Liberation: Episode Seventy-Six, July 4th, 2022

BACKSTAGE
#TheSociety stands backstage with Becky and Seth each holding a tag title over their shoulders. Becky's 'little sister' Fantasia was behind Balfour, as was Dex Morant, while Warren Corbett stood next to Lawless. Becky was wearing a red white and blue themed gear with a black X across the middle on the top and matching bottoms. Seth, meanwhile, was in orange. 

BECKY BALFOUR: Freedom for some, isn't freedom for all. 

Seth nods along with a smug smirk on his face. 

BECKY BALFOUR: And Freedom is never free. This country was built on the backs of hard workers having things taken from them. The men and women that bled for this country, were buried without headstones while others took credit for everything. THAT...is our reality. Liberty was built on the backs of #TheSociety but as people have come and gone over the years, the one consistent is that the foundation we laid, is as strong as it's ever been. While others take credit for Liberty's success, we are the ones left in the dark. 

Becky traces a finger over the black X on her gear. 

BECKY BALFOUR: Tonight, two women plan on TAKING our tag team championships. They will be lead to the ring by a woman who is so hell bent on taking Warren's championship back that she forgot what is important to her. Her family had a terrible misfortune recently, and instead of being there for them, she's choosing to be here. Why? Because she wants to make sure that her big, ugly face is on tv. Fame and fortune are valued over family...like so many Americans who are using todays 'holiday' as an excuse to get drunk, Ant thinks that showing up to the show will somehow give her two friends the momentum they need to knock us off, but we all know better. Unlike Ant, we ARE focused on family, why is why we have been the most dominant tag team champions this company has ever seen. We put OUR goals and OUR needs over our wants. We work together as one, and we're divided never. We take in those that are lost in the world...and we embrace them with open arms. 

Becky looks back to Fantasia and Dex Morant, who locks hands in solidarity while nodding at their bright haired mouthpiece. 

BECKY BALFOUR: Girls, Ant is leading the lambs to slaughter tonight, and you're too foolish to realize it. But there's still time. Instead of walking to the ring with the intentions on taking what's ours, you have the opportunity to join us. Kneel before me in the ring, show your loyalty and be spared...or, suffer the same fate as every team that has come before you. 

SETH LAWLESS: Or the same fate as another family. Hey Ant!

Lawless and Corbett chuckle as Becky grins menacingly into the camera. 

BECKY BALFOUR: Freedom...isn't free. 

Static cuts into the feed as black 'fireworks' designs cut into the feed and then bleed into a red, blood like substance before fading away as Becky's 'Hear Me Out' scream is heard.

BACKSTAGE
The concessions stand! There’s all sorts - food, drinks, and a bunch of T-shirts for all of your favourite (and not so favourite) Liberty Pro stars! But amongst the Antoinette, TJ Techniques and Society merch, we join none other than the new combined force of Brianna Leigh Clark and Emery Layton, sitting up on the table with their legs dangling over the sides because the table is large and they smol.

We find them both in deep thought until - ah! Em snaps her fingers.

Emery Layton: EmBriO!

Brianna Clark: Like ‘embryo’. Like a baby.

Emery Layton: Yeah! Em. Bri. Oh. Ah, no wait. No. No, we can’t call ourselves that. Sounds daft, I’ll keep thinking.

Em sniffs up, loudly and pats her pockets.

Brianna Clark: You still have that cold?

Emery Layton: Ahh, I think it’s allergies or something, got no tissues. Ooh, hang on. Next best thing, though!

Em reaches across the table for a shirt and with a big grin, she engulfs the shirt with a big, exaggerated blow of her nose, full-on throwing her face into it before exhaling loudly. Finally holding it out, we can now see that it was, in fact, a Society T-shirt. Looking at her handiwork, she chucks it over her shoulder.

Emery Layton: Yeah, that got it.

Bri casually pulls a card out of her fanny pack and hands it over to the cashier with a wicked little grin before she turns towards Emery.

Brianna Clark: What if someone wanted to buy that…

Emery Layton: Ah don’t worry, there’s still loads of them left.

