Edda Wilcox

Five years ago, Edda is seen at her childhood home in Texas. It seems an estate sale is going on with prices on all of the furniture and appliances in her childhood home. Her father had just recently died. The death certificate said heart attack which made sense as he was a heavy drinker but Edda didn’t believe it. He had been fine and Edda had only recently reconnected to him. He had encouraged her as her punk band had achieved some modicum of success after years earlier downplaying her chances. Edda is standing in the foyer looking at an old record player that had belonged to her father. Her mom comes up holding a cigarette.

Mom: You should take that. He’d have wanted you to have it.

Edda: I don’t want it.

Mom: Are you sure? You always liked listening to records with him growing up.

Edda: Yeah well I can’t now can I!

Mom: It’s ok, you’re still grieving. I’ll set this aside for you, and his record collection.

Edda: I said I don’t want it!

Edda runs out of the room and out the front door, not wanting her mom to see her crying.

Clink!

They were at a fancy restaurant. Edda felt out of place. She was sure the other customers at the restaurant looked at her and disapproved. That didn’t bother her all by itself, it was the fact that she agreed with them. This wasn’t the place for her, she’d be more comfortable in a dive bar, such as Pleasant Jack’s. But Grimjack wanted to take the team out for dinner to celebrate.

Grimjack: I propose a toast!

They all joined their glasses of wine together. Grimjack, Edda, and their new recruits Devon and Andy. Two new fighters Grimjack had started training in their back room dojo.

Grimjack: To all the recent success we’ve had. To those who wish us well and to the rest they can go to . . .

Grimjack paused for a moment.

Grimjack: Well anyway. To more success in 2022!

Devon and Andy didn’t get it but Edda knew he was probably going to say the rhymed word hell but stopped himself because of recent issues with a group he thought was Satanic in some ways, although Edda disagreed. It was still awkward because she would love to put that behind her, even unspoken words meant something.

Grimjack: To Edda’s success in IIW! To Devon and Andy here, who are starting their training. Starting their journey. To myself, because deciding to give back to teach the new generation has been the best decision I have made in years.

Edda: Thanks, but I haven’t had much success yet.

Devon: Edda, you really have! Watching you at the Ice Crown tournament is what made me want to learn Grimjack’s fighting style! Sure you didn’t win the entire thing but you did beat Denise Dimarco.

Edda: Thanks . . .

Edda was a little annoyed by Devon. She sensed he had a crush on her but that wasn’t something she wanted right now. And he was too young. She wasn’t sure how old he was but seemed to be early 20s. And Grimjack’s group was now growing at a time when she wasn’t sure she wanted to be involved in it anymore, so him joining because of her was not something she wanted to encourage or be responsible for.

Andy: It’s the same for me. You’re the best up and coming wrestler on First Class and that inspired me.

Grimjack: Well guys, don’t get too excited. Nothing wrong with being trained in how to fight. How to defend yourself. I’ll teach you the secret submission moves but remember, nothing in life is guaranteed. Just because Edda is finding success doesn’t mean IIW will be knocking down the doors to hire you guys.

Edda tried to stifle a laugh. If Devon and Andy thought they might be hired by IIW they were in for a rude awakening. Being in the Ice Crown tournament and watching all of the matches was a quick lesson for Edda on the men’s side of IIW and how fierce they were. There were guys with years of experience who would make short work of two new guys who hadn’t even been training for a month yet. But then again Edda knew that at one time she was a novice who had no idea what she was doing so she knew it would be a bad look to negate their chances. It’d take years of study though and it for sure wasn’t the time right now to even discuss the possibility. Devon was a total newb but she had to admit Andy was a little further along. A large brute of a man at 6’6 and 280 pounds with a tatooed bald head, he had worked as a bouncer at numerous bars before being hired by Grimjack at his, and had approached Grimjack about being trained when he first learned about what he was teaching Edda. He might have a chance some day but of course being able to beat up loud obnoxious drunks was not the same as taking on experienced wrestlers.

Grimjack: Let’s enjoy our dinner because tomorrow it’s back to training and I don’t intend to make it easy. And Edda, you have a match tomorrow. Feeling ready?

Edda: Ready as I’ll ever be.

Grimjack: Ready for Lauren Edwards?

Edda: Yeah, I said I was ready.

Devon: We’ll be cheering you on! I think you got this.

It was a little weird to talk like this about her match. It felt like small talk. Edda had trained with Grimjack the past few weeks getting ready for the match. Going over Lauren’s moves, watching footage of her matches, looking at what to look out for. But Grimjack hadn’t tried to talk to her again about the Left Hand, not since their argument in the coffee shop in London. She wasn’t sure if he was worried that kicking the beehive would hasten her joining that group and leaving his, or if he had changed his mind and thought it was a good idea. Maybe he thought he could manipulate her to join them as some sort of double agent without knowing it and get her to betray them later? Edda was all too aware that Grimjack had once told her that wrestling was 90% mind games. That a match was won or lost before it started. Was he trying to play mind games on her? She could play that game too.

