countt0thr33
Femme Fatale
Ring Rat
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« on: December 15, 2024, 07:00:16 pm » |
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Off Camera
Inside the small hockey arena on the Boston College campus that had been transformed into a wrestling arena for the night was Alyson Hyde. She sat quietly at the top of the bleachers away from most everyone, especially FFW Evolution Champion Robbyn Helmsley and Nova Champion River Campbell, who were both there to cheer on Alyson’s little ‘brother’ Andrew Vuletich; even if Aly was actually his Aunt, the two were raised as siblings, only a handful of years apart. Andrew was actually the son of Aly’s sister, Kenz. She couldn’t quite shake the feelings inside of her and knew that she’d only pull the energy out of his cheering section. Andrew - Roo for short - had only wrestled a handful of matches since moving back stateside from his excursion to Japan, learning from and training with the Darkhorse, Roo had found a passion for the sport that seemed to shape his life in a more positive way. As Aly sat and watched the first few matches she couldn’t help a creeping feeling inside her. Everytime the winner’s arms were raised she watched the loser hang their head and take the long walk back to the dressing rooms as their opponent’s music played. Knowing exactly how they felt she let out another sigh and hung her head.
“Hey Aly. What are you doing all the way up here?” Markus Vuletich asked as he took a seat next to her. “Thought you’d rather be right down there in the midst of it all, rather than up here with this old guy.”
The brunette let out another sigh, and looked at him with a hint of disappointment. “I... I can’t help but feel for the people on the wrong side of the pin, I’m not down there because I know I’d bring them all down.” She looked down and picked at her finger for a moment, “I’m not really doing well if you haven’t noticed, and I can’t really figure it out. If I just don’t love the sport like they do or if I’m just not as good as I think I am...” She froze for a moment, trying to figure out the right words to use, “Is it selfish I hope he loses tonight?”
“Honestly? Yeah, it is kinda selfish. He is family after all.” He smiled at her. “You know it might not be any of that, don’t you? It might not be that you’re not good enough….and there’s nothing that says you have to love this sport to succeed. I didn’t.” He shrugged as he made the admission. “I fell into it. Happened to be good at it. You’re damned good too - and you know it. You got the black belts and the accolades and all the rest of it. This is just a slump is all.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be a slump Markus!” She growled, her gaze set on the ring and not the wrestlers for a moment. “I think I’m trying to be that person that I was, the girl that I used to be. The one with the Club behind me. The bragging rights that I was Future Shock Champion. But somehow I’m the girl that was pretty much a flop on the main roster, a flash in the pan in SVW, IceDog was... about as fun running around telling Chris Kane off and making his life miserable.” There was a glimpse of a smirk as she mentioned IceDog, however her face went right back to a pout and frowned brow. “My favorite part of this year, when it comes to work, was jumping Constance backstage, and that... was because I knew I couldn’t lose that fight.” She gave another soft shrug, as she looked to her brother-in-law.
He looked at her in silence for a couple of moments. “Aly, slumps happen to all of us. I lost the last five singles matches of my career and management seemed to forget about me for the last two years before the doors closed. And honestly, there were a lot of other mini slumps that I went through during my career too.” For a moment the SVW Hall of Famer looked away from her, taking a deep breath and letting it out with a sigh. “Maybe you are too much in your head, trying to be that girl you were - the one who wasn’t experienced and was making her way through the business. Now you’re a woman and you’ve gone through the ups, the downs…all the whims of this industry. Perhaps you should embrace all of that experience and all the work you’ve done on yourself?”
“Fourth Degree black belt, stunt double for some lower income movies, hell even a few prize fights that I won.” That seemed to make the Canadian smile as she reminisced about the fights she had not only been in but won. “I know technically I’m quick, I’m strong and I have a lot to offer, Carson sees it in me. You, Vik, Roo... everyone for fuck sakes...” She let her voice trail off as she continued to watch parts of the match, “Everyone, including me. But it’s not translating into wins. Everyone can see how close the matches are but I can’t seem to hit the Pivot!” She was referencing her running springboard spear and one of her favorite moves. “I’m focusing far too much on the AirAly stuff, the stuff I did in the Club, around CK. I’m getting too into my head, the promo work is cocky, not confident, and...” Aly was slightly distracted as she watched her brother’s shoulders get pinned to the mat, sitting on the edge of her seat she looked on in hopes the pin would put the match to bed. “...and it’s translating into the ring Markus.”
The experienced veteran nodded his head. “Seems like you know what the problem is, which is usually the first step to getting a solution.” He fell silent for a moment. “You know, Roo lost pretty much every single match he had while he was in Japan…seems like it’s only really clicked now that he’s stopped some of his bad habits, got out of his own head as it were.” He looked at her out of the corner of his eye as he stayed facing the ring. “Maybe there’s something stopping you from being the kick ass bitch that Vik and Roo and I know you can be; something that’s causing you to force being cocky rather than confident? Perhaps you just need to forget all of it, take the pressure off and–” He hesitated for a moment. “I won’t say enjoy the fight but, well you know what I mean don’t you? Get lost in the process and the feel of it. Get punched in the face and just let the adrenaline and instinct take over.”
