Post by Betsy Gallagher on Mar 25, 2022 21:01:45 GMT -5
MARRIOTT CANCUN RESORT
CANCUN, MEXICO
PARADISE BEACH AND NIGHTLIFE HEART
A few hours after the show, Betsy Gallagher is seen storming out of the building's main lobby. To say that she had been looking forward to her match with Elena Dedraca, a fellow British wrestler, was an understatement. After her two title losses, it should have happened. For their country. For her own sake. Win or lose, it would have made Betsy feel the fire again, the flames of competition, something that has been waning in her since those successive losses. Feeling like she had let her country down, her fans down, for two consecutive title matches, in a span of a few months, weeks even, was not something she liked the taste of. It reminded her a lot of her own childhood, never being seen as an equal to her brothers, most of all Charles. Was her parents right? Was everyone right? Was she forever bound and limited to stay within Charles' shadow? Be the least successful Gallagher?
"Betsy." A harrowing figure, towering almost, called out for her calmly.
"Isaac? What in the Queen's name are you doing here?" Betsy gave him one quick look but did not stop moving, dragging her bags along her way. Although she did not intend to sound so cold and callous, the negative feelings from being deprive of her match with Elena Dedraca, an opportunity to once again inspire the British Isles, made it so. "What do you want?"
"Ah, Oscar actually." The man did not care, however, and calmly followed Betsy on her way out of the building, even holding the door for her, even though there was no emotion on his face, as if he could not even be bothered to show care or offense. "A new year always primes us to take on a new name."
"This really isn't a good time."
Oscar ignored that statement and instead continued. "I've seen all your matches--from your dark match debut against Rapture at Seasons Beatings in New York to your last one at Hartford. I'm not counting this one because I didn't see you wrestle, if only win the match."
"Like I said, Oscar," there was venom in that emphasis, that much was obvious. "This really isn't a good time. Please cut to the chase or I will leave you here and never look back."
"I wouldn't advise that," Oscar just gave her a pensive look. "You should talk to Charles. I assure you he will have more lessons to teach."
Betsy wasn't quite sure why Oscar, an old training buddy at the Gallagher Wrestling Academy, had suddenly popped up here in Mexico, so far away from home. She wasn't quite sure why Oscar, whom Charles had discarded as a training partner early on in their careers, was suggesting she talk to her brother to learn more, as if she hadn't already. She was, however, sure, that for whatever reason, she should definitely give Charles a piece of her mind. Finally. After all these years. He should know the pressure he had always forced her under, even if he never intentionally did. Perfect Charles and his perfect family, perfect wrestling career, perfect face. She was proud to have him as her brother but she couldn't say the same to the baggage she had to endure just because of that fact.
"You know what? I'd love to."
GALLAGHER ACADEMY
UNITED KINGDOM
MAIN HALL
UNITED KINGDOM
MAIN HALL
"You're just in time to see him!" Betsy's sister-in-law welcomed her back to the premises with open arms, even running towards her with glee. There were no random guests around to impress, so she was able to be herself, not the snooty princess she had to play during those things. "He's on his way out--he said there's an emergency!"
"What? An emergency?" Betsy quickly broke off from the hug, not wanting to prolong that intimacy. She was more interested in whatever's going on with Charles at the moment.
It didn't take them long to reach his room, with her sister-in-law leading her through the ever so familiar halls before leaving them alone to discuss whatever it was they needed to discuss. The lady at least knew her place and never overstepped. Betsy knew the same and returned the kindness whenever she could. This time, however, kindness was not on her mind, not for her brother. "Hello, Charles."
"Betsy! You're back? Are you all right?" He was putting on his ring gear underneath his clothes, specifically fixing his gloves. "I've seen that look before. We were 8, and my turtle died. What's wrong?"
Betsy wasn't quite sure what to make of it, the whole wrestling emergency being an actual emergency for Charles, but watching him stand there right in front of a portrait of them three, her and Charles and even Ricky, it made her realize some things can wait. Some things can be endured for a little longer. At least until he returned from whatever this emergency was supposed to be.
