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As I stumble back up the ramp, I feel like I'm floating. I know I've just been dropped on my head by Nathan Gust, but thats not what is causing this feeling. I'm holding in my hands, a 15 lbs belt. And suddenly, it hits me, ho impractical a 15 lbs belt really is.
I pass the fans, each one extending their hands, just trying to touch me. I can't understand why. I'm still in a daze. I get to the top of the ramp, and can hear the chants....X-C-W...X-C-W...X-C-W...and I wasn't even part of it. I simply turn around, towards the massive arena full of people. I'm clutching the belt to my chest, as if I'm afraid someone might take it if I even let up on my hold, just a little bit. The chants continue, X-C-W! X-C-W! X-C-W! And without any thought, raise the belt high above my head, my arms crossed to form an X behind it. The cheers were deafening, and at that moment, sounded like a choir of angels singing. My only regret, if you could even call it that, was that I knew the camera had stopped transmitting this moment live, but the flash bulbs let me know that it would live forever, in the stories told throughout time.
I had spent the past week talking about how my legacy would be made by this night. And this belt, and here I was, backing in the glory of the past. Basking in the glory of X-C-W...or basically...my mother's glory.
I whisper to her, looking up at the sky, that this is the last time that I will live as part of her legacy, and that this is where hers ends, and mine begins. I feel a drop of water hit my forehead. I know it was probably from a cooling duct, or a water pipe, or something like that, but it was like a tear from above had fallen onto me. I bring the belt back down. And I look to my right, Havoc is standing at the entrance to the arena, with the Hardcore Title, and both Tag Titles in hand. It seems in my daze, I had forgotten I had that belt too. I smile, and walk to him, taking the tag title belt. We turn back towards the arena one more time, and hold all four belts in the air, as again, the camera flashes illuminate our vision, before walking through the curtains again, and out of the moment.
As Sara walks through the curtains, she is meet by a great many of SFT, XCW, and RWA alumni. At the front of the group, is Will, Jane, Ricky, and Chris Schorg, her family. She looks at them all, tears in their eyes, and fog slowly begins to lift. All around her are the people she grew up idolizing, and had helped to raise her, in her mother's absence. Her knees begin to get weak, and her legs fall out from beneath her. Havoc catches her, and her family come in to embrace her. Havoc hands her to her step-father, who clutches her, as the tears begin to fall uncontrollably. Her brothers and step-sister all join in the embrace, as the group around them begin to show the emotion of the night too. Sara is still holding both her titles in her hands, even with her arms locked around her step-father's midsection.
"You have no idea, no idea at all, how much your mother dreamed of this moment for herself kid." he says to her.
Sara can't respond, the emotion of this moment is too great. She tries to speak, but her lips quiver. Will just shushes her, and tells her, "It's ok kid. She would've rather you had it anyway."
"This is that moment Dad..." Sara tells him, still crying, but now able to control her words, "This is her title, as much as it is mine."
The group around them begins to clap. Tears are flowing from nearly every eye socket. Sara looks up, over her step-father's shoulder, and sees Nathan Gust, down the way. Even though he just attacked Sara out in the arena, a tear is apparent. Sara simply mouths the words 'Thank you', towards him, to which Gust responds with a nod.
All around are her's and her family's friends. Dan Lloyd, Kyle Murphy, the rest of her class from CCWA&ICE. Even RWA wrestlers are here to experience it, Jeff King, Aidan Morag, Amy Jo Smyth. All of whom have shed their RWA shirts for vintage XCW t-shirts. Sara smiles at them, knowing that even in the hostile territory, they have come to support her.
Sara and her family begin to walk towards the locker room, and the mass of people around them part so they can get through. Sara and Will walk, still holding each other. Sara opens the door of the locker room, and her and Will walk in, while the rest of the family waits outside. As they enter the locker room, Sara sits down on one of the wooden benches. She lays the SFT Tag Team Championship on it, and holds the SFT in her hands, staring at it.
"You realize what you've done?" Will asks his step-daughter, "You've done something greater then RWA, or SFT, or XCW. You've made people understand why they do this still. You've done something greater then any World Championship. You should be proud kid." Sara looks up at her step-father, who is now leaning against a locker, covering his eyes with his hand, "You're mother has to be loving this, from wherever she is."
Sara just looks back at the title, not sure how to respond. The title is massive. The plate alone is about as big as her midsection. The straps, almost longer then her arm span. Will looks at her, and says, "Try it on kid, it's yours now." Sara looks up at him. And she knows already what will happen. She holds the belt around her waist, and turns around so that Will can fasten the studs, as tightly as possible. She then turns around again, still holding it in place. Will smiles at her, as she lets go of it....and it immediately falls to the locker room floor around her ankles. Sara sighs as she reaches down, and picks it up again.
