Post by Tamika Strader on Jun 18, 2022 8:12:42 GMT -5
Tamika Strader had one hell of 2021 for 2022 to come along to show her life wasn’t done throwing curve balls at her. When she retired from the ring in September of 2021, along with her big sister vacating the Revolution1 Wrestling tag team championships to having successful disc fusion surgery done under wraps that October, she thought she had seen her last days in the ring after being in a No Contest Trios match for the new Uprising Trios Championships.
“Then January happened….”
Ahh, yes, January. Just after Access Denied, Meghan called her with “the opportunity of a lifetime” and it was a way for Meghan to get closer to Veronica. At first, it was to help bring Victoria back out, but at Luck of the Violent, Veronica fell into the PORTAL-POTTY, and when she came back out a week later for us, she had been gone for four months in her experience. Plus, Victoria somehow miraculously followed out, beyond the separation anyone could’ve hoped for, but it wasn’t for long as Victoria sacrificed herself in the darkest reaches of the NET in the alternate dimension to save Veronica. It was a strange story and nearly impossible to explain without sounding like a wingnut JPD fan on social media.
“Then there was February.”
Who could forget February? It was when Carpe Noctem took place; the show is one big match inside a pyramid death strap called The Great Illuminatus. Meghan and Tamika only took part because OCW was still rebounding from the Purge not even four months before, and it needed bodies with an infamous last name.
“Don’t forget about March. Or was it Smarch? Lousy Smarch weather!”
That’s when one of OCWs saviours would face off against Roach for the OCW Craze Championship; after all, she beat an old tag team rival in Dangerous Dan for the very opportunity to do so and wasn’t going to let it pass her by. She triumphed one month short of the twelve-year anniversary of the Cowgirls From Hell winning their first tag team gold in the same country and city. She beat her big sister to singles glory, something she never expected to do.
“Don’t forget about Holding Out For A Hero. You know, yours and mine.”
Yes, Mark Storm, a man who had been chasing glory within the hallowed halls of OCW but was never able to quite get the job done. The man did everything he could after the OCW roster was stranded on a desert island where a real Lord of the Flies scenario took place, and they had to entertain their leader in a weird purge mask who ordered them to please their deity, Frank the Volcano. Mark damn near ripped her arm right off (out of the socket would have to do), but it wasn’t enough to grab that bright yellow championship from above the ring. Once again, OCW’s Saviour had her hand raised in victory.
“Oh, then I had to face the ghost lady who keeps putting her in my mouth!”
Sadie Ko. Something Tamika had never dealt with before. She really didn’t understand what drove the walking corpse to want to be in the game of wrestling, but our Saviour wasn’t about to let the dead triumph over the living. In OCWs most famous match, The Hazardous Ladder Match, where two ladders were tampered with, and one was good to go. After some close calls, Tamika was able to lay out Sadie Ko with Bitch On The Run on the pile of ladders, was able to climb up and grab what had begun to become her “precious” and would be one step closer to being one of the greatest Craze Champions in the title’s history.
“All the while dealing with a murderous stalker trying to kill my big sister and me. No Bueno!”
The Stalker escaped after his unsuccessful attempt to kill the Cowgirls From Hell and still sits in the shadows, watching and waiting to attack. With Meghan dying a painful death, The Stalker would keep his watch, waiting for the right time to strike when they were most vulnerable. That time isn’t now, but it will eventually come knocking, and tragedy will befall the Strader family.
“A tragedy has already happened in the name of Thaddeus Duke.”
After looking after the people of OCW for months, Marcus Welsh decided to go to an outside source that took 51% ownership and majority control instead of coming to the people who saved the company in the first place. The agreement? Null and void if Strader Incorporated wanted it to be, but they now plan to use it to their advantage and why not? If OCW wasn’t going to show them any loyalty in return, they would do what was best for them instead.
“Which is also good for business. Go figure, amirite? Yeah, I am right, considering we have been the only champions outside of Outcast to actually retain their titles. That’s money, bay-bay!”
For now, after an intense first meeting to move past the original financial agreement, Tamika had to focus on defending her Craze Championship against Lou Pohl’s client, Crash Rodriguez. Crash had beaten out Easton Alexander, the man from North Bay (not Thunder Bay, apparently), and Tamika knew he would be a formidable opponent. Straders might be arrogant, but they underestimated no one and was one of the many reasons they still remained on the tip of people's tongues, whether it was praise or shitting on them. Tamika had pretty much moved into Victoria’s childhood home, where Veronica had insisted on the dying Matriarch to be so she could rest and fight the disease that was eating Meghan Strader from the inside out.
Tamika turned the downstairs of the one-floor home in East-End London, Ontario, into a home gym with everything from free weights, to machines, to a bench press, a cardio bike, and the punching bag she was currently sending lefts and rights into. She didn’t hear Meghan come down the stairs because the elder Strader refused to use the chair lift Cara had installed for her mamabear (don’t worry, the stoner didn’t install it, her man Jake did, and he is very handy) and is startled when Meghan’s voice reaches her ears.