Edda: Well if all goes to plan and I win this match then I should get a shot at the EVO title!

Grimjack: Right, that’s how the business goes, you can win that and then and only then can you ask for a pay raise.

Edda: Yup, that’s the name of the game, wins and success lead to money! Haha!

Edda raised her glass and everyone knew that meant she was making a toast. As they waited for the food they ordered to come out Edda continued with the disingenuius small talk and faked laughing as she drank her wine, which she hated the taste of. If this was Grimjack’s mind games she’d go along with it. She doubted he liked this fancy place either. It was likely for the benefit of Devon and Andy, to make them think Grimjack had money. To then get them to spread the word to their friends and get them to sign up for the dojo as well. Edda wasn’t against Grimjack making money but she didn’t like feeling like she was being used. But in any event now was not the time to do anything about it. Not until she did get that raise in pay, and did get that championship.

The scene goes to where Edda is being dropped off by an Uber driver. She was at Griffith Park on the outskirts of Los Angeles. She thought this would be a good place for a promo. It was the opposite of that annoying and expensive restaurant. Just like being in the snow covered countryside of England she liked being out in nature where her thoughts were clearer. And she had a lot on her mind. As she walked down the landscaped path holding her phone out in front of her she tried to make her intentions clear.

Edda: Lauren Edwards . . . why do I keep getting put in matches against rich, spoiled brats. Denise Dimarco was the same. Now Denise was an “influencer” and she was more worried about getting likes on social media than training for our match so I made short work of her.

Edda takes a deep breath of the smoggy air.

Edda: Lauren, we met before in a battle royal at Madison Square Garden. You may recall that I kicked your ass in that. Sure neither of us won but I still wonder what you were even thinking entering into that. That was in November and you haven’t been seen since. Suffer an injury? Just scared? Will you even show up for our match tomorrow? I hope you do. I don’t want this to be easy on me. Because one of my problems right now, and the reason I lost to Alessia at the Ice Crown, is I have not had a real challenge, besides Alessia of course. But that is what I need. Because after this number one contender match, I’m going to need to finish my business and beat the EVO champion for that belt. I’m not doing this just to mess around. And yeah that champion might be Alessia, if she ends up defeating Ada Pierce by then. In fact it probably will be. And I’m not looking to lose again. So please Lauren, show up, and give me a challenge. I want you to hit me in my mouth! I want you to knock me down and I want you to hit your Incantation brainbuster move on me. Yeah I’ve studied up. Nice move, but I’ll kick out of it if you hit it. I can take a bigger bump than that. So go for it. Please, give me a reason. I’ll hit you with a burning hammer. Should I change the name? I think you might as well call the Incantation a brainbuster. Is an incantation a spell? Alessia and the Left Hand might know about that. Magic is real no doubt, but a hammer is a real thing and it can really hurt.

As Edda keeps talking she comes to a fork in the path. There is a sign showing that one way goes up a set of stairs to the Griffith Observatory, another path down towards the Bronson Caves below. After pausing for a few seconds Edda starts walking up the path to the left, up the stairs.

Edda: Speaking of Alessia, now I was sorry to see you lose to Ada Pierce at the end of the tournament. I figured if someone was good enough to beat me surely they would win the whole thing. I think you should get another shot at Ada because it was a close fought match. You should also get a shot at the Premier World Title. Because you already beat the champion! I guess the EVO title might as well be called the top belt in IIW though because Ada won the Ice Crown tournament and I think we can all agree that was for the real top spot of IIW. Which yes, I did not win. Alessia, you won and beat me fair and square so you are the superior wrestler on paper. Fair play.

As Edda walks up the steps she looks out over the canyon below. It was January in Los Angeles so the temperature was just a perfect 70 degrees. Walking up such a long flight of stairs was strenuous but Edda was in peak physical condition.

Edda: I’d like to discuss a business proposition Alessia. So our deal was I’d join the Left Hand. Were you authorized to make that deal? I’d follow what I agreed to but how much of this is official? You’re tagging with Robin against some . . . competitors. I’m sure you don’t need help but I’ll be at ringside to give you support if you want. Sometimes people try to interfere in matches, I’ll make sure they don’t. I don’t know, the way Ice Crown ended, maybe Ada, or Solace Tatum might want to take their frustrations out on you. Maybe not, like I said I don’t think you or Robin will have much of a problem with this tag match, but things might change in future matches against real competition. Who knows. Well I will have your back if you want it because I gave my word. But then of course the deal would be the Left Hand has my back in my matches. I don’t think I’ll need it against Lauren but who knows. I just hate the idea of losing a match and not making my money because some fool with a vendetta decides to interfere. If I lose on my own, due to my own short comings, then so be it.

As Edda reaches the top of the stairs and sees the Observatory 100 yards away she stops.

Edda: I just have one small request. I’d like to talk to your boss.