She pauses, her face going right into that expression where you struggle not to laugh and totally fail, but still, and she waves her hand before bursting out laughing, for a bit longer than she should.

Brianna Clark: Well that’s a given. I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen anybody wear one.

A sigh as she gets the last of that laughter out, and looks through a pile of other shirts, presumably to actually buy one.

Brianna Clark: It’s not easy to get one of these that fits right, you know? All the flexing in the world doesn’t fix tiny shirt …anyway. Yeah don’t worry, we’ll keep thinking of things, we’ll get a good name, it can’t be worse than EAL-BLC Express. What was I even thinking with that?

A smirk before she hands the shirts she picked over, and puts her hands on her hips. Tipping her head a bit towards Emery, a sly look on her face now.

Brianna Clark: I mean, it’s not The Inspired. Which, I’m really curious about.

Emery Layton: I dunno, I quite like that name. Looks good on a shirt.

Brianna Clark: Okay, but why is that? I get there’s some sort of weird workout nutrition cult attached, right? Or something. I can’t imagine it being something else, not really religious, but… I don’t know. What about it, Em? What inspires you?

Emery Layton: Bit of a loaded question, mate. Tell you what, though, I think that Ricky Rodriguez guy, he’s got something. Y’know what I learned the other day when I did a little bit of a Google? Dude’s been wrestling a year. Just a year! I was wrestling in a mask on camp site shows a year into my career and here he is wrestling on a national level, matches broadcast on the telly in a place like Liberty Pro. So dude’s gotta be good, yeah? And that makes me curious just how good, know what I mean? I gotta see it. I gotta be there. So what inspires me, Brianna, is curiosity. What about you? What inspires Brianna Leigh Clark to get outta bed in the morning?

She got her card back and took the bag with the shirts before answering, giving herself a little time to think about it. A nudge of her shoulder against Emery’s first though.

Brianna Clark: See, that’s a great answer. I think I’m tipped a little more towards his end of the experience pool, when I think that way. But you know, there’s times it’s a struggle to do that. Get up, keep going, days I’d rather just skip the gym, but these guns got to grow. Inspiration though, for a long time and I’ve admitted this, it was spite. I was full of “I’m going to show that guy” and that’s what inspired me. Getting good enough to take him out. Then I realised that’s not so healthy, and I started remembering why I wanted to do this in the first place. So…I looked around, and decided I wanted to be inspired by hanging around the people that are just enjoying being able to. Like you, not to be all sappy and junk, but it gave me a whole new outlook.

A distinct pause, and her lips twitch, as if she’s holding in a grin again.

Brianna Clark: What do you think Em? Think that’ll get soundbites and vid clipped to death? But true or not, you know what inspires me? Thinking about those 2 am pancakes we get when we’re on the road. They just hit different, don’t they?

Emery Layton: They DO hit different, just like WE hit different. And the only thing that’s gotta worry about being clipped tonight is Ricky and Marisol, right round the ears! We might be the Team With No Name and we don’t have all of the aesthetic bits and bobs sorted yet, but don’t use that to underestimate us as a team! We showed up and showed out last week, we’re gonna do it again this week against the Inspired! It don’t matter to us if you been doing this a week, a month or a year, we’ll take on anybody who steps between these ropes and says ‘hey- Em, Bri, come get some’. We’re spoiling to be the top team in this entire division, and we’re not gonna stop until everybody’s knocking at our door. Curiosity, spite, whatever it is. We’re bringing it all with us and taking over this division, and THAT, my people, is inspired.

Brianna of course is fired up by this and smiles wide, a clear ‘hell yeah we are’ before she holds up her hand for a high five from her partner before the cameras cut away.

BACKSTAGE
Standing by is none other than The Funky Technician himself, TJ Techniques. In another place and time, and on today of all days, TJ Techniques would be standing here with the Freedom Championship across his shoulder. But this isn't another place and time. Today is today and TJ is currently without a championship while the belt that he took to another level is currently being held captive somewhere in Canada by Blyss Lockhart. The former champion looks ready to compete for his match against Scotty Latimer. But before he steps through those curtains, he's got an important question to ask.

