Supreme Championship Wrestling

DEADLINE ONE - 3250 ROLEPLAY 10TH APRIL 2020 2359 EST

DEADLINE TWO - SHOOT / SEGMENT 12TH APRIL 2020 2359 EST

“There are two types of competitors in the professional wrestling industry. The first type are your star-makers. These are competitors who comprise the majority of the people you see. You can get attached to them, grow to see them as the heart and soul of their respective companies, but their role is always the same: work to be the best benefit to the second type. The term “glass ceiling” explicitly states to workers in this category - they are the ones who have limits to their greatness.

The second type are the stars. They’re the ones whose faces you’ll find on the programs, whose names are on the marquee. They may not be the heart and soul, but they’re the ones who are steering the ship nonetheless. A company’s entire reputation can be affected - either to it’s benefit or it’s detriment - by these stars. They are the ones who give a company it’s identity. 


I’m sure you can guess which area I found myself cast into. It’s cooly bitter to come to the realization that your role in your place of employment is to serve to better other people… that your entire reason for being is to give the stars a greater shine, while you trudge beneath them. But I was brought to that realization when my benefactor opened my eyes to it. After all, it’s a lot easier to see these forces at work when you’re not in the thick of it… something about being unable to see the forest through all those damn trees. 


But that’s what happened to me. I was so wrapped up in my own goings on that I didn’t see… I couldn’t see… or I just refused to see what was going on around me. I was sent out for matches that were intended to be star-makers for my opponents. And you know something? Being seen as the “star-maker”... while it’s a position that’s at least moderately lucrative… when you see it for yourself, it’s kind of insulting.


