask Viktor Volkov; go ask Shane Atwater. Go ask Jimmy Page. I’m sure you will say that all those men are beneath you and they aren’t Zero. Fine. The fact of the matter is, I’m booked in the main event of Vertigo with the FGA World Heavyweight Champion. I didn’t ask for it, I didn’t plead for a chance to prove myself. But somebody in a suit somewhere deemed I was worthy to square off with you. I’m not going to shy away or run off with my tail between my legs. You’re just a bully with a belt, and I’m sorry… I don’t scare that easy. Even if it’s a non-title match, if I do what many highly doubt I can and defeat you…. where does that put everything in the grand scheme of things? Does that eliminate my frustration over the inability to win the HKW World Title or a #1 Contendership? Does that make up for some outside the ring interference that caused Annie to flip out and hit me with her belt, giving me a win but not the MAL Title? It doesn’t make up for any of that. I still harbor some real talk feelings over all of that that I have to work through. But this… this right here? If I beat you and I look into those eyes of yours and they go wide in a state of shock and then narrow to a state of seething anger? It’s going to make me feel fantastic. See, if you beat me it’s no big deal right? I wasn’t worthy to lace up your boots, just a flailing middle of the pack wrestler who fails in the big spots. That’s what they’ll think, that’s what they’ll say. Hell, it’s what you will say. You’ll go on a twitter tirade about how I was trash and a waste of your time. And If I beat you I’m sure you will rattle off a list of a million and a half excuses of why you lost. Plus, my wife already said she wanted me to win, and I hate disappointing her, ya know?

There’s a first time for everything and this is our first dance, Zero. I’m gonna show you how good of a dance partner I can be. And well, I know you probably don’t see it the same way but let’s dispense with the traditional rules of the dance and let the chick lead, huh? Just for a night, nobody will think any less of you. I won’t waste your time. You’ll be in the moment, and you’ll know it. I need to send everyone a reminder of exactly what I’m capable of, in capital letters and exclamation points. And World Champion or not, at Vertigo on a wild Colorado night you’re just gonna be the Post-It Note I write ALL OVER.

‘Tis The Season.

Witchy Out.