TJ Techniques: If I were to ask you what today is, you'd probably look at me like I was crazy. "Of course we know what today is Teej, it's the 4th of July. It's Independence Day!" Now, while today may be the 4th of July and while today might be Independence Day, the REAL cause for celebration... is the fact that this is the 24th day that Lily Callaghan has been out of a job!

TJ smirks.

TJ Techniques: Oh what, you thought I was gon' stop bein' petty? What, you thought I was gon' cut her some slack? Maybe feel sorry for her? For what? She made several bad bets and in the end, it finally caught up to her. Why would I cut her some slack when she never cut people like myself, Sparrow and Emery any slack? Stop bein' petty? Nah, never. That woman could drop dead tomorrow and I wouldn't feel once ounce of sorrow. Hell, I'd show up to the funeral just to pop-lock while they lowered her ass into the ground. To hell with her and anyone that supported here.

TJ takes a second or two before switching to the next topic.

TJ Techniques: Now that we've got the obligatory Lily hate out of the way, let's get down to business. Family, I'm still ridin' that high from Battle Symphony. I'm still ridin' that momentum from when me and the rest of Team Jade gave Team Lily the beatin' of a lifetime. I road that wave of momentum into the last show, when me and Jack Graves went one on one for the first time. We went out there, we scrapped, we gave the people a show. But in the end, it was yours truly that got that hand raised and the same will be said tonight.

TJ points directly at the camera.

TJ Techniques: Scotty Latimer, I've got nothin' against you. You fight. You fight like hell. Like Jack, you got that dog in you and I respect that. The difference between you and Jack is that Jack only knew me by reputation. He only know what he saw on TV. But you? You know first hand just how I get down. You know first hand just how good I am. There's no Emery Layton involved in the match this time around. There's no steel cage that we're locked inside of. But for you, my man, the second verse will be the same as the first. You are just another obstacle that's in my way. You are standin' in the way of me gettin' to the top of Liberation. I ain't got nothin' against you. It's nothin' but respect on this side. But I must run through you to get to where I need to get to. It's a simple as that. If you take offense to that? Then that sounds like a "Scotty Latimer" problem, not a "TJ Techniques" problem. You feel me? Tonight, we're gon' go out there and do what we do best. For you sake, I hope you took heed of my words when I told people to Peep The Technique. I hope that you've learned from the last time because if you haven't, Scotty, then tonight ain't gon' be a good night for you. Not in the slightest...

BACKSTAGE
A video package plays, with Melissa Reeves shown watching her recent Liberty Wrestling matches. She speaks as a voice over, even as the clips flicker from match to match.

Melissa: “Respect. It’s a funny word. So many of us want it, some demand it, a few just expect it. How many of us truly earn it?”

Cue a shot from last show, with Melissa receiving a chair to the back during her match against Atticus Cassian, courtesy of Sunday K. Love. Reeves scoffs.

Melissa: “No respect given there. Now they will get none in turn. I’ve met many people in this industry, and I’ve made enemies before. You know what my enemies all share in common?”

She turns away from the TV and talks to the camera directly now.

Melissa: “I vanquished them all.”

A small smirk forms.

Melissa: “I’ll deal with those two idiots later. Tonight is about Tyson Gregory, a guy I know pretty well. He’s been doing this for a while, just like I have. Not as long as me, but still. He’s a successful guy, too. Not as successful as me, but you get the idea.”

She shrugs.

Melissa: “Point is, I know he’s a reckless jerk sometimes, but I know him. So, Tyson, all I ask is one simple thing. Bring me your best, no BS and no excuses. I expect better of you than I get from the likes of Atticus assclown and his dipshit bimbo. Don’t disappoint me.”

End.

BACKSTAGE

The scene cuts backstage where Tyson Gregory is seen in his ring gear, pacing a bit before his upcoming match.