“I have the most fun when I’m causing havoc, creating hell for someone else...” She winced as the match became slightly more hard hitting, “I knew Roo was learning over there, didn’t realize that he was actually wrestling. He and I weren’t really talking.” Aly had seen the effects of the choices Andrew had been making, and chose to slowly distance herself from him for the time he was in Japan. She herself had demons she had battled, and lost a lot of who she was when she finally came to terms that she wasn’t as okay as she portrayed. “I see him, and it’s clicking for him. I see Riv, and it’s starting to click for her, as happy as I am. I need it to click. I need it. I...” She was going to repeat herself again, trying to convince him and herself. “I need Global Wars. I need at least a match or two to go my way. I need to be better to myself and for myself.” She let out a huff, much like toddlers do when they’re frustrated.
“You need to stop.” Markus shook his head for a moment as he grinned. “You’ve been around Kenz long enough that I know you’ll have picked up some hockey stuff - even if you don’t watch it. You know when the teams stars, their main goal scorers are going through a rough patch and in the midst of a drought; the puck just won’t go in the net - even if they get free at the back post and it should be a tap in, yet still they managed to put it wide? The coach gets asked about it and he talks about how maybe the guy is starting to hold his stick a little too tight, trying to force it. It sounds to me that’s where you are right now. You’re heaping the pressure on yourself, you’re gripping the stick a little too tight, you’re overthinking it all. You need to relax. You need to be yourself - not the person you think you should be, or the person that you think everyone wants you to be…not the Alyson Summers anymore or the Alyson Addison or whatever, but the Alyson Hyde you are today. You get what I’m saying? Play your natural game, let it flow. It’s what Roo has been doing of late - being the real him, not pretending he’s anything else.”
“Like Matthews with his 69th or 70th goal last year, how the entire team wanted it for him, could taste it, kept feeding him the puck and it cost them a few good goal opportunities.” She winked, Aly knew exactly what her big brother in law was saying. “You’re telling me not to put pressure on it. To go out cause havoc and chaos and walk away with my middle fingers raised in the air as they finally play Mz. Hyde after a match.” She nodded. “Easier said than done but what’s the worst that could happen?”
The veteran nodded. “It’s gonna be a lot easier and you’re gonna use a lot less energy being yourself rather than trying to pretend to be something you’re not. And this isn’t gonna be first win back or second…or whatever…it’s simply another win. Like it wasn’t the 69th or 70th goal or whatever, just the next one. It’s a win you’ve earned through the hard work you’ve put in behind the scenes over the last 15 years. As for the worst that can happen?” He shrugged his shoulders. “I mean you could get fired but better getting fired being you than being a fake and a phoney isn’t it? And even that’s a long shot isn’t it? People there have assaulted the head honcho and kept their jobs - just had to get their ass kicked by a fired up Missy. And you’re gonna get beat up anyway so it’s not all that bad is it?”
The highflyer leaned into Markus and gave him a small hug from the side, “I can absolutely see why she married you... and it’s because of moments of brilliance like this Markus. I just need to be Mrs.Hyde, a woman I’m more than confident I can be in 2025 a woman who not only has fun, but creates it.” There was a slight nod to her head as she looked towards the wrestlers in the ring and not simply through them. “I have to think of this less as work, and more as a healthy way to get out of my brain for more than a few minutes, I have to trust in myself both promoting the match, and wrestling in it. Once that clicks I could damn well win the Global Wars.” She finally looked at Markus, still leaning into him. “You’re going to be an awesome Dad, especially when your son’s doubting himself you know that right.”
“Thanks, it’s the whole newborn, infant….getting him to late teens, bit that has me worried. But I guess it’ll come and I’ll learn as it goes. Plus I’ve got Kenz to lean on and learn from.” Markus allowed himself a worried smile for a moment. “You know I’ll try and find some time if you wanna spar in the gym or whatever. You can run circles around me in the ring.”
The brunette chuckled, “I think we’re looking to get an apartment here in Boston and keep our place outside of Toronto, I wanna be close to my nephew and my family.” She looked up and moved to the edge of her seat as her little brother had the pin, “Kick out... kick out....” Her voice was soft as she was still not cheering for Andrew, “Teach Lil Leon how to kick ass and get him to fourth degree black belt before he’s twenty...” She smirked coily. “I’ll take you up on the in ring sparring, I’ll happily learn under your wisdom tree. I mean you’ve been in this business for eighty three years already.” That made the active wrestler chuckle, and as the bell rang she couldn’t help but smile. “I guess he really is proof that when you’re finally yourself, good things happen.”
He rolled his eyes at her comment. “Yeah, well…eighty three years well spent and everyone else seems to have benefitted from stepping into the ring with me - can you imagine what Colby and Conor would’ve been like if they hadn’t trained with me?” Markus smirked. “Yeah, Roo’s a good kid and he’s getting his rewards for it.”
“Conor and Colb... without you wouldn’t be where they are today. Roo wouldn't be Rookie Champion without you.” She motioned to the ring, “I would still be very much in my head if it weren’t for you.” She had a genuine smile as she looked at him, “I’m not saying you won’t have to remind me from time to time Markus, but thank you, for this and everything that you do really. You’re an amazing big brother, you’re a wonderful husband, and you’re an incredible step dad to your son.” She continued to smile, “Thank you...”
Markus wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a friendly hug. “Roo would’ve found his way eventually. Probably. And I’ll remind you as often as I need to. You’re family Aly and I just want you to be successful and happy. And maybe get some free babysitting out of you and Vik from time to time.”
“Babysit the lil cub, you know we would.” She laughed. “I love you Markus, now let’s show the world who Alyson Hyde can be.”
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