"This is great," Sara says, "I'll have to hold the damn thing in place while I walk to the ring."
Will chuckles at the thought. "I've heard of having worse problems," he tells her, "Fortunately, you won't have it." He adds, as she opens the locker he was leaning on.
At first, Sara is confused, that is until she sees the black cloth carrying bag. "I just had a feeling you'd come out on top tonight." Will tells her. Sara takes the bag, and opens it to reveal the belt inside.
The belt shines as the light hits it for the first time in Sara's possession. Its a miniature style of version of the SFT World Title. The plates are all white gold, with pearl and light blue jewels, and a soft pink strap. Sara looks up at Will, and he just smiles at her, "Go on, try it on."
Sara takes the belt, and holds it around her waist, and fastens it. It fits perfectly around her petite frame. "It's perfect dad," Sara says, as she looks at herself wearing the belt in a mirror. "Where did you you get it?"
"It was your mother's, she never got to wear it. The strap was blue, I had it changed when I saw it needed re-leathering." Will tells her. "I guess I owe you an apology kid, I never thought you'd make it this far...I'm glad I was wrong."
Sara takes the belt off, and holds both her belt, and the SFT World Championship belt in each hand.
So now the question is begging to be asked, what do I do now? What can I do now that I've accomplished the ultimate goal I set out for my self, at 18 years, 3 months, and 19 days old. A World Champion, and the youngest ever in SFT history, an honor I took from my tag partner.
So whats next for me? The RWA Title. I haven't forgotten RWA. Even though I've been talking about how much I love SFT because of the past I've had with it, I love RWA for the future I have in front of me there. And even though I'm not in the Devil's Dance, the RWA Title is in my sights. And I want to hold both of the belts. And this week, against Myris, I'm going to show the world that I should be the one, who gets that first shot when the smoke clears after the Devil's Dance.
People don't seem to have much confidence going into this Tuesday. Everyone seems to be banking on Myris coming back on all cylinders. I personally would love to see Myris come back at his best as well. But if he's hoping to make an impact, it's just going to have to wait. While my RWA record hasn't been the best as of late, my confidence is back. I've had a weight lifted from my shoulders. I'm no longer having to live up to the legacy of my parents. I can start my own. Thats why I'm in RWA. And thats why the RWA is my goal. Beating you Tuesday Myris, is just going be my first showing as a new person, no longer weighed down by expectations.
Sara is leaving the locker room. She has changed out of her wrestling gear, and is wearing one of her mother's old t-shirts, and blue jeans. Around her waist is the custom title belt that Will had given her earlier that night. It's white gold finish shimmers in the florescent light of the corridor. As she walks towards where the talent had parked, she hears the clapping of a lone man around a corner. She turns around having passed by, not even noticing him at first, and its her father, Andrew Pettis. He's clapping slowly, with a big smile on his face.
"It's long over due kiddo. Long over due." he says smirking,
"What are you talking about? I've been wrestling for less then four months."
"No no, not that. It's been long over due for a Pettis to hold that title. I mean, come on, we only built this company." Andrew says, matter of fact.
Sara just shakes her head, "You know something. You always talk about what I do, like I do it for you. You had nothing to do with this. You've had nothing to do with me. In fact, I'm better than you, so stop trying to act like you made me."
AMP's face changes from the smirk, to a glare, "Better then me? You're better then me? I'd like to know how."
Sara just smiles, and points to the belt around her waist.
"That belt doesn't mean shit anymore. If you had won it when Dave Steel, Mad Dogg, Radiant, ICON, Incubus, DVD in his prime, or even your...'father' Will Schorg in his prime, you could say you're better then me. Face it kiddo, you won the title when SFT was at it's weakest talent wise. So don't go around saying you're better then anyone because of that belt. Right place, right time, thats all that belt is."
Sara, just shakes her head and smiles at him, "What ever helps you sleep at night Andy. But realize this...SFT may not be seeing it's greatest days right now, but when people talk about it's rise again to what it once was..." Sara slaps the title belt, "Who will have been the champ...and you're always welcome to a match if you want to prove me wrong..."
AMP doesn't say anything. He just looks away from his daughter. Sara smiles again, and begins to walk away. She stops and turns around again to face him... "And another thing Andy," AMP looks towards her again, "You don't intimidate me anymore, so quit doing this shit where you try to belittle me, it's not going to work."
Sara turns around again and begins to walk towards the parking garage again. AMP just leans against the wall, watching her walk away.
As she walks away, the silence following her lets her know that at least for now, for the first time since he returned into her life, she had mentally beaten her biological father. Its a victory about as great as the winning the SFT Championship earlier in the night, and it feels like the weight of the world has been lifted from her shoulders even more.
End..
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