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blowflyfag · 11 months

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Pro Wrestling Illustrated : May 1995

win, lose, or draw

By Andy Rodriguez

If you want to begin to understand Cactus Jack, don’t watch what he does at a Smoky Mountain card. Keep an eye on him when he’s wrestling in ECW.

When he’s in Smoky Mountain, Jack appears to be a pretty decent guy. In the ring he’s typically reckless, but he is also given to acts of kindness, the most notable one being how he helped turn around the career of Boo Bradley.

Before Jack came to Smoky Mountain, Bradley was a member of Tammy Fytch’s stable. He hadn’t been one for very long, but he had quickly become one of the most hated men in the federation. After Jack arrived, Bradly remained one of the most hated, but that didn’t last long. Jack hasn’t intended to help out anybody, but he decided that Bradley should benefit from his intervention. “There’s a side of Jack that wants to help out young wrestlers,” said Terry Funk, who used to wrestle with Jack in ECW. “He doesn’t like seeing them being taken advantage of. When he saw the situation with Bradley, he must have seen an opportunity to make a difference.”

First, Jack instigated a feud with Bradley and his partner, Chris Candido. Jack convinced Brian Lee, then Tracey Smothers, to be his partner in that effort.

“Sure, I wasn’t sure if I could trust him at first,” said Smothers. “I know the man’s reputation. But he convinced me he was for real. I could see he really wanted to help out this young wrestler. And I surely don’t mind helping anyone cause problems for Tammy Witch!”

In the ring, Cactus was extremely rough on Candido, but even tougher on Bradley. He was attempting to show Bradley that if he didn’t join his camp, he’d be in for beating after beating from him. Apparently, Jack feels the best way to teach man a lesson is to kick the cramp out of him. Also, by beating Boo up night after night, he was showing him what kind of partner he could have if he ditched Fytch.

If Bradley made the correct decision, he wouldn’t have a maniac like Cactus Jack against him; he’d have Jack as a friend.

Bradley got the message. Now he considers Jack more than a friend, he calls him a savior.

“Cactus Jack is a good man,” Bradley, who has never been called a genius, said. “He helped me a lot. He is my friend. He is not a bad man. He is my good friend.”

If the story ended there, I’d gladly start rooting for Cactus myself. I’d try to disregard all the terrible things he’d done in the past and support him in his efforts to clean up wrestling.

I can’t do that, because I also see what’s going on with the man in ECW.

[When he arrived in Smoky Mountain, Cactus Jack said he was on a humanitarian mission to save Boo Bradley. Funny, most “humanitarians” don't beat up the men they’re trying to save.]

Jack is so popular there, too, but his popularity is due mainly to his love for blood and violence. Nobody is rooting for him to convert anybody there. They just want to see heads busted open and bones cracked. In his efforts to wreak havoc, Jack has found a willing partner: Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer is a young wrestler looking for a break. He says he considers himself very fortunate to have Jack on his side.

“Man, who wouldn’t want the guy on their side?” dreamed Dreamer, who has also done well in Japan of late. “He’s a legend! He doesn’t give a damn about anything or anybody. He’ll do whatever it takes to win. I want someone like that close by. He’s inspiring!”

Dreamer says he was especially inspired the night he and Jack took on The Sandman and Tommy Cairo, who were accompanied by Woman and Angel. Jack attacked his foes furiously, and he didn’t stop at Sandman and Cairo. Before the match even started, he walloped Angel in the face with a rattan Singapore cane, just seconds after he stopped Dreamer from doing the same thing.

“That was the lowest thing that I’ve ever seen!” said one hardened ECW fan.

“That was tremendous!” cried Dreamer. “Look, I don’t condone hitting female valets, but was Jack did was absolutely justified. She had no business even being there. Jack made sure she wouldn’t cause us any problems. He did what he thought needed to be done. It was a gutsy move.”

That is, I’m afraid, the real Cactus Jack, a man whose good acts must be viewed in a different light.

“I hear he’s recruiting Bradley for some major battles in ECW,” said one old partner of Jack’s. “He needs some reinforcements in his battles with people like Sabu.”

“He doesn’t want Bradley to think for himself,” said ECW competitor Chris Benoit. “He wants to do his thinking for him.” Bradley knows what’s been going on in ECW, but continues to insist Jack is a good man with good intentions.

