Subject: "The Next Step." Standing Room Only Sun Aug 25, 2024 2:05 pm
“I didn’t get to where I am by turning down challenges. Be it on the streets or in the ring. I’ve preached this from the get go - if you haven’t heard it, listen harder; I fight. Win or lose, I fight. The only person deserving to hold a championship is the best fighter; and that is exactly what I have proven to be.”
“Champion. Defending champion. Longest reigning Prodigy champion. Longest reigning champion, period. It’s about time that the PCW learns to respect James Christ and I’m going to make damn sure that I command the respect of this roster; Standing Room Only is when that begins to take place.”
“See; I’m tired of this championship being used to help newcomers and deadbeats find their way into the company. I mean, look at my last victim - Danielle Page. Such a big mouth for someone who’s ate nothing but loss after loss. And now she looks ahead to, what, an eventual Valor championship match? Bullshit. Danielle should only be looking ahead to see every other opponent I’ve beaten, in the unemployment line. TJ Alexander, hell even my own PRODIGY stablemates Jonah Aspenwall and Lennon Armada. Good choices, Aaron…”
“So I’ve taken steps. I’ve taken steps to erase the stigma that the Prodigy division is the bottom rung by calling you out, Sawyer. I’m tired of every Tom, Dick or Harry from the slums of OnlyFans or Instagram or whatever sideshow calling me out, only for me to embarrass them and send them packing. I took the initiative and I made the challenge to the only person on this roster who can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me as the hottest star PCW has seen recently.”
“You came into the company just weeks after I did and our rise to infamy here in PCW has been identical, and that’s something that no one can look past. You were the first ever Valor champion, I’m the longest reigning Prodigy champion. The only difference is where I lost to Sabertooth and have been salivating, waiting for my chance to get back at him - you beat him. Congratulations, Sawyer - you’ve done one thing I haven’t been able to do. But - to counteract that, I still have a title - and you lost yours to Emmanuelle.”
“I’m not here to pick apart your loss, though. It’s a low route to go, and believe it or not - I actually have some respect for you. That’s why I issued the challenge to you specifically. You are an elite player here in PCW, whether or not anyone believes that. When Aaron came to me and pitched the idea of PRODIGY group, I had my eyes on you. Sure, you leapfrogged the Prodigy division at first and the idea of the group was for the young, promising stars in the industry.”
“We see how far that took off, right?”
“Don’t twist this; this isn’t a love letter or a plea for you to stand with us - it’s a realization. And the realization is that there should have been someone with some experience. Maybe then Jonah and Lennon wouldn’t have flopped and vanished into the abyss. You? You were the last ever Kingdom Pro. Champion! Oh yeah, Sawyer - once I began to get the dirt of this industry under my fingernails, I looked you up. The savior. The hero. The one to rise up and dispose of … whatever trash that was trying to take over. You proved your worth then, you proved your worth here in PCW. You, Sawyer, should have been the one standing next to me the entire time. Aaron made a mistake.”
“But I’m not going to hold it against him. In fact, I’m looking at this as a challenge for myself. Page, Alexander - you can list all of my past victories as a warm up for this ultimate showdown. Who the hell cares about Kash and Sabertooth? That’s a wash for Sabertooth, anyone with a set of eyes could see that. This is the match of the night. This should be the most anticipated showdown of Standing Room Only, and I can guarantee you that everyone will be standing during this match.”
“Am I out of my element in this match, though? Absolutely. I’ve never been in a ladder match, or anything even close to it - while I know Sawyer has a past with match types like this. It’s all a part of proving myself. Up until this point, the biggest challenge I’ve faced was Sabertooth and I fell short. There is no fun, there is no honor, in fighting people that you can very clearly tell are lesser-than you. You don’t get any better by facing those people, and you don’t improve your standing either. You want to move up, you fight and climb your way to the next platform.”
“Sawyer stands on that next platform.”
“That’s why I laid out the challenge. I want to elevate myself and my stock in this industry, and I know Sawyer wants to get back into the ‘champion’ column. I dangled this championship out in front of him, and he took the bait. I said I had respect for what you can do, and have done, in the ring - I don’t respect a man taking a step backward just for an accessory piece, but to each their own. You’re supposed to be a man who the youth of the world can look up to; would you look up to a man who started off middle of the pack, only to climb down to the bottom?”
“I’m fully aware of the status of this championship and what it was designed for. I started out on that level, but now I feel I’ve plateaued. The youth of the world, sure, can relate to us both - but what is the best lesson to teach? To do minimal work and coast or to work your ass off and climb to the highest peak you can reach?”
“Anything less than the latter would be unforgivable.”
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Aaron paced back and forth in his office of the PRODIGY Group location in Los Angeles, California. He hadn’t seen or spoken to Jamison since the last Triumph event and wasn’t sure where his clients head was. There had been some remarks Jamison has made lately that sat uneasy with the agent.
He looked disheveled. His hair was a mess, he had stubble on his normally clean-shaven face and his suit jacket was sloppily thrown over the couch. He marched to his desk, pressing the intercom that connected him directly to his assistant. “Raquel - I need Jamison here, now.”
“I haven’t spoken to him, Sir. But I have called and left numerous messages and texts.” Her voice came through the speaker, a bit uneasy.
“Goddamnit!” Aaron yelled out, now standing stationary at his desk. He turned on his heels and looked at the framed shot of James Christ with the PCW Prodigy championship. With a deep inhale, he walked to the wall where the photo hung, “Okay Jamison. I get it. I was complacent with you - focusing too much on the PRODIGY group. You crave more, you need more.”
Aaron’s head fell. For once he felt failure. He turned back to his desk, pressing the intercom once more, “Raquel. Message Jamison and tell him - whatever he wants, I will work to get done. My number one priority is him. Once again.”
Raquel remained silent on the other end, presumably doing as she was told.
“Valor. World. It will all soon belong to you, James Christ.”
Yesterday at 2:43 pm by 
Subject: "The Next Step." Standing Room Only 