Tyson Gregory: The top pick… Miss number one for Liberty Pro, Mel Reeves. We’ve been doing this whole song and dance for a while now haven’t we? Running in similar circles, being in companies with close ties. Never really gone full bore at each other though, never really a war against each other.

He rubs his chin for a moment.

Tyson Gregory: Last show wasn’t exactly your grandest moment either huh? Hate when people that shouldn’t be involved do with matches. You should see some of the bullshit I’ve had to deal with over in Valiant. But at least you’re not a big cry baby like most of the over there. Imagine going on about how someone is your close friend and then you have an emotional breakdown when they beat you.

He kind of shrugs and smiles.

Tyson Gregory: Regardless of all that, I know I gotta kick it up in this match cause you’re the top pick of Liberty for a reason. You’ve won multiple titles here and hey, you deserve it. But my job? My job is to kick you from that spot and put myself there. You know me, I can be a nice guy… Sometimes. But I can also be one bad son of a bitch if I have to be… Don’t make me have to be Mel, cause despite us being friends and you finding me really handsome, I will put myself into that gear and kick your head off if I gotta.

He winks at the camera.

Tyson Gregory: See you out there girlie!

BACKSTAGE
We’re backstage, and Warren has left the other members of #TheSociety to travel down to the craft services area. His head is held high and the Liberty Championship is on his shoulder. He picks up a water bottle off a table, and turns around into a couple of police officers. He nods to them, expecting to walk passed without a second thought.

Officer 1: Excuse me sir, are you Warren Corbett?

Warren Corbett: That’s funny

Warren repositioned the championship on his shoulder, in a way that showed it off to the cops. He assumed they were yanking his chain in some way, thus he continued walking. In response, the second officer stepped in, placing a hand on Warren’s shoulder.

Officer 2: Sir, we’re going to need you to come with us.

This did make Warren stop, believing now that this may be something serious.

Warren Corbett: Come with you where?

He turned to face the officers, putting a clear annoyed tone into his voice but trying not to be combative. He arched an eyebrow at them.

Officer 1: The Sands family has pressed charges regarding breaking and entering, assault, and a few others. You’re going to need to come with us right now.

Warren rolled his eyes, not fully believing just yet that Mr. Sands had really pressed any sort of charges against him. He was a former wrestler after all, he knew how it was. Though, he thought it possible that Antoinette had something to do with it. But naturally it didn’t happen to her, it happened to him, so the charges would come from James Sands not Antionette.

Warren Corbett: This is bullshit!

One of the officers got out his cuffs and inched towards Warren, grabbing him by his wrist. This caused an automatic response to tense up and back away.

Officer 2: We don’t want any trouble Mr. Corbett, just follow the laws and if you’re innocent you’ll be free in no time. Until then, we need to put you in these cuffs.

He forced himself into using his better judgment, succumbing to the control of the officer as he put Warren’s hands behind his back, cuffing him. Of course he tightened them a bit.

Warren Corbett: Iis this really necessary?

Corbett shook his head, beyond annoyed that this was happening to him.

Officer 1: Afraid so.

The Officer then took the Liberty Championship off Warren’s shoulder, which again, almost had Warren headbutting with his hands behind his back.

Officer 2: Easy Mr. Corbett, I’ll see that your family get hold of this. I know they’re in the warehouse here tonight.

Warren Corbett: Yeah you better!

They began to lead him down the hallway, and passed any and every wrestler that happened to be walking by. Lots of eyes and whispers, including Dex Morant who was coming after Warren. In seeing this, Dex went into alert mode.

Dex Morant: Warren?! What the hell-?!

Warren Corbett: Don’t worry Dex, this is all a bunch of horeshit. I’ll be out before the Tag title defense tonight. You just take this and make sure they’re ready.

One of the officer’s shoved the Liberty Championship into Dex’s chest, and he grasped it with both hands, bewildered and confused. Morant stayed as the officers continued walking him down the hall, out into the parking lot and placed him in the back of a cop car before the scene faded. Warren presumably being carted off for the night.