“He told me I can trust him.” Bradley offered. “I believe him. Jack is a good man. He is my friend! He’ll always be there for me.”

Knowing Cactus, Bradley won

T have to wait very long to find out if he is right on that count. In WCW, Jack would cozy up to a guy like Kevin Sillivan just as quickly as he’d associate himself with someone like Sting.

“There was a time when I believed Cactus Jack truly cleaned up his act,” said Rick Steamboat, who recently retired from active competition. “I was actually considering a full-time partnership with him. But as soon as it seemed we were on the same page together, Jack would go veering off in a different direction.

“What makes him great as a wrestler–his unpredictability.” Steamboat added, “made him terrible as a tag team partner.”

Most of the fans and wrestlers in Smoky Mountains should know that the Cactus Jack they’re seeing is not to be believed. They’re just waiting for Bradley to join them.

[By all indications, this is the real Cactus Jack–the Cactus Jack who lives for Blood and guts in WCW. Jack showed no mercy toward Tommy Cario in this match and was even more vicious in a confrontation with valet Angel.]

#cactus jack #mick foley #boo bradley #tommy dreamer #ecw #smoky mountain wrestling #magazine scan #pro wrestling illustrated #magazine transctipt

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annepsilvaauthor · 1 year

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Fighter Weapons — Chapter 8

Pairing(s): Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x OC (Claire Mitchell) / Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Natasha "Phoenix" Trace

Summary: An untold story. A series that shows what happened during the Top Gun of our beloved pilots of Top Gun: Maverick.

Warnings: Subtle sexual innuendos, brief language, alcohol consumption, angst, smut, fluffy.

Word Count: 3.334

The darlings who don't want to miss any updates ↪️ @missathlete31 @togetherisawonderfulplacetobe @switch3rr @na0my @aprilwithapricots @goldenloverschild @rightwhereiwantyou @jackiequick @oliviah-25 @bellyliveslife @anerdquemoraaolado @callsign-barbell @struggling-with-space

sᴀɴ ᴅɪᴇɢᴏ ʙᴇᴀᴄʜ, ᴄᴀ

Bradley left the Fightertown facility with a smile on his face and sunglasses on, despite the fact that it was a hyper dark night. He jumped into his car, without needing to open the door, and revved the engine, then drove across the lane.

The blue flowered shirt swayed like a flag in the night breeze and the speed, which matched the white shorts and sneakers. He turned on the radio and continued his little journey to the sound of Jerry Lee Lewis.

He parked next to Claire's curb, which was just four miles from the hangar. He took a good look at the facade. It was a simple, small, yellow house - which surprised him, since Claire hated yellow - with a short path that led to the porch. The door was half glass and half dark wood, but he couldn't see into the house as there was a thin white curtain covering the top.

Bradley knocked on the door in three rings. As children, he and Claire were put to bed very early, but they still wanted to play. Then, just when they thought everyone was asleep, Bradley knocked three times on her door and she automatically knew it wasn't Carole or her father. They played there until they got tired. After that, this code became a joke for them, in which they used it only to identify themselves.

Claire opened the door with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile on her face. She looked at her watch seriously and then back at him in pride. He couldn't help but smile.

“Right on time, Lieutenant Bradshaw.”

“I couldn't disobey an order, ma'am.” he said in a serious tone and removed his glasses.

"Sunglasses at night? You really are a fighter pilot.” she commented, shaking her head. “You may come in.”

Bradley obeyed her and entered the house even smaller inside than outside. The living room, made up of a few pieces of furniture, connected to the dining room and kitchen in an open room. The decor looked untouched. Claire probably still shouldn't have had time to leave that place her style, remaining as the real estate gave her.

She guided him to the kitchen and he could analyze the clothes he wore. Claire wore sandals with low heels, a tight black dress and a denim shirt over it, being used as a jacket. Her blonde hair, usually straight during class, was slightly curled at the ends, and her face was lightly made up, just to enhance those sweet eyes. His heart warmed at the fact that she took his visit seriously and put a little extra effort into her appearance. Not that she needed it, she was beautiful anyway. But... it got to him.

"Hmm... is that what I'm thinking?" He fled to the pots on the counter, breathing in the delicious aroma of childhood.