So I found myself with two options. I could either leave EMERGE completely, seek my fame and fortune back in the United States and let everyone here see what they were missing out on, making another company a lot of money in the process, or I could step to the plate and show the stars here that I’m not working for their benefit. From now on, I am interested in the advancement of one career… mine. I know that’s going to ruffle a few feathers here and there. I’d be disappointed if it didn’t. But the fact of the matter is this: I’m not going to be going on anyone else’s timeline now. I’m working for me. I’m breaking through the glass ceiling, and showing everyone that I am the star of this story.”


~~~~~~~~~~


THE BENEFACTOR


I remember the first time I laid eyes on Desiree. She was in the midst of her “Tribute Act” to Taylor Chase, an old friend of mine, and doing her idol proud was all that mattered to her. Her way was crude and, at times, rather sloppy, but her heart was there. While one may discount the reasons behind it, she really did intend on becoming a star. She wanted to do Taylor proud. She wanted to show that her worship could help lead another to the promised land. Unfortunately, as so many have learned over the years, simply wanting to be a success was not a recipe for greatness. It was a Charlie Bucket lesson: Wanting it more than anyone wasn’t enough. You had to work for it. 


I saw something in Desiree that I could refine, mould, shape towards a greater purpose. It was something I could recognize watching her going through the motions on EMERGE television. However, I needed to confirm it. I had grown in a beard since my last public appearances, permitting me to pass virtually anywhere undetected. I learned her patterns and, one day, I met with her at a cafe in Toronto. She was confused, understandably, but I think on that day, I managed to get through to her and impress upon her the significance of herself - not as a Taylor Chase devotee, but as herself. While she appeared uncertain of her own potential, I left that meeting with the impression that she had taken my words to heart. Lo and behold, she defeated Thamuz at the final Invasion.


My words had shown promise. 


Since then, you might refer to me as the Benefactor. I have invested time and guidance in Desiree Devna - her success, her path, her growth. At times, it can be frustrating. It always is. Establishing oneself in a company as competitive as EMERGE can be a lofty proposition under the best of circumstances. In a company under the stranglehold of Willow Wilkes and The Unforgiven? The task became all the more daunting. Add in the majority vote of Aiken Frost and Silas… 


But this is a new day in EMERGE. Before I could not make my intentions clear. I’d have never been allowed in the building. But under the new regime? I have already placed calls into my past contacts and been granted my Managerial Pass. And, for the first time, I walked through the hallways at the arena. I had arranged for Desiree to meet me at the ring. It had been a long time since I had approached a wrestling ring, and as I stepped towards the ringside area, it was all too familiar of a feeling. After all, I had been in or around the wrestling industry for some fifteen years at this point. When you get it into your blood, it becomes a natural state. 


Desiree was leaning on the ropes as I approached, having a conversation with her tag team partner for the upcoming EMERGE event, Madeline Masters. Masters was a talented kid in her own right, having been exposed to the business young before receiving training in the fundamentals from Amy Chastaine. I approached the two women, my throat clearing. 


“Ladies,” I exclaimed in a matter loud enough to garner their attention. They both turned to face me. 


“I guess that’s my cue,” Madeline said as she nodded to Desiree, climbing out of the ring I got a small chill from her gaze, almost as if she did not trust me. I understood her position, given her history in the business. I know she had essentially been abused - mentally and later physically - by her ex-boyfriend wrestler, and that said wrestler would never get an opportunity in the big leagues of the industry in part because of that abuse. As she walked up the ramp, I took the steps onto the ring apron, standing near my charge. 


“She doesn’t like me,” I stated.


“She doesn’t even know you,” Desiree attempted to reassure me. It was a nice attempt, and a point I ultimately have to acquiesce to her. “So they let you into the building.”


“No one to stop me now,” I chuckled. I had understood prior to today that my name had been included on security’s “do not allow” list for reasons I entirely understood. My presence would have been a contentious one. Desiree would have suffered for my being there, so it was best to guide from the shadows, bide our time, and wait for a brighter day. That day came in South Africa. Drew Bryant, for his credit, acknowledged that he was in over his head… he may not have used those exact words, but the implication was there. He placed himself in a position where he was outvoted by his “partners” every time, even if he did make up fifty percent of the owners. Democracy ruled. And now, those “partners” have to deal with five others, sure to never exploit that majority again. Among the first petitions was my own. Needless to say, a five-to-two vote ensured my arrival. Desiree knew all of this, and could only shake her head.


“I still can’t believe they would have kept you out for so long,” she exclaimed. “Surely, there would have been reason to believe there could be value in having you around.”


“One thing I have learned about people when it comes to this business,” I began ruminating. “People don’t often like to acknowledge value in someone they don’t particularly like. They would prefer to downplay one’s impact, regardless as to whether or not they could actually benefit from it. Pride…”