BACKSTAGE
It’s the night of Liberation live from the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia, PA and we are joined inside the ring by the former Liberty Champion, Antoinette. “Killin It” by Krewella is blasting throughout the arena as the fans are cheering and chanting their girl, but Antoinette is seen pacing back and forth in the ring. She isn’t dressed in her gear as she isn’t scheduled to compete tonight, but the look on her face looks like she has a lot to say.

ANTOINETTE: “Cut my music…please….pretty please cut my music!”

The sweet voice of Antoinette shouts out as her music is lowered. She purses her lips as she stands in the center of the ring, looking into the audience for confidence as she starts to speak.

ANTOINETTE: “Last week was without a doubt the worst week of my life. I thought it was going to be good…I thought it was going great! I had beat Seth…”

The crowd pops in cheers as Antoinette smirks, nodding her head before looking up.

ANTOINETTE: “I was supposed to have my moment to talk about everything that happened and the fallout of losing my championship…but what Warren and Seth had planned? It was something that only nightmares could be made of. That’s exactly how it felt! A bad…bad dream.”

She lets out a sigh as she starts to pace back and forth again.

ANTOINETTE: “They got the better of me..they were one step ahead. They took it to a place I never thought anyone would ever take it, and that is partially on me for not taking their brutal malicious ways seriously. They have made it their mission since I stuck my nose in the Liberty Championship scene to destroy me at any costs possible…and this time? My own Father had to deal with the consequences. My Father…a well respected athlete on his own, was attacked in his own home unwarranted, by those two bullies! They took advantage of him in a vulnerable state and assaulted him! And for what? To scare me? To shake me up? To get me to leave and cry and back away from something you STOLE from my hard work? You both went way too far to send a message to me. I could NEVER in a MILLION years do what you two did to him but there’s SEVERAL differences between us! Warren, I’m standing here in this ring tonight to tell you I got your message loud…and clear.”

Antoinette looks out to the fans, making eye contact with one young girl in the audience wearing an “ANTNATION” t shirt. As their eyes meet, Antoinette drops to her knees in the center of the ring looking into the cameras.

ANTOINETTE: “You want me gone? You want me to back away from the Liberty Championship? YOU WANT ME TO GIVE UP TO YOU??”

Antoinette shouts, unleashing anger she’s had pent up and waiting to come out.

ANTOINETTE: “You knew exactly what would get to me and in my head because you know how much family means to me. I would do anything for the ones that I love..even if it meant giving up something that I loved.”

Antoinette bows her head down low, the fans booing for a moment as the former Champion looks defeated. Her spirits look low, and the little girl from the front row starts to shed a tear as her idol looks just about ready to give in.

ANTOINETTE: “And as much as part of me thought that…that’s exactly what I should do, the fighter in me slapped some freaking SENSE into me and made me see that I can’t give up! I can’t give up on principal, for all of you out there believing in me, and most importantly for the very person who taught me at a young age that people like Warren don’t make it very far by being a terrible person! You can do your worst boys…but the fact of the matter is no matter how hard you try to break me? I’ll always come back fighting harder than before! You are so THREATENED by me that you had to go so low as to attack MY FATHER to try to keep me away! You can’t attack my family and expect me not to retaliate, rightfully so! So Warren, you want to cause pain to my family? You want to see me helpless and in pain and agony over not being able to help the ones I love? Warren, I’m going to REALLY make you scared of me after what you did!”

Antoinette shouts before stomping her feet as she stands back up, the crowd cheering and chanting again as Antoinette shouts over them.

ANTOINETTE: “Warren, I hope you and Seth had a good time laughing at my family’s expense because you’re going to have quite a bit of time to think about the stupid actions you two clowns did! BECAUSE I AM PRESSING CHARGES ON YOU! You want to see helplessness? I’LL SHOW YOU FREAKING HELPLESS!”

Antoinette screams into the microphone as the fans cheer her decision. As she listens to them cheering and chanting, Antoinette nods her head before speaking.

ANTOINETTE: “You pushed…you pushed…and now? You’re about to find out!”

Antoinette says as she tosses the microphone down, the fans cheering as she looks fierce before exiting the ring.