“For years, Carole tried to teach me how to make this dish and I couldn't get it right. I spent some time in Hawaii and my roommate taught me a few tricks. But it wasn't the same taste as his mother, Bradley. I tweaked it a bit to make it look similar, but...

She hurried on to explain as she always did when she was unsure of something, let alone food that was so special to him. But Bradley seemed too absorbed to think about anything more than his mother. Claire walked over to him and patted his thick shoulder. He looked back at her with wet eyes and smiled.

“Thanks. It must be fine.”

"Let's check it out, then."

Bradley nodded and took a seat at the tiny two-seater table. There was a white lace tablecloth and a simple placemat. She really was taking this seriously. Claire served him a medium platter, black, like his mother did, and inside was Buddha's Rainbow Rice. There was smoked salmon, broccoli, watercress, red cabbage, grated onion, avocado, chia, and of course, rice. It was a cheerful dish as his mother was.

"Wow...mmm..." He popped some in his mouth. "This is wonderful!"

“Seriously?” she asked with a suspicious expression. “You don't have to please me. Here I'm just your friend, not your instructor. You can tell the truth.”

“No. It is serious. This is really good.” He took two more wooden spoonfuls. Even that she thought. “I feel like I'm in Hawaii with my mom again, visiting Grandpa and Grandma. Wow... it's been five years since they've been gone.”

“A few years ago I needed to do some research in Honolulu and I went to visit them at the kiosk. Your grandma was still wearing that themed outfit and bare feet and your grandpa was still talking to the sun.” she said with a smile, intoxicated by the memory of them.

“I don't know how Grandma didn't get sick from being barefoot all the time. I mean....I never saw grandma sick with anything.”

“She was happy. She was in the place she loved, doing what she loved and with whom she loved. There was no reason to get sick or be sad.”

“Good point.” He opened the glass of red wine and poured them. “Remember when she tried to teach you hula dancing?”

"I was a terror!"

“What? You were wonderful! With that costume and skin as white as the chairs.” he teased and she made a funny face.

“Your grandmother gave up teaching me to dance.”

“You know what's weird? You can learn and use hyper-difficult formulas, help build space shuttles and take men into space, but you can't learn to dance.”

“Throw it in my face even though I'm useless with practical things.” she complained, but he saw the smile in her eyes as he took a sip of wine. “In my defense, I learned a few steps years later.”

“That I want to see”. he challenged.

“Maybe one day.”

She smiled and they both took another sip of wine and went back to eating, enjoying the great meal and company.

“You're not quite useless at practical things.” he commented suddenly.

"Oh, thanks for the 'not quite.'” She teased with a laugh.

“You can break a glass with your voice.”

“Yes I can.” She smiled shyly. “But I won't now. My voice hasn't been exercised lately.”

“That's a shame for society. You have one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.”

“Wow, so you have a very limited musical repertoire.”

“Claire…I'm serious. You won many awards at school. Remember our duo?”

“The Rooster and the Duck. From the name, we know we were never going to get famous.” She laughed and he feigned indignation.

"We were amazing! Me on the piano and you singing with me. People at the mall stopped to see us. If there was a social network back then, we would certainly be viral.”

Both laughed at the memory of moments when they were invited to perform at a snack bar in the mall. The owner was a friend of the Bradshaws and invited them to liven up his establishment, as he saw that they were really good. Bradley played an acoustic guitar while singing a duet with Claire, getting the diners into some real fun.

Bradley recalled the joy and warmth in his heart when performing with Claire. Her voice was simply angelic in contrast to his, which was low and husky. They made a great team and really enjoyed each other. There were moments when they forgot they were in public and sang to each other, in an almost magical connection.

"Listen, baby, ain't no mountain high, ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough, baby" Bradley began to sing, caught up in the memories.

“Brad. No. We're not drunk enough for this.” She took a sip of wine.

"If you need me, call me, no matter where you are, no matter how far (don't worry, baby). Just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry, you don't have to worry " he continued, urging her to sing too.

Bradley got to his feet and walked toward her, holding out a hand. She fixed him with a wary look, but the glow in those brown orbs of his left her without resistance. He was there, he wanted to have fun with her, remember the good old days. She didn't have to worry about secrets for a few hours. They were at peace there. Then, she took his hand and got to her feet too.