“... comes before the fall,” she interjected. She was right, of course. People had put their pride ahead of the good of the business, seeking to solidify their own power instead of promoting the good of their own company. So many had allowed that pride to result in their loss of power. I was not immune to this either, having experienced a time where my pride and boastfulness resulted in my own proverbial fall. 


“But that is no longer standing in our way,” I attempted to change the subject. “You have a DUOS contest coming up in a matter of days. Are you ready?”


“I think so?” She was being honest, the upward inflection on “so” giving away as much. “Madeline and I had worked together once before.”


“You didn’t win then,” I pointed out correctly.


“No,” I could sense the wheels turning in Desiree’s head as she had thought about this exact scenario before. “But with the randomness behind DUOS, any sort of chemistry with your partners can’t be instantaneous. So having that familiarity is nice.”


“Can you trust her?” I was being frank. She turned and looked at me with a glare…


“Can I trust you?” It was a fair rebuttal, and I couldn’t help but grin as the words left her mouth. Desiree had already grown so much in the few months that we had been in contact with one another. She was looking to break free from the identity she had joined EMERGE with… that of the Taylor Chase superfan… and discover who she was.


“That is… fair,” I conceded the point openly to her. I mean, I’m not here to simply provide narration for the benefit of some otherworldly viewer, although I’m certain that is what some will believe anyway. My role is simply to help Miss Devna grow in her own skin, to shed that which she had worn previously and stand radiant before the world as her own woman. “Although I can give you my word, what is that truly worth?”


“You’ve helped me so much already,” she was sweet to say. I could tell she wasn’t entirely convinced herself. 


“It all goes back to what we spoke of during our initial meeting,” I began. “Your identity. Who are you, Desiree Devna? Your partner in a few days calls herself “The Light”. You have stepped across from people who know who they are. That is paramount to success.”


“Who do you think I am?” I smile as she gives a bit of a cop-out for an answer. Still, I look at Desiree and I smile.


“You?” I begin, surveying her and giving some real thought. “You are a dangerous woman, Desiree. And the most dangerous thing about you right now is how little anyone else expects it from you.”


“What do you mean?” She was hooked. 


“Right now, today, if you were to step into the ring with Willow Wilkes, do you understand what she would be capable of given her reputation and her mood after losing the Championship?” It was a simple question. Desiree had stepped into the ring with Willow before, surviving longer than anyone had given her credit for before, still, succumbing to defeat. That was a Willow Wilkes who was on top of the world, seemingly untouchable. She hadn’t tasted defeat in over a year at the time, and wouldn’t until the semifinals of the Ricky Octavius Memorial Tournament. After that, it would be months before she faced Jenni Helms a second time, again falling to defeat and this time losing the Championship. I’m saying all of this for your benefit, of course, because I look into Desiree’s eyes and see that she does understand this fact, prompting her to nod. “Well, you don’t have that reputation. What you have  is survival. You have lasted this long in EMERGE despite all prognostications that you would not. You have shown flashes of brilliance. You really have. And that is what makes you so dangerous right now. People see the spark in you. I saw the spark in you and decided to fan it into a larger fire, and as soon as you put it all together, there are people up top who are going to grow very concerned.”


“Okay,” she still wasn’t entirely convinced, but she was clearly open to the idea. Turning towards me again, she stands fully, no longer leaning on the ropes. “So how do I “put it all together”? What do I have to do to get from here… to there.”


She used her hands to express “here”... level just around her chest… and “there”... holding her hand at eye level. 


“I can’t answer that for you,” I concede. It was the truth, as well. There was nothing that I could do for Desiree or for anyone else. “The only person who can possibly know that answer is you. You discover your identity. You find yourself. When you do that? You embrace it and you climb.”


I decided then to hop off the apron, to leave Desiree with only my words. I didn’t make it halfway to the back again when she hollered out towards me from the ring, her words carrying through the acoustics of the arena. 


“How did Kelcey put it together?”


I stopped and I smiled. Kelcey Wallace, my closest, dearest friend. Kelcey and I had met in the old SWA, but then only in passing. It wasn’t until she went into NEWA… the Next Evolution Wrestling Alliance… that she called me up and asked if I would be interested in managing her. I helped her to the World Championship which she held for nine months, and was at her side when she repeated that feat in Supreme Championship Wrestling. Turning to Desiree, I gave a knowing look. 


“She found Perfection,” I responded, and it was really that simple. “She embraced it. She made it part of her. And through that, she raised up everyone around her.”


“Do you think I have that in me?” Desiree asked in all honesty, and it was a fair question. “Do you think that I can get to the levels she can?”


“Desiree,” I turned back towards the ring, standing in place. “If I didn’t believe it, I wouldn’t have wasted my time flying here.”


She nodded, and for the first time since we had been meeting, I saw complete, unfettered trust in her eyes. Nodding my head in response, I turn away and head to the backstage area, an area that my own brother had attempted to keep me from. Well, Silas… 


This time you lost. You can’t outwit The Perfect Mind forever.