“How was the ride from New York City?” she asked, stifling a cough that was lodged in her throat. It felt like there was always one waiting to come out, and she could taste the metallic iron of blood.
Tamika turns around with a mini-scowl.
“Damn! You are quiet! Yeah, it was a long ride, but it allowed me to clear my head after the meeting with Duke. He’s… an interesting character, that one. Uses his charm and boyish good looks to try and disarm people,” she says with admiration of sorts, which her big sister immediately picks up on.
“Just remember, he might not be a direct enemy to us, but he is far from a friend or one that can be trusted,” she responds; this time, the coughing couldn’t be helped.
Tamika grabs her water bottle and hands it to Meghan as she helps her over to an old beat-up couch along the adjacent wall. She takes down the entire bottle of water. Tamika gently removes a few strands of Meghan’s trademark raven-black hair from her face and smiles sadly.
“I hate seeing you like this. You are supposed to be the head of this family; it was meant for you… not me,” she says softly, her head lowering her gaze to the floor. Meghan’s hand gingerly lifts Tamika’s head by her chin. She smiles at her little sister, who she adores with all her heart.
“Honestly, Meeka, this is what was always supposed to happen. I believe this family has a brighter future with your kindness and loving heart leading the Strader clan into the next chapter. Is it fair I never got to see Cara and Victoria grow up together? No. Is it fair I…” she trails off for a second, stifling the tears that wanted to flow so desperately. “Ahem, is it fair I won’t get to see Clay and Elizabeth grow up? No, it is not, but life isn’t fair, Meeks. You know that.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Meghan gently laughs as she raises her brow and gives a small airy snort.
“Enough of that, *cough, cough* Tell me about your upcoming Craze defence.”
Tamika sighs with a shrug.
“Crash Rodriguez is his name; there’s been a lot of hype around this kid. I mean, he was highly sought after by OCW before the Purge and again after it. Managed by the lawyer turned wrestling agent, and I am fairly sure he changed his name like Jimmy McGill changed his,” she says with a raised brow. Gently shaking her head for a second, she continues, “He really wants me in that ring, as I somehow let them talk me into not walking away from OCW.”
“Meeks, Marcus did a stupid thing; there is no question there about it but leaving OCW isn’t the answer, especially when you are so close to becoming one of the greatest Craze champions in the company’s two-decade existence,” Meghan replies with the goal of putting Tamika’s career before her pride, something every Strader struggled with.
“I was angry. I didn’t want to finance that place, but I did it for you, but somewhere along the ride, I started to see what Victoria and Veronica saw in it. The Proud and The Strong, as it were. I am not so sure I see it like that anymore.”
Meghan purses her lips in thought before responding.
“See, Meeks, that’s the reason you need to stay and why Ronnie does as well. Who gives a shit if Duke, Welsh or even Zybala is in charge? This company became our home quickly, and we can’t abandon it, well, you two can’t. It needs you now more than ever. Get Strader Incorporated out of the equation and negotiate better contracts for the both of you,” her reply is followed by her taking Tamika’s left hand in hers. Tamika laughs.
“Funny you should say that. I told Thaddeus that if he wanted out of the agreement to take Grenier’s contract and double it.”
“Hah, that’s hilarious.”
“Best part is I don’t think he was aware of the ridiculous agreement and is now stuck paying it out,” she can’t help but laugh as Meghan does.
After a minute of laughter, Meghan wipes a tear from her eye.
“See? Walking away from the agreement isn’t so bad when at least stupid contracts like that exist on the books. Honestly, when Issac showed me the numbers last quarter, it was a serious cut in profits. It’s beneficial for us to actually dismiss the financial agreement altogether.”
Tamika nods in agreement.
“I agree. Especially after the settlement with Tre’s family when Welsh fed him to that blasted Portal-Potty. What a nightmare it’s been since April. I would like to be able to focus on any match at hand instead of worrying about the Key Demos and Nielsen Numbers followed by lawsuits from incompetence. I just worry about the staff and talent, including those asshats Lou and Crash, even after the triple-teaming me on last Monday’s Massacre.”
Meghan manages a Strader sneer through the immense pain she was feeling, like every nerve ending was on fire.
“That’s it. You and my kid can focus on your in-ring careers, which helps not just OCW but serves the both of you as well. Forget everyone else. Focus on yourselves, and you continue to show them why this fucking family means something to this industry,” Meghan says with the Strader passion that drives each one of them, but she starts to cough again, and Tamika is up on her feet quickly retrieving her other water bottle as she kneels down in front of her. Meghan finishes the bottle and lets out a sigh of relief. She takes Tamika’s hands in hers as she looks down toward her.
“You need to rest; come on. We can watch some of dad’s old matches from his WIWA days, yeah?”
Tamika stands up, helping Meghan to her feet, taking her upstairs so the former Matriarch can gather her strength. Tamika planned to spend every possible moment with Meghan that she could; no time would be wasted.