"Oh, baby, there ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough to keep me from getting to you, baby" she sang in her sweet timbre.

"Remember the day I set you free, I told you could always count on me, darling. From that day on, I made a vow, I'll be there when you want me some way, somehow."

"Cause, baby, there ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough to keep me from getting to you, baby" they sang together.

They danced in the weirdest, most embarrassing way possible, surrounded by good music and memories. Claire was smiling at him openly, giving herself over to the song and dance without reservation. It was just the two of them there. There was no reason to be the 35-year-old adult. It could just be Claire Mitchell, the one who loved having fun with her friend, Bradley Bradshaw.

"Oh, no, dear! No wind, no rain."

"No winter storm can stop me, baby."

"No, no, baby! Because you are my goal. If you're ever in trouble I'll be there on the double. Just sing for me, Oh, baby, ha!"

Bradley approached her with ridiculous strides, which caused her to laugh like she hadn't done in years. He lightly encircled her around the waist, keeping his playful smile and smoldering gaze on her.

"My love is alive (ooh) Way down in my heart, although we are miles apart." Claire sang that part with great intensity, devoting herself to every word and note.

"If you ever need a helping hand I'll be there on the double, just as fast as I can. Don't you know that there..."

"Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough to keep me from getting to you, baby"

They finished singing in laughter and Bradley encircled her tightly around the waist to then lift her off the floor and twirl her around the kitchen. He could smell her vanilla scent, as well as her hair brushing his face and her breasts pressed against his chest. It was a heady feeling to be with her. He felt like he was sixteen again.

She protested for him to put her down and he obeyed, but he didn't let go of her. Bradley fixed her blonde locks and smiled slightly as he contemplated the sparkle in those light brown eyes and the rosy skin, due to the movement.

Bradley remembered his senior prom. The girl who had accepted his invitation had chickenpox and was unable to accompany him. He wasn't that popular to have a list of girls waiting to be his date and it was also very close to the prom, everyone was already hooked. He considered not going. But his mother insisted he go, as it was the last ball and he would regret it forever if he missed it.

What his mother did not tell him was that she had spoken with Maverick and he allowed Claire to travel alone to Annapolis, as he was on a mission in Asia and could not accompany her.

So when Bradley was sitting in the courtside bleachers, drinking punch and feeling like the saddest kid at the party, he saw her walk through the glitter doorway at the entrance. For an instant, he thought it was a mirage, hallucination. But then, she approached him with a sweet smile and his heart didn't know whether to beat or stop. Claire was just…splendid.

She wore a long navy blue dress, with a plunging neckline that was larger than he usually saw her wearing and fitted to her body. Her long hair was pulled back into an elaborate bun and only a few front strands fell freely over her made-up face. He usually saw her wearing baggy sweatshirts and coats, which hid all her beautiful body. But not that day. She was…she was…perfect.

"What's that face? You look like you saw a ghost!"

"Why are you here?"

"I'm on a secret mission: to be prom date for a weird but pretty awesome boy."

"You traveled eight hours just to be my date?"

"What's the surprise? You would do the same for me."

"Yeah, wouldn't think twice."

Ain't no Mountain High Enough was playing at the exact moment they spoke and Claire led him out onto the dance floor. They danced until they couldn't anymore. Bradley, in a strange and selfish way, was grateful that his date didn't go, because that dance wouldn't be so unforgettable if Claire wasn't there with him. She was his best friend, his confidante, the girl who knew him even better than he knew himself. And she was the girl who stirred his being.

Bradley couldn't explain what he felt for her. Whenever she was around, his heart decided to beat faster and his whole body warmed up, words ran from her mind and all he wanted was to talk to her, to be closer and closer to her. But, he hadn't paid as much attention to her lips yet, not like that night. Dancing so close, smelling the sweet scent and looking deep into her eyes, Bradley, for the first time, felt like kissing her. Her lips were so close, so shiny, they felt soft.

Then he kissed her. A light, shy kiss that tasted like…finally. It was the first time he'd wanted to kiss her, but he felt like he'd wanted to kiss her for years. His chest was burning, his heartbeat was like a drum, a hot shiver running up his back. Her lips were really soft, sweet as flowers and they returned the kiss warmly holding the lapel of his tuxedo. The kiss lasted less than a minute, but the sensation of lips touching lingered for hours.