"Nothing...nothing at all." She approached him and started helping him get ready. "I never expect to see my old married brother all dressed up in his wrestling gear outside of a ring these days."
Charles smiled. "I've been called to substitute for Steven. I mean, the British Bulldozer. Seems he got himself into a jam just a few hours before his match. He's like family, a graduate of the academy. Have to save his face for him."
"That's why I'm here--you're always saving everyone, always wrestling when you don't need to." Betsy heaved a sigh, looking Charles straight in his eyes. "I was encouraged by Isaac, well, he's Oscar now, to come talk to you. I think I need you to teach me some more."
"Pardon me, Isaac, I mean Oscar, started speaking to a Gallagher again? After all these years?"
"People change, Charles," Betsy shrugged. "We learn from our mistakes, adapt and become better."
"Anyway, I'm going with you."
"What?! Well, that's new--"
"Knock it off--I'm serious." Betsy glared at Charles. "I need this. I don't want to spend the next few days before my next match sulking in my room. I can learn so much from watching you wrestle live. At least let your sister try and learn from your mistakes."
"Bets." Charles heaved a sigh, though a smile appeared on his lips. "If you think I'll let you come with me, drag you to an arena when you've just arrived home, even though it'll smell like sweat and piss..." He then took a knee in front of her, a gesture of acceptance and, well, honor. "...there's nothing more noble. I'd be honored to have you at ringside."
"For the Academy."
"For the Academy."
[END]
"What? An emergency?" Betsy quickly broke off from the hug, not wanting to prolong that intimacy. She was more interested in whatever's going on with Charles at the moment.
It didn't take them long to reach his room, with her sister-in-law leading her through the ever so familiar halls before leaving them alone to discuss whatever it was they needed to discuss. The lady at least knew her place and never overstepped. Betsy knew the same and returned the kindness whenever she could. This time, however, kindness was not on her mind, not for her brother. "Hello, Charles."
"Betsy! You're back? Are you all right?" He was putting on his ring gear underneath his clothes, specifically fixing his gloves. "I've seen that look before. We were 8, and my turtle died. What's wrong?"
Betsy wasn't quite sure what to make of it, the whole wrestling emergency being an actual emergency for Charles, but watching him stand there right in front of a portrait of them three, her and Charles and even Ricky, it made her realize some things can wait. Some things can be endured for a little longer. At least until he returned from whatever this emergency was supposed to be.
"Nothing...nothing at all." She approached him and started helping him get ready. "I never expect to see my old married brother all dressed up in his wrestling gear outside of a ring these days."
Charles smiled. "I've been called to substitute for Steven. I mean, the British Bulldozer. Seems he got himself into a jam just a few hours before his match. He's like family, a graduate of the academy. Have to save his face for him."
"That's why I'm here--you're always saving everyone, always wrestling when you don't need to." Betsy heaved a sigh, looking Charles straight in his eyes. "I was encouraged by Isaac, well, he's Oscar now, to come talk to you. I think I need you to teach me some more."
"Pardon me, Isaac, I mean Oscar, started speaking to a Gallagher again? After all these years?"
"People change, Charles," Betsy shrugged. "We learn from our mistakes, adapt and become better."
"Anyway, I'm going with you."
"What?! Well, that's new--"
"Knock it off--I'm serious." Betsy glared at Charles. "I need this. I don't want to spend the next few days before my next match sulking in my room. I can learn so much from watching you wrestle live. At least let your sister try and learn from your mistakes."
"Bets." Charles heaved a sigh, though a smile appeared on his lips. "If you think I'll let you come with me, drag you to an arena when you've just arrived home, even though it'll smell like sweat and piss..." He then took a knee in front of her, a gesture of acceptance and, well, honor. "...there's nothing more noble. I'd be honored to have you at ringside."
"For the Academy."
"For the Academy."
[END]