~~~~~~~~~~


“A wise man once told me that success is up to you. You take ownership of it. But, as long as you’re owning successes, you also have to own your failings. And yeah, it took a bit of figuring out to see what he meant by that. But all you need to do is look around the world and see how often people take credit for the hard work of others, yet deny their own failings. Success is a matter of what you can take credit for, and only the enlightened, the humble, and the secure can own failings.


I’ve failed before. It’s a fact of life. But you’re not going to catch me dwelling on those failings. My philosophy is simple: Instead of lingering on an issue, I’ll identify it and figure out how to correct it. I’ve carried that in my career as much as my life. But, as my benefactor had explained, success means knowing who I am.

So I asked myself… who is Desiree Devna? 


It was a tough question. For so long, I had defined myself under the metrics of another. I wasn’t sure who I was for my own value. I knew who I was a fan of. I knew who I wanted to be like. 


But who was I? That was an entirely different question, one I couldn’t just sit back and let someone else dictate for me. I needed to step up… accept who I am and EMBRACE it. 


Which begs to question: Who AM I?


I’m the woman who stepped up and SLAPPED this company right across its “Face”... how’re you doing, Sierra? Stings a little, doesn’t it? After Drew Bryant named you the “Face of EMERGE”, you couldn’t leave well enough alone. You had to keep the illusion that you were sleeping with him alive to the point that, as he was relinquishing the company, he took a special moment just to tell you off. How quaint! “The Face of EMERGE”... good luck with that.


Do you know what I am though? I may not be the “Face of EMERGE”, and quite frankly, I don’t want to be. That has been played out. Sierra Swann? She can keep that. I don’t want to be labelled as something before I’ve had the chance to go out there and earn it. Maybe that’s the maturity of not getting what you want with the flutter of your eyelashes, but here we are. If I’m going to be the face of any company, it’s going to happen there. 


I’ve been told, though, I could be what I want to be. I am the author of my own destiny. Who does that make me? That makes me a woman that is very dangerous to Annabelle Buchard and Julia Boleyn. You see, they don’t know quite what I have in here. But let me explain it to you…


I am the Danger of Rodeo Drive.


The most famous street in Los Angeles… where movie stars are discovered. You look at me… I could fit in that scene like a glove. But don’t take that image lightly. I’m not just a pretty face. And I’m not a part of someone else’s story. 


I’m Desiree Devna. I’M the Star here. This is MY story! And at EMERGE #37, it’s time for me to step forward and start forging my path.


Buchard. Boleyn. You’re standing in my way… sorry, but this is something I have to do.”

The conclusion of Invasion: South Africa was magical. After a year plus of the seemingly unstoppable Willow Wilkes standing atop the Emerge roster; both with and without the backing of Cindy Todd; no definitive challenge stood in her way, the wicked witch of Emerge finally fell to the hand of Jennifer Helms. A real case could be made that Jennifer has the number of Willow. Add on to that the split 50% ownership stake of Jennifer's parents, along with Shaun Cruze,  Lucas Knight, Regan and Trinity Street, the future was looking brighter for the Emerge roster by the day. There was a cause for celebration. Anyone who wasn’t a member of The Unforgiven would rejoice. Happy days ahead. Unfortunately for Annabelle Burchard she was not going to engage in the festivities. After her disqualification victory over Melissa Killgraves, she stayed to watch the rest of the show alone backstage. She had a smile on her face watching as Jennifer reaffirmed to the world that good people can finish first. Annabelle then grabbed her bag with her ring gear in it and headed back to the hotel alone. 



Back at the hotel Annabelle, wearing a sky blue pajama set, stood in the bathroom gazing at her own sad reflection in the mirror. She places her hair in pigtails. That wasn’t enough to wipe the sadness off her face. Wasn’t sure what would, she was alone in a country she had never visited before, isolated from a locker room that didn’t take the time to get to know her. She walked back into the bedroom, with nothing else to do she headed straight to the King size bed, she crawled into it.  Laying on her back Annabelle stared straight at the ceiling. Sleep felt like a great idea. Where was she going to go? She knew no place to hang out. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough. A knock on the door pulled Annabelle out of her own mind. She sat up wondering who was on the other side. She wasn’t expecting anyone. No one should know she is in the room. This could be a mistake, possible whoever was in the hallway knocked on the wrong door. Had to be that. Annabelle laid back down hoping sleep would claim her. 


Again, a louder knock on the door made it quite clear whoever was on the other side wanted to see her. Figuring whoever it was wouldn’t go away until she answered, Annabelle slid out of bed. She cautiously walked to greet her unexpected guest. Pulling the door slowly open, seeing who it was, Annabelle tried quick fast and in a hurry to slam the door in their face. Her effort came to no avail, the door wouldn’t budge. No matter how hard Annabelle tried to close the door, the stoppage of momentum made it clear that she wasn’t strong enough to hold her visitor at bay. 


“Go away!” Annabelle screamed.  


The person on the other end pushed the door open, the momentum sent Annabelle crashing flat on her ass. She stared up at a sweet suit wearing Liam Dillinger. He walks into the room. He offered Annabelle a hand. “Don’t be rude.”


Annabelle slaps Liam’s hand away. “If you came to finish the job Melissa started--”


Liam shrugs his shoulders. “Don’t be ridiculous. Melissa doesn’t need me to finish you off. Far from it. Looks like you can use some company.”