Claire looked at him in a mixture of surprise and fear, her face red. She opened and closed her mouth several times but said nothing. Then, she turned away from him and walked away. Bradley went after her but couldn't find her. From that night on, everything was different between them. They took it as a prom accident, but deep down they knew what it meant, they just didn't have the courage to say it out loud.

Bradley blamed himself for having screwed up the beautiful friendship between them. He blamed himself for pulling away. If he hadn't followed his instincts, they would still be close. But no, the urge to kiss her was so great that it overcame his sense of reason. He would never do that if he knew they would end up like this: separated like a wind.

Now, eighteen years later, they were in that position again. He held her face in one hand, stroking her soft cheek with his thumb and encircling her waist. She was still smiling, intoxicated by memories and fun. And he accompanied her. Happiness dressed her very well.

Bradley leaned his forehead against hers, slowly brushing both noses and suddenly the mood changed. He felt a heat in his chest, his fingers tingled and the mix of sensations between her scent and the softness of her skin was setting him on fire. She seemed to feel the same, as she surrounded him by the hem of his shorts, pulling him slightly.

Claire felt his hot, heavy breath on her face, panting uncontrollably, and she was no different either. They were so close on such an unexpected and special night. It had been years since she had felt this good, this alive. And it was all because of him. Bradley had the same look as that night at the ball and she knew very well how that scene would unfold. But she found herself wanting it too. She knew it was wrong in so many ways. Wow, in so many ways. But it was still him. It was Bradley. It was still those orbs crackling like a bonfire.

And he brought his lips closer...

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. They heard the ringing of a cell phone and both sighed heavily, but remained in the same position.

“It's my cell phone." she said in a shaky voice.

"Let it play." he asked needily.

"Could be my dad."

Bradley seemed to wake up from his trance at the word "dad". Too many memories involving that word rose in his mind without mercy and he slowly walked away from her. He didn't even notice when she answered the call. He was immersed in his limbo of pain, hurt and longing.

Maverick had become a father figure to him when he was younger. He would take him to see fighter planes, flight simulators, plus many other cool activities a father could do with his son. Bradley loved Maverick for a long time. He represented what his mother, while wonderful in her role, could never supply. He felt a father's void and Maverick filled it.

Although he found out in his early teens that his father died on a flight with Maverick, Bradley tried not to blame him. He saw his mother's affection for him, in addition to knowing the stories they told about their friendship. Bradley knew that Maverick loved his father very much. And he also came to love it.

However, when Bradley was devastated by the loss of his mother and wanted to fulfill his dream: to be closer to his father in heaven and Maverick stopped him, Bradley did not understand. He was his father figure, he took care of him, he knew his dreams, his desires. And even then, it prevented him from entering the Naval Academy. For four years straight. Bradley was devastated. No. He was furious. He had lost his mother, his best friend and from then on he lost a father as well. He was alone in the world.

And when Bradley started studying to be a fighter pilot, he discovered just how brash and arrogant Maverick was as a pilot. He was dangerous, according to people and he saw it registered in the documents. The way Maverick flew was insane, he didn't seem to love his own life or that of his navigator. For years, Bradley didn't blame him for the accident. But after understanding how it all happened and becoming a fighter pilot, he blamed Maverick. He blamed him for destroying his life.

For that reason, Bradley could no longer stay in that house. He had fun with the daughter of the one he swore he would never forgive. She wasn't to blame for anything, he was aware of that. But he couldn't disentangle the Maverick figure from her. There was always the shadow of the arrogant pilot who killed his father. It had happened in the past and it was happening here, with her on the phone with him.

So, Bradley took advantage of her turning her back, took his belongings and left that house. He couldn't stand it. He thought he might be ripe for that, to move on, to think of her only as his childhood friend. But not. Bradley hadn't gotten over it and didn't know if he ever would.

He got into the jeep and started without looking back. But his heart ached. He still didn't understand what he felt for Claire and he didn't think he would ever understand, not with those feelings and memories of Maverick swirling in his being.

That night, Bradley slept thinking about Claire's soft skin and smile.

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