AfterBurn for 2019: A New Odyssey

[FGA Office]

Catch up with your favorite FGA grapplers on AfterBurn! Get their thoughts on the latest, their opponents, and other backstage happenings right here, only on AxxessNet!

[C.S.O.]

The scene opens a bit shakily as the cameraman does his best to follow Amanda Johnson as she half-walks, half-jogs down the Rogers Arena corridor. The muffled roar of the audience suggests that there’s still plenty of action going down in the arena before the live crowd, but the interviewer’s attention is in the backstage area. Her eyes dart into several open doorways as our jogging cameraman tries to keep up-- but Amanda slows to a stop as she rounds the corner, raising her mic so the viewers can hear her words.

Amanda Johnson: Ashlyn!

Rounding the corner, the camera pans in on Ashlyn De Luca, who stands with her back to Amanda, apparently two or three steps away from the open dressing room door. With each hand gripping one half of the FGA World Tag Team Titles, the champion throws her head back and sighs before slowly turning to narrow her eyes at Johnson.

Ashlyn De Luca: Uh. What?

Amanda Johnson: Do you want to, maybe, explain what just happened out there?

Ashlyn De Luca: Wh… what are you, new? Champion’s advantage, kid. The match ends in a draw, tough luck, the champ retains. It’s a tale as old as time. Or as old as the NWA.

Amanda Johnson: The what?

Ashlyn De Luca: Nothing.

They are interrupted from a voice yelling out from further on down the corridor behind Amanda.

???: SHAZBOT!!

Amanda turns to look over her shoulder and the camera pans that way as well, just in time to spot Logan Alexander slamming a folding chair down across the top of an unused table. After the chair has hit the table half a dozen times, Logan turns and tosses the chair against the wall behind him and watches as it falls to the floor in front of him. He shifts back as though about to kick the chair back down the corridor, but he seems to think better of it. Instead he just blows out a breath in frustration, picks up the chair and drops it on the table he’d beat it against, then starts walking over towards the dressing room door where Ashlyn and Amanda were having their conversation. Ashlyn’s mouth is slightly agape, eyes narrowed. She hugs both title belts to herself as if protecting them from her partner.

Ashlyn De Luca: What in the hell is the matter?

Amanda Johnson: I… uh... take it that you aren’t happy with the result out there?

Logan looks at Amanda, scowling at her.

Logan Alexander: I had it! I had it out there. Pendragon have been after us for the last couple of months for this match and out there tonight, we could have put this whole thing to rest. They would have been just another tally in the win column for us… and then it ended like that.

He reaches up and runs both hands through his hair as he looks up towards the ceiling. In the background, we see Ashlyn’s posture straighten a little, glancing nervously at her partner out of the corner of her eye.

Logan Alexander: I cannot believe that I blew it like that out there… all because my shoulder wasn’t up in time.

...and Ashlyn breathes a silent sigh of relief, though Logan doesn’t seem to see this.

Logan Alexander: We have to come back here with a draw as the result. Five more minutes… I’m sure that we would have put them away with that much time. We had them reeling. We took all they could give us.

He blows out another breath.

Logan Alexander: But… sometimes discretion is the better part of valour. If we’d have restarted that match it would have been on even terms again. Our momentum from right before the bell was gone and Pendragon had been given the chance to regain their bearings… Ugh… I’m going to be reliving the end of this match for weeks...

Amanda Johnson: So, you would have preferred to have gone for another five minutes?

Logan looks back at Amanda while Ashlyn looks, fondly, at the championships in her hands in the background.

Logan Alexander: In a heartbeat. I was ready to keep going. I was eager to keep going. But that wasn’t just my call to make. Ashlyn was well within her rights to call it a night there. We had given Pendragon their match. It’s just… unsatisfying to leave the ending like that.

Amanda glances from Logan to Ashlyn.

Amanda Johnson: So, you don’t think that Ashlyn’s decision to walk out had anything to do with her actions from earlier in the match?

Logan looks at Amanda, appearing confused by her question.

Logan Alexander: What actions are you referring to? I didn’t see her do anything questionable out there. Of course… I was out of it for a bit after getting kicked in the head twice in quick succession. I might have missed a chunk of the match.

Ashlyn De Luca: Some world class wrestling is what you missed.

Amanda Johnson: Actually… there were several points throughout the match that Ashlyn-- and Ashlyn, I’m sure your memory is a lot less clouded right now-- used, perhaps “questionable” tactics?

Ashlyn De Luca: What. Name one.

Amanda Johnson: There was the attempted low blow on Neal Durden which… I would imagine was a blatant attempt at a disqualification.

Ashlyn shakes her head, lips pursed to display an exaggerated version of calm.

Ashlyn De Luca: It’s called a mule kick, you doofus. I was… it was an inverted mule kick. So suck it, actually. Logan, we really need to get g--

Amanda Johnson: Seconds after that, you removed the top turnbuckle pad in clear sight of the official.

Ashlyn blinks, rolling her neck a bit, but seamlessly transitions into a response.

Ashlyn De Luca: I was trying to make sure I didn’t slip. I was about to do a dive.

Amanda Johnson: Which dive?

Ashlyn De Luca: Uh. F...flip. Goddamnit. LOGAN. WE HAVE TO G--

Amanda Johnson: While the referee was fixing the exposed turnbuckle, you rolled to the outside of the ring and grabbed a steel chair.

Shifting both belts to one arm, Ashlyn runs a hand down her face, keeping it over her mouth, unable to think of an excuse for that one.

Amanda Johnson: And when all else failed? You tried to walk out. Another official had to physically come out from the gorilla position to prevent a countout. After all of this, can you honestly say that you guys were both willing to give Pendragon another five minutes?

Ashlyn rolls her eyes, but doesn’t look back toward either Amanda or Logan. Logan is visibly surprised by hearing all of this. Amanda turns to look at him when no response appears forthcoming from Ashlyn.

Amanda Johnson: Logan, any thoughts?

There is a lingering silence for several moments. His gaze is fixed on Ashlyn.

Logan Alexander: No comment. In fact… I think I need to go for a walk right now. Yeah. I’ll… get back to you on that.

He turns away and starts walking back the way he’d come from. Ashlyn opens her mouth to shout something after her partner, but Logan cuts her off without looking back.

Logan Alexander: I might be a while. Don’t wait around on me Ashlyn.

Logan walks out of frame, disappearing back around the corner— but with less noise than he’d arrived. Ashlyn sighs and slowly turns back to Amanda, giving the interviewer a once-over, not bothering to hide her disgust.

Ashlyn De Luca: I bet you’re happy about that. Dick.

Amanda shrugs slightly.

Amanda Johnson: Just trying to get the whole story.

Ashlyn De Luca: Mmmmhm.

Ash sighs and continues into the tag champions’ dressing room, slamming the door shut behind her, leaving our scene to cut to black.