Annabelle manages to pull herself up. She walks to the door. Pointing into the hallway, Annabelle says defiantly. “Can you please go, Liam? And pass along a message for me... tell Aiken, Silas, all your friends in The Unforgiven they can focus their attention on someone else.”  


Liam walks over to Annabelle, looking down at her he slams the door shut. Folding his arms into his chest, Liam calmly says;  “Don’t make this anymore difficult than it needs to be, Annabelle. We can be your friends or your worst enemy. After the performance you put on tonight, you can use all the friends in the world.” 


Annabelle grabbed the door knob. Before she could open the door Liam places his hand on it. He shakes his head. “Seriously, how much longer are we going to do this? Hear me out. Then I’ll go. Simple.”



Annabelle sighs. She knows Liam is right. She was not going to overpower a man who looks like a Greek God. She storms past him. Taking a seat on the bed she points over to a brown chair next to a small table. Liam nods. He walks over to the chair she directed him too. He sat down. 


Placing his right ankle across his left knee, the Man of the Century told Annabelle. “I get it just as much as anyone. Society preaches at you every single moment of every single day to be good. We are forced to follow this unwritten social contract to get ahead. We are convinced our desires are dead wrong. Succumbing to all this judgement for what? To live a repressed life? What you saw tonight from Melissa is a woman living without restraints. She is living life as the very best version of herself, with Cindy’s guidance you can become part of a world that won’t judge you at all.”  



Annabelle tilts her head to the side. “With all due respect Liam, you are wasting your time. I am not interested in your sales pitch. There is nothing Your Queen can offer that God can.”


Liam rolls his eyes. “You don’t get it, Annabelle. My Queen is not giving you a choice.”


Annabelle shakes her head. “We all have choices, Liam. You chose to run away from your problems, I--” Annabelle points to herself. “-- am trying to fix mine. I am a woman who wanted her daddy’s approval so much I became him. I am not a woman born from tragedy like your Queen. I am sorry for everything she went through--”


“She doesn’t need your sympathy.” Liam hisses angrily. 


“What Ms. Todd needs is love. So do you. So does Melissa. So does Willow. I don’t want a war with The Unforgiven, I didn’t choose to become the subject of your attention. I want redemption for my crimes. That’s all. There are more troubles for men and women out there... I don’t understand why you think I’m special.”


“Redemption?” Liam laughs. “Please. Redemption doesn’t exist, I learned that first hand. No one who knows about my part in Ricky getting beat up by Alistaire [Taylor] is ever going to forgive for that. They are a bunch of self righteous assholes who believe they can dictate who is good and evil. The concept of redemption is a joke.”


Annabelle walks over to Liam. She places a hand on his shoulder. “I forgive you. Who am I to judge?”


Liam looks at her hand on his shoulder. Then he looks into her soft eyes. “I appreciate that Annabelle. Changes nothing. There will come a day in the future you won’t be able to deny who you truly  are. And when that day comes, you have a home in The Unforgiven. They won’t forgive you. We will.” 


Having said his peace Liam rises to his feet. He walks to the door, opens it, closes the door shut behind him. 


The confrontation with Liam accomplished one thing, made her tired. She took advantage of the new found fatigue by walking back to the bed. Before she knew it, night-night Annabelle went.  



The next morning Annabelle woke up. To her surprise she slept well. She rolled over to grab her phone from the nightstand.  She pulled up the Twitter app to check her notifications. A few fans expressed how impressed they were by her toughness, encouraging her to stay strong. Others expressed that she needed to fight back, play diriter. Of course there was the segment of the fan base that said she wouldn’t last walking her current path. One thing that caught her eye above all else, a brand new follower. The name and the photo she couldn’t forget if she tried...


“Poppy Stephens.”


A smile broke out on Annabelle’s face. Unable to contain her excitement she immediately followed Poppy. She followed that up by sending Poppy a direct message.

Quote:“Please tell me that’s really you!!”

Annabelle set the phone down, she didn’t expect Poppy to respond back immediately. Before she could reach the bathroom her phone pinged. She ran back to the phone. 

