LAW #64 - 6/25/17

The soothing sound of the ocean, crashing onto the shores of a tropical beach. It's a glorious scene to open up to, with the bright sun glaring down on a couple laying out on a towel. The brown haired man cusps the arms of the brunette, before leaning in for a passionate kiss. After a few moments, he pulls away with a smile as he stands up.

KRIS TAILBOTT
"So don't go anywhere."

The woman smiles before giving a slight roll of her eyes in a mock.

ABIGAIL PRESTON
"Just hurry back."

Kris chuckles and nods before heading up the beach towards the beach house. Abby leans back looks at the water for a moment, admiring the view. Her thoughts and admiration are short lived though, when her purse begins making a noise. She looks over at it, knowing what it is, but still seeming quite confused.

"How the heck do I still have service?"

Abby shrugs it off as she reaches into her purse and pulls out her cell phone. Looking at the screen she chuckles before sliding her hand across the screen and answering it.

"What's up, Kelly?"

KELLY
"Hey girl, how are you doing?"

Abby cocks an eyebrow.

"You was there... at my wedding... you know I'm on my honeymoon right now."

There's a slight pause on the other end of the line.

"Oh wow, I'm so sorry."

Abby chuckles.

"No it's fine, he'll be right back... why'd you call? Is everything alright?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that. I was just wondering if you heard what Christy has done?"

Abby nods slightly, knowing exactly what her friend is referring to.

"I'm aware."

"And?"

"I can't."

There's a sigh of sadness on the other end of the line.

"Come on, why not?"

"Look, I love her to death and support her completely, but I gotta do my own thing. I cannot, and will not, live in her shadow. I need to carve my own legacy now."

"I feel like you have done a decent job of that anyways, but regardless, I do understand I guess."

"Thank you, anything else?"

With a few moments of silence, Kelly seems to be thinking for a moment before responding.

"Well, since you mention doing your own thing. Have you heard about Ladies All-Star Wrestling's Queen of the Ring tournament coming around again, and you don't even need an active contract to sign up."

Abby looks a little intrigued by this as she gives a nod, but she's on the phone so of course, Kelly didn't see that. Abby chuckles lightly to herself at that before responding.

"That's good to know, I guess."

"Give you a chance to redeem yourself from last time."

Abby sighs slightly.

"Right."

"Sorry, but you and I both know you could have done so much better."

"I was just burnt out, to be honest. I needed a break, ultimately."

"Well you've had a year, tell me you don't miss it."

"You must be my biggest fan, trying to talk me back in so bad."

Kelly laughs on the other end.

"You know that I am."

"I'll give it some thought, and I thank you for telling me. I'm going to get back to my honeymoon, though. I'll call you when I get back home."

"Alright, have fun... but make sure you use protection, you know, just incase you do want to go back to the ring."

Abby chuckles and shakes her head as she hangs up the phone. Laying it down beside her she looks to the water, back in thought... but now she has a different thought than she did before.

"Redeem my name... hmmm."

ABBY ADDICTION
"I've been here before."

The scene opens with a shot of Abby Addiction sitting in a chair. It's a plain room other than that, pretty basic, as is her attire of blue jeans and a black tank-top. Currently looking down at her feet, she looks up to the camera.

"This company... this match... I've been here, it's all the same... only the opponent, has changed."

She rubs the tip of her nose before giving a slight nod.

"I made my Ladies All-Star Wrestling debut... in this very match. A Queen of the Ring Qualifier. I won, but of course, it all went downhill from there. I came to this company at the wrong time. I had fought and persevered for too long, with no rest, and it all caught up to me, blowing up in my face. I was burnt out, it hampered my drive, hampered my passion, and unfortunately, it seeped into my performance."

Sighing Abby drops her head for a moment, before looking back up.

"That is where it all started, and why it all starts again. The reason I went and the reason I have come back can be tied together with one simple word."

Abby had put her index finger up upon saying that, continuing to look into the camera.

"Redemption."

She gives a slow nod of her head before continuing.

"I have far too much pride, far too much honor... to let the name, and reputation I have built in this industry, be mocked, and laughed at, by the joke that is my last run. Lack of drive, lack of passion, it ruined all that before, but it is why I have come back, to fix it."

Brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, she continues to speak to the camera.

"I climbed to the top of one company, and I'm here to tell you, I'm going to do it again. It's not arrogance, it's confidence. I know what I am capable of, soon enough... so will all of you. It all starts, with this tournament... the same tournament that started it all. The result of the qualifier will be the same... it's the next phase that shall change this time, but we're not here to get into that right now."

Slowly shaking her head, not wanting to get ahead of herself.

"I can't say I know much about my opponent, obviously. I competed in one real match last time, then all drive and passion went out the window, leaving everything else to be a blur. That not-with-standing, I know she's a part of the Naughty Girls, and they are former Tag Team Champions. Good on them for that. Other than that, I don't really know much else, which is fine, I'm not worried about it. I imagine she is overlooking me all the same. I will not say that I blame her if she is. After all, I would not need to come back and redeem my name, if it hadn't been tarnished, to begin with, now would I?"

She pauses for a second, giving a slight nod.

"Though I do not blame her, it would still be a grave mistake on her part. Her hopes and dreams of winning the Queen of the Ring Tournament dashed and crushed in the Qualifying round because she expected the same woman who lost all passion and drive. A fate she could have avoided had she realized this woman would not have come back from a year absence, if not for the purpose of clearing and re-establishing that name. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe she will have that smarts about her to prepare herself, but I can't say for sure. I know I would prepare myself for anything personally, I would never expect an easy road, or opponent, in the quest to the Queen of the Ring crown, you have to be prepared for the best at all times. Even if you do not receive it at every phase, you still need to prepare for it, or else you never know when you will be caught off guard and have your dreams shattered."

She smirks slightly, knowing from experience, what it takes to win such a tournament.

"You may not realize it, with my lackluster performance in the ring last year, but I do know what I am talking about. I do know what it takes to win these things, and I won't be a one trick pony. I have a dream of my own for that matter. More than just redeeming my name, it's to claim that crown, two different times... in two different companies."

She smiles, obviously liking the sound of that.

"See, I've done it before. I know it won't be the same, not in general. I am facing entirely different people... but the idea, the way to get there, it does not change. It brings me back to my point, I had a couple of early round matches in that other one, matches realistically I was expected to win, opponents that were not expected to beat me. I did not go into those matches like that though, I did not play it safe and overlook them. I went at them as if they was the biggest threats in the tournament, not giving them even the slightest chance at an upset."

She shakes her head slightly before continuing.

"So, while I do not blame Katie or anyone who may see that burnt out woman from last year, who lost all passion and drive. I do not blame you for overlooking her, but when it comes to the Queen of the Ring tournament, I do not advise it, I do not advise you overlook anyone if you want to win it all."

She pauses for a moment, thinking about how she wants to place her words.

"That's the only real advice I can give you ladies. If you want to overlook me, because of my lackluster performance last year, that's fine. Just don't expect to be taking home that crown. I promise you this... if you do that, you will learn the same valuable lesson Katie is about to learn."

She keeps a serious look at the camera.

"When it's driven... when it's passionate... It's true."

She smirks slightly.

"You Simply Can't... Beat The Addiction."

She smirks and drops her head as the room turns to darkness around her, ending the scene.