Quote:“The one and only girl. Me and Carol watched Invasion: South Africia last night. We heard you got back into wrestling. Thank goodness. You should not have quit in the first place. Shocked you were not wearing the face paint. What’s a little make up? Anyway. Happy you are back in the ring. Here’s my number [insert phone number here]. Keep in touch.  ”

Annabelle was overwhelmed with joy. Poppy reaching out was just what she needed at a time like this. She didn’t feel alone anymore, that alone helps tremendously. 


She closed Twitter, pressed the telephone icon, wasted no dialing the number. 


Didn’t have to wait long for Poppy to pick up...   


--




The scene opens on a nice sunny day. Annabelle Burchard can be seen sitting at the top of a flight of steps. In the background the viewer will notice auburn church doors. Annabelle’s hair is tied together to sport a pigtail. She is wearing a white sleeveless shirt, blue jeans and sandals. 


“This needs to be said... Melissa Killgraves; if your intention was to break me, you failed miserably.” 


Annabelle pauses to let her definitive statement sink in. “Some will deem me unwise to poke a wounded animal. Overall, The Unforgiven didn’t have a great night. Mr. Bryant sold his shares to individuals Aiken and Silas aren’t fond of from the research I’ve done. Losing the Emerge Championship was a huge setback. One could hold the perception The Unforgiven are vulnerable. We all are expecting they intend to send a message that will eliminate the perception that this is the beginning of the end for them. They don’t need my words to inspire. My words don’t matter ultimately, especially when it comes to you Melissa.” 


“At Invasion: South Africia; don’t think I don’t realize you could have pushed the envelope further. I was in a vulnerable state. I was in no position to defend myself. Not lost on me you chose to walk away. Here is a word of advice my former self would give to you...” Annabelle glares into the camera. “Next time finish the job, teasing is NOT good.”


“Speaking of teases--” She waves for the camera “-- hello Madeline. Desiree.”



“I don’t believe I am out of line calling your careers in EMERGE so far one big tease. Madeline. You debuted at Invasion: Miami. You competed in an open invitational battle royal. Stars from years past and present saw that match as their golden ticket, one KALI wound up winning. KALI wasn’t the only Emerge talent to have a breakout performance. You did too. The wrestling world talked for weeks on end about how well you performed. You were pegged to be a breakout star. Many expected you to carry that momentum forward... you haven’t. I was blown away by the other memorable performance you had, the Ladder Match against a man who defeated our current Emerge Champion. Once more the wrestling world is buzzing just like they were after your battle royal performance.” 


Annabelle pauses. 


“Desiree. You debuted in the same battle royal Madeleine did. You came to EMERGE as a Taylor Chase admirer. Everyone sees you are doing your best to be known for more than that. Going as far to call yourself... Top Dollar. Unlike Madaline, your teasing comes in the form of hype. On Twitter we can always count you making some variation of how much you are going to make a statement, how the world underestimates you; especially leading into your first round match in the Ricky Memorial against Willow. You were so driven by the naysayers who felt Willow would destroy you. How many times can we pull out our phone to make declarations to the world that don’t come true? How long are we going to have to be teased until we see what Top Dollar Desiree Deneva is all about? There comes a point in life when everyone gets tired of being beat over the head with when this or that is going to happen.” 


Annabelle stares down for a moment. She takes no real pleasure speaking to her opponents in this frank manner. She lifts her head up; looking straight into the camera again.   


“Madeline, Desiree, my question is straight forward, how will Emerge #37 be different than the other times you’ve teased greatness?”


“My goal every week is the same regardless of the perceived magnitude of the match. I am not burdened by lofty expectations. Safe to focus on what I can control. My personal redemption matters more to me than anything. I am not driven by the same externals most of my peers are. Don’t take this to mean I don’t like winning, I do, losing to my tag partner and losing to the current SPIRIT Champion sucked. I am not one of those people who will say winning and losing doesn’t matter. Winning, in this case, puts me in a position to challenge for the tag team championships. However I am not one of those winning is the only thing absolutist. I am the furthest thing from Vince Lombardi. I know where my priorities lay. And that is the one advantage I hold over you two. How long before being ‘The Light’ becomes a fade? How long before being ‘Top Dollar’ goes out of style? Win, lose or draw, I know exactly who I am.” 


Annabelle rises to her feet. “Can either of you say the same?”


She turns her back to the camera. Annabelle walks into the church as the scene fades to black.